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Young L, VanderWerf E. A review of predator exclusion fencing to create mainland islands in Hawai'i. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17694. [PMID: 38952975 PMCID: PMC11216197 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Invasive species are the primary threat to island ecosystems globally and are responsible for approximately two-thirds of all island species extinctions in the past 400 years. Non-native mammals-primarily rats, cats, mongooses, goats, sheep, and pigs-have had devastating impacts on at-risk species and are major factors in population declines and extinctions in Hawai'i. With the development of fencing technology that can exclude all mammalian predators, the focus for some locations in Hawai'i shifted from predator control to local eradication. Methods This article describes all existing and planned full predator exclusion fences in Hawai'i by documenting the size and design of each fence, the outcomes the predator eradications, maintenance issues at each fence, and the resulting native species responses. Results Twelve predator exclusion fences were constructed in the Hawaiian Islands from 2011-2023 and six more were planned or under construction; all were for the protection of native seabirds and waterbirds. Fences ranged in length from 304-4,877 m and enclosed 1.2-640 ha. One-third of the 18 fences were peninsula-style with open ends; the remaining two-thirds of the fences were complete enclosures. The purpose of twelve of the fences (67%) was to protect existing bird populations, and six (33%) were initiated for mitigation required under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Of the six mitigation fences, 83% were for the social attraction of seabirds and one fence was for translocation of seabirds; none of the mitigation fences protected existing bird populations. Rats and mice were present in every predator exclusion fence site; mice were eradicated from five of six sites (83%) where they were targeted and rats (three species) were eradicated from eight of 11 sites (72%). Mongoose, cats, pigs, and deer were eradicated from every site where they were targeted. Predator incursions occurred in every fence. Rat and mouse incursions were in many cases chronic or complete reinvasions, but cat and mongoose incursions were occasional and depended on fence type (i.e., enclosed vs. peninsula). The advent of predator exclusion fencing has resulted in great gains for protecting existing seabirds and waterbirds, which demonstrated dramatic increases in reproductive success and colony growth. With threats from invasive species expected to increase in the future, predator exclusion fencing will become an increasingly important tool in protecting island species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Young
- Pacific Rim Conservation, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
| | - Eric VanderWerf
- Pacific Rim Conservation, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
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Kanishka AM, Blanchard W, Lavery TH, Robinson NM, Dexter N, Dickman CR, MacGregor C, Lindenmayer DB. Environmental variables influence patterns of mammal co-occurrence following introduced predator control. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292919. [PMID: 38032980 PMCID: PMC10688647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-occurring species often overlap in their use of resources and can interact in complex ways. However, shifts in environmental conditions or resource availability can lead to changes in patterns of species co-occurrence, which may be exacerbated by global escalation of human disturbances to ecosystems, including conservation-directed interventions. We investigated the relative abundance and co-occurrence of two naturally sympatric mammal species following two forms of environmental disturbance: wildfire and introduced predator control. Using 14 years of abundance data from repeat surveys at long-term monitoring sites in south-eastern Australia, we examined the association between a marsupial, the common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula, and a co-occurring native rodent, the bush rat Rattus fuscipes. We asked: In a fox-controlled environment, are the abundances of common brushtail possums and bush rats affected by environmental disturbance and each other's presence? Using Bayesian regression models, we tested hypotheses that the abundance of each species would vary with changes in environmental and disturbance variables, and that the negative association between bush rats and common brushtail possums was stronger than the association between bush rats and disturbance. Our analyses revealed that bush rat abundance varied greatly in relation to environmental and disturbance variables, whereas common brushtail possums showed relatively limited variation in response to the same variables. There was a negative association between common brushtail possums and bush rats, but this association was weaker than the initial decline and subsequent recovery of bush rats in response to wildfires. Using co-occurrence analysis, we can infer negative relationships in abundance between co-occurring species, but to understand the impacts of such associations, and plan appropriate conservation measures, we require more information on interactions between the species and environmental variables. Co-occurrence can be a powerful and novel method to diagnose threats to communities and understand changes in ecosystem dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelie M. Kanishka
