Counting the bodies: Estimating the numbers and spatial variation of Australian reptiles, birds and mammals killed by two invasive mesopredators

Aim Introduced predators negatively impact biodiversity globally, with insular fauna often most severely affected. Here, we assess spatial variation in the number of terrestrial vertebrates (excluding amphibians) killed by two mammalian mesopredators introduced to Australia, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus). We aim to identify prey groups that suffer especially high rates of predation, and regions where losses to foxes and/or cats are most substantial. Location Australia. Methods We draw information on the spatial variation in tallies of reptiles, birds and mammals killed by cats in Australia from published studies. We derive tallies for fox predation by (i) modelling continental-scale spatial variation in fox density, (ii) modelling spatial variation in the frequency of occurrence of prey groups in fox diet, (iii) analysing the number of prey individuals within dietary samples and (iv) discounting animals taken as carrion. We derive point estimates of the numbers of individuals killed annually by foxes and by cats and map spatial variation in these tallies. Results Foxes kill more reptiles, birds and mammals (peaking at 1071 km−2 year−1) than cats (55 km−2 year−1) across most of the unmodified temperate and forested areas of mainland Australia, reflecting the generally higher density of foxes than cats in these environments. However, across most of the continent – mainly the arid central and tropical northern regions (and on most Australian islands) – cats kill more animals than foxes. We estimate that foxes and cats together kill 697 million reptiles annually in Australia, 510 million birds and 1435 million mammals. Main conclusions This continental-scale analysis demonstrates that predation by two introduced species takes a substantial and ongoing toll on Australian reptiles, birds and mammals. Continuing population declines and potential extinctions of some of these species threatens to further compound Australia's poor contemporary conservation record

Caceres-Escobar et al., People and Nature (2019) data

File containing aggregated responses for the eSurvey (total = 13 respondents). The data is presented following the requirements of the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of The University of Queensland (Approval number: 2016001001)

Data from: Integrating local knowledge to prioritise invasive species management

1. Invasive species management involves complex and multidimensional challenges. There is considerable uncertainty regarding how to identify management strategies that will achieve invasive species control to enhance biodiversity, local economies, and human well-being. Invasive species management on inhabited islands is especially challenging, often due to perceived socio-political risks and unexpected technical difficulties. 2. Failing to incorporate local knowledge and local perspectives in the early stages of planning can compromise the ability of decision-makers to achieve long-lasting conservation outcomes. Hence, engaging the community and accounting for stakeholder perceptions is essential for invasive species management, yet these processes are often overlooked as they can be perceived as too difficult to implement, too costly, and/or too slow for management timeframes. 3. To address this gap, we present an application of invasive species management based on structured decision-making, and INFFER —a cost-benefit analysis tool— on Minjerribah-North Stradbroke Island (Australia). We assessed the cost-effectiveness of six management scenarios, co-developed with local land managers and community groups, aimed at preserving the environmental and cultural significance of the island by eradicating European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats (Felis catus). Information was collected in a survey that elicited local stakeholders’ perspectives regarding the significance of the Island, their perception of the benefits of the proposed management scenarios, funding requirements, technical feasibility of implementation, and socio-political risk. 4. We found that low budgets achieve less cost-effective results than higher budgets. The best strategy focussed on controlling European red foxes on Minjerribah. However, our results also highlight the need for more research on feral cat management. 5. This work demonstrates how to use a structured decision support tool, such as INFFER, to assess contesting management strategies. Using appropriate decision support tools is particularly important when stakeholders' perceptions regarding management outcomes are heterogeneous and uncertain

Identifying life-history patterns along the fast-slow continuum of mammalian viral carriers

