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Croose E, Hanniffy R, Harrington A, Põdra M, Gómez A, Bolton PL, Lavin JV, Browett SS, Pinedo J, Lacanal D, Galdos I, Ugarte J, Torre A, Wright P, MacPherson J, McDevitt AD, Carter SP, Harrington LA. Mink on the brink: comparing survey methods for detecting a critically endangered carnivore, the European mink Mustela lutreola. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01657-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
AbstractMonitoring rare and elusive species is critical in guiding appropriate conservation management measures. Mammalian carnivores are challenging to monitor directly, due to their generally nocturnal and solitary lifestyle, and relatively large home ranges. The European mink Mustela lutreola is a critically endangered, small, semi-aquatic carnivore and is one of the most threatened mammal species in Europe. In northern Spain, the European mink population is monitored regionally using different methods and approaches, making assessment of national population status difficult. There is an urgent need to 1) assess the efficacy of survey methods and 2) identify a standard monitoring methodology that can be deployed rapidly and inexpensively over large areas of the mink’s range. We deployed four methods—camera trapping, hair tubes, live trapping, and environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples—to compare the probability of detecting European mink when present at 25 sampling sites within five 10 × 10 km2, and the economic cost and time required for each method. All four methods successfully detected European mink but the probability of detection varied by method. Camera trapping and hair tubes had the highest probability of detection; however, eDNA and live trapping detected mink in one 10 × 10 km2 where the latter two methods did not. For future European mink monitoring programs, we recommend a combination of at least two methods and suggest that camera traps or hair tubes are combined with live trapping or eDNA (depending on the scale and aims of the study), to gather critical information on distribution, occupancy and conservation status.
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Twining JP, McFarlane C, O'Meara D, O'Reilly C, Reyne M, Montgomery WI, Helyar S, Tosh DG, Augustine BC. A comparison of density estimation methods for monitoring marked and unmarked animal populations. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Twining
- Department of Natural Resources Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Claire McFarlane
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - Denise O'Meara
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco‐innovation Research Centre School of Science and Computing, South East Technological University Waterford UK
| | - Catherine O'Reilly
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco‐innovation Research Centre School of Science and Computing, South East Technological University Waterford UK
| | - Marina Reyne
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - W. Ian Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - Sarah Helyar
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - David G. Tosh
- Raithlin LIFE Project The Royal Society for Protection of Birds, Belvoir Park Forest Belfast UK
| | - Ben C. Augustine
- Department of Natural Resources Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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Assessing the detectability of the Irish stoat Mustela erminea hibernica using two camera trap-based survey methods. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00598-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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O’Reilly C, Turner P, O’Mahony DT, Twining JP, Tosh DG, Smal C, McAney K, Powell C, Power J, O’Meara DB. Not out of the woods yet: genetic insights related to the recovery of the pine marten (Martes martes) in Ireland. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In this study, the history of the pine marten (Martes martes) in Ireland is reviewed, revealing that the population has undergone several retractions and expansions over the last few hundred years. Here, we consider the genetic legacy of this flux in fortunes and its likely impacts upon the conservation and future recovery of the species. Using nuclear DNA markers (microsatellites), we found that the genetic diversity present in Ireland today is like that of other Irish carnivores, but there is evidence of a genetic bottleneck and low effective population size that might result in further reductions of diversity in the future. There is a lack of genetic structure, showing that the population has not been fragmented genetically, despite the low percentage of woodland in Ireland. We also reviewed the mitochondrial DNA diversity present in the Irish population and showed that there is only one contemporary and one extinct haplotype present; a reduced diversity relative to other Irish carnivores. The Irish haplotypes, both extant and extinct, are shared or are genetically similar to haplotypes commonly present in southern Europe today. We discuss the possibility of reinforcing the Irish population with animals from these sources to help supplement and maintain genetic diversity for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine O’Reilly
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco-innovation Research Centre, School of Science and Computing, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | - Peter Turner
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco-innovation Research Centre, School of Science and Computing, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | | | - Joshua P Twining
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - David G Tosh
- National Museums Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Christopher Smal
- Ecological Solutions, Rathdown Upper, Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland
| | - Kate McAney
- Vincent Wildlife Trust, Donaghpatrick, Headford, County Galway, Ireland
| | - Ciara Powell
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco-innovation Research Centre, School of Science and Computing, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | - John Power
