Coexistence conservation: Reconciling threatened species and invasive predators through adaptive ecological and evolutionary approaches

Abstract

Invasive predators are responsible for declines in many animal species across the globe. To redress these declines, conservationists have undertaken substantial work to remove invasive predators or mitigate their effects. Yet, the challenges associated with removal of invasive predators mean that most successful conservation programs have been restricted to small islands, enclosures (“safe havens”), or refuge habitats where threatened species can persist. While these approaches have been, and will continue to be, crucial for the survival of many species, in some contexts they may eventually lock in a baseline where native species vulnerable to invasive predators are accepted as permanently absent from the wild (shifting baseline syndrome). We propose an explicit theme in conservation biology termed “coexistence conservation,” that is distinguished by its pursuit of innovative solutions that drive or enable adaptive evolution of threatened species and invasive predators to occur over the long term. We argue evolution has a large role to play but using it to adapt native species to a new environmental order requires a shift in mindset from small, isolated, and short‐term leaps to deliberate, staged steps within a long‐term strategy. A key principle of coexistence conservation is that predation is treated as the threat, rather than the predator, driving a focus on the outcome rather than the agent. Without a long‐term strategy, we face the permanent loss of many species in the wild. Coexistence conservation is a complementary approach to current practice and will play an important role in shifting our current trajectory from continued and rapid invasive predator‐driven defaunation to a world where invasive predators and native prey can coexist.

Landscapes of nausea: Successful conditioned taste aversion in a wild red fox population

“…There is substantial evidence that management and harvesting practices have led to unintended consequences, driving evolution that counteracts their effectiveness (Allsop et al, 2017; Manning et al, 2021; Minnie et al, 2015; Shefferson et al, 2018; Thomson et al, 2000). With greater attention given to evolution‐focused tactics, taking animal learning and adaptation into account (Evans et al, 2022; Manning et al, 2021), we may be able to develop fox impact mitigation regimes that minimize the need for culling and removal actions that may lead to undesirable evolutionary consequences (Bischof & Zedrosser, 2009), while still addressing the negative impacts of predator species (Manning et al, 2021). With further refinement, it may be possible to develop CTA regimes that drive desirable evolutionary change in predators.…”

“…If CTA can be developed into a reliable management tactic it has the potential for a range of applications in animal conservation, human‐wildlife conflict, and agricultural contexts. CTA could allow native prey species to persist in the presence of invasive predator species helping to achieve the long‐term goal of co‐existence between native prey and invasive predators (Evans et al, 2022). By allowing a low level of predation, the least fit individuals will be removed from the prey population leading to a rebalancing of the ecological mismatch (Evans et al, 2021; Evans et al, 2022; Osmond et al, 2017).…”

“…CTA could allow native prey species to persist in the presence of invasive predator species helping to achieve the long‐term goal of co‐existence between native prey and invasive predators (Evans et al, 2022). By allowing a low level of predation, the least fit individuals will be removed from the prey population leading to a rebalancing of the ecological mismatch (Evans et al, 2021; Evans et al, 2022; Osmond et al, 2017). In the long term, this may lead to the expansion of native species ranges as their ability to persist in the presence of invasive predators is improved through adaptation (Evans et al, 2022).…”

“…By allowing a low level of predation, the least fit individuals will be removed from the prey population leading to a rebalancing of the ecological mismatch (Evans et al, 2021; Evans et al, 2022; Osmond et al, 2017). In the long term, this may lead to the expansion of native species ranges as their ability to persist in the presence of invasive predators is improved through adaptation (Evans et al, 2022). The addition of CTA to the range of tactics currently available will aid in the management of predation, and may reduce, or remove the need for the culling of predators and provide an option where invasive predator eradication cannot be achieved.…”

Trends in animal translocation research

“…Translocation science encompasses ecological impacts (Ross et al 2019), genetics (White et al 2018(White et al , 2020, tactics and adaptive management that improve translocation success (Batson et al 2015, Wilson et al 2020, threat mitigation (e.g. exotic predators (Manning et al 2021)), and, more recently, the adaptation of translocated species to novel threats (Muralidhar et al 2019, Evans et al 2021b, 2022b, Tay et al 2021.…”