Identifying black rat (Rattus rattus) movement patterns aids the development of management programs in citrus orchards

IF 1.6 3区生物学 Q3 ECOLOGY

Wildlife Research Pub Date : 2024-07-25 DOI:10.1071/wr23149

Roger A. Baldwin, Ryan Meinerz, Justine A. Smith

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Context

The black rat (Rattus rattus) is an invasive species found throughout much of the globe, including in many agricultural areas, where they cause significant damage to many crops including citrus. Understanding how black rats move in these orchards would substantially aid the development of management programs to combat this pest species.

Aim

Our goal was to determine the home-range size and mean maximum distance moved over a 24-h period, as well as to determine the activity period for black rats in orchards.

Methods

We used innovative cellular tracking technology to provide a more complete assessment of home-range size and maximum daily movements than previously reported in other investigations. We also used remote-triggered cameras to assess activity periods for black rats to better inform management actions.

Key results

We observed large home ranges for black rats in citrus orchards ( $\bar{x} = 2.36 ha$ ). Although mean home-range size did not differ between males and females, we did identify an effect of sex on the mean maximum daily distance moved by black rats (males: $\bar{x} = 201 m$ ; females: $\bar{x} = 148 m$ ). Black rats were most active during the early evening, with all observations made during night-time.

Conclusions

Black rats moved relatively large distances within orchards, with activity occurring exclusively at night.

Implications

This information on black rat activity patterns will greatly assist in the development of management programs by informing ideal spacing between traps and bait stations to minimise cost, while still yielding efficacious results. A reliance on trapping or baiting during night-time would ensure access by black rats, while eliminating access to diurnal non-target species, although such actions would be labour-intensive and may be cost-prohibitive.

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识别黑鼠（Rattus rattus）的移动模式有助于制定柑橘园管理计划

背景黑鼠（Rattus rattus）是一种入侵物种，在全球大部分地区都有发现，包括许多农业地区，它们对包括柑橘在内的许多作物造成了严重破坏。了解黑鼠在这些果园中的活动方式将大大有助于制定管理计划来对付这种有害物种。目的我们的目标是确定黑鼠在 24 小时内的活动范围大小和平均最大移动距离，并确定黑鼠在果园中的活动时间。方法我们采用了创新的细胞追踪技术，对黑鼠的巢区大小和每日最大移动距离进行了比以前其他调查报告更全面的评估。我们还使用了遥控触发相机来评估黑鼠的活动期，以便更好地为管理行动提供信息。主要结果我们观察到柑橘园中的黑鼠有较大的家园范围（x¯=2.36公顷）。虽然雌雄黑鼠的平均家庭活动范围大小没有差异，但我们发现性别对黑鼠的平均日最大移动距离有影响（雄性：x¯=201 m；雌性：x¯=148 m）。黑鼠在傍晚最为活跃，所有的观察都是在夜间进行的。结论黑鼠在果园内的活动距离相对较大，活动时间完全在夜间。意义这些关于黑鼠活动模式的信息将大大有助于管理计划的制定，因为它们可以提供诱捕器和诱饵站之间的理想间距，从而最大限度地降低成本，同时还能产生有效的效果。依靠夜间诱捕或投放诱饵可以确保黑鼠的进入，同时杜绝昼伏夜出的非目标物种的进入，不过这种行动需要大量劳动力，成本可能过高。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Wildlife Research 生物-动物学

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

15.80%

发文量

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Wildlife Research represents an international forum for the publication of research and debate on the ecology, management and conservation of wild animals in natural and modified habitats. The journal combines basic research in wildlife ecology with advances in science-based management practice. Subject areas include: applied ecology; conservation biology; ecosystem management; management of over-abundant, pest and invasive species; global change and wildlife management; diseases and their impacts on wildlife populations; human dimensions of management and conservation; assessing management outcomes; and the implications of wildlife research for policy development. Readers can expect a range of papers covering well-structured field studies, manipulative experiments, and analytical and modelling studies. All articles aim to improve the practice of wildlife management and contribute conceptual advances to our knowledge and understanding of wildlife ecology. Wildlife Research is a vital resource for wildlife scientists, students and managers, applied ecologists, conservation biologists, environmental consultants and NGOs and government policy advisors. Wildlife Research is published with the endorsement of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Academy of Science.