Abstract Humans share an important fraction of their viral diseases with other mammals, but the patterns that govern host-virus associations remain largely unknown. Life-history traits have been identified as major indicators of mammals’ susceptibility and exposure to viruses, due to evolutionary constraints that link life-history speed with species’ ecology and immunity. Nonetheless, it is unclear where along the fast-slow continuum of mammalian life-history lies the greatest diversity of host species. Here we analyse the virome of 1,350 wild mammals and detect the characteristics that drive species’ compatibility with different groups of viruses. We highlight that mammals with larger body size and either very rapid or very slow life histories are more likely to carry viruses, especially zoonotic viruses. While some common life-history patterns emerge across carriers, eco-evolutionary characteristics of viral groups appear to determine their preference for certain carrier species. Our findings underline the importance of incorporating both mammals’ life-history information and viruses’ functional diversity into surveillance strategies to identify potential zoonotic carriers in wildlife.</jats:p

Integrating local knowledge to prioritise invasive species management

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.1. Invasive species management involves complex and multidimensional challenges. There is considerable uncertainty regarding how to identify management strate‐gies that will achieve invasive species control to enhance biodiversity, local econo‐mies and human well‐being. Invasive species management on inhabited islands is especially challenging, often due to perceived socio‐political risks and unexpected technical difficulties. 2. Failing to incorporate local knowledge and local perspectives in the early stages of planning can compromise the ability of decision makers to achieve long‐last‐ing conservation outcomes. Hence, engaging the community and accounting for stakeholder perceptions are essential for invasive species management, yet, these processes are often overlooked as they can be perceived as too difficult to imple‐ment, too costly and/or too slow for management timeframes. 3. To address this gap, we present an application of invasive species management based on structured decision‐making, and INFFER—a cost‐benefit analysis tool—on Minjerribah‐North Stradbroke Island (Australia). We assessed the cost‐effec‐tiveness of six management scenarios, co‐developed with local land managers and community groups, aimed at preserving the environmental and cultural signifi‐cance of the island by eradicating European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats (Felis catus). Information was collected in a survey that elicited local stakehold‐ers’ perspectives regarding the significance of the Island, their perception of the benefits of the proposed management scenarios, funding requirements, technical feasibility of implementation and socio‐political risk. 4. We found that low budgets achieve less cost‐effective results than higher budgets. The best strategy focussed on controlling the European red foxes on Minjerribah. However, our results also highlight the need for more research on feral cat management. 5. This work demonstrates how to use a structured decision support tool, such as INFFER, to assess contesting management strategies. Using appropriate decision support tools is particularly important when stakeholders' perceptions regarding management outcomes are heterogeneous and uncertain.Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program, through the Threatened Species Recovery Hu

Protect Catalonia's corals despite politics

I   De las muchas cosas que lleva ya escritas Jorge Riechmann sobre problemas sustantivos relacionados con la crisis ecológica, la última publicada, Cuidar la T(t)ierra, es seguramente la más notable. Y, sin duda, es la aportación más sugerente que ha aparecido por estos pagos al concepto de sostenibilidad y a su práctica en el mundo actual. Se trata de un libro de más seiscientas páginas en el que el lector atento apreciará un montón de cosas que sólo excepcionalmente suelen darse juntas: l..

Operationalizing One Health: Environmental Solutions for Pandemic Prevention

International audienceHuman pressure on the environment is increasing the frequency, diversity, and spatial extent of disease outbreaks. Despite international recognition, the interconnection between the health of the environment, animals, and humans has been historically overlooked. Past and current initiatives have often neglected prevention under the One Health preparedness cycle, largely focusing on post-spillover stages. We argue that pandemic prevention initiatives have yet to produce actionable targets and indicators, connected to overarching goals, like it has been done for biodiversity loss and climate change. We show how the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework, already employed by the Convention on Biological Diversity, can be repurposed to operationalize pandemic prevention. Global responses for pandemic prevention should strive for complementarity and synergies among initiatives, better articulating prevention under One Health. Without agreed-upon goals underpinning specific targets and interventions, current global efforts are unlikely to function at the speed and scale necessary to decrease the risk of disease outbreaks that might lead to pandemics. Threats to the environment are not always abatable, but decreasing the likelihood that environmental pressure leads to pandemics, and developing strategies to mitigate these impacts, are both attainable goals