1
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The bioeconomic paradox of market-based invasive species harvest: a case study of the commercial lionfish fishery. Biol Invasions 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-023-02998-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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2
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Carpenter JK, Monks A, Innes J, Griffiths J, Anderson D. Immigration drives ship rat population irruptions in marginal high‐elevation habitat in response to pulsed resources. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adrian Monks
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Dunedin New Zealand
| | - John Innes
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Hamilton New Zealand
| | | | - Dean Anderson
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Lincoln New Zealand
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3
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Invasive rat drives complete collapse of native small mammal communities in insular forest fragments. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2997-3004.e2. [PMID: 35709755 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
As tropical forests are becoming increasingly fragmented, understanding the magnitude and time frame of biodiversity declines is vital for 21st century sustainability goals. Over three decades, we monitored post-isolation changes in small mammal species richness and abundance within a forest landscape fragmented by the construction of a dam in Thailand.1,2 We observed the near-complete collapse of species richness within 33 years, with no evidence of a recolonization effect across repeatedly sampled islands. Our results further revealed a decline in species richness as island size decreased and isolation time increased, accelerated by the increasing dominance of the ubiquitous Malayan field rat, Rattus tiomanicus. This species was already hyper-abundant on smaller islands in the initial surveys (1992-1994, 66% of individuals) but became monodominant on all islands, regardless of island size, by the most recent survey (2020, 97%). Our results suggest that insular forest fragments are highly susceptible to rapid species loss, particularly due to the competitive nature of Rattus accelerating the rate at which extinction debts are paid. To mitigate these impacts, reducing the extent of habitat degradation, as triggered by fragmentation and exacerbated by isolation time, can help to sustain native biodiversity while averting Rattus hyper-abundance.
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4
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Morgan S, Binks NA, Didham RK, Barnes AD. Functional group‐dependent responses of forest bird communities to invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Morgan
- Te Aka Mātuatua – School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Nigel A. Binks
- Te Aka Mātuatua – School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
- Department of Conservation Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Raphael K. Didham
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia Australia
- Centre for Environment and Life Sciences CSIRO Health & Biosecurity Floreat Western Australia Australia
| | - Andrew D. Barnes
- Te Aka Mātuatua – School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
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5
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Assessing Two Different Aerial Toxin Treatments for the Management of Invasive Rats. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030309. [PMID: 35158633 PMCID: PMC8833531 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aotearoa–New Zealand has embarked on an ambitious goal: to completely eradicate key invasive mammals by 2050. This will require novel tools capable of eliminating pests on a large scale. In New Zealand, large-scale pest suppression is typically carried out using aerial application of the toxin sodium fluoroacetate (1080). However, as currently applied, this tool does not remove all individuals. A novel application method, dubbed ‘1080-to-zero’, aims to change this and reduce the abundances of target pests to zero or near-zero. One such target is black rats (Rattus rattus), an invasive species challenging to control using ground-based methods. This study monitored and compared the response of black rats to a 1080-to-zero operation and a standard suppression 1080 operation. No difference in the efficacy of rat removal was found between the two treatments. The 1080-to-zero operation did not achieve its goal of rat elimination or reduction to near-zero levels, with an estimated 1540 rats surviving across the 2200 ha treatment area. However, 1080 operations can produce variable responses, and the results observed here differ from the only other reported 1080-to-zero operation. We encourage further research into this tool, including how factors such as ecosystem type, mast fruiting and operational timing influence success.
