How did invertebrates respond to eradication of rats from Kapiti Island, New Zealand?

Sinclair, Lisa J.; McCartney, Jay; Godfrey, Jarn; Pledger, Shirley; Wakelin, Mike; Sherley, Greg

doi:10.1080/03014223.2005.9518421

Cited by 34 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Furthermore, feedbacks among taxa may alter recoveries e.g. invertebrate recovery may be dampened if land birds recovering from predation exert top-down limitation upon them (Sinclair et al 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic prey preference by introduced mice exhausts the ecosystem on Antipodes Island

et al. 2020

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House mice (Mus musculus) are a widespread invasive species on islands. Where they are the sole introduced mammal they can have particularly strong negative impacts on recipient ecosystems. House mice impacts have been documented on almost every component of the terrestrial ecosystem on Southern Ocean islands, including plants, invertebrates, birds and ecosystem function. We undertook a comprehensive study to determine the impacts of house mice on Antipodes Island, New Zealand. This study was done prior to mouse eradication to inform monitoring and restoration. We used invertebrate pitfall trapping on the main Antipodes Island and neighbouring mouse-free offshore islands together with mouse stomach contents and stable isotope analyses of mouse livers to examine dietary preferences. We identified directly impacted and consumed invertebrate Orders relative to their abundance and provided a comprehensive picture of resource flow and overlap in the invaded terrestrial ecosystem. The remote terrestrial ecosystem of Antipodes Island was tightly circumscribed with strong resource overlap. Mouse diet varied seasonally with resource availability, dominated by invertebrates and land birds in summer, and plants and seabirds in winter. Invertebrates that were preferentially preyed upon were Amphipoda, Lepidoptera and some species of Coleoptera. These patterns suggest the ecosystem is annually driven by a seasonal bottom-up resource pulse over summer, where mice are a selective predator, differentially preying on invertebrates relative to invertebrate abundance. Mice appear to be exhausting preferred prey as they systematically consume their way through the terrestrial ecosystem. Land bird diet also varied seasonally and some of these birds likely competed with mice for invertebrate prey. Eradication of mice from Antipodes Island should reduce the predation on invertebrates and reduce the effects of competition and predation on land birds. This should have flow-on effects to the abundance of invertebrates and endemic land bird sub-species of pipit and snipe.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic prey preference by introduced mice exhausts the ecosystem on Antipodes Island

et al. 2020

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“…Urban forest fragments are under pressure from habitat modification and invasive species and this pressure can adversely affect invertebrate diversity (McKinney 2008;Jones & Leather 2012). Invasive mammals, such as rodents, also contribute to invertebrate predation, reducing abundance and diversity (Sinclair et al 2005;St Clair 2011;Ruscoe et al 2013). However, there is still a diverse community of endemic invertebrates in urban forest fragments that should not be discounted (Kuschel 1990;DOC & MfE 2000;Lee & Lee 2014).…”

Section: Invertebrate Predationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Snacks in the city: the diet of hedgehogs in Auckland urban forest fragments

Nottingham¹,

Glen²,

Stanley³

2019

NZJE

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Urbanisation causes fragmentation of natural habitats, which results in loss of biodiversity, while promoting an environment that can facilitate invasive species. However, forest fragments are an important refuge for native species and therefore understanding and mitigating threats in fragments is critical. While the impacts of some mammalian pest species, such as rats (Rattus spp.), are relatively well-known in New Zealand, hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are relatively understudied invasive mammals, and their impacts in urban fragments are unknown. Hedgehogs are abundant and widespread in New Zealand, with a relatively broad diet that can include invertebrates, lizards and bird eggs. We examined the stomach contents of 44 hedgehogs collected from 10 forest fragments in urban Auckland, New Zealand. Hedgehogs were feeding predominantly on invertebrates (Coleoptera, found in 53% of stomachs; earthworms, 43%; slugs, 23%), but also weta (13%), giant centipedes (5%), birds (7%) and lizards (2%) at lower frequencies. Hedgehogs are likely to be affecting community composition primarily through predation of invertebrates, with unknown effects on their populations.

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“…Populations of some elements of the native biota (primarily sea and land birds, but sometimes mammals, reptiles or invertebrates) are often carefully monitored following rat eradication (e.g. Gaze 2001;Graham and Veitch 2002;Pascal et al 2005;Sinclair et al 2005;Smith et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and indirect effects of rats: does rat eradication restore ecosystem functioning of New Zealand seabird islands?

Mulder

Grant-Hoffman

Towns³

et al. 2008

Biol Invasions

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Introduced rats (Rattus spp.) can affect island vegetation structure and ecosystem functioning, both directly and indirectly (through the reduction of seabird populations). The extent to which structure and function of islands where rats have been eradicated will converge on uninvaded islands remains unclear. We compared three groups of islands in New Zealand: islands never invaded by rats, islands with rats, and islands on which rats have been controlled. Differences between island groups in soil and leaf chemistry and leaf production were largely explained by burrow densities. Community structure of woody seedlings differed by rat history and burrow density. Plots on islands with high seabird densities had the most non-native plant species. Since most impacts of rats were mediated through seabird density, the removal of rats without seabird recolonization is unlikely to result in a reversal of these processes. Even if seabirds return, a novel plant community may emerge.

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How did invertebrates respond to eradication of rats from Kapiti Island, New Zealand?

Cited by 34 publications

References 25 publications

Systematic prey preference by introduced mice exhausts the ecosystem on Antipodes Island

Systematic prey preference by introduced mice exhausts the ecosystem on Antipodes Island

Snacks in the city: the diet of hedgehogs in Auckland urban forest fragments

Direct and indirect effects of rats: does rat eradication restore ecosystem functioning of New Zealand seabird islands?

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