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Tyrone H. Lavery
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Natasha M. Robinson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Conservation and Restoration Science Branch, Science, Economics and Insights Division, NSW Department of Planning and Environment, Australia
| | - Nick Dexter
- Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay Territory, Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher MacGregor
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Gübelin P, Correa-Cuadros JP, Ávila-Thieme MI, Flores-Benner G, Duclos M, Lima M, Jaksic FM. European Rabbit Invasion in a Semi-Arid Ecosystem of Chile: How Relevant Is Its Role in Food Webs? Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13040916. [PMID: 37109445 PMCID: PMC10144028 DOI: 10.3390/life13040916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is one of the main invasive species in Chile, where it became naturalized ca. 150 years ago. Their high reproductive capacity, lack of specialist predators, and great adaptability favored the settlement of rabbits in diverse mainland and island ecosystems of the country. Recently, rabbits have become central players in semi-arid ecosystems, such as those represented in Las Chinchillas National Reserve in north-central Chile. We undertook to analyze the place and role of rabbits in the food web of that Reserve, based on a bibliographic review and long-term annual data gathered from 1987 until 2022 (36 years). Results showed that the network comprised 77 species, where 69% were primary producers (plants), 18% were mid-level consumers (herbivores), and 13% were top-level consumers (predators). The most connected species in the food web was the rabbit, which positively or negatively affected the species interacting with it. Predators such as Galictis cuja, Geranoaetus polyosoma, Leopardus colocolo, and Puma concolor, and the scavenger Vultur gryphus, could be negatively affected by an eventual decrease (natural or human-caused) in the rabbit population of the Reserve. To the contrary, primary producers such as Oxalis perdicaria, Plantago hispidula, Schizanthus parvulus, Senna cumminggi, and Tropaeolum azureum could be positively affected by an increase in their biomass in response to a decrease in rabbits, favoring native rodents. We consider that analyzing the rabbit-centered food web and its impacts on native interacting species allows a better understanding of the relevance of invasive species in the local community, providing conceptual tools for rabbit management.
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History, control, epidemiology, ecology, and economy of the invasion of European rabbits in Chile: a comparison with Australia. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02915-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Boltovskoy D, Guiaşu R, Burlakova L, Karatayev A, Schlaepfer MA, Correa N. Misleading estimates of economic impacts of biological invasions: Including the costs but not the benefits. AMBIO 2022; 51:1786-1799. [PMID: 35191001 PMCID: PMC9200917 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01707-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The economic costs of non-indigenous species (NIS) are a key factor for the allocation of efforts and resources to eradicate or control baneful invasions. Their assessments are challenging, but most suffer from major flaws. Among the most important are the following: (1) the inclusion of actual damage costs together with various ancillary expenditures which may or may not be indicative of the real economic damage due to NIS; (2) the inclusion of the costs of unnecessary or counterproductive control initiatives; (3) the inclusion of controversial NIS-related costs whose economic impacts are questionable; (4) the assessment of the negative impacts only, ignoring the positive ones that most NIS have on the economy, either directly or through their ecosystem services. Such estimates necessarily arrive at negative and often highly inflated values, do not reflect the net damage and economic losses due to NIS, and can significantly misguide management and resource allocation decisions. We recommend an approach based on holistic costs and benefits that are assessed using likely scenarios and their counter-factual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demetrio Boltovskoy
- IEGEBA, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Radu Guiaşu
- Biology Program, Glendon College, York University, 2275 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M6 Canada
| | - Lyubov Burlakova
- Great Lakes Center, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 USA
| | - Alexander Karatayev
- Great Lakes Center, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 USA
| | - Martin A. Schlaepfer
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nancy Correa
