Sudden Appearance and Population Outbreak ofEunica monima(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) on Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

Shiels, Aaron B.; Haines, William P.; Swinnerton, Kirsty J.; Silander, Susan; Figuerola‐Hernández, Cielo E.; Will, David; García-Cancel, Juan G.; Torres-Santana, Christian W.

doi:10.1653/024.100.0127

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…On Desecheo Island, several positive outcomes have been documented after the invasive mammal eradications, including an increase in the native cactus Harrisia portoricensis , arthropods such as butterflies, grasshoppers, and crabs (Shiels et al 2017), and seabird nesting, particularly Bridled Terns (Island Conservation, unpubl. report).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desecheo Island: a new home for Audubon's Shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri)

Luis A. Ramos-Vázquez,

Nahíra Arocho-Hernández,

Cielo Figuerola-Hernández

et al. 2024

JCO

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Desecheo Island, located in Puerto Rico, is a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In the past, Desecheo Island was a crucial seabird habitat. However, introducing invasive mammals led to the disappearance of many seabird species. In 2010, a collaboration between the USFWS and local partners began to implement a seabird restoration project in Desecheo. After successfully eradicating invasive mammals, the island was declared rat-free in 2017. After this, a seabird social attraction project started using different methods such as decoys, mirrors, and sound systems. An ongoing biosecurity program complements these efforts. During a visit to the island in 2023, we found an egg at the base of a social attraction speaker. A few days later, the site was revisited to deploy camera traps and collect feathers. The Smithsonian Feather Identification Laboratory confirmed the feathers to be from an Audubon’s Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri). This is the first-ever record of an Audubon’s Shearwater nest on Desecheo Island. This discovery is a significant milestone in the project to restore seabird populations on the island. It also proves the success of the social attraction methods and showcases the benefits of an island free of invasive mammals. This is a positive step towards the conservation goal of restoring Desecheo Island into a safe haven for seabirds in the Caribbean. Keywords Audubon’s Shearwater, Desecheo Island, invasive mammals, National Wildlife Refuge, Puffinus lherminieri, seabird restoration, social attraction Resumen Isla Desecheo: un nuevo hogar para Puffinus lherminieri • La isla Desecheo, ubicada en Puerto Rico, es un Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre (National Wildlife Refuge, NWR) gestionado por el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los Estados Unidos (United States Fish and Wildlife Service, USFWS). En el pasado, esta isla fue un hábitat crucial para las aves marinas. Sin embargo, la introducción de mamíferos invasores provocó la desaparición de muchas especies de aves marinas. En 2010, una colaboración entre el USFWS y socios locales comenzó la implementación de un proyecto de restauración de las poblaciones de aves marinas en Desecheo. En 2017, la isla fue declarada libre de ratas después de erradicar con éxito todos los mamíferos invasores. A partir de ese momento, se inició un proyecto de atracción social de aves marinas utilizando diferentes métodos como señuelos, espejos y sistemas de sonido, complementados con un programa de bioseguridad. Durante una visita a la isla en el 2023, encontramos un huevo en la base de un altavoz que forma parte del sistema de atracción social. Unos días después, se visitó nuevamente el sitio para instalar cámaras trampa y recolectar plumas. El Laboratorio de Identificación de Plumas del Smithsonian confirmó que las plumas pertenecían a un individuo de Puffinus lherminieri. Este es el primer registro de un nido de esta especie en la isla Desecheo y constituye un hito importante en el proyecto para recuperar las poblaciones de aves marinas en la isla. También demuestra el éxito de los métodos de atracción social y muestra los beneficios de una isla libre de mamíferos invasores. Este es un paso positivo hacia el objetivo de conservación de restaurar la isla Desecheo para que vuelva a convertirse en un refugio seguro para las aves marinas en el Caribe. Palabras clave atracción social, isla Desecheo, mamíferos invasores, Puffinus lherminieri, Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre, recuperación de aves marinas Résumé L’île de Desecheo : un nouveau site pour les puffins d’Audubon (Puffinus lherminieri) • L’île de Desecheo, située à Porto Rico, est une réserve nationale de faune sauvage (National Wildlife Refuge, NWR) gérée par l’U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Par le passé, l’île de Desecheo était un habitat crucial pour les oiseaux marins. Cependant, l’introduction de mammifères invasifs a entraîné la disparition de nombreuses espèces d’oiseaux marins. En 2010, une collaboration entre I’USFWS et des partenaires locaux a permis de lancer un projet de rétablissement des populations d’oiseaux marins à Desecheo. Après l’éradication réussie des mammifères invasifs, l’île a été déclarée sans rats en 2017. Par la suite, un projet d’attraction sociale des oiseaux marins a démarré en utilisant différentes méthodes telles que des leurres, des miroirs et des repasses audio. Ces efforts ont été complétés par un programme de biosécurité toujours en cours. Lors d’une visite sur l’île en 2023, nous avons trouvé un œuf à la base d’un haut-parleur utilisé pour l’attraction sociale. Quelques jours plus tard, nous sommes retournés sur l’île pour installer des pièges photographiques et collecter des plumes. Le Smithsonian Feather Identification Laboratory a confirmé que les plumes étaient celles d’un puffin d’Audubon (Puffinus lherminieri). C’est la première fois qu’un nid de puffin d’Audubon est répertorié sur l’île de Desecheo. Cette découverte est une étape importante dans le projet de rétablissement des populations d’oiseaux marins sur l’île. Elle prouve également le succès des méthodes d’attraction sociale et met en évidence les avantages d’une île exempte de mammifères invasifs. Il s’agit d’une étape positive vers la restauration de l’île de Desecheo pour en faire un havre de paix pour les oiseaux marins dans les Caraïbes. Mots clés Attraction sociale, île de Desecheo, mammifères invasifs, National Wildlife Refuge, Puffin d’Audubon, Puffinus lherminieri, rétablissement de populations d’oiseaux marins

