A spatially explicit population model to compare management using culling and fertility control to reduce numbers of grey squirrels

Croft, Simon; Aegerter, James; Beatham, Sarah E.; Coats, Julia; Massei, Giovanna

doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109386

Cited by 16 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…We use constant estimates of pine marten and squirrel carrying capacity, thereby ignoring factors such as seasonal variation and seed crop cycles that are inherent in the real system. Croft et al (2021) (Croft et al, 2021) suggest this is appropriate for mixed species woodland where asynchrony in tree species masting maintains a more stable food resource, and consequently reduces amplitude in squirrel density variation, than would be expected in woodland with lower tree diversity. This also allows us to compare different model scenarios without the added complication that variation in resources would impose on the dynamics.…”

Section: Carrying Capacitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They have been adapted to inform conservation strategies to protect red squirrels, suggesting that grey squirrel control, which has been empirically shown to reduce SQPV prevalence (Schuchert et al, 2014), may be insufficient to prevent the spatial spread of SQPV (White et al, 2016). Furthermore, models have been used to outline control strategies that can result in local grey squirrel extinction and prevent the re-invasion of grey squirrels into red squirrel strongholds (Jones et al, 2017;Croft et al, 2021). In this paper we extend established spatial modelling approaches that represent the interactions of red and grey squirrels and SQPV in realistic landscapes (White et al, 2016;Jones et al, 2017) to include the dynamics of pine marten and examine the indirect effect of pine marten predation on red and grey squirrel interactions and the prevalence and persistence of a viral pathogen (SQPV) in the prey populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Indirect effects of pine marten recovery result in benefits to native prey through suppression of an invasive species and a shared pathogen

Slade

White

Lurz

et al. 2023

Ecological Modelling

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Section: Carrying Capacitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indirect effects of pine marten recovery result in benefits to native prey through suppression of an invasive species and a shared pathogen

Slade

White

Lurz

et al. 2023

Ecological Modelling

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“…translocation) are effective or more humane. Therefore, the major requirement for each pest species is to develop and adopt an efficient and practical management strategy-a combination of both lethal and non-lethal management techniques is likely to be the most cost effective (Pepin et al 2017;Croft et al 2020Croft et al , 2021.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The status of fertility control for rodents—recent achievements and future directions

et al. 2021

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Management of overabundant rodents at a landscape scale is complex but often required to sustainably reduce rodent abundance below damage thresholds. Current conventional techniques such as poisoning are not species specific, with some approaches becoming increasingly unacceptable to the general public. Fertility control, first proposed for vertebrate pest management over 5 decades ago, has gained public acceptance because it is perceived as a potentially more species-specific and humane approach compared with many lethal methods. An ideal fertility control agent needs to induce infertility across one or more breeding seasons, be easily delivered to an appropriate proportion of the population, be species specific with minimal side-effects (behavioral or social structure changes), and be environmentally benign and cost effective. To date, effective fertility control of rodents has not been demonstrated at landscape scales and very few products have achieved registration. Reproductive targets for fertility control include disrupting the hormonal feedback associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, gonad function, fertilization, and/or early implantation. We review progress on the oral delivery of various agents for which laboratory studies have demonstrated efficacy in females and/or males and synthesize progress with the development and/or use of synthetic steroids, plant extracts, ovarian specific peptides, and immunocontraceptive vaccines. There are promising results for field application of synthetic steroids (levonorgestrel, quinestrol), chemosterilants (4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide), and some plant extracts (triptolide). For most fertility control agents, more research is essential to enable their efficient and cost-effective delivery such that rodent impacts at a population level are mitigated and food security is improved.

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“…Knowledge on home-range size and use is critical, for instance, to determine number and density of traps, their placement, and timing of trapping operations [8][9][10][11]. The same scale problem is applicable to other control methods, such as contraceptives or poison baiting [12,13]. Simulation models to manage the population dynamics and spread of pest species also need estimates of home-range parameters [13,14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The same scale problem is applicable to other control methods, such as contraceptives or poison baiting [12,13]. Simulation models to manage the population dynamics and spread of pest species also need estimates of home-range parameters [13,14]. Sex and age are two main individual causal drivers of variation in home range [7], and because of that, any pest control plan has to scale actions having taken into account these two key variables [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex and Age Effects on Monk Parakeet Home-Range Variation in the Urban Habitat

et al. 2021

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Home-range size is a key aspect of space-use, and variation in home-range size and structure may have profound consequences for the potential impact of damage and control strategies for invasive species. However, knowledge on home-range structure of naturalized parrot species is very limited. The aim of this study was to quantify patterns of home-range variation according to sex and age of the monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus, an invasive parakeet in Europe. Mean kernel home-range size was 12.4 ± 1.22 ha (range 1.7–74.1 ha; N = 73 birds). Juveniles had a larger home-range size than adults, but sexes did not differ in kernel home-range size. The mean maximum distance moved by monk parakeets was 727 ± 37.0 m (range: 150–1581 m), and it was not dependent on either the sex or age of the birds. Having a small home range is one of the conditions for the feasible eradication of an invasive species; hence, the small home range of urban monk parakeets that we report here is good news for pest managers. However, this small home-range size can limit the effectiveness of culling operations with traps or feeders with contraceptives or poison, and other alternatives, such as funnel nets or traps, should be used.

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A spatially explicit population model to compare management using culling and fertility control to reduce numbers of grey squirrels

Cited by 16 publications

References 22 publications

Indirect effects of pine marten recovery result in benefits to native prey through suppression of an invasive species and a shared pathogen

Indirect effects of pine marten recovery result in benefits to native prey through suppression of an invasive species and a shared pathogen

The status of fertility control for rodents—recent achievements and future directions

Sex and Age Effects on Monk Parakeet Home-Range Variation in the Urban Habitat

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