

Search the SPREP Catalogue

139 result(s) found.

Sort by

Publication Year
Sort results by
Created
Sort results by
Updated
Sort results by

You searched for

Tags / Keywords rattus sp
X

Assessment of snail exposure to the anticoagulant rodenticide brodifacoum in the Galapagos Islands

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

Alifano, A.

Campbell, K.J.

Fisher, P.

Jolley, W.

Parent, C.E.

Eradication of invasive rodents has become a powerful tool to protect native island biota. Use of brodifacoum, an anticoagulant rodenticide, has contributed to hundreds of successful invasive rodent eradication e?orts on islands. Application of bait containing brodifacoum for this purpose requires appropriate consideration of adverse e?ects on non-target wildlife. Thus, a priori identi?cation of non-target risks and, where needed, approaches to mitigate these to acceptable levels, is now an essential component of eradication planning and implementation. As part of the plan for eradicating invasive rats and mice from Floreana Island in the Galapagos, we experimentally tested the e?ect of brodifacoum on the Galapagos endemic land snail species Naesiotus unifasciatus. Importantly, the trials were designed to evaluate e?ects of particular components of the bait pellets, namely the active brodifacoum, the pyranine biomarker, and a blue dye. We found no evidence for increased snail mortality following exposure to any of these bait components. We review results of past toxicity studies on terrestrial molluscs and ?nd that, as for our own study, there is likely to be little impact of anticoagulant rodenticide on terrestrial mollusc survival as the result of application of brodifacoum bait. However, given the limited taxonomic representation in the toxicity tests performed on terrestrial molluscs so far, we recommend the continued used of captive toxicity trials to assess potential e?ect of any rodenticide applications on native malacological fauna on a case-by-case basis where large-scale eradication programmes are planned and undertaken.

Invasive rat eradication strongly impacts plant recruitment on a tropical atoll

Available Online

Croll, Donald A.

Dirzo, Rodolfo.

Holmes, Nick D.

Kropidlowski, Stefan.

McKown, Matthew.

Tershy, Bernie R.

Wegmann, Alexander S.

Wolf, Coral A.

Young, Hillary S.

Zilliacus, Kelly M.

Rat eradication has become a common conservation intervention in island ecosystems and its effectiveness in protecting native vertebrates is increasingly well documented. Yet, the impacts of rat eradication on plant communities remain poorly understood. Here we compare native and non-native tree and palm seedling abundance before and after eradication of invasive rats (Rattus Rattus) from Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands, Central Pacific Ocean. Overall, seedling recruitment increased for five of the six native trees species examined. While pre-eradication monitoring found no seedlings of Pisonia grandis, a dominant tree species that is important throughout the Pacific region, post-eradication monitoring documented a notable recruitment event immediately following eradication, with up to 688 individual P. grandis seedlings per 100m2 recorded one month post-eradication. Two other locally rare native trees with no observed recruitment in pre-eradication surveys had recruitment post-rat eradication. However, we also found, by five years post-eradication, a 13-fold increase in recruitment of the naturalized and range-expanding coconut palm Cocos nucifera. Our results emphasize the strong effects that a rat eradication can have on tree recruitment with expected long-term effects on canopy composition. Rat eradication released nonnative C. nucifera, likely with long-term implications for community composition, potentially necessitating future management interventions. Eradication, nevertheless, greatly benefited recruitment of native tree species. If this pattern persists over time, we expect long-term benefits for flora and fauna dependent on these native species.

Seabirds enhance coral reef productivity and functioning in the absence of invasive rats

Available Online

Carr, Peter.

Graham, Nicholas A. J.

Hoey, Andrew S.

Jennings, Simon.

MacNeil, M. Aaron

Wilson, Shaun K.

Biotic connectivity between ecosystems can provide major transport of organic matter and nutrients, influencing ecosystem structure and productivity, yet the implications are poorly understood owing to human disruptions of natural flows. When abundant, seabirds feeding in the open ocean transport large quantities of nutrients onto islands, enhancing the productivity of island fauna and flora. Whether leaching of these nutrients back into the sea influences the productivity, structure and functioning of adjacent coral reef ecosystems is not known. Here we address this question using a rare natural experiment in the Chagos Archipelago, in which some islands are rat-infested and others are rat-free. We found that seabird densities and nitrogen deposition rates are 760 and 251 times higher, respectively, on islands where humans have not introduced rats. Consequently, rat-free islands had substantially higher nitrogen stable isotope (?15N) values in soils and shrubs, reflecting pelagic nutrient sources. These higher values of ?15N were also apparent in macroalgae, filter-feeding sponges, turf algae and fish on adjacent coral reefs. Herbivorous damselfish on reefs adjacent to the rat-free islands grew faster, and fish communities had higher biomass across trophic feeding groups, with 48% greater overall biomass. Rates of two critical ecosystem functions, grazing and bioerosion, were 3.2 and 3.8 times higher, respectively, adjacent to rat-free islands. Collectively, these results reveal how rat introductions disrupt nutrient flows among pelagic, island and coral reef ecosystems. Thus, rat eradication on oceanic islands should be a high conservation priority as it is likely to benefit terrestrial ecosystems and enhance coral reef productivity and functioning by restoring seabird-derived nutrient subsidies from large areas of ocean.

Wetlands of Wallis and Futuna.

