Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests
Abstract Predation on native fauna by non‐native invasive mammals is widely documented, but effects of predation at the population level are rarely measured. Eradication of invasive mammals from islands has led to recovery of native biota, but the benefits of controlling invasive mammal populations...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1523-1739.2012.01932.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x/fullpdf |
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crwiley:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x 2024-09-15T18:32:07+00:00 Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests RUSCOE, WENDY A. SWEETAPPLE, PETER J. PERRY, MIKE DUNCAN, RICHARD P. 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1523-1739.2012.01932.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x/fullpdf en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Conservation Biology volume 27, issue 1, page 74-82 ISSN 0888-8892 1523-1739 journal-article 2012 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x 2024-07-30T04:23:54Z Abstract Predation on native fauna by non‐native invasive mammals is widely documented, but effects of predation at the population level are rarely measured. Eradication of invasive mammals from islands has led to recovery of native biota, but the benefits of controlling invasive mammal populations in settings where eradication is not feasible are less understood. We used various combinations of aerially delivered toxic bait and control measures on the ground to reduce abundances of invasive rats (Rattus rattus) to low levels over large areas on mainland New Zealand and then monitored the abundance of invertebrates on replicated treatment sites to compare with abundances on similar nontreatment sites. We also assessed rat diet by examining stomach contents. Abundance of the rats’ most‐consumed invertebrate prey item, the large‐bodied Auckland tree weta (Hemideina thoracica), increased 3‐fold on treatment sites where we maintained rats at <4/ha for approximately 3 years, compared with the nontreatment sites. Auckland tree weta also increased in abundance on sites where rats were controlled with a single aerial‐poisoning operation, but rat abundance subsequently increased on these sites and tree weta abundance then declined. Nevertheless, our data suggest that biennial reduction of rat abundances may be sufficient to allow increases in tree weta populations. Other invertebrates that were consumed less often (cave weta [Rhaphidophoridae], spiders [Araneae], and cockroaches [Blattodea]) showed no systematic changes in abundance following rat control. Our results suggest that the significant threat to recruitment and individual survival that predation by rats poses for tree weta can be mitigated by wide‐scale aerial pest control . Efectos del Control Extensivo Espacial de Ratas Invasoras sobre la Abundancia de Invertebrados Nativos en Bosques de Nueva Zelanda Article in Journal/Newspaper Rattus rattus Wiley Online Library Conservation Biology 27 1 74 82 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Predation on native fauna by non‐native invasive mammals is widely documented, but effects of predation at the population level are rarely measured. Eradication of invasive mammals from islands has led to recovery of native biota, but the benefits of controlling invasive mammal populations in settings where eradication is not feasible are less understood. We used various combinations of aerially delivered toxic bait and control measures on the ground to reduce abundances of invasive rats (Rattus rattus) to low levels over large areas on mainland New Zealand and then monitored the abundance of invertebrates on replicated treatment sites to compare with abundances on similar nontreatment sites. We also assessed rat diet by examining stomach contents. Abundance of the rats’ most‐consumed invertebrate prey item, the large‐bodied Auckland tree weta (Hemideina thoracica), increased 3‐fold on treatment sites where we maintained rats at <4/ha for approximately 3 years, compared with the nontreatment sites. Auckland tree weta also increased in abundance on sites where rats were controlled with a single aerial‐poisoning operation, but rat abundance subsequently increased on these sites and tree weta abundance then declined. Nevertheless, our data suggest that biennial reduction of rat abundances may be sufficient to allow increases in tree weta populations. Other invertebrates that were consumed less often (cave weta [Rhaphidophoridae], spiders [Araneae], and cockroaches [Blattodea]) showed no systematic changes in abundance following rat control. Our results suggest that the significant threat to recruitment and individual survival that predation by rats poses for tree weta can be mitigated by wide‐scale aerial pest control . Efectos del Control Extensivo Espacial de Ratas Invasoras sobre la Abundancia de Invertebrados Nativos en Bosques de Nueva Zelanda |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
RUSCOE, WENDY A. SWEETAPPLE, PETER J. PERRY, MIKE DUNCAN, RICHARD P. |
spellingShingle |
RUSCOE, WENDY A. SWEETAPPLE, PETER J. PERRY, MIKE DUNCAN, RICHARD P. Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests |
author_facet |
RUSCOE, WENDY A. SWEETAPPLE, PETER J. PERRY, MIKE DUNCAN, RICHARD P. |
author_sort |
RUSCOE, WENDY A. |
title |
Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests |
title_short |
Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests |
title_full |
Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests |
title_fullStr |
Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests |
title_sort |
effects of spatially extensive control of invasive rats on abundance of native invertebrates in mainland new zealand forests |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1523-1739.2012.01932.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x/fullpdf |
genre |
Rattus rattus |
genre_facet |
Rattus rattus |
op_source |
Conservation Biology volume 27, issue 1, page 74-82 ISSN 0888-8892 1523-1739 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01932.x |
container_title |
Conservation Biology |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
74 |
op_container_end_page |
82 |
_version_ |
1810473871104540672 |