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Seabirds enhance coral reef productivity and functioning in the absence of invasive rats

Available Online

Carr, Peter.

Graham, Nicholas A. J.

Hoey, Andrew S.

Jennings, Simon.

MacNeil, M. Aaron

Wilson, Shaun K.

Biotic connectivity between ecosystems can provide major transport of organic matter and nutrients, influencing ecosystem structure and productivity, yet the implications are poorly understood owing to human disruptions of natural flows. When abundant, seabirds feeding in the open ocean transport large quantities of nutrients onto islands, enhancing the productivity of island fauna and flora. Whether leaching of these nutrients back into the sea influences the productivity, structure and functioning of adjacent coral reef ecosystems is not known. Here we address this question using a rare natural experiment in the Chagos Archipelago, in which some islands are rat-infested and others are rat-free. We found that seabird densities and nitrogen deposition rates are 760 and 251 times higher, respectively, on islands where humans have not introduced rats. Consequently, rat-free islands had substantially higher nitrogen stable isotope (?15N) values in soils and shrubs, reflecting pelagic nutrient sources. These higher values of ?15N were also apparent in macroalgae, filter-feeding sponges, turf algae and fish on adjacent coral reefs. Herbivorous damselfish on reefs adjacent to the rat-free islands grew faster, and fish communities had higher biomass across trophic feeding groups, with 48% greater overall biomass. Rates of two critical ecosystem functions, grazing and bioerosion, were 3.2 and 3.8 times higher, respectively, adjacent to rat-free islands. Collectively, these results reveal how rat introductions disrupt nutrient flows among pelagic, island and coral reef ecosystems. Thus, rat eradication on oceanic islands should be a high conservation priority as it is likely to benefit terrestrial ecosystems and enhance coral reef productivity and functioning by restoring seabird-derived nutrient subsidies from large areas of ocean.

Globally threatened vertebrates on islands with invasive species.

Available Online

Butchart, Stuart H M

Ceballos, Gerardo

Croll Donald A.

Genovesi, Piero Genovesi

Holmes, Nick D.

Spatz, Dena

Tershy, Bernie R

Zilliacus, Kelly M.

Global biodiversity loss is disproportionately rapid on islands, where invasive species are a major driver of extinctions. To inform conservation planning aimed at preventing extinctions, we identify the distribution and biogeographic patterns of highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates (classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and invasive vertebrates on ~465,000 islands worldwide by conducting a comprehensive literature review and interviews with more than 500 experts. We found that 1189 highly threatened vertebrate species (319 amphibians, 282 reptiles, 296 birds, and 292 mammals) breed on 1288 islands. These taxa represent only 5% of Earth's terrestrial vertebrates and 41% of all highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates, which occur in

Drafting a Conservation Blueprint - A practitioners guide to planning for biodiversity

Climate Change Resilience, Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Groves, Craig R.

The Nature Conservancy

Although the term biodiversity emerged from the pool of obscure jargon quite a few years ago, it is still enshrouded with significant ambiguity. At one extreme, some people use it as a loose synonym for nature. At the other extreme, some people reduce biodiversity to simplistic parameters, such as the number of species. Conservation organizations, both private and public, must navigate these waters with great care. They need to engage a pulic that loves nature as embodied in beautiful places and charming creatures - elk in a Yellowstone meadow or snow leopards on a Himalayan snowfield - while expounding the values of species and ecosystems that have "swamp," "rat," or "spider" in their titles. A the same time, to undertake their work in a systematic and rigorous manner, conservation organizations need to be able to quantify their goals and accomplishments. Some things are easy to measure, such as the areas of new reserves, but biodiversity writ large is not one of them.