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco-innovation Research Centre, School of Science and Computing, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | - Denise B O’Meara
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco-innovation Research Centre, School of Science and Computing, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
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Twining JP, Montgomery WI, Reid N, Marks N, Tosh DG, Scantlebury DM. All forests are not equal: population demographics and denning behaviour of a recovering small carnivore in human modified landscapes. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Twining
- J. P. Twining (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-9665) ✉ , W. I. Montgomery, N. Reid, N. Marks and D. M. Scantlebury, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's Univ., Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - W. Ian Montgomery
- J. P. Twining (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-9665) ✉ , W. I. Montgomery, N. Reid, N. Marks and D. M. Scantlebury, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's Univ., Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Neil Reid
- J. P. Twining (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-9665) ✉ , W. I. Montgomery, N. Reid, N. Marks and D. M. Scantlebury, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's Univ., Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Nikki Marks
- J. P. Twining (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-9665) ✉ , W. I. Montgomery, N. Reid, N. Marks and D. M. Scantlebury, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's Univ., Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - David G. Tosh
- D. G. Tosh, National Museums Northern Ireland, Cultra, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - D. Mike Scantlebury
- J. P. Twining (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-9665) ✉ , W. I. Montgomery, N. Reid, N. Marks and D. M. Scantlebury, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's Univ., Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
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Modorov M, Monakhov V, Mikryukov V, Erokhin N, Tkachenko I, Polezhaeva M, Ranyuk M. Microsatellite multiplex assay for sable (Martes zibellina) and pine marten (Martes martes). MAMMAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-020-00529-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Twining JP, Montgomery WI, Tosh DG. Declining invasive grey squirrel populations may persist in refugia as native predator recovery reverses squirrel species replacement. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Twining
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - W. Ian Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
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Novel real-time PCR species identification assays for British and Irish bats and their application to a non-invasive survey of bat roosts in Ireland. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Twining JP, Montgomery I, Fitzpatrick V, Marks N, Scantlebury DM, Tosh DG. Seasonal, geographical, and habitat effects on the diet of a recovering predator population: the European pine marten (Martes martes) in Ireland. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1289-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Croose E, Birks JDS, Martin J, Ventress G, MacPherson J, O’Reilly C. Comparing the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of sampling methods for estimating population abundance and density of a recovering carnivore: the European pine marten (Martes martes). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1282-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Sheehy E, Sutherland C, O'Reilly C, Lambin X. The enemy of my enemy is my friend: native pine marten recovery reverses the decline of the red squirrel by suppressing grey squirrel populations. Proc Biol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29514972 PMCID: PMC5879625 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Shared enemies may instigate or modify competitive interactions between species. The dis-equilibrium caused by non-native species introductions has revealed that the outcome of such indirect interactions can often be dramatic. However, studies of enemy-mediated competition mostly consider the impact of a single enemy, despite species being embedded in complex networks of interactions. Here, we demonstrate that native red and invasive grey squirrels in Britain, two terrestrial species linked by resource and disease-mediated apparent competition, are also now linked by a second enemy-mediated relationship involving a shared native predator recovering from historical persecution, the European pine marten. Through combining spatial capture–recapture techniques to estimate pine marten density, and squirrel site-occupancy data, we find that the impact of exposure to predation is highly asymmetrical, with non-native grey squirrel occupancy strongly negatively affected by exposure to pine martens. By contrast, exposure to pine marten predation has an indirect positive effect on red squirrel populations. Pine marten predation thus reverses the well-documented outcome of resource and apparent competition between red and grey squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Sheehy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.,Department of Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | - Chris Sutherland
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Catherine O'Reilly
- Department of Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland
| | - Xavier Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
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O’Meara DB, McDevitt AD, O’Neill D, Harrington AP, Turner P, Carr W, Desmond M, Lawton C, Marnell F, Rubalcava S, Sheehy E, Sleeman DP, Tosh D, Waters C, O’Reilly C. Retracing the history and planning the future of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in Ireland using non-invasive genetics. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0353-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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