- Servicio de Hidrografía Naval y Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Sede Educativa Universitaria, Facultad de la Armada, UNDEF, Av. Montes de Oca 2124, 1271 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Thompson ER, Driscoll DA, Venn SE, Geary WL, Ritchie EG. Interspecific variation in the diet of a native apex predator and invasive mesopredator in an alpine ecosystem. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eilysh R. Thompson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
| | - Don A. Driscoll
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
| | - Susanna E. Venn
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
| | - William L. Geary
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
| | - Euan G. Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
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Perkins SE, Shilling F, Collinson W. Anthropause Opportunities: Experimental Perturbation of Road Traffic and the Potential Effects on Wildlife. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.833129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic severely reduced many human activities. So pronounced was the change, it has given rise to the term “anthropause”: the considerable alteration of modern human activities. Among these was surface transportation, with prolonged traffic reductions, in excess, of 50% in many countries. Roads and traffic are responsible for functionally fragmenting ecosystems, wildlife populations, and species interactions. The unintentional “dialing-down” of traffic has given continuous monitoring systems of wildlife-vehicle conflict a unique opportunity to study the consequences of perturbing this source of wildlife disturbance and mortality. Experimental manipulation of traffic at the global scale would not have been possible without mitigation responses to SARS-CoV-2. Such a perturbation allows robust empirical investigation into wildlife responses to traffic, including changes in mortality, behavior, genetic connectivity, and knock-on ecosystem effects, the responses to which can be replicated across a global network of wildlife-vehicle conflict monitoring systems. We review the extent to which these extensive data-collection systems provide the primary source of data to study many of these responses, providing the raw material to understand some striking wildlife consequences of the anthropause.
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Rendall AR, Sutherland DR, Cooke R, White JG. Does the foraging ecology of feral cats change after the eradication of foxes? Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02718-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Long-Distance Movements of Feral Cats in Semi-Arid South Australia and Implications for Conservation Management. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113125. [PMID: 34827857 PMCID: PMC8614416 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary To efficiently control invasive animals, it is vital to have knowledge about their behaviour, their movements and how they use the landscape. Unusual behaviour is normally excluded from datasets, as it is considered to be an outlier that may distort analyses. In our study, we present movement data from feral cats in the arid and semi-arid zones of Australia. Feral cats are a serious problem to the native wildlife of Australia and in many parts of the world. Cats are known to show fidelity to geographic areas and may defend them against other cats. Until now, research has focused on these areas, home ranges or territories, that feral cats need to survive and reproduce. We argue that a part of their movement behaviour, large journeys away from the area they normally use, has been overlooked and has been considered to be unusual behaviour. We explain why we think that this is the case and present examples from other studies additional to our data set to show that these long-distance movements are a regular occurrence. To achieve a better protection of native wildlife from predation by feral cats, we believe that these long-distance movements should be considered as part of the normal behaviour of feral cats when planning cat control operations. Abstract Movements that extend beyond the usual space use of an animal have been documented in a range of species and are particularly prevalent in arid areas. We present long-distance movement data on five feral cats (Felis catus) GPS/VHF-collared during two different research projects in arid and semi-arid Australia. We compare these movements with data from other feral cat studies. Over a study period of three months in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, 4 out of 19 collared cats moved to sites that were 31, 41, 53 and 86 km away. Three of the cats were males, one female; their weight was between 2.1 and 4.1 kg. Two of the cats returned to the area of capture after three and six weeks. During the other study at Arid Recovery, one collared male cat (2.5 kg) was relocated after two years at a distance of 369 km from the area of collar deployment to the relocation area. The movements occurred following three years of record low rainfall. Our results build on the knowledge base of long-distance movements of feral cats reported at arid study sites and support the assertion that landscape-scale cat control programs in arid and semi-arid areas need to be of a sufficiently large scale to avoid rapid reinvasion and to effectively reduce cat density. Locally, cat control strategies need to be adjusted to improve coverage of areas highly used by cats to increase the efficiency of control operations.
