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Bello-Rodríguez V, Mateo RG, Pellissier L, Cubas J, Cooke B, González-Mancebo JM. Forecast increase in invasive rabbit spread into ecosystems of an oceanic island (Tenerife) under climate change. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02206. [PMID: 32627262 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a pest and a conservation problem on many islands, where its heavy grazing pressure threatens many endemic plants with extinction. Previous studies in its native and introduced range have highlighted the high spatial variability of rabbit abundance at local and landscape scales, depending on many factors such as the existence of different habitats. Modeling of the species can be useful to better understand spatial patterns and to prioritize actions, especially in those regions in which rabbits have become invasive. Here, we investigate the distribution of the European rabbit in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), where the species was introduced during the 15th century and has subsequently changed vegetation composition. Added to the direct effects of rabbits on vegetation, climate change could also have implications for rabbit populations, especially in the alpine ecosystem. To evaluate that, we estimated rabbit abundance in 216 plots randomly distributed on Tenerife island (61 in the alpine ecosystem), modeled the potential current spatial abundance of the species and considered how it might vary under different climate change scenarios. We associated rabbit abundance to a wide selection of abiotic, biotic, and human variables expected to influence rabbit abundance on the island. We found a positive correlation between rabbit abundance and temperature and a negative correlation in the case of precipitation. Hence, according to the models' projections, climate change is expected to enhance rabbit populations in the future. Current higher densities were related to land disturbance and open areas, and a remarkable increase is expected to occur in the alpine ecosystem. Overall, we consider that this study provides valuable information for land managers in the Canary archipelago as it reveals how global warming could indirectly exacerbate the conservation problems of the endemic flora in oceanic islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Bello-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Plant Conservation and Biogeography Group, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, s/n 38206, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Rubén G Mateo
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin 2, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Unit of Land Change Science, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jonay Cubas
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Plant Conservation and Biogeography Group, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, s/n 38206, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Brian Cooke
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Juana María González-Mancebo
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Plant Conservation and Biogeography Group, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, s/n 38206, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
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Farrell S, Noble PM, Pinchbeck GL, Brant B, Caravaggi A, Singleton DA, Radford AD. Seasonality and risk factors for myxomatosis in pet rabbits in Great Britain. Prev Vet Med 2020; 176:104924. [PMID: 32114004 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.104924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Myxomatosis is a highly contagious, frequently fatal viral disease affecting both wild and domesticated European rabbits across many areas of the world. Here we used electronic health records (EHRs) collected from pet rabbits attending a sentinel voluntary network of 191 veterinary practices across Great Britain (GB) between March 2014 and June 2019 to identify new features of this disease's epidemiology. From a total of 89,408 rabbit consultations, text mining verified by domain experts identified 207 (0.23 %) cases where myxomatosis was the only differential diagnosis recorded by the attending practitioner. Cases occurred in all months but February and were distributed across the country. Consistent with studies in wild rabbits, the majority of cases occurred between August and November. However, there was also evidence for considerable variation between years. A nested case control study identified important risk factors for myxomatosis within this pet animal population including season, sex, age, vaccination status and distance to likely wild rabbit habitats. Female entire rabbits were twice as likely to be a case (odds ratio (OR) 1.98, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.26-3.13, p = 0.003), suggesting a novel role for behaviour in driving transmission from wild to domesticated rabbits. Vaccination had the largest protective effect with vaccinated rabbits being 8.3 times less likely to be a case than unvaccinated rabbits (OR = 0.12, 95 % CI 0.06-0.21, p = <0.001).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Farrell
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Pj-M Noble
- Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston,CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Gina L Pinchbeck
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston,CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Beth Brant
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston,CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Anthony Caravaggi
- School of Applied Sciences, University of South Wales, 9 Graig Fach, Pontypridd, UK CF37 4BB, UK
| | - David A Singleton
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston,CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Alan D Radford
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston,CH64 7TE, UK.