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Breedt B, King CM. Distribution and detectability of mammalian pests in the Waikato Region. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2021.1908369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Breedt
- Environmental Research Institute – Te Pūtahi Rangahau Taiao, School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Carolyn M. King
- Environmental Research Institute – Te Pūtahi Rangahau Taiao, School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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Duron Q, Cornulier T, Vidal E, Bourguet E, Ruffino L. Combining live and lethal trapping to inform the management of alien invasive rodent populations in a tropical montane forest. NEOBIOTA 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.63.53811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
On large inhabited islands where complete eradication of alien invasive rodents through the use of poison delivery is often not practical or acceptable, mechanical trapping may represent the only viable option to reduce their impact in areas of high biodiversity value. However, the feasibility of sustained rodent control by trapping remains uncertain under realistic operational constraints. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of non-toxic rat control strategies through a combination of lethal and live-trapping experiments, and scenario modelling, using the example of a remote montane rainforest of New Caledonia. Rat densities, estimated with spatially-explicit capture-recapture models, fluctuated seasonally (9.5–33.6 ind.ha-1). Capture probability (.01–.25) and home range sizes (HR95, .23–.75 ha) varied greatly according to trapping session, age class, sex and species. Controlling rats through the use of lethal trapping allowed maintaining rat densities at ca. 8 ind.ha-1 over a seven-month period in a 5.5-ha montane forest. Simulation models based on field parameter estimates over a 200-ha pilot management area indicated that without any financial and social constraints, trapping grids with the finest mesh sizes achieved cumulative capture probabilities > .90 after 15 trapping days, but were difficult to implement and sustain with the local workforce. We evaluated the costs and effectiveness of alternative trapping strategies taking into account the prevailing set of local constraints, and identified those that were likely to be successful. Scenario modelling, informed by trapping experiments, is a flexible tool for informing the design of sustainable control programs of island-invasive rodent populations, under idiosyncratic local circumstances.
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Ghersi BM, Peterson AC, Gibson NL, Dash A, Elmayan A, Schwartzenburg H, Tu W, Riegel C, Herrera C, Blum MJ. In the heart of the city: Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence in rodents across New Orleans. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:577. [PMID: 33189151 PMCID: PMC7666460 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04446-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi - the causative agent of Chagas disease - is known to circulate in commensal pests, but its occurrence in urban environments is not well understood. We addressed this deficit by determining the distribution and prevalence of T. cruzi infection in urban populations of commensal and wild rodents across New Orleans (Louisiana, USA). We assessed whether T. cruzi prevalence varies according to host species identity and species co-occurrences, and whether T. cruzi prevalence varies across mosaics of abandonment that shape urban rodent demography and assemblage structure in the city. METHODS Leveraging city-wide population and assemblage surveys, we tested 1428 rodents comprising 5 species (cotton rats, house mice, Norway rats, rice rats and roof rats) captured at 98 trapping sites in 11 study areas across New Orleans including nine residential neighborhoods and a natural area in Orleans Parish and a neighborhood in St. Bernard Parish. We also assayed Norway rats at one site in Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA). We used chi-square tests to determine whether infection prevalence differed among host species, among study areas, and among trapping sites according to the number of host species present. We used generalized linear mixed models to identify predictors of T. cruzi infection for all rodents and each host species, respectively. RESULTS We detected T. cruzi in all host species in all study areas in New Orleans, but not in Baton Rouge. Though overall infection prevalence was 11%, it varied by study area and trapping site. There was no difference in prevalence by species, but roof rats exhibited the broadest geographical distribution of infection across the city. Infected rodents were trapped in densely populated neighborhoods like the French Quarter. Infection prevalence seasonally varied with abandonment, increasing with greater abandonment during the summer and declining with greater abandonment during the winter. CONCLUSIONS Our findings illustrate that T. cruzi can be widespread in urban landscapes, suggesting that transmission and disease risk is greater than is currently recognized. Our findings also suggest that there is disproportionate risk of transmission in historically underserved communities, which could reinforce long-standing socioecological disparities in New Orleans and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno M. Ghersi
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Anna C. Peterson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Nathaniel L. Gibson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Asha Dash
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Ardem Elmayan
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Hannah Schwartzenburg
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Weihong Tu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Claudia Riegel
- City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Michael J. Blum
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
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Köhnke MC, Binny RN, Holland EP, James A. The necessity of tailored control of irrupting pest populations driven by pulsed resources. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-020-00449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractResource pulses are widespread phenomena in diverse ecosystems. Irruptions of generalist consumers and corresponding generalist predators often follow such resource pulses. This can have severe implications on the ecosystem and also on the spread of diseases or on regional famines. Suitable management strategies are necessary to deal with these systems. In this study, we develop a general model to investigate optimal control for such a system and apply this to a case study from New Zealand. In particular, we consider the dynamics of beech masting (episodic synchronous seed production) leading to rodent outbreaks and subsequent stoat (Mustela erminea) irruptions. Here, stoat control happens via secondary poisoning. The results show that the main driver of the optimal control timing (June) is the population density of the control vector. Intermediate control levels are superior to higher levels if the generalist consumer is necessary as a control vector. Finally, we extend the model to a two-patch metapopulation model, which indicates that, as a consequence of the strong vector dependence, a strategy of alternating control patches yields better results than static control. This highlights that besides control level, also the design impacts the control success. The results presented in this study reveal important insights for proper pest management in the New Zealand case study. However, they also generally indicate the necessity of tailored control in such systems.
