Trophic niche changes associated with the eradication of invasive mammals in an insular lizard:an assessment using isotopes

Sara F.NUNES ¹Mário MOTA-FERREIRA ²Marta SAMPAIO ³Joana ANDRADE ⁴Nuno OLIVEIRA ⁴Rui REBELO ¹Ricardo ROCHA⁵

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作者信息

1. Faculty of Sciences,Centre for Ecology,Evolution and Environmental Changes,University of Lisbon,Lisbon,1749-016,Portugal
2. CIBI0-InBI0,Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources,University of Porto,Vair?o,4485-661,Portugal;CIBI0-InBI0,Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources,Institute of Agronomy,University of Lisbon,Lisbon,1349-017,Portugal
3. CIBI0-InBI0,Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources,University of Porto,Vair?o,4485-661,Portugal
4. Sociedade Portuguesa Para o Estudo das Aves,Av.Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro,87,3° Andar,Lisboa,1070-062,Portugal
5. Faculty of Sciences,Centre for Ecology,Evolution and Environmental Changes,University of Lisbon,Lisbon,1749-016,Portugal;CIBI0-InBI0,Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources,University of Porto,Vair?o,4485-661,Portugal;CIBI0-InBI0,Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources,Institute of Agronomy,University of Lisbon,Lisbon,1349-017,Portugal
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Abstract

Invasive species are a major threat to island biodiversity,and their eradications have substantially contributed to the conservation of island endemics.However,the consequences of eradications on the trophic ecology of native taxa are largely unexplored.Here,we used the eradication of invasive black rats Rattus rattus and European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus from the Berlenga Island,in the western coast of Portugal,as a whole-ecosystem experiment to investigate the effects of the eradication of invasive mammals on the trophic niche and body dimensions of the island-restricted Berlenga wall lizard Podarcis carbonelli berlengensis over a 2-year period.Our results suggest an expansion of the isotopic niche and an intensification of the sexual dimorphism of the lizard following mammal eradication.Additionally,we found considerable variability in isotopic niche across the island and detected evidence of sex-specific and season-modulated nutritional requirements of this threatened reptile.Our findings support that the eradication of 2 of the planets most problematic invasive vertebrates led to changes in the lizard trophic niche and sexual dimorphism in just 2 years.This suggests that the ecological pressuresfor example,prey availability and habitat structureto which lizards are exposed have substantially changed post-eradication.Our study emphasizes the scientific value of island eradications as experiments to address a wide range of ecological questions and adds to the increasing body of evidence supporting substantial conservation gains associated with these restoration interventions.

Key words

food-webs/invasive species eradication/Oryctolagus cuniculus/Podarcis carbonelli berlengensis/Rattus rattus/trophic seasonality

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基金项目

Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology to R.Rebelo(UID/BIA/00329/2019)

M.Mota-Ferreira(SFRH/BD/95202/2013)

ARDITI―Madeira's Regional Agency for the Development of Research,Technology and Innovation(M1420-09-5369-FSE-000002)

LIFE+Berlengas project.M.Mota-Ferreira was also supported by the Interreg Europe project INVALIS-Protecting European Biodive(PGI05271)

ICNF permits(682/2016/CAPT)

ICNF permits(923/2018/CAPT)

出版年

2022

动物学报(英文版)

中国科学院动物研究所,中国动物学会

动物学报(英文版)

CSCDSCI

影响因子：0.198

ISSN：1674-5507

参考文献量1

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