Sanctuaries and Biodiversity Response to Pest
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Sanctuaries, & biodiversity responses to pest control John Innes, Rachelle Binny Andrea Byrom, Neil Fitzgerald, Alex James, Roger Pech Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research Colbourne Fitzgerald LINK seminar, Wellington, 19 October 2017 Outline • What and where are NZ’s sanctuaries? John • Major pest management regimes Innes • Importance of monitoring with standard methods • Some Maungatautari results • What can we learn from monitoring in fenced sanctuaries and mainland islands? Rachelle • Biodiversity monitoring database Binny • A meta-analysis of outcomes for sanctuaries House mouse Dog Red deer Norway rat Fallow Feral goat deer Hedgehog Cat Manu ImagesNga Rabbit Ship rat Ferret Nga Manu Manu ImagesNga Weasel Brushtail possum Stoat What are ‘biodiversity sanctuaries’? Sites that: • experimentally restore NZ ecosystems to indigenous dominance and full species complement • control or eradicate a broad suite of pests with best practice techniques • reintroduce missing species • manage a permanent and substantial risk of pest reinvasion • inspire and galvanise communities to local conservation We identified 82 such projects on or near the NZ mainland SANCTUARIES Mean area: Stoats 2780 ha Possums 1860 ha Rats 940 ha Total area: 50,500 ha 0.18% NZ Map: Neil Fitzgerald, 8 Aug. 2017 Pest control 101 Goals Unacceptable damage? Biodiversity at this site outcomes? Pest control Best practice? Residual pest abundance? Number killed Use SOP indices Major regimes 1. Repeated aerial 1080 a) Ospri for Tb/DOC for forest health b) Battle for our Birds (timed for mast) c) 2-3 yearly – sustained ship rat control 2. Mainland island - kaka, kiwi, kokako, robin, whio, tree weta 3. Fenced sanctuary/island - hihi, tieke, takahe, kakapo, tuatara, giant weta Regime 2 Mainland island ship rats S. WillsS. kokako robin tree weta Manu ImagesNga possum ferret stoat M. Rothwell M. Games Kakariki NI brown kiwi whio kaka Ark in the Park, Waitakeres, 2002-17* Ship rat Norway rat Rat tracking tracking rate Rat Rat tracking tracking rate Rat *Gillian Wadams, Forest and Bird Kokako nesting success* vs a) Possum trap-catch b) Ship rat tracking rate 100 100 80 80 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0 % nesting attempts fledging young attempts % nesting % nesting attempts fledging young fledging attempts % nesting 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Possum trap-catch at 1 Nov. Mean ship rat tracking %,Oct.-Feb. Norbury et al. 2015. Biol. Cons. 191 409-420. Density-impact functions for terrestrial vertebrate pests and indigenous biota: Guidelines for conservation managers. CR VeitchCR * Innes et al. 1999. Biol Cons 87:201-214 Mahoenui giant weta North Island robin Warrenheip Mahurangi Is. Mahoenui MGW tracking rate Mangaokewa 0 0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40 Rat tracking rate Doug Armstrong et al. 2006. Corinne Watts et al. 2017. Robin viability vs predators. Weta as bioindicators. Jnl Wildlife Management Jnl Insect Conservation M. Rothwell Kakariki Games Thornburrow Regime 3 Fenced sanctuary/island Giant weta Hihi Little spotted kiwi Tuatara Tieke Kakapo Duvaucel’s gecko Takahe Invader pests at Orokonui, Dunedin (Elton Smith) Mice alone at Maungatautari 3400 ha Mouse density Deb Wilson, Neil Fitzgerald, Scott Bartlam Invertebrate abundance Treatment switch 4 M block Q block 3 2 1 Average number of invertebrates caught per trap night 0 Jan-2011Jul-2011 Jan-2012 Jul-2012 Jan-2013 Jul-2013 Jan-2014 Jul-2014 Jan-2015 Jul-2015 Jan-2016 Jul-2016 Year Similar patterns for: • Beetles, spiders, weta, caterpillars • Leaf litter samples Corinne Watts, Danny Thornburrow Tui movement/spillover from M’tari Neil Fitzgerald Maungatautari 5mbc, 2002-14: mobile frugivores = Mammal eradication Neil Fitzgerald, Scott Bartlam Maungatautari 5mbc, 2002-14: insectivores = Mammal eradication = Translocation Neil Fitzgerald, Scott Bartlam Conclusions Pest levels (eg zero) known for some birds, lizards, inverts Few density-impact functions known Pest eradication impossible without fences Competition and habitat also matter There are winners