Interactions between ship rats and house mice at Pureora Forest Park

Bridgman, Lucy Jade; Innes, John; Gillies, Craig; Fitzgerald, Neil; Rohan, Maheswaran; King, Carolyn M.

doi:10.1080/03014223.2018.1464477

Cited by 13 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Ring‐fenced ecosanctuaries demonstrated greatest long‐term benefits for birds, which is unsurprising given that eradication provides a powerful release from mammalian predation pressure. In New Zealand, house mouse abundance is typically higher within fenced ecosanctuaries (due to “meso‐predator release”; Wilson et al 2018) compared to unfenced mainland islands where mice are kept in check by predation or competition with other small mammals (Courchamp et al 1999, Ruscoe et al 2011, Bridgman et al 2018), but this did not appear to limit bird population recovery. With the technologies and approaches currently available to managers, it remains impractical to eradicate and mitigate reincursion of mice in most fenced ecosanctuaries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term biodiversity trajectories for pest‐managed ecological restorations: eradication vs. suppression

Binny

Innes

Fitzgerald

et al. 2021

Ecological Monographs

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Invasions by alien pest species contribute heavily to global biodiversity decline, with invasive mammals having some of the greatest impacts on endemic biota. Pest management within ecological restorations is therefore critical for conserving threatened biota. Coordinating restoration efforts at global scale requires evidence of the relative efficacy of different pest-managed restoration approaches ("regimes") for enhancing biodiversity. Our national meta-analysis of 447 biodiversity responses across 16 ecological restorations quantifies significant benefits for biodiversity over two decades and multiple trophic levels, and across a spectrum of invasive mammal suppression-to-eradication regimes. Deeply endemic species had the strongest responses to pest control compared with recent native or introduced biota. Using this information, we predict levels of pest suppression required to confer biodiversity benefits, to guide future management strategies. Our findings provide new evidence that invasive pest control is an effective approach to ecological restoration, to aid decision-makers in setting objectives and making targeted investments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term biodiversity trajectories for pest‐managed ecological restorations: eradication vs. suppression

Binny

Innes

Fitzgerald

et al. 2021

Ecological Monographs

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“…Rattus rattus eats a wide range of plant and animal foods (Shiels et al 2013) but it is also described as a selective feeder (Clark 1981(Clark , 1982, with distinct individual diet preferences (Ruffino et al 2011). It is considered more herbivorous than R. norvegicus, R. exulans or Mus musculus (Grant-Hoffman & Barboza 2010;Bridgman 2012;Shiels et al 2013). As well as consuming vegetative parts of mature plants, its consumption of fruits, seeds and seedlings can reduce seedling establishment (Wilson et al 2003;Grant-Hoffman & Barboza 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although its diet has been described in various habitats and climatic regions of the world (Copson 1986;Tobin et al 1994;Cole et al 2000;Pisanu et al 2011;Riofrío-Lazo & Páez-Rosas 2015) including New Zealand (studies summarised by Innes 2005 andBridgman 2012), there have been few studies in Nothofagus beech forest. Massive seedfalls in some years (mast years) provide ample plant, invertebrate and vertebrate food sources for rats but there is little information on the dietary responses of rats to beech mast seeding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet, population structure and breeding of Rattus rattus L. in South Island beech forest

Clapperton¹,

Bangladesh.²,

Maddigan³

et al. 2019

NZJE

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The diet, population structure and breeding of ship rats (Rattus rattus L.) from Fiordland National Park were assessed from measurements and gut sample analysis of 248 rats trapped between March 2009 and March 2010, following a mast beech seedfall. They consumed many lepidopteran larvae but fewer weta and more vegetative plant matter than in other habitats, as well as beech seed. Birds and mice made up only a relatively small proportion of the diet. A lizard was also confirmed as a prey item of R. rattus, for the first time in New Zealand. The population included a high proportion of young rats and females that were breeding at an early age. A high percentage of females in breeding condition in each season, high uterine scar counts and consistent litter sizes throughout the year indicate high fecundity and year-round breeding. This breeding cycle is consistent with an ample food supply being available for rodents promoting a rat population irruption, which in turn may increase the predation pressure on native biodiversity.

