Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection
A barrier to successful ecological restoration of urban green spaces in many cities is invasive mammalian predators. We determined the fine- and landscape-scale habitat characteristics associated with the presence of five urban predators (black and brown rats, European hedgehogs, house mice, and bru...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/10/1527 |
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| author | Kim F. Miller Deborah J. Wilson Stephen Hartley John G. Innes Neil B. Fitzgerald Poppy Miller Yolanda van Heezik |
| author_facet | Kim F. Miller Deborah J. Wilson Stephen Hartley John G. Innes Neil B. Fitzgerald Poppy Miller Yolanda van Heezik |
| author_sort | Kim F. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A barrier to successful ecological restoration of urban green spaces in many cities is invasive mammalian predators. We determined the fine- and landscape-scale habitat characteristics associated with the presence of five urban predators (black and brown rats, European hedgehogs, house mice, and brushtail possums) in three New Zealand cities, in spring and autumn, in three green space types: forest fragments, amenity parks, and residential gardens. Season contributed to variations in detections for all five taxa. Rodents were detected least in residential gardens; mice were detected more often in amenity parks. Hedgehogs were detected least in forest fragments. Possums were detected most often in forest fragments and least often in residential gardens. Some of this variation was explained by our models. Proximity of amenity parks to forest patches was strongly associated with presence of possums (positively), hedgehogs (positively), and rats (negatively). Conversely, proximity of residential gardens to forest patches was positively associated with rat presence. Rats were associated with shrub and lower canopy cover and mice with herb layer cover. In residential gardens, rat detection was associated with compost heaps. Successful restoration of biodiversity in these cities needs extensive, coordinated predator control programmes that engage urban residents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:40:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eb1d6e8421db4ec5aaa3c2bf50ec9a72 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:40:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-eb1d6e8421db4ec5aaa3c2bf50ec9a722023-11-23T23:01:03ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-10-011110152710.3390/biology11101527Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat SelectionKim F. Miller0Deborah J. Wilson1Stephen Hartley2John G. Innes3Neil B. Fitzgerald4Poppy Miller5Yolanda van Heezik6Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandManaaki Whenua—Landcare Research, Private Bag 1930, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandCentre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New ZealandManaaki Whenua—Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandManaaki Whenua—Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandPlant & Food Research, 23 Batchelar Road, Palmerston North 4410, New ZealandDepartment of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandA barrier to successful ecological restoration of urban green spaces in many cities is invasive mammalian predators. We determined the fine- and landscape-scale habitat characteristics associated with the presence of five urban predators (black and brown rats, European hedgehogs, house mice, and brushtail possums) in three New Zealand cities, in spring and autumn, in three green space types: forest fragments, amenity parks, and residential gardens. Season contributed to variations in detections for all five taxa. Rodents were detected least in residential gardens; mice were detected more often in amenity parks. Hedgehogs were detected least in forest fragments. Possums were detected most often in forest fragments and least often in residential gardens. Some of this variation was explained by our models. Proximity of amenity parks to forest patches was strongly associated with presence of possums (positively), hedgehogs (positively), and rats (negatively). Conversely, proximity of residential gardens to forest patches was positively associated with rat presence. Rats were associated with shrub and lower canopy cover and mice with herb layer cover. In residential gardens, rat detection was associated with compost heaps. Successful restoration of biodiversity in these cities needs extensive, coordinated predator control programmes that engage urban residents.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/10/1527hedgehogbrushtail possumhouse mouseratcityresidential garden |
| spellingShingle | Kim F. Miller Deborah J. Wilson Stephen Hartley John G. Innes Neil B. Fitzgerald Poppy Miller Yolanda van Heezik Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection Biology hedgehog brushtail possum house mouse rat city residential garden |
| title | Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection |
| title_full | Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection |
| title_fullStr | Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection |
| title_short | Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection |
| title_sort | invasive urban mammalian predators distribution and multi scale habitat selection |
| topic | hedgehog brushtail possum house mouse rat city residential garden |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/10/1527 |
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