and losers PLEASE MONITOR: - Residual pest abundance with SOP indices - Diverse biodiversity outcomes - For 10 + years……. Rachelle Outline • What and where are NZ’s sanctuaries? John • Major pest management regimes Innes • Importance of monitoring with standard methods • Some Maungatautari results • What can we learn from monitoring in fenced sanctuaries and mainland islands? Rachelle • Biodiversity monitoring database Binny • A meta-analysis of outcomes for sanctuaries Predator Free New Zealand What can sanctuaries teach us? How do NZ’s flora and fauna respond to pest control? • Compare different control regimes; initially fenced sanctuaries and mainland islands • Understanding biodiversity benefits is a crucial step towards achieving goals of PF2050 Biodiversity monitoring database • Database of biodiversity monitoring data from managed sites • 782,322 records • 21 sites (3 DOC Mainland Islands, 18 other sanctuaries) • 17 unfenced, 4 fenced • 1995-2016 • 438 species (birds, invertebrates, lizards, vegetation and pests) Biodiversity monitoring database Habitat Site Type 6% 11% Fenced Beech 34% Mainland Podocarp- 66% Island broadleaved 83% Unfenced Treatment type Taxa Treatment Birds 33% Invertebrates 39% 61% Non- 65% treatment Lizards < 1% Vegetation Combining biodiversity data: meta-analysis “Effect size”: outcome with pest control, c.f. without Negative response No Positive response to control response to control E.g. ↑ abundance, ↑ nesting success, ↑ counts per unit search effort, ↓ foliar browse damage, etc. < 0 0 > 0 Fenced vs. mainland islands all sanctuaries fenced sanctuaries mainland islands (MI) Taxonomic groups Fenced & MIs combined Taxonomic groups by regime Fenced MIs Native vs. introduced birds Fenced & MIs combined all birds native introduced Native vs. introduced birds by regime Fenced MIs all birds native introduced Endemicity levels for NZ birds Bird endemicity Fenced & MIs combined all native order (e.g. kiwi) family (e.g. kōkako, hīhī) genus (e.g. bellbird, tūi) species (e.g. kākāriki, NI robin) all introduced Bird endemicity by regime Fenced MIs all native order (e.g. kiwi) family (e.g. kōkako, hīhī) genus (e.g. bellbird, tūi) species (e.g. kākāriki, NI robin) all introduced Primary guild for native birds Fenced & MIs combined all native frugivore (e.g. bellbird, kererū) insectivore (e.g. rifleman, tomtit) omnivore (e.g. hīhī, silvereye) carnivore (top predators: kāhu, NZ falcon) Primary guild for native birds Fenced MIs all native frugivore (e.g. bellbird, kererū) insectivore (e.g. rifleman, tomtit) omnivore (e.g. hīhī, silvereye) carnivore (top predators: kāhu, NZ falcon) Habitat for native birds Fenced & MIs combined all native podocarp-broadleaved beech mixed Habitat for native birds by regime Fenced MIs all native podocarp-broadleaved beech mixed Treatment Species (5 mbc) Non-treatment Boundary Stream MI Wainuiomata MI Density-impact functions (Rotoiti) Rat Tracking Index (%) Rat Tracking Index (%) Room for improvement? Need consistent and long-term monitoring of biodiversity outcomes and residual pest abundance • Standardised monitoring methods and measures • Data sharing & reuse • Data management Conclusions • Both increases and declines for species in sanctuaries • How to measure success? • Knowledge gaps: outcomes for communities and ecosystems • Need consistent and long-term monitoring: diverse biodiversity measures and residual pest abundance using SOP indices What next? • Offshore, pest-free islands Bellingham et al 2010 Acknowledgements • DOC MI data access: Craig Gillies and Oliver Gansell (Department of Conservation, Hamilton) • DOC MI staff for field data collection and reporting • Sanctuaries data: Ark in the Park, Bluff Hill/Environment Southland, Bream Head Scenic Reserve, Bushy Point, Corinne Watts (Landcare Research), East Taranaki Environment Trust, Forest Lifeforce Environment Trust, Glenfern Sanctuary, Halfmoon Bay Habitat Restoration Project, Kaipupu Point Wildlife Sanctuary, Mainland Island Restoration Operation, Maungatautari, Orokonui, Pirongia, Pomona and Rona Islands, Puketi, Totara Reserve/Horizons Regional Council, Wainuiomata Mainland Island, Windy Hill, Zealandia • Robbie Price (Landcare Research) .