Comprehensive Desk-top Review of Biodiversity, Conservation and Invasive Species Information for the Kingdom of Tonga

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Pagad. Shyama

Situated between Fiji to the west and Samoa to the northeast, the Kingdom of Tonga (referred to as Tonga) is comprised of 171 scattered islands of which less than 50 are inhabited. The islands are mainly composed of limestone formed from uplifted coral. Current critical environmental concerns have arisen due to deforestation; damage to coral reefs and the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. Anthropogenic pressure has resulted in extensive modification of all ecosystems on the limestone islands of this group. Only uninhabited and steep volcanic islands still support large tracts of forest.

Invasive alien species surveys, Aleipata Islands, Samoa : Follow up visit to Nu'ulua

Available Online

GEF-PAS Invasive Alien Species Project

Between the 27th and 29th of October 2015 invasive alien species surveys were conducted as part of the GEF-PAS invasive alien species project/Samoa to help inform the Aleipata management Plan. As part of these surveys sticky traps were placed on Nuulua Island to detect the presence of Rattus sp. The sticky traps were checked after two nights with no evidence of rat presence. These sticky traps were left for a further 50 nights to increase the chances of detecting rat. As part of this return trip to Nuulua Island an incidental bird list was compiled and other species of interest (i.e. Yellow Crazy Ants and Coconut Crabs), were recorded when encountered.

Battling Invasive Species in the Pacific: Outcomes of the Regional GEF-PAS IAS Project Prevention, control and management of invasive species in the Pacific islands

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

SPREP

Pacific islands intimately connect land and sea. Rats, cats, and other invasive species quickly destroy these links, particularly by predating on native forest seeds, forest birds, sea birds, and other vital ecosystem components. Effective management of invasive species is key to protect terrestrial and marine systems, supporting their function and increasing their resilience to change.

Feasibility Assessment for the Removal of Pacific Rats (Rattus exulans) from Late Island

Available Online

Bonham. J

Griffiths. R.

Late is an isolated and uninhabited island located about 55 km WSW of the island of Vava'u, in the Kingdom of Tonga. Late supports a tropical broad-leaf forest ecosystem, one of the most threatened ecosystem types in the world and one of the best remaining tracts of diverse native forest in Tonga. Owing to its relatively unmodified forest communities, Late is also a global stronghold for two IUCN listed species of bird, one native mammal, and six species of reptile.

Land crab interference with eradication projects: Phase I - compendium of available information.

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Wegmann, Alex

Invasive mammal eradications are a proven, effective method of restoring damaged ecosystems and preserving biodiversity. On most tropical oceanic islands indigenous land crabs compete with targeted alien species for bait and interfere with traps and detection devices. Current eradication practices are inherited from successful termperate or subantarctic campaigns, yet we do not possess trued and tried methods for managing land crab interference. This report is the first organized attempt to address what's now commonly referred to as "the land crab problem." Accounts of land crab interference with eradication projects were sourced from an array of eradication practitioners; the resulting information was sorted into major topics and presented in tables, figures, and text. Major topics include: bait application rates, land crab and rat bait consumption, land crab behaviour, land crab interference with bait-stations, land crab deterring bait masks, and toxin exposure risk for non-target species. The summarized information in this report will guide future investigations into the land crab problem.

Use anticoagulant rodent bait safely

Available Online

SPREP

Anticoagulant rodenticides are an important tool for managing rodents by increasing the chances of success and lowering the resources required. This guide was developed to assist non-specialists in gaining a better understanding of the risks, costs, and benefits of using anticoagulant rodenticides. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that rodenticides are used responsibly and that the risk of negative impacts to people and the environment is minimised. Failure to do so could result in the loss of support for the use of these useful tools.

Rat Eradication on the Island of Suwarrow

Available Online

Munro. E.

The Island of Suwarrow and its surrounding waters was declared a National Park in 1978 under the Conservation Act 1975. The legal opinion sought in 2001 clarifies that Suwarrow is Crown Land. Today, Suwarrow is under the jurisdiction of the National Environment Service (NES) since 2003, for the primary purpose of conserving, preserving, protecting and managing the natural resources of Suwarrow.

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