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.

In 2014, with support from the French Government, Wallis and Futuna informed SPREP of its intention to identify nationally significant wetlands for future designation as wetlands of international importance (Ramsar Sites) under the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971).

Potential public health benefits from eradicating rts in New Zealand cities and a tentative research agenda.

Available Online

Baker, Michael G.

Blaschke, Paul.

Mansoor, Osman D.

McIntyre, Mary.

Muellner, Petra.

Wilson, Nick. ? Mary McIntyre ? Paul Blaschke ? Petra Muellner ? Osman D Mansoor ? Michael G Baker

The eradication of some introduced pests such as rats, stoats and possums in New Zealand seems increasingly feasible with successful action to date in various cities (e.g. Wellington City) and with the governments national 2050 predator-free goal. Here we specifically detail the potential benefits of urban rat eradication and find these cover a wide range of topics including a potentially reduced risk of infection from at least seven zoonotic diseases (e.g. leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, murine typhus; and three enteric diseases). Other potential benefits include: psychological benefits from increased native bird life in cities; reduced damage to food supplies; reduced rat damage to building insulation and to building walls and roofing; and reduced fires in buildings associated with rat damage. However, there is considerable uncertainty on the size of such impacts and so we outline a tentative research agenda as a first step towards quantification of the likely key public health benefits of rat eradication.

Invasive alien species on islands: impacts, distribution, interactions and management

Available Online

Holmes, Nick D

Meyer, Jean-Yves

Pagad, Shyama

Russell, James C.

Invasive alien species (IASs) on islands have broad impacts across biodiversity, agriculture, economy, health and culture, which tend to be stronger than on continents. Across small-island developing states (SIDSs), although only a small number of IASs are widely distributed, many more, including those with greatest impact, are found on only a small number of islands. Patterns of island invasion are not consistent across SIDS geographic regions, with differences attributable to correlated patterns in island biogeography and human development. We identify 15 of the most globally prevalent IASs on islands. IAS impacts on islands are exacerbated through interactions with a number of other global change threats, including over-exploitation, agricultural intensification, urban development and climate change. Biosecurity is critical in preventing IAS invasion of islands. Eradication of IASs on islands is possible at early stages of invasion, but otherwise is largely restricted to invasive mammals, or otherwise control is the only option. Future directions in IAS management and research on islands must consider IASs within a broader portfolio of threats to species, ecosystems and peoples livelihoods on islands. We advocate for stronger collaborations among island countries and territories faced with the same IASs in similar socio-ecological environments.

Globally threatened vertebrates on islands with invasive species.

Available Online

Butchart, Stuart H M

Ceballos, Gerardo

Croll Donald A.

Genovesi, Piero Genovesi

Holmes, Nick D.

Spatz, Dena

Tershy, Bernie R

Zilliacus, Kelly M.

Global biodiversity loss is disproportionately rapid on islands, where invasive species are a major driver of extinctions. To inform conservation planning aimed at preventing extinctions, we identify the distribution and biogeographic patterns of highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates (classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and invasive vertebrates on ~465,000 islands worldwide by conducting a comprehensive literature review and interviews with more than 500 experts. We found that 1189 highly threatened vertebrate species (319 amphibians, 282 reptiles, 296 birds, and 292 mammals) breed on 1288 islands. These taxa represent only 5% of Earth's terrestrial vertebrates and 41% of all highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates, which occur in 1% of islands worldwide. Information about invasive vertebrates was available for 1030 islands (80% of islands with highly threatened vertebrates). Invasive vertebrates were absent from 24% of these islands, where biosecurity to prevent invasions is a critical management tool. On the 76% of islands where invasive vertebrates were present, management could benefit 39% of Earths highly threatened vertebrates. Invasive mammals occurred in 97% of these islands, with Rattus as the most common invasive vertebrate (78%; 609 islands). Our results provide an important baseline for identifying islands for invasive species eradication and other island conservation actions that reduce biodiversity loss.

Tuvalu national biodiversity strategy and action plan: fifth national report to the convention on biological diversity.

Available Online

Alefaio, S

Falega, E

Penivao, F

Saitala, M

Teakau, F

Tekenene, M

Thaman, R

The isolated, small, low-lying resource-poor atolls of Tuvalu are clearly on the frontline against climate change, the escalating impacts natural disasters and declining food, health and energy security.

Battling Invasive Species in the Pacific: Outcomes of the Regional GEF-PAS IAS Project Prevention, control and management of invasive species in the Pacific islands

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

SPREP

Pacific islands intimately connect land and sea. Rats, cats, and other invasive species quickly destroy these links, particularly by predating on native forest seeds, forest birds, sea birds, and other vital ecosystem components. Effective management of invasive species is key to protect terrestrial and marine systems, supporting their function and increasing their resilience to change.

Use anticoagulant rodent bait safely

Available Online

SPREP

Anticoagulant rodenticides are an important tool for managing rodents by increasing the chances of success and lowering the resources required. This guide was developed to assist non-specialists in gaining a better understanding of the risks, costs, and benefits of using anticoagulant rodenticides. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that rodenticides are used responsibly and that the risk of negative impacts to people and the environment is minimised. Failure to do so could result in the loss of support for the use of these useful tools.

www.sprep.org © 2021 - 2026. All rights reserved