Remaking the Land: The Acclimatization Movement and Anglo Ideas of Nature

Dunlap, Thomas R.

doi:10.1353/jwh.2005.0062

Cited by 37 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…A central role of the societies was to house arrivals for a period of acclimatisation before they were released, and for many species they were also bred in captivity before release (Jenkins 1977;Leishman 1997;Courcy 2003). Following the initial burst of enthusiasm from the late 1850s to mid-1860s the acclimatisation societies often became administratively dysfunctional and marred by in-fighting as the enthusiasm for acclimatisation quickly passed, and in Australia they morphed into the first Zoological Parks (Lever 1992;Dunlap 1997;Leishman 1997;Courcy 2003). As a result, the record keeping and the reports vary in quality across the different Australian acclimatisation societies and over the years (the history of the acclimatisation societies of South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, and Victoria, is dealt with in detail elsewhere : Rolls 1969;Jenkins 1977;Lever 1992;Courcy 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inaccuracies in the history of a well-known introduction: a case study of the Australian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Andrew

Griffith

2016

Avian Res

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Background: Modern ecosystems contain many invasive species as a result of the activity of acclimatisation societies that operated in the second half of the nineteenth century, and these species provide good opportunities for studying invasion biology. However, to gain insight into the ecological and genetic mechanisms that determine the rate of colonization and adaptation to new environments, we need a good understanding of the history of the introduced species, and a knowledge of the source population, timing, and number of individuals introduced is particularly important. However, any inaccuracies in the history of an introduction will affect subsequent assumptions and conclusions.Methods: Focusing on a single well-known species, the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), we have documented the introduction into Australia using primary sources (e.g. acclimatisation records and newspaper articles). Results:Our revised history differs in a number of significant ways from previous accounts. Our evidence indicates that the House Sparrow was not solely introduced from source populations in England but also from Germany and most strikingly also from India-with the latter birds belonging to a different race. We also clarify the distinction between the number released and the number of founders, due to pre-release captive breeding programs, as well as identifying inaccuracies in a couple of well-cited sources with respect to the range expansion of the introduced populations. Conclusions:Our work suggests that caution is required for those studying introductions using the key sources of historical information and ideally should review original sources of information to verify the accuracy of published accounts.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inaccuracies in the history of a well-known introduction: a case study of the Australian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Andrew

Griffith

2016

Avian Res

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“…Acclimatization Societies were formed throughout New Zealand in the latter part of the nineteenth century with the expressed goal of bringing species for reasons ranging from sport to nostalgia to pest control (Druett 1983). Members of these societies paid annual dues and these funds were then used to purchase individuals of various species for ultimate acclimatization in New Zealand (Dunlap 1997). These acclimatization societies were not the only parties involved in species introductions as private individuals were also involved (Thomson 1922).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A reassessment of the role of propagule pressure in influencing fates of passerine introductions to New Zealand

2010

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Several studies have argued that principal factor in determining the fate of bird introductions is introduction effort. In large part, these studies have emerged from analyses of historical records from a single place-New Zealand. Here we raise two concerns about these conclusions. First, we argue that although many bird species were introduced repeatedly to New Zealand, in many cases the introductions apparently occurred only after the species were already successfully naturalized. The inclusion of such seemingly superfluous introductions may exaggerate the importance of propagule pressure. And second, we question the reliability of the records themselves. In many cases these records are equivocal, as inconsistencies appear in separate studies of the same records. Our analysis indicates that species were successful not because they were introduced frequently and in high numbers, but rather it is likely that they were introduced frequently and in high numbers because the initial releases were successful.

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“…Rabbits were introduced to islands along the coast of California in the 1940s (Long 2003). Although acclimatisation societies were less active in North America than in Australia in the second half of the nineteenth century (Dunlap 1997), and we have found no documented evidence of attempts to introduce rabbits to continental California (see also Lidicker 1991), it is likely that such attempts were made given the widespread attempts in eastern and midwestern USA in the 1950s. Jin et al (2008) report that feral domestic rabbits were present near a rabbitry in Alaska, but no other information about the status of these animals is available.…”

Section: Where Rabbits Aren't: Do Undiscovered Bcas Prevent Rabbit Inmentioning

confidence: 78%

The future biological control of pest populations of European rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus

2008

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Abstract. European rabbits are exotic pests in Australia, New Zealand, parts of South America and Europe, and on many islands. Their abundance, and the damage they cause, might be reduced by the release of naturally occurring or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that act as biological control agents (BCAs). Some promising pathogens and parasites of European rabbits and other lagomorphs are discussed, with special reference to those absent from Australia as an example of the range of necessary considerations in any given case. The possibility of introducing these already-known BCAs into areas where rabbits are pests warrants further investigation. The most cost-effective method for finding potentially useful but as-yet undiscovered BCAs would be to maintain a global watch on new diseases and pathologies in domestic rabbits. The absence of wild European rabbits from climatically suitable parts of North and South America and southern Africa may indicate the presence there of useful BCAs, although other explanations for their absence are possible. Until the non-target risks of deploying disseminating GMOs to control rabbits have been satisfactorily minimised, efforts to introduce BCAs into exotic rabbit populations should focus on naturally occurring organisms. The development of safe disseminating GMOs remains an important long-term goal, with the possible use of homing endonuclease genes warranting further investigation.

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Remaking the Land: The Acclimatization Movement and Anglo Ideas of Nature

Cited by 37 publications

References 21 publications

Inaccuracies in the history of a well-known introduction: a case study of the Australian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Inaccuracies in the history of a well-known introduction: a case study of the Australian House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

A reassessment of the role of propagule pressure in influencing fates of passerine introductions to New Zealand

The future biological control of pest populations of European rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus

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