An Island-wide survey of Abbott's Booby Papasula abbotti occupancy on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

Decades of phosphate mining on Christmas Island in Abbott's Booby Papasula abbotti nesting habitat has created a conservation threat to this rare endemic seabird. The status of Abbott's Boobies could be further jeopardised by other processes, such as th

Data from: A single panmictic population of endemic red crabs, Gecarcoidea natalis, on Christmas Island with high levels of genetic diversity

The red crab, Gecarcoidea natalis, is endemic to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean and largely responsible for shaping the unique ecosystem found throughout the island’s rainforests. However, the introduction and establishment of supercolonies of the highly invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, has decimated red crab numbers over the last several decades. This poses a significant risk to the future conservation of G. natalis and consequently threatens the integrity of the unique island ecosystem. Here we undertook a population genetic analysis of G. natalis using a combination of 11 microsatellite markers and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene from samples collected on Christmas Island as well as a single location from North Keeling Island (located approximately 900 km west of Christmas Island). The genetic results indicate that G. natalis is a single panmictic population on Christmas Island, with no spatial genetic structure or restricted gene flow apparent between sampled locations. Further, G. natalis from North Keeling Island are not genetically distinct and are recent immigrants from Christmas Island. The effective population size of G. natalis has likely remained large and stable on Christmas Island throughout its evolutionary history with relatively moderate to high levels of genetic diversity in microsatellite loci and mitochondrial haplotypes assessed in this study. For management purposes G. natalis can be considered a single panmictic population, which should simplify conservation efforts for the genetic management of this iconic island species

Predicting the ecosystem-wide impacts of eradication with limited information using a qualitative modelling approach

Conservation-motivated eradications may cause unexpected perverse effects, and these undesirable consequences can be difficult to predict due to the paucity of information on species interactions. A probabilistic qualitative approach, which does not require extensive model parameterization, is becoming increasingly accepted and applied to conservation scenarios when information is limited. However, recent work has criticized this approach on philosophical grounds and proposed an alternative non-probabilistic Boolean analysis method, which circumvents the philosophical difficulties. There is a need for exploring the ability of this novel approach for informing conservation decisions. To do so, we applied the first real-world test of the non-probabilistic Boolean approach using a case study of management of Felis catus (feral cat) and Rattus rattus (black rat) on Christmas Island. We also applied the probabilistic approach as a contrast. Our modeling results showed that the probabilistic approach generated ambiguous outcomes, making it impractical to draw management recommendations. In contrast, the non-probabilistic Boolean approach revealed interpretable rules governing species responses, suggesting that while cat management alone is a risky strategy, the risk of negative effects of cat management on native species can be reduced by the addition of rat management. Thus, given limited resources, in combination with cat management it is prudent to prioritize rat management efforts in the habitats of potentially impacted native species of high concern and value. We conclude that the Boolean approach can be very useful when little information is available to model an ecological system and that it provides a way of identifying the potential risks and benefits of management strategies, enabling better informed conservation decision-making in the face of limited knowledge

Predicting the ecosystem-wide impacts of eradication with limited information using a qualitative modelling approach

Conservation-motivated eradications may cause unexpected perverse effects, and these undesirable consequences can be difficult to predict due to the paucity of information on species interactions. A probabilistic qualitative approach, which does not require extensive model parameterization, is becoming increasingly accepted and applied to conservation scenarios when information is limited. However, recent work has criticized this approach on philosophical grounds and proposed an alternative non-probabilistic Boolean analysis method, which circumvents the philosophical difficulties. There is a need for exploring the ability of this novel approach for informing conservation decisions. To do so, we applied the first real-world test of the non-probabilistic Boolean approach using a case study of management of Felis catus (feral cat) and Rattus rattus (black rat) on Christmas Island. We also applied the probabilistic approach as a contrast. Our modeling results showed that the probabilistic approach generated ambiguous outcomes, making it impractical to draw management recommendations. In contrast, the non-probabilistic Boolean approach revealed interpretable rules governing species responses, suggesting that while cat management alone is a risky strategy, the risk of negative effects of cat management on native species can be reduced by the addition of rat management. Thus, given limited resources, in combination with cat management it is prudent to prioritize rat management efforts in the habitats of potentially impacted native species of high concern and value. We conclude that the Boolean approach can be very useful when little information is available to model an ecological system and that it provides a way of identifying the potential risks and benefits of management strategies, enabling better informed conservation decision-making in the face of limited knowledge

Be nimble with threat mitigation: Lessons learnt from the reintroduction of an endangered species

Reintroductions are increasingly being used to restore species and ecosystems. However, chances of successful establishment are often low. Key to improving success is careful consideration of threats, threat mitigation, monitoring and subsequent improvement to management. We demonstrate this planning, implementation and review process using the reintroduction of an endangered mesopredator, the eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus, in the first attempt to re-establish it in the wild on mainland Australia. In March 2018, 20 captive-bred quolls (10 male, 10 female) were released into Booderee National Park and monitored via telemetry, camera and cage trapping. There were many unknowns and, despite thorough consideration of threats, there were surprising outcomes. Within 3 months, 80% of animals had died; half due to predation, an expected threat. Other threats were unexpected yet, due to good monitoring and responsive management, were quickly detected and effective mitigation implemented. These learnings have been incorporated into revised translocation procedures. One year later, four founder quolls remained and had successfully bred. We highlight lessons applicable to other reintroductions. These are, the importance of: 1) conducting a thorough review of threats and implementing appropriate mitigation; 2) targeted monitoring and responsive management; 3) effective communication, education and engagement with the local community and stakeholders; and 4) ensuring learnings are disseminated and incorporated into future translocation plans. Threat assessment is an important step in identifying potential reasons for failure. However, actual threats can be realized only via experimentation and monitoring. Applying this knowledge to future reintroduction attempts can increase their chance of success.This research is supported by the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program through the Threatened Species Recovery Hu

A checklist for evaluating open source digital library software

Many open source software packages are available for organizations and individuals to create digital libraries (DLs). However, a simple to use instrument to evaluate these DL software packages does not exist. The objectives of the present work are to develop a checklist for DL evaluation and use this checklist on four DL software packages.Published versio