DOCSLIB.ORG

Risk-Assessment-For-The-Import-And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Risk-Assessment-For-The-Import-And RISKRISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE IMPORT AND KEEPING OF EXOTIC VERTEBRATES IN AUSTRALIA Mary Bomford Bureau of Rural Sciences Canberra, Australia © Commonwealth of Australia 2003 ISBN 0-9750443-3-8 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth available from the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Intellectual Property Branch, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, GPO Box 2154, Canberra ACT 2601 or at http://www.dcita.gov.au/cca. The Commonwealth of Australia acting through the Bureau of Rural Sciences has exercised due care and skill in the preparation and compilation of the information and data set out in this publication. Notwithstanding, the Bureau of Rural Sciences, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including liability for negligence, for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying upon any of the information or data set out in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law. Editor: Penny Olsen, School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University. Credit for cover photographs: Adelaide Zoological Gardens (zebra, lemur, ocelot); Queensland RLPB (cane toad); Department of Agriculture, Western Australia (starling); New South Wales Agriculture (feral cat). Design: Big Island Graphics, Canberra Preferred way to cite this publication: Bomford, M. (2003) Risk Assessment for the Import and Keeping of Exotic Vertebrates in Australia. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra. Postal address: Copies available from: Bureau of Rural Sciences BRS Publication Sales GPO Box 858 GPO Box 858 Canberra, ACT 2601 Canberra ACT 2601 Ph: 1800 020 157 Fax: 02 6272 2330 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.affa.gov.au/brs page 2 Contents Foreword...................................................................................................................................................................5 Summary...................................................................................................................................................................7 Key points..................................................................................................................................................................7 Factors influencing establishment in the wild .............................................................................................................8 Factors influencing feasibility of eradication .............................................................................................................10 Factors influencing pest potential .............................................................................................................................11 Using the risk assessment model to determine a species’ VPC Threat Category .......................................................14 Terminology.............................................................................................................................................................14 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................15 Section 1: Review of factors affecting the potential of an exotic vertebrate to establish and become a pest .......................19 1.1 Probability an escape or release will occur ..........................................................................................................20 1.1.1 Factors affecting the probability of escape or wilful release .......................................................................20 1.1.2 Risk assessment significance of potential to escape from captivity .............................................................22 1.2 Probability escaped or released individuals will cause harm ................................................................................22 1.3 Probability escaped or released individuals will establish a free-living population ...............................................22 1.3.1Predicting establishment success.................................................................................................................22 1.3.2Uncertainty in predicting establishment success ........................................................................................ 37 1.4 Probability of eradication...................................................................................................................................38 1.4.1 Criteria for determining feasibility of eradication......................................................................................38 1.4.2 Practical considerations for meeting eradication criteria for exotic species .................................................41 1.4.3 Risk assessment significance of probability of eradication..........................................................................42 1.5 Probability exotic species will become a pest ......................................................................................................43 1.5.1 Types of damage caused by exotic pests .....................................................................................................43 1.5.2 Predicting pest status ................................................................................................................................48 1.5.3 Factors contributing to uncertainty in assessing pest potential...................................................................55 Section 2: The risk assessment procedure to determine VPC Threat Categories for exotic vertebrates...............................57 2.1 Information requirements for species risk assessments........................................................................................57 2.2 Introduction to the risk assessment model..........................................................................................................61 2.3 Risk assessment..................................................................................................................................................62 2.4 Decision process ................................................................................................................................................69 2.5 Limitations of the risk assessment model for assessing VPC Threat Categories...................................................71 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................................73 References ...............................................................................................................................................................74 page 3 Appendices Appendix A: Introductions of exotic vertebrates to Australia....................................................................................89 Appendix B: Climate match data for mammals and birds introduced to mainland Australia....................................96 Appendix C: CLIMATE matching model .............................................................................................................102 Appendix D: Major agricultural commodities that could be damaged by exotic animals........................................105 Tables Table 1: Establishment success rates for exotic mammal and bird species ...........................................................23 Table 2: Proportion of exotic mammals and birds that are pests .........................................................................49 Table 3 : Commodities that could be damaged by a wild population of an exotic species....................................59 Table 4: Calculating Total Commodity Damage Score.......................................................................................67 Table 5: Score sheet for risk assessment model ...................................................................................................69 Table 6: VPC Threat Categories ........................................................................................................................70 Table A1: Exotic vertebrate introductions to Australia..........................................................................................89 Table B1: Climate matches for mammals successfully introduced to mainland Australia ......................................96 Table B2: Climate matches for mammals unsuccessfully introduced to mainland Australia ..............................98 Table B3: Climate matches for birds successfully introduced to mainland Australia..........................................99 Table B4: Climate matches for birds unsuccessfully introduced to mainland Australia....................................100 Table C1: The 16 climate parameters in the CLIMATE program.......................................................................102 Figures Figure C1: CLIMATE match maps for the song thrush ......................................................................................103 Figure D1: Major agricultural commodities in Australia ......................................................................................105 page 4
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Herbivory in the Interior Columbia River Basin: Implications of Developmental History for Present and Future Management
    Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project Science Integration Team Terrestrial Staff Range Task Group REVIEW DRAFT Herbivory in the Interior Columbia River Basin: Implications of Developmental History for Present and Future Management STEPHEN G. LEONARD Rangeland Scientist USDI-Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Office Reno, NV 89520 MICHAEL G. "SHERM" KARL Rangeland Management Specialist-Ecologist USDA-Forest Service Walla Walla, WA 99362 1st Draft: September 11, 1995 HERBIVORY IN THE INTERIOR COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN: IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE MANAGEMENT This report is developed to address divergent views relative to the joint adaptation of plant communities and herbivores in the Columbia River Basin and the implications for livestock grazing both historically and present. Presentation of divergent views is based on a contract report Herbivory in the Intermountain West: An Overview of Evolutionary History, Historic Cultural Impacts, and Lessons from the Past by J. Wayne Burkhardt1 and review comments and responses by Elizabeth L. Painter2. Discussion and conclusions are based on additional review of major range management and grazing management texts and literature cited therein. Miller, Svejcar, and West (1994) also provide an overview of developmental history and implications of livestock grazing on plant composition in the Intermountain sagebrush region. This overview is pertinent to the Columbia River Basin sagebrush steppe communities and associated salt desert shrub and juniper communities. Viewpoints based on the evolutionary history: 1Burkhardt, J. Wayne. 1994. Herbivory in the Intermountain west-an overview of the evolutionary history, historic cultural impacts and lessons from the past. 49 p. Contract report. On file with: Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, 112 E.
    [Show full text]
  • Life-History Strategies Predict Fish Invasions and Extirpations in the Colorado River Basin
    Ecological Monographs, 76(1), 2006, pp. 25±40 q 2006 by the Ecological Society of America LIFE-HISTORY STRATEGIES PREDICT FISH INVASIONS AND EXTIRPATIONS IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN JULIAN D. OLDEN,1,3 N. LEROY POFF,1 AND KEVIN R. BESTGEN2 1Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 USA 2Larval Fish Laboratory, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 USA Abstract. Understanding the mechanisms by which nonnative species successfully in- vade new regions and the consequences for native fauna is a pressing ecological issue, and one for which niche theory can play an important role. In this paper, we quantify a com- prehensive suite of morphological, behavioral, physiological, trophic, and life-history traits for the entire ®sh species pool in the Colorado River Basin to explore a number of hypotheses regarding linkages between human-induced environmental change, the creation and mod- i®cation of ecological niche opportunities, and subsequent invasion and extirpation of species over the past 150 years. Speci®cally, we use the ®sh life-history model of K. O. Winemiller and K. A. Rose to quantitatively evaluate how the rates of nonnative species spread and native species range contraction re¯ect the interplay between overlapping life- history strategies and an anthropogenically altered adaptive landscape. Our results reveal a number of intriguing ®ndings. First, nonnative species are located throughout the adaptive surface de®ned by the life-history attributes, and they surround the ecological niche volume represented by the native ®sh species pool. Second, native species that show the greatest distributional declines are separated into those exhibiting strong life-history overlap with nonnative species (evidence for biotic interactions) and those having a periodic strategy that is not well adapted to present-day modi®ed environmental conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia's Biodiversity and Climate Change
    Australia’s Biodiversity and Climate Change A strategic assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change A report to the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council commissioned by the Australian Government. Prepared by the Biodiversity and Climate Change Expert Advisory Group: Will Steffen, Andrew A Burbidge, Lesley Hughes, Roger Kitching, David Lindenmayer, Warren Musgrave, Mark Stafford Smith and Patricia A Werner © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 ISBN 978-1-921298-67-7 Published in pre-publication form as a non-printable PDF at www.climatechange.gov.au by the Department of Climate Change. It will be published in hard copy by CSIRO publishing. For more information please email [email protected] This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the: Commonwealth Copyright Administration Attorney-General's Department 3-5 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 Email: [email protected] Or online at: http://www.ag.gov.au Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for Climate Change and Water and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Citation The book should be cited as: Steffen W, Burbidge AA, Hughes L, Kitching R, Lindenmayer D, Musgrave W, Stafford Smith M and Werner PA (2009) Australia’s biodiversity and climate change: a strategic assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change.