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10
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Hansen N, Hughes NK, Byrom AE, Banks PB. Population recovery of alien black rats
Rattus rattus
: A test of reinvasion theory. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Hansen
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney 2052Australia
| | | | | | - Peter B. Banks
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney 2052Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
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11
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Beggs R, Pierson J, Tulloch AIT, Blanchard W, Westgate M, Lindenmayer D. An empirical test of the mechanistic underpinnings of interference competition. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Beggs
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Jennifer Pierson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
- Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Parks and Conservation Service, Australian Capital Territory Government Tharwa Australia
| | - Ayesha I. T. Tulloch
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Qld Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Martin Westgate
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - David Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
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12
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Peltzer DA, Bellingham PJ, Dickie IA, Houliston G, Hulme PE, Lyver PO, McGlone M, Richardson SJ, Wood J. Scale and complexity implications of making New Zealand predator-free by 2050. J R Soc N Z 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2019.1653940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ian A. Dickie
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | | | - Philip E. Hulme
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
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13
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Rael RC, Peterson AC, Ghersi-Chavez B, Riegel C, Lesen AE, Blum MJ. Rat Lungworm Infection in Rodents across Post-Katrina New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 24:2176-2183. [PMID: 30457534 PMCID: PMC6256379 DOI: 10.3201/eid2412.180056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), a parasitic nematode that can cause eosinophilic meningitis in humans, was first detected in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, in the mid-1980s and now appears to be widespread in the southeastern United States. We assessed the distribution, prevalence, and intensity of A. cantonensis infection in New Orleans by examining lung biopsy samples of rodents trapped at 96 sites in 9 areas in Orleans Parish and 1 area in neighboring St. Bernard Parish during May 2015 through February 2017. These areas were selected to capture contrasting levels of income, flooding, and pos-disaster landscape management after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. We detected A. cantonensis in all areas and in 3 of the 4 rat species trapped. Overall prevalence was ≈38% but varied by area, host species, and host species co-occurrence. Infection intensity also varied by host species. These findings suggest that socioecological analysis of heterogeneity in definitive and intermediate host infection could improve understanding of health risks across the city.
