Disturbances that remove primary producers and alter substrate chemistry commonly influence ecosystem carbon dynamics. Because coastal wetlands are especially effective in sequestering carbon, quantifying how disturbances may alter their ability to perform this climate-regulating function is important for assessing their carbon storage potential. Here, we quantified soil respiration, litter decomposition, and soil organic carbon (SOC), as a proxy for carbon storage, in areas disturbed by invasive feral hogs Sus scrofa and in adjacent, undisturbed areas within 3 southeastern US salt marshes. Contrary to our hypothesis that hog overturning of soils would stimulate soil respiration, this metric was lower and both surface and subsurface litter decomposition rates were similar in disturbed relative to undisturbed areas across all sites. SOC was lower in disturbed versus undisturbed areas at 2 sites as hypothesized, but higher at 1 site. Surveys and analyses reveal that lower and less variable infauna, plant, and benthic algae densities likely suppressed soil respiration in hog-disturbed versus undisturbed areas, while the offsetting effects of lower invertebrate densities and higher soil temperature likely caused decomposition to be consistent within and outside of disturbed areas. . These findings suggest that hog removal of plants and disruption of soils can cause tracts of marsh to transition from carbon sinks to sources where these disturbances are intense enough to prohibit rapid plant recovery and promote the gradual respiration of carbon stocks from denuded soils.
Progress report from Jack Craw to Josie Tamate (Directory General, Ministry of Natural Resources), Brendon Pasisi (Director DAFF), Sauni Tongatule (Director Department of Environment), David Moverly (SPREP) and Huggard Tongatule (Department of Environment).|This is the final progress report on the pilot programme. It covers the visit to
Niue September 8 to September 18 2015, with master hunters Glen Osborne
and Peter Peeti. The purposes of this trip were to continue the hunting
training, progress the toxin trial and attempt to progress the lured enclosure
trial.
Feral and wandering domestic pigs collectively cause significant environmental damage in Niue, chiefly to coconut crab populations, seedling coconuts, soil organisms, soil structure and fertility transfer. They also cause significant economic damage to plantations and domestic gardens.
Feral pig eradication on Niue Island would be impossible to both achieve and maintain in the current scenario of domestic pig management. Pig management practices vary from adequate to laissez faire, with constant escape and release from sites.
Progress report from Jack Craw to Josie Tamate (Directory General, Ministry of Natural Resources), Brendon Pasisi (Director DAFF), Sauni Tongatule (Director Department of Environment), David Moverly (SPREP) and Huggard Tongatule (Department of Environment).
Progress report from Jack Craw to Brendon Pasisi (Director DAFF), Sauni Tongatule (Director Department of Environment), David Moverly (SPREP) and Huggard Tongatule (Department of Environment).
Feral and wandering domestic pigs collectively cause significant environmental damage in Niue, chiefly to coconut crab populations and to seedling coconuts. They also cause significant economic damage to plantations and domestic gardens.
Feral pig eradication on Niue Island would be difficult to achieve and impossible to maintain in the current scenario of domestic pig management. Pig management practices vary from adequate to laissez faire, with constant escape and release from sites. This is due to lack of quality pig sty construction and difficulty for most pig owners in maintaining regular pig watering and feeding. Domestic pigs interact with feral pigs and contribute both to the feral herd and in damage to crops and the environment.
On February 3, 1999, the president of the United States signed an Executive Order 13112 on invasive species.
Each federal agency was directed to detect and respond rapidly to control populations of invasive species, monitor invasive
species populations, provide for restoration of native species and habitat conditions, conduct research on invasive species and
develop technologies to prevent their introduction, and promote public education on invasive species and the means to address
them. The United States Department of Agricultures Wildlife Services Program fulfills a federal responsibility for helping solve
problems which occur when human activity and wildlife, including invasive species, are in conflict with one another. This
is accomplished through the recommendation and/or implementation of integrated pest management strategies (IPM). IPM
strategies often involve both technical assistance and direct management. This paper provides a summary of 8 years of Wildlife
Services involvement in the resolution of invasive species conflicts with agricultural resources, property, human health and
safety, and natural resources.