Causes and consequences of lags in basic and applied research into feral wildlife ecology: the case for feral horses

Boyce, Paul; Hennig, Jacob D.; Brook, Ryan K.; McLoughlin, Philip D.

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2021.03.011

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…The literature on research and best practice management for feral large mammals is limited (Boyce et al 2021), particularly relating to interactions with roads (Gagnon et al 2022).…”

Section: Feral Horses and Burrosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Best Practices Manual to Reduce Animal-Vehicle Collisions and Provide Habitat Connectivity for Wildlife

Huijser¹,

Fairbank²,

Paul³

2022

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The goal for this manual is to provide practical information for the implementation of mitigation measures that aim to: 1. Improve human safety through reducing collisions with large animals, including large wild mammal species, select free roaming large feral species, and select free roaming large livestock species, and 2. Improve or maintain habitat connectivity for terrestrial wildlife species and selected feral species through safe crossing opportunities. This manual does not include all possible measures that can or may reduce animal-vehicle collisions and maintain or improve habitat connectivity for wildlife. The measures included in this manual are: Barriers (fences) in combination with crossing structures (for large wild mammals and for small wild animal species), roadside animal detection system, Barriers (fences), Barriers (fences) in combination with crossing structures (for free roaming livestock), and culling, relocation, anti-fertility treatment, roadside animal detection systems, barriers (fences), and barriers (fences) in combination with crossing structures (for large feral mammal species such as feral horses and burros).

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“…The literature on research and best practice management for feral large mammals is limited (Boyce et al 2021), particularly relating to interactions with roads (Gagnon et al 2022).…”

Section: Feral Horses and Burrosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Best Practices Manual to Reduce Animal-Vehicle Collisions and Provide Habitat Connectivity for Wildlife

Huijser¹,

Fairbank²,

Paul³

2022

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“…Instead, much of the research has been framed around a conservation paradigm that non‐native horses will have negative impacts on ecosystems and other species. Our research experiences to date in the regions we have studied feral horses highlight a general lack of scholarly interest in research extending beyond population control or quantifying negative impact, and feral horse ecology plays a minor role if any in decision‐making processes (Bhattacharyya & Murphy, 2015; Boyce et al., 2021; Linklater et al., 2002). This approach to feral horse research validates preexisting assumptions and the dominant conservation paradigm in each place.…”

Section: Normative Values and Feral Horses In Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We addressed these issues to contribute to the discourse by discussing the controversy over feral and free‐ranging horses ( Equus ferus caballus ) in the Canadian West (Bhattacharyya & Murphy, 2015; Boyce et al., 2021) and New Zealand (Linklater et al., 2002). We first considered certain assumptions and paradigms that continue to underpin normative value systems within conservation biology about feral horses in these regional contexts and then widened this discussion to conservation science and practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The need for formal reflexivity in conservation science

Boyce

Bhattacharyya

Linklater

2021

Conservation Biology

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“…Feral ungulate grazing is a widespread phenomenon on the coastal barrier islands of the Eastern United States [ 19 , 20 ], and it can dramatically alter the structure, composition, and productivity of coastal dune plant communities [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Hydrocotyle bonariensis (dune pennywort), a clonal dune herb, is abundant in coastal dune ecosystems in the southeastern United States that have large feral horse populations [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Amelioration of Grazing through Physiological Integration by a Clonal Dune Plant

Evans

Meckstroth

Garai

2023

Plants

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Rhizomatous growth and associated physiological integration can allow a clonal dune species to potentially compensate for the selective removal of leaves associated with herbivory. Hydrocotyle bonariensis is a rhizomatous clonal plant species that is abundant in the coastal dune environments of the southeastern United States that are inhabited by large feral horse populations. H. bonariensis has been shown to integrate resources among ramets within extensive clones as an adaptation to resource heterogeneity in sandy soils. In this study, we hypothesized that clonal integration is a mechanism that promotes H. bonariensis persistence in these communities, despite high levels of herbivory by feral horses. In a field experiment, we used exclosures to test for herbivory in H. bonariensis over a four-month period. We found that feral horses utilized H. bonariensis as a food species, and that while grazing will suppress clonal biomass, H. bonariensis is able to maintain populations in a high grazing regime with and without competition present. We then conducted an experiment in which portions of H. bonariensis clones were clipped to simulate different levels of grazing. Half of the clones were severed to eliminate the possibility of integration. We found that after 12 weeks, the mean number of leaves and ramets increased as the grazing level increased, for integrated clones. Integrated clones had significantly increased biomass production compared to the severed equivalents. Our research suggests that rhizomatous growth and physiological integration are traits that allow clonal plant species to maintain populations and to tolerate grazing in coastal dune environments.

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Causes and consequences of lags in basic and applied research into feral wildlife ecology: the case for feral horses

Cited by 10 publications

References 65 publications

Best Practices Manual to Reduce Animal-Vehicle Collisions and Provide Habitat Connectivity for Wildlife

Best Practices Manual to Reduce Animal-Vehicle Collisions and Provide Habitat Connectivity for Wildlife

The need for formal reflexivity in conservation science

The Amelioration of Grazing through Physiological Integration by a Clonal Dune Plant

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