Remote forest refugia for Fijian wildlife
On Pacific islands non-native rats and mongooses threaten many native species. In Fiji we compared visitation rates of rats and mongooses at bait stations and measured biomass of leaf-litter invertebrates to assess the relative predation pressure from these species in forest areas at different dista...
| Veröffentlicht in: | Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology. - 1999. - 20(2006), 2 vom: 07. Apr., Seite 568-72 |
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| 1. Verfasser: | |
| Weitere Verfasser: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | English |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2006
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| Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk: | Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology |
| Schlagworte: | Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. |
| Zusammenfassung: | On Pacific islands non-native rats and mongooses threaten many native species. In Fiji we compared visitation rates of rats and mongooses at bait stations and measured biomass of leaf-litter invertebrates to assess the relative predation pressure from these species in forest areas at different distances from the forest edge. Forest areas over 5 km from the forest edge had significantly fewer baits encountered by rats or mongooses than did natural forest areas nearer agricultural and urban habitats. Remote forest areas may function as a last refuge for island species threatened by predation from non-native rats and mongooses. The biomass of leaf-litter invertebrates in remote forest areas was higher indicating a refuge effect for some taxa targeted by rats and mongooses. Protection of the few remaining large blocks of natural forests on Pacific islands may be the most cost-effective approach for conserving many island endemics threatened by rats and mongooses. Logging roads can compromise this refuge effect by acting as dispersal routes for rats into natural forests |
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| Beschreibung: | Date Completed 12.09.2006 Date Revised 10.11.2019 published: Print Citation Status MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1523-1739 |