European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)

European hare Lepus europaeus populations have undergone recent declines but the species has successfully naturalised in many countries outside its native range. It was introduced to Ireland during the mid-late nineteenth century for field sport and is now well established in Northern Ireland. The n...

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Published in:Biological Invasions
Main Author: Reid, Neil
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/4259a6bb-fe07-4d2e-8032-cca06e67a4fb
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9849-x
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79751520944&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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spelling ftqueensubelpubl:oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:publications/4259a6bb-fe07-4d2e-8032-cca06e67a4fb 2024-05-19T07:43:41+00:00 European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) Reid, Neil 2011-03 https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/4259a6bb-fe07-4d2e-8032-cca06e67a4fb https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9849-x http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79751520944&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/4259a6bb-fe07-4d2e-8032-cca06e67a4fb info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Reid , N 2011 , ' European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) ' , Biological Invasions , vol. 13 , no. 3 , pp. 559-569 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9849-x /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105 name=Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2303 /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action name=SDG 13 - Climate Action article 2011 ftqueensubelpubl https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9849-x 2024-04-24T23:55:02Z European hare Lepus europaeus populations have undergone recent declines but the species has successfully naturalised in many countries outside its native range. It was introduced to Ireland during the mid-late nineteenth century for field sport and is now well established in Northern Ireland. The native Irish hare Lepus timidus hibernicus is an endemic subspecies of mountain hare L. timidus and has attracted major conservation concern following a long-term population decline during the twentieth century and is one of the highest priority species for conservation action in Ireland. Little is known about the European hare in Ireland or whether it poses a significant threat to the native mountain hare subspecies by compromising its ecological security or genetic integrity. We review the invasion ecology of the European hare and examine evidence for interspecific competition with the mountain hare for habitat space and food resources, interspecific hybridisation, disease and parasite transmission and possible impacts of climate change. We also examine the impact that introduced hares can have on native non-lagomorph species. We conclude that the European hare is an emerging and significant threat to the conservation status of the native Irish hare. Invasive mammal species have been successfully eradicated from Ireland before and immediate action is often the only opportunity for cost-effective eradication. An urgent call is issued for further research whilst the need for a European hare invasive Species Action Plan (iSAP) and Eradication strategy are discussed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Lepus timidus mountain hare Queen's University Belfast Research Portal Biological Invasions 13 3 559 569
institution Open Polar
collection Queen's University Belfast Research Portal
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language English
topic /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105
name=Ecology
Evolution
Behavior and Systematics
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2303
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
name=SDG 13 - Climate Action
spellingShingle /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105
name=Ecology
Evolution
Behavior and Systematics
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2303
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
name=SDG 13 - Climate Action
Reid, Neil
European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
topic_facet /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105
name=Ecology
Evolution
Behavior and Systematics
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2303
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
name=SDG 13 - Climate Action
description European hare Lepus europaeus populations have undergone recent declines but the species has successfully naturalised in many countries outside its native range. It was introduced to Ireland during the mid-late nineteenth century for field sport and is now well established in Northern Ireland. The native Irish hare Lepus timidus hibernicus is an endemic subspecies of mountain hare L. timidus and has attracted major conservation concern following a long-term population decline during the twentieth century and is one of the highest priority species for conservation action in Ireland. Little is known about the European hare in Ireland or whether it poses a significant threat to the native mountain hare subspecies by compromising its ecological security or genetic integrity. We review the invasion ecology of the European hare and examine evidence for interspecific competition with the mountain hare for habitat space and food resources, interspecific hybridisation, disease and parasite transmission and possible impacts of climate change. We also examine the impact that introduced hares can have on native non-lagomorph species. We conclude that the European hare is an emerging and significant threat to the conservation status of the native Irish hare. Invasive mammal species have been successfully eradicated from Ireland before and immediate action is often the only opportunity for cost-effective eradication. An urgent call is issued for further research whilst the need for a European hare invasive Species Action Plan (iSAP) and Eradication strategy are discussed.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Reid, Neil
author_facet Reid, Neil
author_sort Reid, Neil
title European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
title_short European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
title_full European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
title_fullStr European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
title_full_unstemmed European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
title_sort european hare (lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: implication for the conservation of the endemic irish hare (lepus timidus hibernicus)
publishDate 2011
url https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/4259a6bb-fe07-4d2e-8032-cca06e67a4fb
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9849-x
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79751520944&partnerID=8YFLogxK
genre Lepus timidus
mountain hare
genre_facet Lepus timidus
mountain hare
op_source Reid , N 2011 , ' European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) ' , Biological Invasions , vol. 13 , no. 3 , pp. 559-569 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9849-x
op_relation https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/4259a6bb-fe07-4d2e-8032-cca06e67a4fb
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container_title Biological Invasions
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