Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean
Rats are among the worst invasive alien predators. They prey upon eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults of seabirds, leading to the decline of many populations. Rats have invaded 93% of the islands in the western Indian Ocean, which is an avian biodiversity hotspot. Europa Island, Mozambique Channel, i...
Published in: | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
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Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance, Inc.
2022
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Online Access: | https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/103495.pdf https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/ |
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ftarchimer:oai:archimer.ifremer.fr:95700 2024-01-07T09:46:13+01:00 Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean Saunier, Merlene Amy, Maxime Barbraud, Christophe Pinet, Patrick Ringler, David Russell, James C. Le Corre, Matthieu 2022-06 application/pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/103495.pdf https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/ eng eng Resilience Alliance, Inc. https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/103495.pdf doi:10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use Avian Conservation And Ecology (1712-6568) (Resilience Alliance, Inc.), 2022-06 , Vol. 17 , N. 1 , P. 32 (23p.) conservation eradication management population viability analysis predation seabird text Article info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2022 ftarchimer https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 2023-12-12T23:51:11Z Rats are among the worst invasive alien predators. They prey upon eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults of seabirds, leading to the decline of many populations. Rats have invaded 93% of the islands in the western Indian Ocean, which is an avian biodiversity hotspot. Europa Island, Mozambique Channel, is a major seabird breeding site, where at least 1,000,000 pairs bred at the end of 20th century, including the endemic white-tailed tropicbirds (Phaethon lepturus europae). This species and the red-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) are vulnerable to predation by black rat (Rattus rattus), barn owl (Tyto alba), and pied-crow (Corvus albus) on Europa Island. In this study, we estimate the current population sizes of these tropicbird species and their breeding success. The impact of predators on tropicbird nests was quantified with camera traps. Finally, we model the dynamics of these populations under three management scenarios (no action, complete rat eradication, and targeted control of rats around nests). In 2019, 1,027 pairs of redtailed and 100 pairs of white-tailed tropicbirds bred on Europa Island, which indicates an annual decline of 5% and 17% since 2009, respectively. Breeding success of red-tailed tropicbirds and white-tailed tropicbirds was extremely low (0.08 ± 0.07 and 0.06 ± 0.03 respectively). Rats were detected at most surveyed nests and were the main predators of eggs and chicks. Pied-crows and barn owls also depredated nests occasionally. Population viability analysis projected a local extinction in 32–85 years for the red-tailed tropicbird, and in 11–50 years for white-tailed tropicbirds without conservation intervention. The complete eradication of rats would result in a rapid recovery of both populations. Rat control around nests only would result in population recovery only if 74% of the nests of white-tailed and 63% of the nests of red-tailed tropicbirds are free of rats. Les rats font partie des prédateurs étrangers les plus invasifs. Ils se nourrissent d’oeufs, d’oisillons et parfois ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Rattus rattus Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer) Indian Avian Conservation and Ecology 17 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer) |
op_collection_id |
ftarchimer |
language |
English |
topic |
conservation eradication management population viability analysis predation seabird |
spellingShingle |
conservation eradication management population viability analysis predation seabird Saunier, Merlene Amy, Maxime Barbraud, Christophe Pinet, Patrick Ringler, David Russell, James C. Le Corre, Matthieu Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean |
topic_facet |
conservation eradication management population viability analysis predation seabird |
description |
Rats are among the worst invasive alien predators. They prey upon eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults of seabirds, leading to the decline of many populations. Rats have invaded 93% of the islands in the western Indian Ocean, which is an avian biodiversity hotspot. Europa Island, Mozambique Channel, is a major seabird breeding site, where at least 1,000,000 pairs bred at the end of 20th century, including the endemic white-tailed tropicbirds (Phaethon lepturus europae). This species and the red-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) are vulnerable to predation by black rat (Rattus rattus), barn owl (Tyto alba), and pied-crow (Corvus albus) on Europa Island. In this study, we estimate the current population sizes of these tropicbird species and their breeding success. The impact of predators on tropicbird nests was quantified with camera traps. Finally, we model the dynamics of these populations under three management scenarios (no action, complete rat eradication, and targeted control of rats around nests). In 2019, 1,027 pairs of redtailed and 100 pairs of white-tailed tropicbirds bred on Europa Island, which indicates an annual decline of 5% and 17% since 2009, respectively. Breeding success of red-tailed tropicbirds and white-tailed tropicbirds was extremely low (0.08 ± 0.07 and 0.06 ± 0.03 respectively). Rats were detected at most surveyed nests and were the main predators of eggs and chicks. Pied-crows and barn owls also depredated nests occasionally. Population viability analysis projected a local extinction in 32–85 years for the red-tailed tropicbird, and in 11–50 years for white-tailed tropicbirds without conservation intervention. The complete eradication of rats would result in a rapid recovery of both populations. Rat control around nests only would result in population recovery only if 74% of the nests of white-tailed and 63% of the nests of red-tailed tropicbirds are free of rats. Les rats font partie des prédateurs étrangers les plus invasifs. Ils se nourrissent d’oeufs, d’oisillons et parfois ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Saunier, Merlene Amy, Maxime Barbraud, Christophe Pinet, Patrick Ringler, David Russell, James C. Le Corre, Matthieu |
author_facet |
Saunier, Merlene Amy, Maxime Barbraud, Christophe Pinet, Patrick Ringler, David Russell, James C. Le Corre, Matthieu |
author_sort |
Saunier, Merlene |
title |
Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean |
title_short |
Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean |
title_full |
Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from Europa Island, western Indian Ocean |
title_sort |
seabird predation effects and population viability analysis indicate the urgent need for rat eradication from europa island, western indian ocean |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance, Inc. |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/103495.pdf https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/ |
geographic |
Indian |
geographic_facet |
Indian |
genre |
Rattus rattus |
genre_facet |
Rattus rattus |
op_source |
Avian Conservation And Ecology (1712-6568) (Resilience Alliance, Inc.), 2022-06 , Vol. 17 , N. 1 , P. 32 (23p.) |
op_relation |
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/103495.pdf doi:10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00845/95700/ |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02174-170132 |
container_title |
Avian Conservation and Ecology |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1787427957541699584 |