Trends in urban rat ecology: a framework to define the prevailing knowledge gaps and incentives for academia, pest management professionals (PMPs) and public health agencies to participate

Parsons, Michael H.; Banks, Peter B.; Deutsch, Michael A.; Corrigan, Robert F.; Munshi‐South, Jason

doi:10.1093/jue/jux005

Cited by 60 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Currently, rodent management strategies in the country are minimal due to the scant information available on rodents as pests to guide management (Eisen et al, ; Moore et al, ). Specifically, knowledge on the species composition and community structure is known fundamental facts for a successful and acceptable pest control strategy (Hoare & Hare, ; Parsons, Banks, Deutsch, Robert, & Munshi‐South, ; Simberloff, ). Presently, literature available in the country focuses on rodents as potential disease vectors to human and livestock (Amatre et al, ; Bochert et al, ; Eisen et al, ) but less so as crop pests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, rodent management strategies in the country are minimal due to the scant information available on rodents as pests to guide management (Eisen et al, 2013;Moore et al, 2015). Specifically, knowledge on the species composition and community structure is known fundamental facts for a successful and acceptable pest control strategy (Hoare & Hare, 2006;Parsons, Banks, Deutsch, Robert, & Munshi-South, 2017;Simberloff, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Species composition and community structure of small pest rodents (Muridae) in cultivated and fallow fields in maize‐growing areas in Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda

Mayamba

Byamungu

Makundi

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Pest rodents remain key biotic constraints to cereal crops production in the East African region where they occur, especially in seasons of outbreaks. Despite that, Uganda has scant information on rodents as crop pests to guide effective management strategies. A capture–mark–recapture (CMR) technique was employed to study the ecology of small rodents, specifically to establish the species composition and community structure in a maize‐based agro ecosystem. Trapping of small rodents was conducted in permanent fallow land and cultivated fields, with each category replicated twice making four study grids. At each field, a 60 × 60 m grid was measured and marked with permanent trapping points spaced at 10 × 10 m, making a total of 49 trapping points/grids. Trapping was conducted monthly at 4‐week interval for three consecutive days for two and half years using Sherman live traps. Eleven identified small rodent species and one insectivorous small mammal were recorded with Mastomys natalensis being the most dominant species (over 60.7%). Other species were Mus triton (16.1%), Aethomys hendei (6.7%), Lemniscomys zebra (5.2%), Lophuromys sikapusi (4.8%), Arvicanthis niloticus (0.9%), Gerbilliscus kempi (0.1%), Graphiurus murinus (0.1%), Steatomys parvus (0.1%), Dasymys incomtus (0.1%), and Grammomys dolichurus (0.1%). Spatially, species richness differed significantly ( p = 0.0001) between the studied field habitats with significantly higher richness in fallow land compared with cultivated fields. Temporally, total species richness and abundance showed a significant interaction effect over the months, years, and fields of trapping with significantly ( p = 0.001) higher abundances during months of wet seasons and in the first and third year of trapping. In terms of community structure, higher species diversity associated more with fallow field habitats but also with certain rare species found only in cultivated fields. Synthesis and applications. Based on these findings, management strategies can be designed to target the key pest species and the most vulnerable habitats thus reducing the impact they can inflict on field crops.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species composition and community structure of small pest rodents (Muridae) in cultivated and fallow fields in maize‐growing areas in Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda

Mayamba

Byamungu

Makundi

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Invasive rats and mice are archetypal commensals and a major concern for public health, food security and biodiversity all around the world (Angel et al, 2009;Meerburg et al, 2009;Parsons et al, 2017;Singleton et al, 2003Singleton et al, , 2015. Rodent control actions are costly, and classical control protocols, relying mostly on poisoning, have proven to be quite inefficient in reducing urban rodent densities in the long term (Parsons et al, 2017;Richardson et al, 2017). It is now recognized that the development of more efficient management strategies requires a better understanding of urban rodent evolutionary ecology (Byers et al, 2019;Combs et al, 2018a;Feng and Himsworth, 2014;Makundi and Massawe, 2011;Parsons et al, 2017;Singleton et al, 1999) and notably of variations in gene flow (Combs et al, 2018a,b;Gardner-Santana et al, 2009;Johnson and Munshi-South, 2017;Kajdacsi et al, 2013;Parsons et al, 2017;Richardson et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rodent control actions are costly, and classical control protocols, relying mostly on poisoning, have proven to be quite inefficient in reducing urban rodent densities in the long term (Parsons et al, 2017;Richardson et al, 2017). It is now recognized that the development of more efficient management strategies requires a better understanding of urban rodent evolutionary ecology (Byers et al, 2019;Combs et al, 2018a;Feng and Himsworth, 2014;Makundi and Massawe, 2011;Parsons et al, 2017;Singleton et al, 1999) and notably of variations in gene flow (Combs et al, 2018a,b;Gardner-Santana et al, 2009;Johnson and Munshi-South, 2017;Kajdacsi et al, 2013;Parsons et al, 2017;Richardson et al, 2017). For instance, identifying genetic clusters can allow defining meaningful spatial units for control actions (Combs et al, 2018a;Kajdacsi et al, 2013;Richardson et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interplay between historical and current features of the cityscape in shaping the genetic structure of the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) in Dakar (Senegal, West Africa)