    [Show full text]
  • To What Degree Are Philosophy and the Ecological Niche Concept Necessary in the Ecological Theory and Conservation?
    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY EJE 2017, 3(1): 42-54, doi: 10.1515/eje-2017-0005 To what degree are philosophy and the ecological niche concept necessary in the ecological theory and conservation? Universidade Federal Rogério Parentoni Martins* do Ceará, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Departamento ABSTRACT de Biologia, Centro de Ecology as a field produces philosophical anxiety, largely because it differs in scientific structure from classical Ciências, Brazil physics. The hypothetical deductive models of classical physics are simple and predictive; general ecological *Corresponding author, models are predictably limited, as they refer to complex, multi-causal processes. Inattention to the conceptual E-mail: rpmartins917@ structure of ecology usually imposes difficulties for the application of ecological models. Imprecise descrip- gmail.com tions of ecological niche have obstructed the development of collective definitions, causing confusion in the literature and complicating communication between theoretical ecologists, conservationists and decision and policy-makers. Intense, unprecedented erosion of biodiversity is typical of the Anthropocene, and knowledge of ecology may provide solutions to lessen the intensification of species losses. Concerned philosophers and ecolo- gists have characterised ecological niche theory as less useful in practice; however, some theorists maintain that is has relevant applications for conservation. Species niche modelling, for instance, has gained traction in the literature; however, there are few examples of its successful application. Philosophical analysis of the structure, precision and constraints upon the definition of a ‘niche’ may minimise the anxiety surrounding ecology, poten- tially facilitating communication between policy-makers and scientists within the various ecological subcultures. The results may enhance the success of conservation applications at both small and large scales.
    [Show full text]
  • Representations of the Ecological Niche
    Representations of the ecological niche C. Maria Keet Faculty of Computer Science, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy [email protected] Abstract. A formal theory of the ecological niche is indispensable not only for semantic precision in philosophy to understand and compare it with other meanings of niche, but also when computer scientists and ecol- ogists desire to create interoperable software where one can retrieve the niche of a species and compare their parameters. The proposed model is a more fine-grained description of the ecological niche, including the dis- tinction between its complex concept, the abstract niche (‘fundamental niche’) with its hypervolume in multidimensional space, and its reali- sations (‘realised niches’). The presented ecological niche may initiate new avenues for research in ecology, particularly concerning the condi- tions/categories of a hypervolume, as well as further philosophical inquiry and comparison with other niches. 1 Introduction The first formal representation and description of a theory of the niche by Smith and Varzi [36] provides detail from a philosophical perspective and has some relation to ecology, but it focuses on the spatial niche concept in general. From the viewpoint of ecology, certain assertions are incorrect and raised questions not a problem for the ecological niche – which is not to say they are not valid issues considering other meanings of the niche. Smith and Varzi’s analysis, however, is useful for comparing the ‘original’ niche, as a hollow recess in a wall (excavated hole) with or without (an) object(s) in it that exist as material entities, and the changes ecologists have made to the niche concept, as will be described in the following paragraphs.
