Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods
Preventing infestations of rats is crucial for minimizing property damage and the transmission of rat-associated pathogens to humans. Due to the logistical challenges in assessing rat abundance over large areas, public officials must often use the number of public rat complaints to estimate the rela...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00189/full |
| _version_ | 1819297755867119616 |
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| author | Maureen H. Murray Maureen H. Murray Rebecca Fyffe Mason Fidino Kaylee A. Byers Kaylee A. Byers Kaylee A. Byers M. Jazmín Ríos Matthew P. Mulligan Matthew P. Mulligan Seth B. Magle |
| author_facet | Maureen H. Murray Maureen H. Murray Rebecca Fyffe Mason Fidino Kaylee A. Byers Kaylee A. Byers Kaylee A. Byers M. Jazmín Ríos Matthew P. Mulligan Matthew P. Mulligan Seth B. Magle |
| author_sort | Maureen H. Murray |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Preventing infestations of rats is crucial for minimizing property damage and the transmission of rat-associated pathogens to humans. Due to the logistical challenges in assessing rat abundance over large areas, public officials must often use the number of public rat complaints to estimate the relative abundance of rats and the subsequent need for rodent control. However, the likelihood of reporting complaints may be driven by socioeconomic factors and therefore may not accurately reflect rat abundance. In this study, we tested whether the number of rat complaints reflect rat relative abundance and if rat complaints and abundance are higher in alleys with greater levels of harborage, food attractants, and poor structural integrity. We conducted this study in Chicago, IL, USA where public rat complaints have risen by 39% from 2008 up to 45,887 in 2017, and where socioeconomic factors vary considerably across neighborhoods. We assessed municipal rat complaints, census data, and land cover data for 77 community areas across Chicago. In collaboration with pest management professionals, we trapped brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in alleys in 13 community areas that varied from low to high measures of household income and urban development. At trapping sites, we recorded signs of rat activity, attractants, and infrastructure condition. Based on candidate model comparisons using linear models, we found that rat complaints were most associated with rat trap success. Rat trap success was most associated with increasing complaints, percent of rented housing units, and decreasing vacant land. At a local scale, alleys with more complaints and higher trap success also had more uncontained garbage. Our results demonstrate that, at least in Chicago, public reporting can serve as a useful tool to identify areas of greater rat activity for targeted control efforts. Our study also suggests the need for habitat modification to minimize access to attractants. Finally, our results highlight how partnerships between researchers and private practitioners can facilitate large-scale projects on rat infestation risks in urban areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:19:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4e843b67d22421382e5182f275e1772 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:19:03Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4e843b67d22421382e5182f275e17722022-12-21T17:13:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2018-11-01610.3389/fevo.2018.00189421297Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban NeighborhoodsMaureen H. Murray0Maureen H. Murray1Rebecca Fyffe2Mason Fidino3Kaylee A. Byers4Kaylee A. Byers5Kaylee A. Byers6M. Jazmín Ríos7Matthew P. Mulligan8Matthew P. Mulligan9Seth B. Magle10Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesUrban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesLandmark Pest Management, Chicago, IL, United StatesUrban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesBiodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaCanadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Animal Health Centre, Abbotsford, BC, CanadaUrban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesDavee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesUrban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesUrban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United StatesPreventing infestations of rats is crucial for minimizing property damage and the transmission of rat-associated pathogens to humans. Due to the logistical challenges in assessing rat abundance over large areas, public officials must often use the number of public rat complaints to estimate the relative abundance of rats and the subsequent need for rodent control. However, the likelihood of reporting complaints may be driven by socioeconomic factors and therefore may not accurately reflect rat abundance. In this study, we tested whether the number of rat complaints reflect rat relative abundance and if rat complaints and abundance are higher in alleys with greater levels of harborage, food attractants, and poor structural integrity. We conducted this study in Chicago, IL, USA where public rat complaints have risen by 39% from 2008 up to 45,887 in 2017, and where socioeconomic factors vary considerably across neighborhoods. We assessed municipal rat complaints, census data, and land cover data for 77 community areas across Chicago. In collaboration with pest management professionals, we trapped brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in alleys in 13 community areas that varied from low to high measures of household income and urban development. At trapping sites, we recorded signs of rat activity, attractants, and infrastructure condition. Based on candidate model comparisons using linear models, we found that rat complaints were most associated with rat trap success. Rat trap success was most associated with increasing complaints, percent of rented housing units, and decreasing vacant land. At a local scale, alleys with more complaints and higher trap success also had more uncontained garbage. Our results demonstrate that, at least in Chicago, public reporting can serve as a useful tool to identify areas of greater rat activity for targeted control efforts. Our study also suggests the need for habitat modification to minimize access to attractants. Finally, our results highlight how partnerships between researchers and private practitioners can facilitate large-scale projects on rat infestation risks in urban areas.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00189/fullbrown raturban wildliferodent abundancerodent controlpublic complaintsalley |
| spellingShingle | Maureen H. Murray Maureen H. Murray Rebecca Fyffe Mason Fidino Kaylee A. Byers Kaylee A. Byers Kaylee A. Byers M. Jazmín Ríos Matthew P. Mulligan Matthew P. Mulligan Seth B. Magle Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution brown rat urban wildlife rodent abundance rodent control public complaints alley |
| title | Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods |
| title_full | Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods |
| title_fullStr | Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods |
| title_short | Public Complaints Reflect Rat Relative Abundance Across Diverse Urban Neighborhoods |
| title_sort | public complaints reflect rat relative abundance across diverse urban neighborhoods |
| topic | brown rat urban wildlife rodent abundance rodent control public complaints alley |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00189/full |
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