Long‐term response of temperate canopy trees to removal of browsing from an invasive arboreal herbivore in New Zealand

Sweetapple, Peter J.; Nugent, Graham; Whitford, Jacqueline; Latham, M. Cecilia; Pekelharing, Kees

doi:10.1111/aec.12343

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In particular, at very high control efforts, the pest population was almost entirely sustained through immigration. These results align well with studies of relative rat, possum and wild pig abundance following pest control (Pepin, Davis, & VerCauteren, 2017;Ruscoe et al, 2011;Sweetapple, Nugent, Whitford, & Knightbridge, 2002).…”

Section: Can We Limit Immigration From Nearby Noncontrolled Areas?supporting

confidence: 86%

Pest control at a regional scale: Identifying key criteria using a spatially explicit, agent‐based model

Lustig

James

Anderson

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1. Invasive mammals are a major threat to biodiversity. Understanding how their distributions and abundance could be affected by different temporal and spatial control strategies is fundamental for planning effective management programs.2. We developed a spatially explicit, agent-based model to test the impacts of different spatiotemporal management strategies on a pest population. As a case study, we used the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) population in the Cape-to-City treatment area in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.3. We found striking differences in the effectiveness of different spatial control strategies -a well designed spatial control strategy could be up to twice as cost effective as poorly designed ones.4. The optimal spatial control strategy may depend on the total control effort. At low control effort, habitat-targeted control was more effective; at high control effort, homogeneously distributed control was more effective.5. Immigration rather than in situ breeding is likely to initiate the population recovery in treated areas after an initial knockdown. Therefore, increasing the size of treatment areas and maximizing the use of natural barriers to immigration could prolong treatment persistence. 6. Synthesis and applications. We have demonstrated how a spatially explicit, agentbased model can be used to identify key criteria for a control strategy of open pest populations. The integration of available information on pest habitat use, population dynamics and actual levels of control allowed us to assess the deployment of control sites and assisted the choice of spatial control strategies. Important roles for this type of model are to help predict hotspots of mammalian pest activities, to suggest the most effective control strategy and to identify important parameters and data for improving predictions. Ultimately, further integration of spatial and temporal analyses is critical for updating and optimizing management strategies. K E Y W O R D S agent-based modelling, dispersal, heterogeneous landscape, immigration, landscape patterns, Mammalian pests, population dynamics, spatiotemporal management strategies 1516 | Journal of Applied Ecology LUSTIG eT aL. | 1517 Journal of Applied Ecology LUSTIG eT aL.

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Section: Can We Limit Immigration From Nearby Noncontrolled Areas?supporting

confidence: 86%

Pest control at a regional scale: Identifying key criteria using a spatially explicit, agent‐based model

Lustig

James

Anderson

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…For North America ( Côté et al 2004, White 2012) and other parts of the world ( Echevarría et al 2014, Clasen et al 2015, Sweetapple et al 2016, browsing behavior and effects of browsing on tree species (e.g. changes in shape or decelerated growth) have been studied fairly well.…”

Section: Browsing Evidence Of the Native And Near-threatened Pudu Pudmentioning

confidence: 99%

Browsing evidence of the native and near-threatened Pudu puda deer in restoration plantings on Chiloé Island, Chile

Burger

Bannister²,

Galindo³

et al. 2019

Gayana Bot.

