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Roy-Dufresne E, Lurgi M, Brown SC, Wells K, Cooke B, Mutze G, Peacock D, Cassey P, Berman D, Brook BW, Campbell S, Cox T, Daly J, Dunk I, Elsworth P, Fletcher D, Forsyth DM, Hocking G, Kovaliski J, Leane M, Low B, Kennedy M, Matthews J, McPhee S, Mellin C, Mooney T, Moseby K, Read J, Richardson BJ, Schneider K, Schwarz E, Sinclair R, Strive T, Triulcio F, West P, Saltré F, Fordham DA. The Australian National Rabbit Database: 50 yr of population monitoring of an invasive species. Ecology 2019; 100:e02750. [PMID: 31034589 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
With ongoing introductions into Australia since the 1700s, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has become one of the most widely distributed and abundant vertebrate pests, adversely impacting Australia's biodiversity and agroeconomy. To understand the population and range dynamics of the species and its impacts better, occurrence and abundance data have been collected by researchers and citizens from sites covering a broad spectrum of climatic and environmental conditions in Australia. The lack of a common and accessible repository for these data has, however, limited their use in determining important spatiotemporal drivers of the structure and dynamics of the geographical range of rabbits in Australia. To meet this need, we created the Australian National Rabbit Database, which combines more than 50 yr of historical and contemporary survey data collected from throughout the range of the species in Australia. The survey data, obtained from a suite of complementary monitoring methods, were combined with high-resolution weather, climate, and environmental information, and an assessment of data quality. The database provides records of rabbit occurrence (689,265 records) and abundance (51,241 records, >120 distinct sites) suitable for identifying the spatiotemporal drivers of the rabbit's distribution and for determining spatial patterns of variation in its key life-history traits, including maximum rates of population growth. Because all data are georeferenced and date stamped, they can be coupled with information from other databases and spatial layers to explore the potential effects of rabbit occurrence and abundance on Australia's native wildlife and agricultural production. The Australian National Rabbit Database is an important tool for understanding and managing the European rabbit in its invasive range and its effects on native biodiversity and agricultural production. It also provides a valuable resource for addressing questions related to the biology, success, and impacts of invasive species more generally. No copyright or proprietary restrictions are associated with the use of this data set other than citation of this Data Paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Roy-Dufresne
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Miguel Lurgi
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.,Centre for Biodiversity Theory and Modelling, Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station, CNRS-Paul Sabatier University, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Stuart C Brown
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Konstans Wells
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.,Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, Wales, UK
| | - Brian Cooke
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2617, Australia
| | - Greg Mutze
- Biosecurity SA, Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, South Australia, 5064, Australia
| | - David Peacock
- Biosecurity SA, Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, South Australia, 5064, Australia.,School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Phill Cassey
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Dave Berman
- University of Southern Queensland, Queensland, 4350, Australia
| | - Barry W Brook
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.,School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Susan Campbell
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Washington, 6330, Australia
| | - Tarnya Cox
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales, 2800, Australia
| | - Joanne Daly
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Iain Dunk
- Department of Environment, Water, and Natural Resources, South Australia, 5000, Australia
| | - Peter Elsworth
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland, 4350, Australia
| | - Don Fletcher
- Department of Environment and Planning Directorate, Australian Capital Territory, 2602, Australia
| | - David M Forsyth
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales, 2800, Australia.,Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - Greg Hocking
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania, 7001, Australia.,Agricultural Technical Services P/L, South Australia, 5576, Australia
| | - John Kovaliski
- Biosecurity SA, Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, South Australia, 5064, Australia
| | - Michael Leane
- Riverina Local Land Service, New South Wales, 2722, Australia
| | - Bill Low
- Low Ecological Services, Northern Territory, 0871, Australia
| | - Malcolm Kennedy
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Washington, 6151, Australia
| | - John Matthews
- Agricultural Services and Biosecurity Operations Division, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Training and Resources, Victoria, 3300, Australia
| | - Steve McPhee
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - Camille Mellin
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Queensland, 4810, Australia
| | - Trish Mooney
- Department of Environment, Water, and Natural Resources, South Australia, 5000, Australia
| | - Katherine Moseby
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - John Read
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | | | | | - Eric Schwarz
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Ronald Sinclair
- Biosecurity SA, Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, South Australia, 5064, Australia
| | - Tanja Strive
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Frank Triulcio
- Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, South Australia, 5000, Australia
| | - Peter West
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales, 2800, Australia
| | - Frederik Saltré
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.,Global Ecology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University,, GPO Box 2100, South Australia, 5001, Australia
| | - Damien A Fordham
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
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