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Rendall AR, Sutherland DR, Baker CM, Raymond B, Cooke R, White JG. Managing ecosystems in a sea of uncertainty: invasive species management and assisted colonizations. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02306. [PMID: 33595860 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Managing ecosystems in the face of complex species interactions, and the associated uncertainty, presents a considerable ecological challenge. Altering those interactions via actions such as invasive species management or conservation translocations can result in unintended consequences, supporting the need to be able to make more informed decisions in the face of this uncertainty. We demonstrate the utility of ecosystem models to reduce uncertainty and inform future ecosystem management. We use Phillip Island, Australia, as a case study to investigate the impacts of two invasive species management options and consider whether a critically endangered mammal is likely to establish a population in the presence of invasive species. Qualitative models are used to determine the effects of apex predator removal (feral cats) and invasive prey removal (rabbits, rats, and mice). We extend this approach using Ensemble Ecosystem Models to consider how suppression, rather than eradication influences the species community; and consider whether an introduction of the critically endangered eastern barred bandicoot is likely to be successful in the presence of invasive species. Our analysis revealed the potential for unintended outcomes associated with feral cat control operations, with rats and rabbits expected to increase in abundance. A strategy based on managing prey species appeared to have the most ecosystem-wide benefits, with rodent control showing more favorable responses than a rabbit control strategy. Eastern barred bandicoots were predicted to persist under all feral cat control levels (including no control). Managing ecosystems is a complex and imprecise process. However, qualitative modeling and ensemble ecosystem modeling address uncertainty and are capable of improving and optimizing management practices. Our analysis shows that the best conservation outcomes may not always be associated with the top-down control of apex predators, and land managers should think more broadly in relation to managing bottom-up processes as well. Challenges faced in continuing to conserve biodiversity mean new, bolder, conservation actions are needed. We suggest that endangered species are capable of surviving in the presence of feral cats, potentially opening the door for more conservation translocations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony R Rendall
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Burwood Campus, Burwood, Victoria, 3125, Australia
| | - Duncan R Sutherland
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria, 3922, Australia
| | - Christopher M Baker
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- Melbourne Centre for Data Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Ben Raymond
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, 7050, Australia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000, Australia
| | - Raylene Cooke
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia
| | - John G White
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia
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Fleming PA, Crawford HM, Stobo‐Wilson AM, Dawson SJ, Dickman CR, Dundas SJ, Gentle MN, Newsome TM, O’Connor J, Palmer R, Riley J, Ritchie EG, Speed J, Saunders G, Stuart JD, Thompson E, Turpin JM, Woinarski JC. Diet of the introduced red fox
Vulpes vulpes
in Australia: analysis of temporal and spatial patterns. Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A. Fleming
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University 90 South Street Murdoch, Perth WA6150Australia
| | - Heather M. Crawford
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University 90 South Street Murdoch, Perth WA6150Australia
| | - Alyson M. Stobo‐Wilson
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
| | - Stuart J. Dawson
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University 90 South Street Murdoch, Perth WA6150Australia
| | - Christopher R. Dickman
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Desert Ecology Research Group School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW2006Australia
| | - Shannon J. Dundas
- NSW Department of Primary Industries 1447 Forest Rd Orange NSW2800Australia
| | - Matthew N. Gentle
- Pest Animal Research Centre Invasive Plants and Animals Biosecurity Queensland Toowoomba Qld4350Australia
| | - Thomas M. Newsome
- Global Ecology Lab School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW2006Australia
| | - Julie O’Connor
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council 1 Omrah Avenue Caloundra Qld4551Australia
| | - Russell Palmer
