Effects of predation by introduced mammals and mortality due to severe floods on population viability of the endangered Blue Duck (<i>Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos</i>)

Simpkins, Craig; Perry, George L.; Glaser, Andrew; Allerby, Tim; Dennis, Todd E.

doi:10.1071/mu14057

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Interestingly, this study indicates that where effective integrated pest control is in place, floods are the next biggest threat to whio productivity. Simpkins et al (2015) suggested a similar result where they found that whio in the Te Urewera Mainland Island faced a heightened risk of extinction if the frequency of severe flooding increased significantly without a corresponding intensification of predator management.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Testing the effectiveness of integrated pest control at protecting whio (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) from stoat (Mustela erminea) predation in beech forest (Nothofagaceae)

Steffens¹,

Malham²,

Davies³

et al. 2022

NZJE

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The introduction of mammalian predators, particularly stoats (Mustela erminea), to New Zealand led to the decline in whio (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos), an endemic riverine duck. Stoat control for whio in the South Island has focused on valley floor trapping along waterway margins but increasing survival and productivity for whio using this method is complicated by irruptive predator dynamics caused by occasional masting of beech species (Nothofagaceae). We investigated the effect of integrating stoat trapping with pulsed aerial 1080 toxin operations to counter predator irruptions on whio survival and productivity in c. 40 000 ha of beech dominated Kahurangi National Park. We collected data on adult female whio survival, probability of breeding, nesting success, and duckling survival for seven years through two full beech mast events. We found a positive relationship between distance into the interior of the treatment block and whio population growth, nesting success, duckling, and adult survival. Heavy female whio were more likely to breed than light ones, and adult female survival was higher during the breeding season than during non-breeding. Nesting success was greatest in the breeding season following a 1080 operation. Duckling survival was higher at lower river flows. Positive population growth was only predicted near the centre of the study area (c. 13 km from the edge) with both traps and 1080. We conclude that in the centre of treatment blocks at least as large as our study block, integrated pest control should be enough to ensure long-term population persistence of whio in a beech-dominated system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Testing the effectiveness of integrated pest control at protecting whio (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) from stoat (Mustela erminea) predation in beech forest (Nothofagaceae)

Steffens¹,

Malham²,

Davies³

et al. 2022

NZJE

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“…During the same period, whio nesting success and productivity increased significantly within trapped areas (Whitehead et al 2008). In central North Island rivers, population viability modelling indicates that cessation of predator trapping would rapidly lead to local extirpation of whio (Simpkins et al 2015).…”

Section: Deermentioning

confidence: 95%

Impacts of introduced mammalian predators on New Zealand’s alpine fauna

O’Donnell¹,

Weston²,

Monks³

2017

NZ J Ecol

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Alpine zones are threatened globally by invasive species, hunting, and habitat loss caused by fire, anthropogenic development and climate change. These global threats are pertinent in New Zealand, with the least understood pressure being the potential impacts of introduced mammalian predators, the focus of this review. In New Zealand, alpine zones include an extensive suite of cold climate ecosystems covering c. 11% of the land mass. They support rich communities of indigenous invertebrates, lizards, fish, and birds. Many taxa are obligate alpine dwellers, though there is uncertainty about the extent to which distributions of some species are relicts of wider historical ranges. The impacts of introduced mammalian predators are well described in many New Zealand ecosystems, though little is known about the impacts of these predators on alpine fauna. Here we review the importance of alpine habitats for indigenous fauna and the impacts of introduced mammalian predators; and develop a conceptual model explaining threat interactions. Most evidence for predation is anecdotal or comes from studies of species with wider ranges and at lower altitudes. Nevertheless, at least ten introduced predator species have been confirmed as frequent predators of native alpine species, particularly among birds and invertebrates. In the case of the endangered takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) and rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris), stoats (Mustela erminea) are primary predators, which are likely to be impacting significantly on population viability. We also document records of mammalian predation on alpine lizards and freshwater fish. While the precise impacts on the long-term viability of threatened species have not been evaluated, anecdotal evidence suggests that predation by mammals is a serious threat, warranting predator control. Future research should focus on predicting when and where mammalian predators impact on populations of indigenous fauna, furthering our understanding of the alpine predator guild particularly through adaptive management experiments, and exploring interactions with other threats.

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“…Such intrusions can include flood damage (e.g. Simpkins et al 2015), predation by domestic dogs (e.g. Robertson et al 2019), build-ups in disease causing fungi (e.g.…”

Section: Robustness Of Recent Field Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Robustness of field studies evaluating biodiversity responses to invasive species management in New Zealand

Allen

Forsyth

MacKenzie

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Benefits of invasive species management for terrestrial biodiversity are widely expected and promoted in New Zealand. Evidence for this is presented in policy and scientific reviews of the literature, but the robustness and repeatability of the underpinning evidence-base remains poorly understood. We evaluated the design of field-based studies assessing biodiversity responses to invasive species management in 155 peer-reviewed articles published across 46 journals from 2010 - 2019. Each study was assessed against nine principles of experimental design, covering robustness of sampling and avoidance of bias. These principles are important in New Zealand to detect treatment effects from environmental variability driven by underlying gradients such as soil fertility, climate and disturbance. Fifty two percent of studies defined a sampling universe and 68% of studies specified the treatment. Whereas, 54%, 74%, and 50% of studies did not utilise replication, representatively sample the universe, or quantify invasive species, respectively. Ninety five percent of studies quantified biodiversity responses, although a high proportion of these did not representatively sample replicates. Initial conditions and accounting for effects of experimental implementation were not utilised in 57% and 84% of studies respectively. No studies avoided observer/analyst bias using blinding methods, despite this being widely adopted in other fields. Ordinal logistic regression showed these principles varied in how robustly they were applied among categories of biodiversity responses and invasive species. Our findings suggest that greater attention to experimental design principles is desirable: supported by researchers, funding agencies, reviewers, and journal editors. Greater resources is not necessarily a solution to these design issues. Undertaking fewer studies, that are individually more expensive because they better adhere to experimental design principles, is one alternative. Our intent in this article is to improve the robustness of future field studies for at least some principles. Robust designs have enduring value, reduce uncertainty and increase our understanding of when, where and how often the impacts of invasive species on biodiversity are indeed reversible.

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Effects of predation by introduced mammals and mortality due to severe floods on population viability of the endangered Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos)

Cited by 9 publications

References 25 publications

Testing the effectiveness of integrated pest control at protecting whio (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) from stoat (Mustela erminea) predation in beech forest (Nothofagaceae)

Testing the effectiveness of integrated pest control at protecting whio (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) from stoat (Mustela erminea) predation in beech forest (Nothofagaceae)

Impacts of introduced mammalian predators on New Zealand’s alpine fauna

Robustness of field studies evaluating biodiversity responses to invasive species management in New Zealand

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