Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie.
Mesopredator control has long been used to alleviate the effect of elevated predation pressure on vulnerable, threatened or valuable species. However, the convenience of using mesopredator controls is technically questionable and scientifically-sound research is therefore required to evaluate the im...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2015-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4619448?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1811226334783864832 |
|---|---|
| author | Rubén Moreno-Opo Iván Afonso José Jiménez Mariana Fernández-Olalla Jordi Canut Diego García-Ferré Josep Piqué Francisco García Job Roig Jaime Muñoz-Igualada Luis Mariano González José Vicente López-Bao |
| author_facet | Rubén Moreno-Opo Iván Afonso José Jiménez Mariana Fernández-Olalla Jordi Canut Diego García-Ferré Josep Piqué Francisco García Job Roig Jaime Muñoz-Igualada Luis Mariano González José Vicente López-Bao |
| author_sort | Rubén Moreno-Opo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mesopredator control has long been used to alleviate the effect of elevated predation pressure on vulnerable, threatened or valuable species. However, the convenience of using mesopredator controls is technically questionable and scientifically-sound research is therefore required to evaluate the impact of predation on prey case by case. In this study we evaluated the effect of the alteration of terrestrial mesopredator dynamics on the demographic parameters of a relict capercaillie Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus population currently in decline for which the impact of predation has not previously been assessed. We used a six-year mesocarnivore removal experiment (2008-2013) together with seven-years of previous demographic information on capercaillies (1999-2007) within a before-after control-impact (BACI) design to evaluate the effect of mesocarnivore removal on capercaillie demographic parameters and on spatial behaviour of the most frequent predatory mesocarnivores of the capercaillie (Martes spp. and red fox Vulpes vulpes). Using a dynamic site-occupancy approach, the reduction of mesocarnivore population levels as a result of removal was clear for marten species, mainly during key months for capercaillie reproduction, but not for the red fox. Our results show that the breeding success of capercaillies was enhanced in areas where carnivores were removed and was inversely related to the occupation level of the studied mesocarnivores, although being only significant for Martes spp. Moreover, capercaillie predation rates were lower and adult survival seemingly higher in treatment during the removal phase. Cost-effective, long-term management interventions to ensure the recovery of this threatened capercaillie population are discussed in the light of the results. At our study area, the decision for implementing predation management should be included within a broader long-term conservation perspective. In this regard, a more feasible and sustainable management intervention in ecological and economic terms may be to balance the impact of mesocarnivores on capercaillies through the recovery of apex predators. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:23:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2839c42c7f084b358d5c8bb181721f90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:23:23Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2839c42c7f084b358d5c8bb181721f902022-12-22T03:38:33ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-011010e013983710.1371/journal.pone.0139837Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie.Rubén Moreno-OpoIván AfonsoJosé JiménezMariana Fernández-OlallaJordi CanutDiego García-FerréJosep PiquéFrancisco GarcíaJob RoigJaime Muñoz-IgualadaLuis Mariano GonzálezJosé Vicente López-BaoMesopredator control has long been used to alleviate the effect of elevated predation pressure on vulnerable, threatened or valuable species. However, the convenience of using mesopredator controls is technically questionable and scientifically-sound research is therefore required to evaluate the impact of predation on prey case by case. In this study we evaluated the effect of the alteration of terrestrial mesopredator dynamics on the demographic parameters of a relict capercaillie Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus population currently in decline for which the impact of predation has not previously been assessed. We used a six-year mesocarnivore removal experiment (2008-2013) together with seven-years of previous demographic information on capercaillies (1999-2007) within a before-after control-impact (BACI) design to evaluate the effect of mesocarnivore removal on capercaillie demographic parameters and on spatial behaviour of the most frequent predatory mesocarnivores of the capercaillie (Martes spp. and red fox Vulpes vulpes). Using a dynamic site-occupancy approach, the reduction of mesocarnivore population levels as a result of removal was clear for marten species, mainly during key months for capercaillie reproduction, but not for the red fox. Our results show that the breeding success of capercaillies was enhanced in areas where carnivores were removed and was inversely related to the occupation level of the studied mesocarnivores, although being only significant for Martes spp. Moreover, capercaillie predation rates were lower and adult survival seemingly higher in treatment during the removal phase. Cost-effective, long-term management interventions to ensure the recovery of this threatened capercaillie population are discussed in the light of the results. At our study area, the decision for implementing predation management should be included within a broader long-term conservation perspective. In this regard, a more feasible and sustainable management intervention in ecological and economic terms may be to balance the impact of mesocarnivores on capercaillies through the recovery of apex predators.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4619448?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Rubén Moreno-Opo Iván Afonso José Jiménez Mariana Fernández-Olalla Jordi Canut Diego García-Ferré Josep Piqué Francisco García Job Roig Jaime Muñoz-Igualada Luis Mariano González José Vicente López-Bao Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie. PLoS ONE |
| title | Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie. |
| title_full | Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie. |
| title_fullStr | Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie. |
| title_short | Is It Necessary Managing Carnivores to Reverse the Decline of Endangered Prey Species? Insights from a Removal Experiment of Mesocarnivores to Benefit Demographic Parameters of the Pyrenean Capercaillie. |
| title_sort | is it necessary managing carnivores to reverse the decline of endangered prey species insights from a removal experiment of mesocarnivores to benefit demographic parameters of the pyrenean capercaillie |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4619448?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rubenmorenoopo isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT ivanafonso isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT josejimenez isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT marianafernandezolalla isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT jordicanut isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT diegogarciaferre isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT joseppique isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT franciscogarcia isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT jobroig isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT jaimemunozigualada isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT luismarianogonzalez isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie AT josevicentelopezbao isitnecessarymanagingcarnivorestoreversethedeclineofendangeredpreyspeciesinsightsfromaremovalexperimentofmesocarnivorestobenefitdemographicparametersofthepyreneancapercaillie |