    [Show full text]
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series 519:13
    Vol. 519: 13–27, 2015 MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published January 20 doi: 10.3354/meps11071 Mar Ecol Prog Ser Food web characterization based on δ15N and δ13C reveals isotopic niche partitioning between fish and jellyfish in a relatively pristine ecosystem Renato Mitsuo Nagata1,*, Marcelo Zacharias Moreira2, Caio Ribeiro Pimentel3, André Carrara Morandini1 1Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, n. 101, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil 2Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Campus Luis de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil 3Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil ABSTRACT: Human-induced stresses on the marine environment seem to favor some jellyfish spe- cies to the detriment of other competitors such as planktivorous fishes. In pristine ecosystems, trophic relationships among these consumers are poorly understood. We determined stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures of representative consumers in the relatively pristine ecosystem of the Cananéia Estuary, Brazil, in order to understand the food web structure. We described isotopic niche breadth, position, and overlaps between fish and jellyfish (including comb jelly) species. Most of the δ13C values suggest that phytoplankton is the major carbon source, especially for pelagic consumers. Sessile benthic invertebrates had enriched δ13C values, suggesting a contribu- tion of microphytobenthic algae. Seasonal variation of values was significant only for 13C, with dif- ferent patterns for pelagic and benthic organisms. Isotopic niche breadth of some jellyfishes was wider than those of fish species of the same trophic group, possibly as a consequence of their broad diets.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Invasive Alien Species
    Module 1 INTRODUCTION TO INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES October 2005 Table of contents 1.1 Introducing concepts and terms ...............................................................................3 1.1.1 Definitions.............................................................................................................3 1.1.2 Which taxa invade? ..............................................................................................6 1.1.3 The process of invasion........................................................................................9 1.2 Invasion Vectors and Pathways .............................................................................10 1.2.1 Introductions: anthropogenic changes................................................................10 1.2.2 The types of introductions...................................................................................11 1.3 Impacts of IAS ........................................................................................................16 1.3.1 Ecological ...........................................................................................................17 1.3.2 Economic............................................................................................................18 1.3.3 Public health .......................................................................................................20 1.4 Can we predict species invasiveness?...................................................................21 1.4.1 Species characteristics.......................................................................................22
    [Show full text]
  • Vacant Niches in Nature, Ecology, and Evolutionary Theory: a Mini-Review
    EKOLOGIJA. 2009. Vol. 55. No. 3–4. P. 165–174 DOI: 10.2478/v10055-009-0020-x © Lietuvos mokslų akademija, 2009 © Lietuvos mokslų akademijos leidykla, 2009 Vacant niches in nature, ecology, and evolutionary theory: a mini-review Edmundas Lekevičius Th e use of the term “vacant niches” (unused but potentially usable resources) has recently increased in ecological literature. According to some studies, vacant niches are quite nu- Centre for Ecology and merous in nature, especially, but not exclusively, in disturbed ecosystems. However, the Environmental Sciences, concept of “vacant niche” is still controversial in ecology because of the failure to reach Vilnius University, an agreement on how to defi ne a situation when an ecosystem is devoid of such niches. M. K. Čiurlionio 21/27, In evolutionary biology, as distinct from ecology, this concept arouses fewer controversies LT-07119 Vilnius, and has contributed to the creation of the ecological theory of adaptive radiation. Still Lithuania other evolutionists have used this concept to describe the course and mechanisms of the evolutionary assembly of ecosystems (nutrient cycles and ecological pyramids). Th ese evo- E-mail: [email protected]; lutionists attempt to prove that in the course of diversifi cation, vacant niches are not only [email protected] occupied but are also created by newly evolved organisms. Key words: saturated communities, ecosystem evolution, succession, assembly INTRODUCTION rection favoring greater integration with the surrounding ecology”. Some ecologists (e. g. Cornell, 1999; Tilman, Lehman, 2001; According to this author, vacant niches may be defi ned see a survey of Rohde, 2005) tend to think that a niche can as negative species or species waiting to happen.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Consequences of Extinction
