Spatiotemporal changes in relative rat (Rattus rattus) abundance following large-scale pest control

Griffiths, James W.; Barron, M. C.

doi:10.20417/nzjecol.40.33

Cited by 21 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Evidence that immigration could play a significant role in pest population recovery following control has important implications for large‐scale pest management. It has been suggested for rat and possum populations that increasing the size of treatment areas and maximizing the use of natural barriers to immigration could prolong treatment persistence (Abdelkrim et al., ; Griffiths & Barron, ). Dispersal is one of the behavioural factors that is likely to have the most impact on the level of immigration (Bonesi et al., ), but it is also one of the most difficult factors to model because of the difficulty of gathering data, particularly for juveniles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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“…Abdelkrim et al 2010) and the scale, frequency and intensity of maintenance control in core or buffer areas (e.g. Griffiths & Barron 2016). The problem of managing reinvasion of mammals into cleared areas is one of the aims of a trial being conducted on an unfenced peninsula in Marlborough by Zero Invasive Predators and their partners (www.nextfoundation.org.nz).…”

Section: Greater Spatial Integration: Towards Network Of Mainland Ismentioning

confidence: 99%

Past, present and two potential futures for managing New Zealand’s mammalian pests

Parkes¹,

Nugent

Forsyth

et al. 2017

NZ J Ecol

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Abstract:In 2003, a review of how introduced mammals were managed as pests in New Zealand was published. Since then trends for the control of these mammals include moves from pest-by-pest prioritisation towards site-based and multiple-pest management, extension of large-scale aerial control of predators to include beech forests, increasing intensive management of sites by private and non-government agencies, and increasing effort by regional councils and managers of vectors of bovine tuberculosis. The current deployment is the sum of largely independent decisions made by different agencies and individuals with different priorities. National agencies might optimise their own decisions, but overall deployment will always be nationally suboptimal when objectives are set at regional or local scales. This system includes both small areas where most of the mammals present are managed intensively and large areas where fewer species are managed. We discuss how this deployment might evolve as a network of smaller core areas aiming to achieve zero or low densities of all or most pests, with surrounding halos with lesser control effort against fewer species, enough to allow for at least 'safe passage' of native animals between the cores. This system might work best along the more-or-less contiguous native habitats along the axial ranges of the North and South Islands, especially if agencies with a national mandate are prepared to act in the extensive areas between core sites. Some have asked whether the successful eradication of mammals on small islands can be scaled up to the main islands of New Zealand. The current version of this predator-free model aims at the ubiquitous ship rat, brushtail possum and stoat. A key need for the predator-free model is a tool that kills 100% of each of the three main target species, ideally with one large-scale, socially-acceptable application. Without this tool the cost to find and kill survivors would raise the costs of national eradication to about $32 billion, assuming current costs of multiple-species eradications on islands. For sustained control options, research is needed to inform the frequency and intensity of control, and thus the best control tools. The ability to detect target pests at low densities and management of reinvasion are essential for achieving zero or low pest density goals. We suggest that the core/halo model of pest management, within a network of assets to be protected, will best protect New Zealand's biodiversity for the foreseeable future. The national scale pest-or predator-free aspiration is not currently (and may never be) feasible and risks diverting resources from more optimal solutions, as occurred with the 'last rabbit' and 'last deer' programmes promoted last century.

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“…Thus, the status quo delivers regular and large-scale compromises on the overall viability of pest control and New Zealand cannot become predator-free using current approaches. At best, current methods deliver short-term biodiversity protection and a requirement for further investment (Griffiths and Barron 2016).…”

Section: Current Status Of Pest Control In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…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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Spatiotemporal changes in relative rat (Rattus rattus) abundance following large-scale pest control

Cited by 21 publications

References 16 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

Past, present and two potential futures for managing New Zealand’s mammalian pests

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

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