- Science and Conservation Division Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Bentley WA6983Australia
| | - Joanna Riley
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol BristolBS8 1THUK
| | - Euan G. Ritchie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Vic3125Australia
| | - James Speed
- Pest Animal Research Centre Invasive Plants and Animals Biosecurity Queensland Toowoomba Qld4350Australia
| | - Glen Saunders
- NSW Department of Primary Industries 1447 Forest Rd Orange NSW2800Australia
| | - John‐Michael D. Stuart
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University 90 South Street Murdoch, Perth WA6150Australia
| | - Eilysh Thompson
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Vic3125Australia
| | - Jeff M. Turpin
- School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale NSW2351Australia
| | - John C.Z. Woinarski
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
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Linley GD, Rypalski A, Story G, Ritchie EG. Run rabbit run: spotted-tailed quoll diet reveals invasive prey is top of the menu. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/am19069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Information about the ecological functional roles of native predators may help inform the conservation of wildlife and pest management. If predators show preferences for certain prey, such as invasive species, this could potentially be used as a conservation tool to help restore degraded (e.g. overgrazed) ecosystems via the reintroduction of native predators and suppression of exotic prey (e.g. introduced herbivores). The diet of spotted-tailed quolls was studied in a fenced reserve in south-eastern Australia where native mammals have been reintroduced, foxes and cats removed, but invasive European rabbits still persist. A total of 80 scats were collected over 12 months and analysis of macroscopic prey remains was conducted to determine diet. Rabbits were by far the most commonly consumed prey species by volume (~76%) and frequency (~60%), followed by brushtail possums (~11% for both volume and frequency), and other small and medium-sized native mammals in much smaller amounts. Quoll scat analysis revealed 10 mammal species in total, eight of which were native. Bird, reptile and invertebrate remains were uncommon in quoll scats. This suggests that spotted-tailed quolls may show a preference for preying on invasive European rabbits in certain contexts, and this could potentially be used as part of quoll reintroductions to aid rabbit population suppression and ecosystem restoration.
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Livingstone SW, Isaac ME, Cadotte MW. Invasive dominance and resident diversity: unpacking the impact of plant invasion on biodiversity and ecosystem function. ECOL MONOGR 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stuart W. Livingstone
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto OntarioM1C 1A4Canada
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto OntarioM5S 3B2Canada
| | - Marney E. Isaac
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto OntarioM1C 1A4Canada
| | - Marc W. Cadotte
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto OntarioM5S 3B2Canada
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto OntarioM1C 1A4Canada
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A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:1459-1471. [PMID: 32929239 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01298-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Applied ecology has traditionally approached management problems through a simplified, single-species lens. Repeated failures of single-species management have led us to a new paradigm - managing at the ecosystem level. Ecosystem management involves a complex array of interacting organisms, processes and scientific disciplines. Accounting for interactions, feedback loops and dependencies between ecosystem components is therefore fundamental to understanding and managing ecosystems. We provide an overview of the main types of ecosystem models and their uses, and discuss challenges related to modelling complex ecological systems. Existing modelling approaches typically attempt to do one or more of the following: describe and disentangle ecosystem components and interactions; make predictions about future ecosystem states; and inform decision making by comparing alternative strategies and identifying important uncertainties. Modelling ecosystems is challenging, particularly when balancing the desire to represent many components of an ecosystem with the limitations of available data and the modelling objective. Explicitly considering different forms of uncertainty is therefore a primary concern. We provide some recommended strategies (such as ensemble ecosystem models and multi-model approaches) to aid the explicit consideration of uncertainty while also meeting the challenges of modelling ecosystems.