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“…Rats are known predators of wētā and several studies have identified wētā as important components of rat diets (Innes, 1977;Bridgman 2012 and therein). Wētā remains were found in one mouse stomach, however, spiders and caterpillars were most commonly consumed, which is consistent with numerous other studies assessing house mice diets in New Zealand (Badan, 1986;Fitzgerald et al, 1996;Miller & Webb, 2001;Watts, 2001;Wilson et al, 2006;Bridgman, 2012). As mice generally target smaller invertebrates , it is likely they would predate MGW juveniles, nymphs, and eggs rather than adults.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…The house mouse is another invasive rodent that is widespread globally, but are difficult to control (Angel et al, 2009). Their effect on invertebrate populations is often hard to depict when other mammalian species are present (Angel et al, 2009;Bridgman, 2012), but mice have been linked to the decline of some invertebrate species (Orthoptera and Coleoptera (Marris, 2000); Lepidoptera (Chown et al, 2002) (Badan, 1986;Fitzgerald et al, 1996;Miller & Webb, 2001;Watts, 2001;Wilson et al, 2006;Bridgman, 2012) and overseas (Copson, 1986;Angel et al, 2009), where Lepidoptera and Aranaea contributed largely to house mice diets. Wētā and beetles were additionally reported as regularly consumed by mice.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survival, predation, and behaviour of the Mahoenui giant wētā ('Deinacrida mahoenui': Anostostomatidae: Orthoptera)

Stilborn¹

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<p>Introduced mammalian pests, such as rats (Rattus spp.), house mice (Mus musculus), brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), and European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), have been implicated in the suppression or extinction of many endemic invertebrate species in New Zealand, including the large-bodied giant wētā (Anostostomatidae: Deinacrida). The Mahoenui giant wētā (MGW; D. mahoenui) is the only lowland giant wētā species still naturally present on the mainland of New Zealand, where the last remaining individuals of the original population are currently restricted to an 187ha mainland reserve (Mahoenui Giant Wētā Scientific Reserve; MGWSR) in Mahoenui, western King Country. Having sought refuge in the introduced woody shrub, gorse (Ulex europaeus), these wētā have survived in the presence of introduced mammalian predators for almost six decades. However, due to natural succession, the reserve is gradually reverting to native bush and wētā monitoring data shows potential signs of population decline. Concerns for the species survival have been raised as it is unknown how wētā will cope in an altered habitat alongside mammalian predators. In chapter 2, we used 14-years’ of site-occupancy monitoring data to explore changes to the reserves’ gorse mosaic and MGW population. We additionally assessed the effect of abiotic covariates on MGW occupancy and detection probabilities in 2005 and 2018. Furthermore, we assessed mammalian pest population dynamics within the reserve over the past seven years. Significant changes to the reserve’s gorse mosaic were identified, whereby unbrowsed, tall bushes, which may provide less protection to wētā, are now dominant in 2018. Population trajectory analysis revealed the MGW population has decline since 2012. This result was consistent with naïve occupancy estimates and the increase in search time (0.3hrs/year) required to find wētā, suggesting the population is in a state of decline. Plot location was identified as an important covariate for predicting MGW occupancy in 2018, whereby plots in edge habitat, potentially being preferred or safer, had a higher occupancy probability. Mammalian pests (rats, house mice, brushtail possums, and European hedgehogs) appear to be present within the reserve year-round, populations peaking in summer and autumn. In chapter 3, we used radiotelemetry to explore MGW survival rates, movement patterns, and diurnal refuge use in gorse and native vegetation during summer (n=14), autumn (n=31), and spring (n=10). Survival rates, in relation to predation, revealed MGW inhabiting native vegetation were nine times more likely to be predated than those inhabiting gorse. This result suggests native species such as mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), and tree ferns (Dicksonia fibrosa and Cyathea spp.) do not provide good protection to MGW from mammalian predators. Assessment of movement behaviour revealed MGW move less in autumn (~3m/48hrs) compared to summer (~10m/48hrs) and spring (~8m/48hrs), and most commonly follow a movement pattern consistent with random-walk. Movement behaviour was also found to be temperature dependant, with both male and female MGW moving significantly further in warmer weather (>13.5°C). Radiotracked MGW were found to take refuge above 2.5m in the canopy of native vegetation, whereas in gorse habitat, wētā were most commonly found taking refuge between 0.62 – 2.38m in the denser foliage of unbrowsed gorse bushes. Furthermore, no radiotracked wētā were observed with another individual in autumn, compared to eight and 26 observations in summer and spring. In chapter 4, we attempted to identify potential mammalian predators of the MGW by analysing the stomach contents of ship rats (R. rattus; n=10), house mice (n=10), brushtail possums (n=5), and feral cats (Felis catus; n=2). Ship rats were identified as likely predators of MGW within the MGWSR. However, due to the limited number of stomachs and species analysed, further analysis is recommended. Collectively, these results provide an overview of the MGW reserve and population status, in addition to important ecological information that can be used to inform future management, monitoring, and translocation.</p>

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Interactions between ship rats and house mice at Pureora Forest Park

Cited by 13 publications

References 31 publications

Long‐term biodiversity trajectories for pest‐managed ecological restorations: eradication vs. suppression

Long‐term biodiversity trajectories for pest‐managed ecological restorations: eradication vs. suppression

Diet, population structure and breeding of Rattus rattus L. in South Island beech forest

Survival, predation, and behaviour of the Mahoenui giant wētā ('Deinacrida mahoenui': Anostostomatidae: Orthoptera)

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