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14
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Beggs R, Tulloch AIT, Pierson J, Blanchard W, Crane M, Lindenmayer D. Patch-scale culls of an overabundant bird defeated by immediate recolonization. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01846. [PMID: 30835909 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Overabundant native animals cause a variety of human-wildlife conflicts that can require management to reduce their social, environmental, or economic impacts. Culling is an intuitively attractive management response to overabundance, but poor monitoring of results and costs means that evidence for successful outcomes is often lacking. Furthermore, many culls worldwide have been ineffective or counterproductive due to ecological release mechanisms or compensatory responses by the overabundant species. We completed a controlled, replicated, costed, and rigorously monitored experimental cull of the endemic Australian honeyeater, the Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala). Aggressive exclusion of birds from remnant woodland patches by overabundant Noisy Miners is listed as a Key Threatening Process under Australian conservation legislation due to its impacts on threatened birds. The problem is particularly prevalent in the highly modified agricultural landscapes of eastern Australia. The species impacts avian assemblages at low densities (0.6-0.8 birds/ha) and at a subcontinental scale (>1 million km2 ). Some ecologists recommend culling as the only management response capable of timely reversal of declines of threatened small woodland birds. We monitored Noisy Miner abundance before and for 12 months after a culling program and found that immediate recolonization from the surrounding landscape negated the impact of the cull. We hypothesize that this is due to a vacuum effect; whereby, birds resident in more marginal habitat around treatment patches move into the vacant territory post-cull. Modeled mean abundance of Noisy Miners declined by 22% in treatment sites compared to an increase of 4% in control sites in the post-cull period. Abundance in all sites, however, remained three to five times higher than published ecological impact thresholds. Return on investment analysis indicated no relationship between culling effort and reduction in Noisy Miner abundance. We conclude that culling at a patch scale is not an efficient method of reducing Noisy Miner abundance to levels unlikely to impact threatened woodland birds in the highly modified study landscape, despite estimated costs 18 times lower than another potential management response of revegetation. Our study highlights the importance of building empirical evidence before intuitively attractive but not necessarily ecologically effective management responses are applied more widely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Beggs
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Ayesha I T Tulloch
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Jennifer Pierson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
- Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Parks & Conservation Service, Australian Capital Territory Government, Tharwa, Australian Capital Territory, 2620, Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Mason Crane
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - David Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham P. Wallis
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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16
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Isotopic evidence for niche partitioning and the influence of anthropogenic disturbance on endemic and introduced rodents in central Madagascar. THE SCIENCE OF NATURE - NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN 2018; 105:44. [PMID: 29959538 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-018-1564-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We applied a multi-isotope approach to examine aspects of niche partitioning, competition, and mobility for rodents in the Central Highlands of Madagascar. Specifically, we used carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotope ratios in bone to investigate diet and mobility for endemic tufted tail rats (Eliurus spp.), and introduced black rats (Rattus rattus) and house mice (Mus musculus) within and outside a fragment of montane humid forest in the Ambohitantely Special Reserve. There was a clear spatial segregation in trapping success for different species: Eliurus was only in the forest interior and edge, Mus only outside of the fragment in a marsh and park housing complex, and Rattus in all habitats except the housing complex. We find only moderate support for mobility of rodents among habitats. Mus may routinely move between the marsh and housing complex. However, regular movement between the forest edge and interior, or between the forest fragment and surrounding grassland is not supported. Taxa appear to target different foods: Rattus tends to feed at a higher trophic level than Eliurus, and Mus consumes some C4 resources. To date, strontium isotopes have been underutilized in ecological research. Here, we show that they are highly complementary to carbon and nitrogen isotope data. Even in localities with relatively uniform underlying geology, it may be possible to distinguish individuals that regularly forage in different habitats.