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Brown SC, Wells K, Roy-Dufresne E, Campbell S, Cooke B, Cox T, Fordham DA. Models of spatiotemporal variation in rabbit abundance reveal management hot spots for an invasive species. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02083. [PMID: 31981437 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a notorious economic and environmental pest species in its invasive range. To better understand the population and range dynamics of this species, 41 yr of abundance data have been collected from 116 unique sites across a broad range of climatic and environmental conditions in Australia. We analyzed this time series of abundance data to determine whether interannual variation in climatic conditions can be used to map historic, contemporary, and potential future fluctuations in rabbit abundance from regional to continental scales. We constructed a hierarchical Bayesian regression model of relative abundance that corrected for observation error and seasonal biases. The corrected abundances were regressed against environmental and disease variables in order to project high spatiotemporal resolution, continent-wide rabbit abundances. We show that rabbit abundance in Australia is highly variable in space and time, being driven primarily by internnual variation in temperature and precipitation in concert with the prevalence of a non-pathogenic virus. Moreover, we show that internnual variation in local spatial abundances can be mapped effectively at a continental scale using highly resolved spatiotemporal predictors, allowing "hot spots" of persistently high rabbit abundance to be identified. Importantly, cross-validated model performance was fair to excellent within and across distinct climate zones. Long-term monitoring data for invasive species can be used to map fine-scale spatiotemporal fluctuations in abundance patterns when accurately accounting for inherent sampling biases. Our analysis provides ecologists and pest managers with a clearer understanding of the determinants of rabbit abundance in Australia, offering an important new approach for predicting spatial abundance patterns of invasive species at the near-term temporal scales that are directly relevant to resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart C Brown
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Konstans Wells
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom
| | - Emilie Roy-Dufresne
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Susan Campbell
- Biosecurity and Regulation, Primary Industries and Regional Development, Albany, Western Australia, 6330, Australia
| | - Brian Cooke
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Tarnya Cox
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, New South Wales, 2800, Australia
| | - Damien A Fordham
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
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16
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Short-term pain before long-term gain? Suppression of invasive primary prey temporarily increases predation on native lizards. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02239-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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17
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Newsome TM, Howden C, Wirsing AJ. Restriction of anthropogenic foods alters a top predator’s diet and intraspecific interactions. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAnthropogenic foods are utilized by many animals around the world, and these resources could impact dietary preferences and intra- and interspecific interactions. Under a quasi-Before-After-Control-Impact experimental design, we assessed how dingoes (Canis dingo) responded to a decline in anthropogenic foods in the Tanami Desert, central Australia. We did so by assessing dingo diets close to and away from human influence during a period when food waste was available at two rubbish tips, and then during a period when food waste was restricted at one of the tips. Our results demonstrate that access to anthropogenic foods can alter a top predator’s diet. Namely, dingoes showed a preference for eating the desert mouse (Pseudomys desertor) in areas where food waste was restricted, whereas dingo diets did not reflect ambient prey availability at areas where food waste was constantly available. Reduced availability of food waste also affected interactions between dingoes, with cannibalism decreasing where food waste was removed, and it may have increased consumption of a subordinate mesopredator, the feral cat (Felis catus). By implication, efforts to manage food waste could reestablish or strengthen interactions between predators and their wild prey with possible cascading consequences for ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chris Howden
- Sydney Informatics Hub, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Aaron J Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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18
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Bowyer RT, Boyce MS, Goheen JR, Rachlow JL. Conservation of the world’s mammals: status, protected areas, community efforts, and hunting. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- R Terry Bowyer
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Mark S Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jacob R Goheen
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Janet L Rachlow
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
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19
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Parsons MA, Bridges AS, Biteman DS, Garcelon DK. Precipitation and prey abundance influence food habits of an invasive carnivore. Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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20
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Cunningham CX, Johnson CN, Jones ME. Harnessing the power of ecological interactions to reduce the impacts of feral cats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2019.1585289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher N. Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Menna E. Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
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21
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Wysong ML, Tulloch AIT, Valentine LE, Hobbs RJ, Morris K, Ritchie EG. The truth about cats and dogs: assessment of apex- and mesopredator diets improves with reduced observer uncertainty. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Wysong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ayesha I T Tulloch
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Leonie E Valentine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Richard J Hobbs
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Keith Morris
- Science and Conservation Division, Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Woodvale, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Euan G Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
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22
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Stronen AV, Iacolina L, Ruiz-Gonzalez A. Rewilding and conservation genomics: How developments in (re)colonization ecology and genomics can offer mutual benefits for understanding contemporary evolution. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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