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Evidencia de ramoneo por el ciervo nativo y casi amenazado Pudu puda en plantaciones de restauración en la Isla de Chiloé, Chile ABSTRACT Few studies have focused on the actual extent and spatial patterns of browsing in relation to forest restoration, especially when browsing is done by deer with conservation status. Here, we present data from three forest restoration experiments located in priority forests for restoration in Chiloé Island in Chile. The aim of this study is to report evidence of browsing of the southern pudu (Pudu puda), a native and Near Threatened deer species. We visually assessed browsing for all individual seedlings and calculated the average browsing extent per plot and treatment. Since pudus as well as other deer species are known to preferably feed in open spaces, we hypothesized that Pilgerodendron uviferum planted seedlings will present higher browsing rates in places with lower shrub cover (bogs) and canopy cover (upland areas) (H1). In the case of degraded North-Patagonian forests we hypothesized that Nothofagus nitida planted seedlings will present higher browsing rates in places with higher %PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) and/or lower residual basal area (H2). Our results indicate that browsing ranged from 9.3% up to 84.0% depending on tree species and site condition. In burned forests, browsing was significantly higher (p < 0.01) when shrubs were removed (84.0% ± 9.9) than by retaining them (68.9% ± 11.6). In degraded old-growth forests, we found significantly higher browsing in places with higher degradation (p < 0.05). Furthermore, %PPFD was significantly correlated with browsing (rho: 0.535; p < 0.01). Based on our results, forest restoration efforts in Chiloé Island will face a great challenge in balancing the protection of Near Threatened wildlife and the restoration of tree species with conservation problems, especially in open/disturbed areas, where higher browsing was found. KEYWORDS:Chile, forest management, forest restoration, herbivory, southern pudu. RESUMENEscasos estudios han relacionado el ramoneo nativo, sus patrones espaciales y su relación con la restauración de bosques, especialmente cuando el ramoneo es realizado por especies en categorías de conservación. En este estudio presentamos evidencia de ramoneo de pudú (Pudu puda) en tres experimentos de restauración de bosques ubicados en bosques prioritarios para la restauración en la Isla de Chiloé, Chile. La presencia de ramoneo fue visualmente evaluada en todas las plantas establecidas en los experimentos y se calculó la tasa media de ramoneo por unidad experimental y tratamiento. Los pudúes son conocidos por preferir espacios abiertos, por lo que se plantean las siguientes hipótesis: En bosques quemados de Pilgerodendron uviferum, las plántulas establecidas presentarán tasas de ramoneo más altas en lugares con una cubierta de arbustos y árboles más baja (H1); y en bosques adultos siempreverdes degradados las plántulas establecidas presentarán mayores tasas de ramoneo en lugares con mayor iluminación...

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“…UAVs dropping toxin on remnant nearby populations soon after these large-scale aerial operations could also be used to maintain suppression and minimise reinvasion by possums and rats, which will inevitably appear in the overall control area (Armstrong et al 2014Cowan 2016;Griffiths and Barron 2016;Sweetapple et al 2016).…”

Section: What Uavs Can Bring To the Picture?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for precision pest control of possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Morley¹,

Braodley²,

Hartley³

et al. 2017

ReEco

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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and remote image sensing cameras have considerable potential for use in pest control operations. UAVs equipped with remote sensing cameras could be flown over forests and remnant bush sites, particularly those not currently receiving any pest control, to record the unique spectral signature of the vegetation and to detect the presence of possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and the damage they cause. UAVs could then be deployed to precisely distribute either toxins or kill traps to these identified locations. Predator-free 2050 is an ambitious policy announced by the New Zealand Government where several pests, including possums, are to be eradicated by the year 2050. In order to achieve this goal, pests must be identified, targeted and controlled, requiring creative and novel ideas. UAVs provide flexibility, can fly in remote and difficult terrain, and are considerably cheaper to purchase and operate than the planes and helicopters currently used in conventional aerial pest control operations. Current challenges associated with UAVs include payload capacity, battery limitations, weather, and flying restrictions. However, these issues are rapidly being resolved with sophisticated technological advances and improved regulations. A directed and targeted approach using UAVs is an additional and novel tool in the pest management toolbox that could significantly reduce pest control costs, cover inaccessible areas not receiving any pest management, and will help New Zealand advance towards its predator-free aspiration by 2050.

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Long‐term response of temperate canopy trees to removal of browsing from an invasive arboreal herbivore in New Zealand

Cited by 7 publications

References 26 publications

Pest control at a regional scale: Identifying key criteria using a spatially explicit, agent‐based model

Pest control at a regional scale: Identifying key criteria using a spatially explicit, agent‐based model

Browsing evidence of the native and near-threatened Pudu puda deer in restoration plantings on Chiloé Island, Chile

The potential of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for precision pest control of possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

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