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17
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Kawamura K, Kaieda S, Kato M, Kobayashi S. Invasion genetics of nutria (Myocastor coypus) in Okayama, Japan, inferred from mitochondrial and microsatellite markers. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1185-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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18
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Peterson AC, Ghersi BM, Alda F, Firth C, Frye MJ, Bai Y, Osikowicz LM, Riegel C, Lipkin WI, Kosoy MY, Blum MJ. Rodent-Borne Bartonella Infection Varies According to Host Species Within and Among Cities. ECOHEALTH 2017; 14:771-782. [PMID: 29164472 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-017-1291-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly likely that rodents will drive future disease epidemics with the continued expansion of cities worldwide. Though transmission risk is a growing concern, relatively little is known about pathogens carried by urban rats. Here, we assess whether the diversity and prevalence of Bartonella bacteria differ according to the (co)occurrence of rat hosts across New Orleans, LA (NO), where both Norway (Rattus norvegicus) and roof rats (Rattus rattus) are found, relative to New York City (NYC) which only harbors Norway rats. We detected human pathogenic Bartonella species in both NYC and New Orleans rodents. We found that Norway rats in New Orleans harbored a more diverse assemblage of Bartonella than Norway rats in NYC and that Norway rats harbored a more diverse and distinct assemblage of Bartonella compared to roof rats in New Orleans. Additionally, Norway rats were more likely to be infected with Bartonella than roof rats in New Orleans. Flea infestation appears to be an important predictor of Bartonella infection in Norway rats across both cities. These findings illustrate that pathogen infections can be heterogeneous in urban rodents and indicate that further study of host species interactions could clarify variation in spillover risk across cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Peterson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Bruno M Ghersi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Fernando Alda
- Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Cadhla Firth
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew J Frye
- New York State IPM Program, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, USA
| | - Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Lynn M Osikowicz
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Claudia Riegel
- City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - W Ian Lipkin
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Y Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael J Blum
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Bywater Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
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19
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Cooper A, Kelly CL, King CM, Miller SD, Patty B. Do rats mind getting their feet dirty? Observing the behaviour of ship rats (Rattus rattus) towards footprint tracking tunnels. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2017.1361455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Cooper
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - C. L. Kelly
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - C. M. King
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - S. D. Miller
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - B. Patty
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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20
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Baruzzi C, Coats J, Callaby R, Cowan DP, Massei G. Rhodamine B as a long-term semi-quantitative bait marker for wild boar. WILDLIFE SOC B 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Baruzzi
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture; Mississippi State University; PO Box 9690 Mississippi State MS 39762 USA
| | - Julia Coats
- National Wildlife Management Centre; Animal and Plant Health Agency; Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ UK
| | - Rebecca Callaby
- National Wildlife Management Centre; Animal and Plant Health Agency; Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ UK
| | - Dave P. Cowan
- National Wildlife Management Centre; Animal and Plant Health Agency; Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ UK
| | - Giovanna Massei
- National Wildlife Management Centre; Animal and Plant Health Agency; Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ UK
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Dammhahn M, Randriamoria TM, Goodman SM. Broad and flexible stable isotope niches in invasive non-native Rattus spp. in anthropogenic and natural habitats of central eastern Madagascar. BMC Ecol 2017; 17:16. [PMID: 28412938 PMCID: PMC5393019 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-017-0125-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rodents of the genus Rattus are among the most pervasive and successful invasive species, causing major vicissitudes in native ecological communities. A broad and flexible generalist diet has been suggested as key to the invasion success of Rattus spp. Here, we use an indirect approach to better understand foraging niche width, plasticity, and overlap within and between introduced Rattus spp. in anthropogenic habitats and natural humid forests of Madagascar. Results Based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values measured in hair samples of 589 individual rodents, we found that Rattus rattus had an extremely wide foraging niche, encompassing the isotopic space covered by a complete endemic forest-dwelling Malagasy small mammal community. Comparisons of Bayesian standard ellipses, as well as (multivariate) mixed-modeling analyses, revealed that the stable isotope niche of R. rattus tended to change seasonally and differed between natural forests and anthropogenic habitats, indicating plasticity in feeding niches. In co-occurrence, R. rattus and Rattus norvegicus partitioned feeding niches. Isotopic mismatch of signatures of individual R. rattus and the habitat in which they were captured, indicate frequent dispersal movements for this species between natural forest and anthropogenic habitats. Conclusions Since R. rattus are known to transmit a number of zoonoses, potentially affecting communities of endemic small mammals, as well as humans, these movements presumably increase transmission potential. Our results suggest that due to their generalist diet and potential movement between natural forest and anthropogenic habitats, Rattus spp. might affect native forest-dependent Malagasy rodents as competitors, predators, and disease vectors. The combination of these effects helps explain the invasion success of Rattus spp. and the detrimental effects of this genus on the endemic Malagasy rodent fauna. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12898-017-0125-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Dammhahn
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Toky M Randriamoria
- Association Vahatra, BP 3972, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Steven M Goodman
- Association Vahatra, BP 3972, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
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Willows-Munro S, Dowler RC, Jarcho MR, Phillips RB, Snell HL, Wilbert TR, Edwards CW. Cryptic diversity in Black rats Rattus rattus of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3721-3733. [PMID: 27231528 PMCID: PMC4863831 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human activity has facilitated the introduction of a number of alien mammal species to the Galápagos Archipelago. Understanding the phylogeographic history and population genetics of invasive species on the Archipelago is an important step in predicting future spread and designing effective management strategies. In this study, we describe the invasion pathway of Rattus rattus across the Galápagos using microsatellite data, coupled with historical knowledge. Microsatellite genotypes were generated for 581 R. rattus sampled from 15 islands in the archipelago. The genetic data suggest that there are at least three genetic lineages of R. rattus present on the Galápagos Islands. The spatial distributions of these lineages correspond to the main centers of human settlement in the archipelago. There was limited admixture among these three lineages, and these finding coupled with low rates of gene flow among island populations suggests that interisland movement of R. rattus is rare. The low migration among islands recorded for the species will have a positive impact on future eradication efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandi Willows-Munro
- School of Life Sciences University of Kwa Zulu-Natal PO Box X01 Scottsville 3209 South Africa
| | - Robert C Dowler
- Department of Biology Angelo State University San Angelo Texas
| | | | - Reese B Phillips
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office 300 Ala Moana Blvd Rm 3-122 Honolulu Hawaii
| | - Howard L Snell
- Department of Biology and Museum of Southwestern Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico
| | - Tammy R Wilbert
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoological Park Washington District of Columbia
| | - Cody W Edwards
- Department of Biology George Mason University Fairfax Virginia 22030
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What can the geographic distribution of mtDNA haplotypes tell us about the invasion of New Zealand by house mice Mus musculus? Biol Invasions 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-016-1100-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Byrom AE, Innes J, Binny RN. A review of biodiversity outcomes from possum-focused pest control in New Zealand. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, introduced vertebrate pests impact primary production, native biodiversity, and human health. In New Zealand, extensive pest control (~10 million ha) is undertaken to protect native biota and to prevent losses to the primary sector from wildlife vectors of bovine tuberculosis (TB), primarily possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). Control is conducted by TBfree New Zealand and by conservation agencies. Remote, forested terrain is treated using the toxin 1080 via aerial delivery in bait with a return time of ~5 years. Ground-based control is conducted annually using traps and/or poison bait. Possums are controlled to very low abundance by these operations. Aerial 1080 is effective against another forest-dwelling vertebrate pest, the ship rat (Rattus rattus). Possum control has reduced TB rates, but collateral benefits for native biodiversity have not been quantified, making it difficult to demonstrate a return on investment. We review information from 47 accounts of responses of native biota to possum control. Of these, 60% quantified responses to aerial 1080; the remainder were ground-based. Possum control benefited vegetation by increasing foliage and fruit production, and by reducing tree mortality. Controlling ship rats and possums together improved bird populations, but rats recovered rapidly and long-term outcomes for rat-vulnerable birds are unknown.Large-bodied invertebrates also benefited from extensive pest control. We conducted a meta-analysis of 84 response measures from 35 of these 47 studies in order to provide a quantitative assessment of these findings. The analysis demonstrated that both ground and aerial control of this invasive pest in New Zealand has provided substantial collateral benefits for native biota. Few studies have taken advantage of decades of extensive pest control in New Zealand to monitor ecosystem-level outcomes, which have received only short-term attention thus far. Non-treatment experimental controls and replicate sites that enable validated assessments of outcomes for native biota are vital. Future studies would benefit from a standardised set of biodiversity indicators from a range of taxonomic and functional groupings, and from standardising experimental designs so individual studies can contribute to future meta-analyses, to strengthen the evidence base for the impacts of invasive pests on native biota in New Zealand and worldwide.
