Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006
Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2010. Biology Bibliography: leaves 76-93. Historical invasions by introduced species into formerly pristine ecosystems present a case where damage and change must often be measured indirectly. Long-term monitoring of demographic parameters has bee...
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Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English |
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2010
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Online Access: | http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses5/id/12349 |
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ftmemorialunivdc:oai:collections.mun.ca:theses5/12349 |
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record_format |
openpolar |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
op_collection_id |
ftmemorialunivdc |
language |
English |
topic |
Rattus norvegicus--Ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Sea birds--Conservation--Alaska--Kiska Island Least auklet--Alaska--Kiska Island--Reproduction Introduced animals--Alaska--Kiska Island Introduced animals--ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Rare birds--Alaska--Kiska Island |
spellingShingle |
Rattus norvegicus--Ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Sea birds--Conservation--Alaska--Kiska Island Least auklet--Alaska--Kiska Island--Reproduction Introduced animals--Alaska--Kiska Island Introduced animals--ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Rare birds--Alaska--Kiska Island Eggleston, Cari Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 |
topic_facet |
Rattus norvegicus--Ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Sea birds--Conservation--Alaska--Kiska Island Least auklet--Alaska--Kiska Island--Reproduction Introduced animals--Alaska--Kiska Island Introduced animals--ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Rare birds--Alaska--Kiska Island |
description |
Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2010. Biology Bibliography: leaves 76-93. Historical invasions by introduced species into formerly pristine ecosystems present a case where damage and change must often be measured indirectly. Long-term monitoring of demographic parameters has been used to infer trends of the auklet colony at Sirius Point, Kiska Island Alaska in relation to predation by introduced Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). In 2001 and 2002 the auklet colony experienced the lowest reproductive success ever recorded for auklets. Norway rats have been suggested as the cause for auklet reproductive failure due to anecdotal evidence and incidental sign collected at the colony. The first part of my study was to investigate Least Auklet population trends post reproductive failure at Kiska. I found that annual adult local survival estimates for 2002-2005 steadily declined to below 0.8 while reproductive success rebounded to normal levels (54% in 2006). Overall productivity was significantly lower at an island with rats (Kiska) as compared to islands without rats (Kasatochi: z = 7.24, df = 6, P < 0.0001, Buldir: z = 5.58, df = 6, P < 0.0001). -- The next part of my study aimed to go beyond the previous approach centered on auklet monitoring and focus on Norway rat activity at the auklet colony as well as estimate rat density and develop a method to measure relative abundance. In 2006 radio tracking was used to quantify Norway rat home ranges and movements located near the center of the auklet colony. Rat home range estimates varied from an average of 7713 ± 1978 m2 for male rats to 3169 ± 244 m2 for female rats. Compared to other islands, home ranges were smaller and density estimates, 12.75 rats/ha, were higher at Sirius Point, with rats living largely underground in the lava dome or tunneling through grass. Rat distribution was patchy - not all habitat types were used equally. -- Three non-invasive index methods (chew sticks, wax blocks and tracking tunnels) were tested to measure Norway rat abundance. Rats were attracted to all indexing methods tested in 2005 and 2006. Fortunately, the most successful method tested, peanut butter flavored wax blocks, also was an easy and inexpensive method to apply in the terrain at Sirius Point, Kiska Island. This method will likely prove to be a good choice to monitor fluctuations in rat populations annually at seabird colonies. Taken together, the results of my thesis work showed that Norway rat activity, while difficult to track and monitor, can be measured using novel methodology that will ultimately contribute to management and conservation of Aleutian Island ecosystems. |
author2 |
Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Eggleston, Cari |
author_facet |
Eggleston, Cari |
author_sort |
Eggleston, Cari |
title |
Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 |
title_short |
Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 |
title_full |
Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 |
title_fullStr |
Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 |
title_sort |
ecology of norway rats (rattus norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on kiska island, aleutian islands, alaska 2005-2006 |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses5/id/12349 |