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desecheo Island: a new home for Audubon's Shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri)

Luis A. Ramos-Vázquez,

Nahíra Arocho-Hernández,

Cielo Figuerola-Hernández

et al. 2024

JCO

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Following cessation of bombing and subsequent designation as a NWR in 1976, managers eradicated damaging invasive and non‐native rats, goats and macaques from Desecheo to support biodiversity conservation goals and enable other restoration techniques, as seen elsewhere around the world (Jones et al., 2016). On Desecheo Island, several positive outcomes were documented following invasive mammal eradication, including an increase in the native cactus Harrisia portoricensis (Figuero, 2017) and arthropods such as butterflies, grasshoppers and crabs (Shiels et al., 2017). However, seabird response was limited, with no observed changes in the number of bridled tern or brown noddy breeding pairs across the island (Island Conservation, 2013; McKown, 2009; Wolf et al., 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of social attraction techniques to restore seabird colonies on Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

Herrera‐Giraldo¹,

Figuerola‐Hernández²,

Wolf³

et al. 2021

Ecol Sol and Evidence

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Desecheo Island (117 ha) was historically an important seabird island in the Caribbean with 15 species recorded, of which seven are known to breed, including major populations of brown boobies and red-footed bobbies. The introduction of invasive mammals, plus the use of the island as a bombing range, contributed to the This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

show abstract

“…Dietary differentiation between bats that consume soft‐bodied lepidopterans and those that consume hard‐bodied insects was found to be a mechanism for the coexistence of multiple mormoopid bat species (Rolfe & Kurta, 2012). Another study found that the removal of an invasive rat ( Rattus rattus ) from Desecheo Island was immediately followed by an outbreak of the uncommon dingy purplewing butterfly (Nymphalidae: Eunica monima ), with population release from rat predation as one possible explanation (Shiels et al., 2017). The relationship between anole lizards and lepidopteran agricultural pests has also been investigated, as predation by lizards is a viable form of biological control for some Lepidoptera species (Borkhataria et al., 2006; Perfecto et al., 2021; Segarra‐Carmona & Barbosa, 1988).…”

Section: Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Lepidoptera research in Puerto Rico: Reconnecting with historical legacies to guide future priorities

Terry,

Alonso‐Rodríguez,

Miller

et al. 2023

Biotropica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Caribbean archipelago of Puerto Rico supports a diverse flora and fauna and is located in a region characterized by complex socio‐economic and environmental change. The diversity of entomofauna across Puerto Rico has received considerable attention in wide‐scale research over the last century, with particular emphasis on the order Lepidoptera as the subject of substantial taxonomic and ecological surveys. However, much of this work is incomplete, outdated, or has been obscured in gray literature. Thus, our primary objectives were to contextualize the role of past research in the current understanding of Puerto Rican Lepidoptera and to outline an agenda for future research. Specifically, we provide an overview of taxonomic, ecological, agricultural, and conservation Lepidoptera research in Puerto Rico and highlight key studies and historical datasets. We found that, despite a strong taxonomic legacy, native moth taxonomy remains poorly understood, except for a few major pests. Further, much of the recent Lepidoptera research has focused on short‐term evaluations of agricultural pests, necessitated by immediate economic needs. The current ecological status of Lepidoptera on the islands is unknown. Therefore, prioritizing ecological research could provide timely insight for understanding changing Lepidoptera diversity and distribution and for conserving this biologically and economically significant group. Greater emphasis on long‐term monitoring and digitization of museum collections would be particularly useful for quantifying past and forecasting future impacts of global change.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

show abstract

Sudden Appearance and Population Outbreak ofEunica monima(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) on Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 5 publications

References 15 publications

Desecheo Island: a new home for Audubon's Shearwaters (<em>Puffinus lherminieri</em>)

Desecheo Island: a new home for Audubon's Shearwaters (<em>Puffinus lherminieri</em>)

The use of social attraction techniques to restore seabird colonies on Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

Lepidoptera research in Puerto Rico: Reconnecting with historical legacies to guide future priorities

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About