    Network of Conservation Educators & Practitioners Ecological Consequences of Extinction Author(s): Madhu Rao and Trond Larsen Source: Lessons in Conservation, Vol. 3, pp. 25-53 Published by: Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History Stable URL: ncep.amnh.org/linc/ This article is featured in Lessons in Conservation, the official journal of the Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners (NCEP). NCEP is a collaborative project of the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC) and a number of institutions and individuals around the world. Lessons in Conservation is designed to introduce NCEP teaching and learning resources (or “modules”) to a broad audience. NCEP modules are designed for undergraduate and professional level education. These modules—and many more on a variety of conservation topics—are available for free download at our website, ncep.amnh.org. To learn more about NCEP, visit our website: ncep.amnh.org. All reproduction or distribution must provide full citation of the original work and provide a copyright notice as follows: “Copyright 2010, by the authors of the material and the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation of the American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.” Illustrations obtained from the American Museum of Natural History’s library: images.library.amnh.org/digital/ SYNTHESIS 25 Ecological Consequences of Extinction Madhu Rao* and Trond Larsen† * Wildlife Conservation
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity Measurement Determines Stability of Ecosystems
    International Journal of Environmental Science: Development and Monitoring (IJESDM) ISSN No. 2231-1289, Volume 4 No. 3 (2013) Biodiversity measurement determines stability of ecosystems Surendra Kumar Yadav1 and Govind Chandra Mishra2 1University Department of Engineering & Technology (SCRIET), CCS University, Meerut-250004 (UP), INDIA. 2MVN University, Palwal, Haryana. ABSTRACT Biodiversity is the sum total of all biotic variation from the level of genes to ecosystems and is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. Phylogenetic and temporal analyses are shedding light on the ecological and evolutionary processes that have shaped current biodiversity. Humans are now destroying this diversity at an alarming rate and this loss affects ecosystem functioning. Species richness is often used as a criterion when assessing the relative conservation values of habitats or landscapes. An area with many endemic or rare species is generally considered to have higher conservation value than another area where species richness is similar, but all the species are common and widespread. Stability of an ecosystem depends upon the biodiversity parameters. Keywords-biodiversity; measurement; stability; ecosystem 1. INTRODUCTION Any attempt to measure biodiversity quickly runs into the problem that it is a fundamentally multidimensional concept and it cannot be reduced sensibly to a single number [1-2]. No single measure will always be appropriate (indeed, for some conservation questions, no single measure can probably ever be appropriate). The choice of a good measure is complicated by the frequent need to use surrogates for the aspect in which we are most interested [3-4]. Finding new large vertebrates nowadays is indeed newsworthy, but a new species of large mammal is still discovered roughly every three years [5] and a new large vertebrate from the open ocean every five years [6].
    [Show full text]
  • Introduced Wildlife of Oregon and Washington
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Publications Plant Health Inspection Service April 2001 Introduced Wildlife of Oregon and Washington Gary W. Witmer USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, [email protected] Jeffrey C. Lewis Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Witmer, Gary W. and Lewis, Jeffrey C., "Introduced Wildlife of Oregon and Washington " (2001). USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications. 656. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/656 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 16 ntroduced Wildlife of Oregon and Washingto1 Gary W Witmer & jeffrey C. Lewis Introduction Each species of wildlife occurs as part of an ecosystem, In this chapter, we present information on wildlife interacting in many ways with other plant and animal introduced to Oregon and Washington. While other terms species in that system as well as with the abiotic could be used, we will refer to these relatively new components such as soil, air, water, and other substrates. members of the fauna of Oregon and Washington as The array of wildlife species around the globe has been "introduced" species. Occasionallyjthe term "exotic" will shaped by geological and climatological events as well as be used, especially in the context of legal terminology, such by eons of evolution and natural selection.
    [Show full text]
  • Do Deposit-Feeders Compete? Isotopic Niche Analysis of an Invasion in A
    OPEN Do deposit-feeders compete? Isotopic SUBJECT AREAS: niche analysis of an invasion in a BIODIVERSITY species-poor system COMMUNITY ECOLOGY INVASIVE SPECIES Agnes M. L. Karlson1, Elena Gorokhova1,2 & Ragnar Elmgren2 STABLE ISOTOPES ANALYSIS 1Dept. Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden, 2Dept. Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden. Received 23 September 2014 Accepted Successful establishment of invasive species is often related to the existence of vacant niches. Competition occurs when invaders use the same limiting resources as members of the recipient community, which will be 17 March 2015 reflected in some overlap of their trophic niches. The concept of isotopic niche has been used to study Published trophic niche partitioning among species. Here, we present a two-year field study comparing isotopic niches 19 May 2015 of the deposit-feeding community in a naturally species-poor system. The isotopic niche analyses showed no overlap between a recent polychaete invader and any of the native species suggesting that it has occupied a vacant niche. Its narrow isotopic niche suggests specialized feeding, however, the high d15N values compared to natives are most likely due to isotope fractionation effects related to nitrogen recycling and a mismatch Correspondence and between biological stoichiometry of the polychaete and the sediment nitrogen content. Notably, highly requests for materials overlapping isotopic niches were inferred for the native species, which is surprising in a food-limited system. Therefore, our results demonstrate that invaders may broaden the community trophic diversity and should be addressed to enhance resource utilization, but also raise questions about the congruence between trophic and isotopic A.M.L.K.
    [Show full text]