Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents
The exogenous input of nutrients and energy into island systems fuels a large array of consumers and drives bottom-up trophic cascades in island communities. The input of anthropogenic resources has increased on islands and particularly supplemented non-native consumers with extra resources. We test...
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ftird:oai:ird.fr:fdi:010060433 2024-09-15T18:31:59+00:00 Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents Ruffino, L. Russell, J. /Vidal, Eric BAGAUD ILE ZONE MEDITERRANEENNE 2013 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010060433 EN eng https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010060433 oai:ird.fr:fdi:010060433 Ruffino L., Russell J., Vidal Eric. Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents. 2013, 172 (3), p. 737-749 Anthropogenic resources Mediterranean islands Population dynamics Rattus rattus Trophic subsidies text 2013 ftird 2024-08-15T05:57:42Z The exogenous input of nutrients and energy into island systems fuels a large array of consumers and drives bottom-up trophic cascades in island communities. The input of anthropogenic resources has increased on islands and particularly supplemented non-native consumers with extra resources. We test the hypothesis that the anthropogenic establishments of super-abundant gulls and invasive iceplants Carpobrotus spp. have both altered the dynamics of an introduced black rat Rattus rattus population. On Bagaud Island, two habitats have been substantially modified by the anthropogenic subsidies of gulls and iceplants, in contrast to the native Mediterranean scrubland with no anthropogenic inputs. Rats were trapped in all three habitats over two contrasting years of rainfall patterns to investigate: (1) the effect of anthropogenic subsidies on rat density, age-ratio and growth rates, and (2) the role of rainfall variability in modulating the effects of subsidies between years. We found that the growth rates of rats dwelling in the non-subsidized habitat varied with environmental fluctuation, whereas rats dwelling in the gull colony maintained high growth rates during both dry and rainy years. The presence of anthropogenic subsidies apparently mitigated environmental stress. Age ratio and rat density varied significantly and predictably among years, seasons, and habitats. While rat densities always peaked higher in the gull colony, especially after rat breeding in spring, higher captures of immature rats were recorded during the second year in all habitats, associated with higher rainfall. The potential for non-native rats to benefit from anthropogenic resources has important implications for the management of similar species on islands. Text Rattus rattus IRD (Institute de recherche pour le développement): Horizon |
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English |
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Anthropogenic resources Mediterranean islands Population dynamics Rattus rattus Trophic subsidies |
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Anthropogenic resources Mediterranean islands Population dynamics Rattus rattus Trophic subsidies Ruffino, L. Russell, J. /Vidal, Eric Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
topic_facet |
Anthropogenic resources Mediterranean islands Population dynamics Rattus rattus Trophic subsidies |
description |
The exogenous input of nutrients and energy into island systems fuels a large array of consumers and drives bottom-up trophic cascades in island communities. The input of anthropogenic resources has increased on islands and particularly supplemented non-native consumers with extra resources. We test the hypothesis that the anthropogenic establishments of super-abundant gulls and invasive iceplants Carpobrotus spp. have both altered the dynamics of an introduced black rat Rattus rattus population. On Bagaud Island, two habitats have been substantially modified by the anthropogenic subsidies of gulls and iceplants, in contrast to the native Mediterranean scrubland with no anthropogenic inputs. Rats were trapped in all three habitats over two contrasting years of rainfall patterns to investigate: (1) the effect of anthropogenic subsidies on rat density, age-ratio and growth rates, and (2) the role of rainfall variability in modulating the effects of subsidies between years. We found that the growth rates of rats dwelling in the non-subsidized habitat varied with environmental fluctuation, whereas rats dwelling in the gull colony maintained high growth rates during both dry and rainy years. The presence of anthropogenic subsidies apparently mitigated environmental stress. Age ratio and rat density varied significantly and predictably among years, seasons, and habitats. While rat densities always peaked higher in the gull colony, especially after rat breeding in spring, higher captures of immature rats were recorded during the second year in all habitats, associated with higher rainfall. The potential for non-native rats to benefit from anthropogenic resources has important implications for the management of similar species on islands. |
format |
Text |
author |
Ruffino, L. Russell, J. /Vidal, Eric |
author_facet |
Ruffino, L. Russell, J. /Vidal, Eric |
author_sort |
Ruffino, L. |
title |
Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
title_short |
Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
title_full |
Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
title_fullStr |
Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
title_full_unstemmed |
Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
title_sort |
anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010060433 |
op_coverage |
BAGAUD ILE ZONE MEDITERRANEENNE |
genre |
Rattus rattus |
genre_facet |
Rattus rattus |
op_relation |
https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010060433 oai:ird.fr:fdi:010060433 Ruffino L., Russell J., Vidal Eric. Anthropogenic subsidies mitigate environmental variability for insular rodents. 2013, 172 (3), p. 737-749 |
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1810473721991790592 |