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Encarnação C, Medinas D, Alves PC, Mira A. Does short‐term habitat management for the European rabbit (
Oryctolagus cuniculus
) have lasting effects? Ecol Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.1064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Encarnação
- Unidade de Biologia da Conservação, Departamento de BiologiaUniversidade de Évora Évora Portugal
- CIBIO/UE—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos/InBIO, Polo de ÉvoraUniversidade de Évora Évora Portugal
| | - Denis Medinas
- Unidade de Biologia da Conservação, Departamento de BiologiaUniversidade de Évora Évora Portugal
- CIBIO/UE—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos/InBIO, Polo de ÉvoraUniversidade de Évora Évora Portugal
| | - Paulo Célio Alves
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Ciências do Porto and CIBIO—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos/InBIOUniversidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
| | - António Mira
- Unidade de Biologia da Conservação, Departamento de BiologiaUniversidade de Évora Évora Portugal
- CIBIO/UE—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos/InBIO, Polo de ÉvoraUniversidade de Évora Évora Portugal
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Kontsiotis VJ, Bakaloudis DE, Tsiompanoudis AC. Key factors determining the seasonal population growth rate of European wild rabbits and their implications for management. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-013-0697-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Silva AP, Kilshaw K, Johnson PJ, Macdonald DW, Rosalino LM. Wildcat occurrence in Scotland: food really matters. DIVERS DISTRIB 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- André P. Silva
- Universidade de Lisboa; Centro de Biologia Ambiental; Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa; Ed. C2, Campo Grande; 1749-016; Lisboa; Portugal
| | - Kerry Kilshaw
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanti-Kaplan Centre; Tubney House, Abingdon Road; Tubney; Oxfordshire; OX13 5QL; UK
| | - Paul J. Johnson
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanti-Kaplan Centre; Tubney House, Abingdon Road; Tubney; Oxfordshire; OX13 5QL; UK
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Recanti-Kaplan Centre; Tubney House, Abingdon Road; Tubney; Oxfordshire; OX13 5QL; UK
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Petrovan SO, Barrio IC, Ward AI, Wheeler PM. Farming for pests? Local and landscape-scale effects of grassland management on rabbit densities. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-010-0394-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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ZALEWSKI ANDRZEJ, PIERTNEY STUARTB, ZALEWSKA HANNA, LAMBIN XAVIER. Landscape barriers reduce gene flow in an invasive carnivore: geographical and local genetic structure of American mink in Scotland. Mol Ecol 2009; 18:1601-15. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04131.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Dellafiore CM, Gallego Fernández JB, Vallés SM. Habitat use for warren building by European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in relation to landscape structure in a sand dune system. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2008.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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BAKER PHILIPJ, BOITANI LUIGI, HARRIS STEPHEN, SAUNDERS GLEN, WHITE PIRANCL. Terrestrial carnivores and human food production: impact and management. Mamm Rev 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00122.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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REID NEIL, McDONALD ROBBIEA, MONTGOMERY WIAN. Mammals and agri-environment schemes: hare haven or pest paradise? J Appl Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2007.01336.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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12
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BAKER PHILIPJ, HARRIS STEPHEN. Urban mammals: what does the future hold? An analysis of the factors affecting patterns of use of residential gardens in Great Britain. Mamm Rev 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2007.00102.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Hunting for answers: rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) population trends in northeastern Spain. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-006-0056-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Calvete C, Pelayo E, Sampietro J. Habitat factors related to wild rabbit population trends after the initial impact of rabbit haemorrhagic disease. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2006. [DOI: 10.1071/wr05107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is an introduced pest species in Australia and New Zealand. Rabbits have a devastating negative impact on agricultural production and biodiversity in these countries, and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is currently included in control strategies for rabbit populations. On the other hand, the European wild rabbit is a key native prey species in the Iberian Peninsula. Since the arrival of RHD, however, rabbit populations have undergone dramatic decreases and several predator species at risk of extinction are currently dependent on the rabbit population density. Therefore, from the point of view of biodiversity conservation, evaluating habitat correlates and trends of rabbit populations after the first RHD epizootic is of great interest to improve the long-term control or promotion of wild rabbit populations. We estimated the relationship between habitat factors and long-term population trends as well as the relationships between habitat factors and rabbit abundance 2 and 14 years after the arrival of RHD in several Iberian rabbit populations. We observed that only 26% of surveyed populations seemed to experience an increase in rabbit abundance over the last 12 years and that this increase was higher in the low-rabbit-abundance areas of l992, leading to high rabbit abundance in 2004. Our results suggested that short- and long-term impacts of RHD were related to habitat quality. The initial impact of RHD was higher in more suitable habitats, but increasing long-term population trends were positively related to good habitat quality.
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Baker PJ, Harris S. Does culling reduce fox (Vulpes vulpes) density in commercial forests in Wales, UK? EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2005. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-005-0018-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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16
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A change of diet from rodents to rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Is the wildcat (Felis silvestris) a specialist predator? J Zool (1987) 2004. [DOI: 10.1017/s0952836904005448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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17
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WEBBON CHARLOTTEC, BAKER PHILIPJ, HARRIS STEPHEN. Faecal density counts for monitoring changes in red fox numbers in rural Britain. J Appl Ecol 2004. [DOI: 10.1111/j.0021-8901.2004.00930.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Virgós E, Cabezas-Díaz S, Malo A, Lozano J, López-Huertas D. Factors shaping European rabbit abundance. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03194271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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White PJ, Norman RA, Trout RC, Gould EA, Hudson PJ. The emergence of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus: will a non-pathogenic strain protect the UK? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2001; 356:1087-95. [PMID: 11516386 PMCID: PMC1088503 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2001.0897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus emerged in China in 1984, and has killed hundreds of millions of wild rabbits in Australia and Europe. In the UK there appears to be an endemic non-pathogenic strain, with high levels of seroprevalence being recorded, in the absence of associated mortality. Using a seasonal, age-structured model we examine the hypothesis that differences in rabbit population demography differentially affect the basic reproductive rates (R(0)) of the pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains, leading to each dominating in some populations and not others. The strain with the higher R(0) excluded the other, with the dynamics depending upon the ratio of the two R(0) values. When the non-pathogenic strain dominated, the pathogenic strain caused only transient mortality, although this could be significant when the two R(0) values were similar. When the pathogenic strain dominated, repeated epidemics led to host eradication. Seroprevalence data suggest that the non-pathogenic strain may be protecting some, but not all UK populations, with half being 'at risk' from invasion by the pathogenic strain and a fifth prone to significant transient mortality. We identify key questions for empirical research to test this prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J White
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
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