op_coverage |
United States--Alaska--Kiska Island |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(163.250,163.250,-84.133,-84.133) ENVELOPE(155.830,155.830,50.258,50.258) ENVELOPE(177.460,177.460,51.964,51.964) ENVELOPE(177.596,177.596,52.136,52.136) |
geographic |
Norway Sirius Kiska Kiska Island Sirius Point |
geographic_facet |
Norway Sirius Kiska Kiska Island Sirius Point |
genre |
Aleutian Island Newfoundland studies Alaska Aleutian Islands University of Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Aleutian Island Newfoundland studies Alaska Aleutian Islands University of Newfoundland |
op_source |
Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries |
op_relation |
Electronic Theses and Dissertations (11.63 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Eggleston_Cari.pdf http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses5/id/12349 |
op_rights |
The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. |
_version_ |
1766265484224757760 |
spelling |
ftmemorialunivdc:oai:collections.mun.ca:theses5/12349 2023-05-15T13:14:48+02:00 Ecology of Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in relation to conservation and management of seabirds on Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 2005-2006 Eggleston, Cari Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology United States--Alaska--Kiska Island 2010 xvi, 99 leaves : ill. (some col.), maps. Image/jpeg; Application/pdf http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses5/id/12349 Eng eng Electronic Theses and Dissertations (11.63 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Eggleston_Cari.pdf http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses5/id/12349 The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries Rattus norvegicus--Ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Sea birds--Conservation--Alaska--Kiska Island Least auklet--Alaska--Kiska Island--Reproduction Introduced animals--Alaska--Kiska Island Introduced animals--ecology--Alaska--Kiska Island Rare birds--Alaska--Kiska Island Text Electronic thesis or dissertation 2010 ftmemorialunivdc 2015-08-06T19:22:48Z Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2010. Biology Bibliography: leaves 76-93. Historical invasions by introduced species into formerly pristine ecosystems present a case where damage and change must often be measured indirectly. Long-term monitoring of demographic parameters has been used to infer trends of the auklet colony at Sirius Point, Kiska Island Alaska in relation to predation by introduced Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). In 2001 and 2002 the auklet colony experienced the lowest reproductive success ever recorded for auklets. Norway rats have been suggested as the cause for auklet reproductive failure due to anecdotal evidence and incidental sign collected at the colony. The first part of my study was to investigate Least Auklet population trends post reproductive failure at Kiska. I found that annual adult local survival estimates for 2002-2005 steadily declined to below 0.8 while reproductive success rebounded to normal levels (54% in 2006). Overall productivity was significantly lower at an island with rats (Kiska) as compared to islands without rats (Kasatochi: z = 7.24, df = 6, P < 0.0001, Buldir: z = 5.58, df = 6, P < 0.0001). -- The next part of my study aimed to go beyond the previous approach centered on auklet monitoring and focus on Norway rat activity at the auklet colony as well as estimate rat density and develop a method to measure relative abundance. In 2006 radio tracking was used to quantify Norway rat home ranges and movements located near the center of the auklet colony. Rat home range estimates varied from an average of 7713 ± 1978 m2 for male rats to 3169 ± 244 m2 for female rats. Compared to other islands, home ranges were smaller and density estimates, 12.75 rats/ha, were higher at Sirius Point, with rats living largely underground in the lava dome or tunneling through grass. Rat distribution was patchy - not all habitat types were used equally. -- Three non-invasive index methods (chew sticks, wax blocks and tracking tunnels) were tested to measure Norway rat abundance. Rats were attracted to all indexing methods tested in 2005 and 2006. Fortunately, the most successful method tested, peanut butter flavored wax blocks, also was an easy and inexpensive method to apply in the terrain at Sirius Point, Kiska Island. This method will likely prove to be a good choice to monitor fluctuations in rat populations annually at seabird colonies. Taken together, the results of my thesis work showed that Norway rat activity, while difficult to track and monitor, can be measured using novel methodology that will ultimately contribute to management and conservation of Aleutian Island ecosystems. Thesis Aleutian Island Newfoundland studies Alaska Aleutian Islands University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) Norway Sirius ENVELOPE(163.250,163.250,-84.133,-84.133) Kiska ENVELOPE(155.830,155.830,50.258,50.258) Kiska Island ENVELOPE(177.460,177.460,51.964,51.964) Sirius Point ENVELOPE(177.596,177.596,52.136,52.136) |