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On the verge of a biological crisis: the state of invasive species in the Pacific

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Cas Vanderwoude

A report prepared by the Invasive Partnership for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, Palau July 2014 as requested by the Micronesian Chief Executives in Resolution 19-01

Overbeck, Cynthia

Achieving large scale, long-term invasive American mink control in northern Scotland despite short term funding

Available Online

Horrill, J.

Lambin, X.

Raynor, R.

The American mink (Neovison vison) has invaded most of the United Kingdom following escapes from furfarms over decades. Its escalating impact on riparian and coastal biodiversity, including seabirds and water voles, is well documented. Starting in north-east Scotland in 2004, long-term, multi-institution mink control efforts have harnessed the enthusiasm of volunteer conservationists to push back the mink invasion over a vast area. Rather than the outcome of a single project with secured long-term funding, this achievement resulted from four successive joined up projects each with short-term funding. The beginnings of the project (20042006), under the auspices of the north-east Scotland Biodiversity Partnership were small scale (30 km2) and centred upon a lowland remnant water vole meta-population. Mink control efforts were scaled-up to 6,000 km2 of mostly marginal mink habitat as part of the Cairngorms Water Vole Conservation Project (20062009) centred on the newly established Cairngorms National Park. The project, led by the University of Aberdeen, was funded by a charity, a UK Research council and Scottish Natural Heritage and involved the national park authority, and three local fisheries trusts. The approach was to deploy a rolling carpet of mink control based on the use of mink rafts operated by volunteers and that facilitated mink detection and removal. Substantial funding was then secured for a successor project, the Scottish Mink Initiative (20102014) involving, all previous partners plus 14 local fisheries trusts coordinated by the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland. Mink were pushed back over a vast area (29,000 km2) and their spread in coastal areas of north-west Scotland was countered. After a period with minimal bridge funding, coordinated mink control efforts resumed, thanks to the newly funded Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (20172021) seeking to extend the approach used with mink to other riparian invasives. Mink remain scarce or absent and water voles are recovering spectacularly. Coordinated mink control delivered tangible conservation benefits and improved understanding of the socio-ecological system despite the challenges of short-term funding.

Christmas Island National Park - Idependent scientific research shows that crazy ant bait does not acccumulate in Christmas Island's environment

Available Online

Cites independent study by CESAR Consultants confirms that Fipronil ant bait has not accumulated in the envrionment on Christmas Island for the control of yellow crazy ant.

Invasive ants as a biosecurity threat.

Available Online

Invasive ants are a diverse group of aggressive, competitive, dominating ant species that can rapidly establish and spread. Several ant species are amongst the most serious global invasive species. Their broad diets, nesting habits, ability to breed rapidly, high densitites and adaptibility to varied habitats make them excellent invaders. Agricultural economic, environmental and social wellbeing are threatened by these ants, many of which have been introduced to, and established in, many countries

18 harmful unwanted ants in the Pacific

Available Online

Harmful ants in the Pacific

Improving invasive ant eradication as a conservation tool : a review

Available Online

Hoffman, Benjamin ... et al.

While invasive species eradications are at the forefront of biodiversity conservation, ant eradication failures are common. We reviewed ant eradications worldwide to assess the practice and identify knowledge gaps and challenges. We documented 316 eradication campaigns targeting 11 species, with most occurring in Australia covering small areas (b10 ha). Yellow crazy ant was targeted most frequently, while the bigheaded ant has been eradicated most often. Of the eradications with known outcomes, 144 campaigns were successful, totaling approximately 9500 ha, of which 8300 ha were from a single campaign that has since been partially re-invaded. Three active ingredients, often in combination, are most commonly used: fipronil, hydramethylnon, and juvenile hormone mimics. Active ingredient, bait, and method varied considerablywith respect to species targeted,which made assessing factors of eradication success challenging. We did, however, detect effects by active ingredient, number of treatments, and method on eradication success. Implementation costs increased with treatment area, and median costs were high compared to invasive mammal eradications. Ant eradications are in a phase of increased research and development, and a logical next step for practitioners is to develop best practices. A number of research themes that seek to integrate natural history with eradication strategies and methodologies would improve the ability to eradicate ants: increasing natural history and taxonomic knowledge, increasing the efficacy of active ingredients and baits, minimizing and mitigating non-target risks, developing better tools to declare eradication success, and developing alternative eradication methodologies. Invasive ant eradications are rapidly increasing in both size and frequency, and we envisage that eradicating invasive ants will increase in focus in coming decades given the increasing dispersal and subsequent impacts.

Taking the sting out of the Little Fire Ant in Hawaii

Lee, Donna J.

Leung, PingSun

Motoki, Michael

Nakamoto, Stuart T.

Vanderwoude, Casper

Inthe1990's,LittleFireAnts(LFAs)founditswaytotheislandofHawaii,mostlikelytravelingwithashipmentof potted plantsfrom Florida.These plants weresubsequentlysold toconsumers along theeastcoast of theIsland, alongwithLittleFireAntcolonieslivinginthepottingmedium.LFAisnowthrivingandcontinuestospread.Fifteenyearsaftertheinitialdetectionin1999,LFAhasspreadtoover4000locationsontheislandofHawaiiandhas beenfoundinisolatedlocationsonKauai,Maui,andOahuIslands.Currenteffortsareexpectedtocontaintheinfestations on the otherislands but signi cant additional investment isneeded tohalt therapid spread of LFA on the island of Hawaii. Increased management expenditures can suppress infestations; reduce spread between sectors; and decrease long-term management costs, damages, and stings.| Animmediateexpenditureof$8millioninthenext23yearsplusfollow-upprevention,monitoring,andmitigation treatments will yield $1.210 billion in reduced control costs, $129 million in lowered economic damages, 315 million fewer human sting incidents, and 102 million less pet sting incidents over 10 years.| Over35years,thebene tsinclude$5.496billioninreducedcontrolcosts,$538millionlesseconomicdamages, 2.161 billion fewer human sting incidents, and 762 million fewer pet sting incidents.

An invasive ant distribution database to support biosecurity risk analysis in the Pacific

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Burne, Allan R.

Cooling, Meghan

Gruber, Monica A.

Invasive species are one of the most serious threats to biodiversity. Up-to-date and accurate information on the distribution of invasive species is an important biosecurity risk analysis tool. Several databases are available to determine the distributions of invasive species and native species. However, keeping this information current is a real challenge. Ants are among the most widespread invasive species. Five species of ants are listed in the IUCN list of damaging invasive species, and many other species are also invasive in the Pacific. We sought to determine and update the distribution information for the 18 most problematic invasive ant species in the Pacific to assist in Small Island Developing States with risk analysis. We compared the information on six public databases, conducted a literature review, and contacted experts on invasive ants in the Pacific region to resolve conflicting information. While most public records were accurate we found some new records had not yet been incorporated into the public databases, and some information was inaccurate. The maintenance of public databases faces an enormous challenge in balancing completeness (~15 000 ant species in this case) with accuracy (the impossibility of constantly surveying) and utility.

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