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Lazenby BT, Mooney NJ, Dickman CR. Effects of low-level culling of feral cats in open populations: a case study from the forests of southern Tasmania. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2014. [DOI: 10.1071/wr14030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Feral cats (Felis catus) threaten biodiversity in many parts of the world, including Australia. Low-level culling is often used to reduce their impact, but in open cat populations the effectiveness of culling is uncertain. This is partly because options for assessing this management action have been restricted to estimating cat activity rather than abundance.
Aims
We measured the response, including relative abundance, of feral cats to a 13-month pulse of low-level culling in two open sites in southern Tasmania.
Methods
To do this we used remote cameras and our analysis included identification of individual feral cats. We compared estimates of relative abundance obtained via capture–mark–recapture and minimum numbers known to be alive, and estimates of activity obtained using probability of detection and general index methods, pre- and post-culling. We also compared trends in cat activity and abundance over the same time period at two further sites where culling was not conducted.
Key results
Contrary to expectation, the relative abundance and activity of feral cats increased in the cull-sites, even though the numbers of cats captured per unit effort during the culling period declined. Increases in minimum numbers of cats known to be alive ranged from 75% to 211% during the culling period, compared with pre- and post-cull estimates, and probably occurred due to influxes of new individuals after dominant resident cats were removed.
Conclusions
Our results showed that low-level ad hoc culling of feral cats can have unwanted and unexpected outcomes, and confirmed the importance of monitoring if such management actions are implemented.
Implications
If culling is used to reduce cat impacts in open populations, it should be as part of a multi-faceted approach and may need to be strategic, systematic and ongoing if it is to be effective.
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Establishing the eradication unit of Molara Island: a case of study from Sardinia, Italy. Biol Invasions 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-013-0487-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Samaniego-Herrera A, Anderson DP, Parkes JP, Aguirre-Muñoz A. Rapid assessment of rat eradication after aerial baiting. J Appl Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Araceli Samaniego-Herrera
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Auckland; Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
- Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas; A.C., Moctezuma 836 Zona Centro Ensenada C.P. 22800 Baja California México
| | | | | | - Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz
- Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas; A.C., Moctezuma 836 Zona Centro Ensenada C.P. 22800 Baja California México
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Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents. Oecologia 2012; 172:737-49. [PMID: 23223862 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2545-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2010] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The exogenous input of nutrients and energy into island systems fuels a large array of consumers and drives bottom-up trophic cascades in island communities. The input of anthropogenic resources has increased on islands and particularly supplemented non-native consumers with extra resources. We test the hypothesis that the anthropogenic establishments of super-abundant gulls and invasive iceplants Carpobrotus spp. have both altered the dynamics of an introduced black rat Rattus rattus population. On Bagaud Island, two habitats have been substantially modified by the anthropogenic subsidies of gulls and iceplants, in contrast to the native Mediterranean scrubland with no anthropogenic inputs. Rats were trapped in all three habitats over two contrasting years of rainfall patterns to investigate: (1) the effect of anthropogenic subsidies on rat density, age-ratio and growth rates, and (2) the role of rainfall variability in modulating the effects of subsidies between years. We found that the growth rates of rats dwelling in the non-subsidized habitat varied with environmental fluctuation, whereas rats dwelling in the gull colony maintained high growth rates during both dry and rainy years. The presence of anthropogenic subsidies apparently mitigated environmental stress. Age ratio and rat density varied significantly and predictably among years, seasons, and habitats. While rat densities always peaked higher in the gull colony, especially after rat breeding in spring, higher captures of immature rats were recorded during the second year in all habitats, associated with higher rainfall. The potential for non-native rats to benefit from anthropogenic resources has important implications for the management of similar species on islands.
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Large-scale rodent control reduces pre- and post-dispersal seed predation of the endangered Hawaiian lobeliad, Cyanea superba subsp. superba (Campanulaceae). Biol Invasions 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-012-0280-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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