Stragier¹,

Piry

Loiseau

et al. 2019

Preprint

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24Population genetic approaches are often used to investigate dispersal patterns of species living in highly 25 urbanized environment in order to improve management strategies for biodiversity conservation or pest 26 control. However, in such environment, population genetic structure may reflect both current features of 27 the cityscape and urbanization history. This can be especially relevant when focusing on non-native 28 invasive commensal rodents that have been introduced in numerous primary colonial European 29 settlements. Accounting for spatial and temporal cityscape heterogeneity to determine how past and 30 recent demographic events may interplay to shape current population genetic structure of synanthropic 31 rodents may provide useful insights to manage their populations. In this study, we addressed these issues 32 by focusing on the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, in Dakar, Senegal, where the species may 33 have been introduced as soon as Europeans settled in the middle of the nineteenth century. We examined 34 genetic variation at one mitochondrial locus and 15 nuclear microsatellite markers from individuals 35 sampled in 14 sampling sites representing different stages of urbanization history and different socio-36 economic environments in Dakar. We used various approaches, including model-based genetic clustering 37 and model-free smoothing of pairwise genetic estimates. We further linked observed spatial genetic 38 patterns to historical and current features of Dakar cityscape using random forest and Bayesian 39 conditional autoregressive models. Results are consistent with an introduction of the house mouse at 40 colonial time and current genetic structure reflects the interplay between the historical dynamics of 41 urbanization and the variation of contemporary urban habitats, including socio-economic features, that 42 translate in habitat quality for the house mouse. Our results highlight the potential importance of 43 accounting for past demographic events to understand spatial genetic patterns of non-native invasive 44 commensal rodents in highly urbanized environment.45 46

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Use of rodenticide bait stations by commensal rodents at the urban–wildland interface: Insights for management to reduce nontarget exposure

Burke

Quinn

Stapp

2021

Pest Management Science

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BACKGROUND: Pest management professionals use anticoagulant rodenticides, usually placed in tamper-resistant bait stations, to control commensal rodents, but significant concerns remain about exposure of nontarget species, especially at the urban-wildland interface. We deployed digital cameras to monitor use of bait stations placed in 90 residential yards across Orange County, California, USA. Two bait stations, supplied with nontoxic bait, were monitored in each yard for approximately 30 consecutive days during two camera-trapping sessions between December 2017 and March 2019. One station was placed on the ground, while the other was elevated 1-1.5 m to determine if elevating stations could reduce nontarget exposure. RESULTS: Black rats (Rattus rattus L.) were present at 80% of sites, with mean activity ranging from 0 to 9.6 h each night. There were no significant differences between elevated and ground stations in the time to discovery, time to bait station entry, or nightly activity of rats. Rats discovered bait stations more quickly, and mean nightly activity was greater, in yards where rats were detected more frequently. Although native rodents visited and entered bait stations occasionally, they were relatively rare among our sites (13.3%), and were detected five times less often at elevated stations compared to those on the ground. Yards visited by these rodents were significantly nearer to areas of green open space and natural vegetation, and tended to have no significant barriers to entry, e.g. solid fences or walls. CONCLUSIONS: By elevating bait stations and avoiding placing rodenticides in yards that are likely to be visited by wildlife, pest management professionals may be able to reduce the risk of nontarget exposure, including secondary poisoning of predators and scavengers, while still providing effective control of commensal pests.

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Trends in urban rat ecology: a framework to define the prevailing knowledge gaps and incentives for academia, pest management professionals (PMPs) and public health agencies to participate

Cited by 60 publications

References 50 publications

Species composition and community structure of small pest rodents (Muridae) in cultivated and fallow fields in maize‐growing areas in Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda

Species composition and community structure of small pest rodents (Muridae) in cultivated and fallow fields in maize‐growing areas in Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda

Interplay between historical and current features of the cityscape in shaping the genetic structure of the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) in Dakar (Senegal, West Africa)

Use of rodenticide bait stations by commensal rodents at the urban–wildland interface: Insights for management to reduce nontarget exposure

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