Surrogate rearing a keystone species to enhance population and ecosystem restoration
Surrogate rearing a keystone species to enhance population and ecosystem restoration
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DOI：
10.1017/s0030605319000346
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发表时间：
2021-07-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Van Houtan, Kyle S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mayer, Karl A.;Tinker, M. Tim;Van Houtan, Kyle S.
迁移和恢复方案是野生动物保护的重要工具。当这些方法被整合到一个加强人口或生态系统恢复的综合战略中时，会产生更大的影响。在2002-2016年期间，我们饲养了37只孤儿南部海獭Enhydra lutris nereis幼仔，使用圈养海獭作为代孕母亲，然后将它们释放到退化的沿海河口。作为一个关键物种，观察到的当地海獭种群的增加带来了许多生态系统的好处。然而，代理人饲养的水獭在这一成功故事中所扮演的角色仍然不确定。为了解决这个问题，我们开发了一个基于个人的本地人口模型，使用调查的个人命运（生存和繁殖）的代理饲养和野生捕获的水獭，并模拟移民的估计。从十年的人口监测得出的估计表明，代理人饲养的海獭和野生海獭有相似的生殖率和存活率。在所有年龄（1-13岁）和评价地点的男性和女性中均如此。模型模拟表明，重建计数的野生人口最好的解释是由代理饲养水獭结合低水平的无人协助的移民。此外，该模型显示，在此期间观察到的人口增长的55%是由于代理饲养水獭及其野生后代。总之，我们的研究结果表明，代孕方法和重新引入青少年海獭的整合有助于建立一个生物学上成功的种群，并恢复曾经受损的生态系统。
Translocation and rehabilitation programmes are critical tools for wildlife conservation. These methods achieve greater impact when integrated in a combined strategy for enhancing population or ecosystem restoration. During 2002-2016 we reared 37 orphaned southern sea otter Enhydra lutris nereis pups, using captive sea otters as surrogate mothers, then released them into a degraded coastal estuary. As a keystone species, observed increases in the local sea otter population unsurprisingly brought many ecosystem benefits. The role that surrogate-reared otters played in this success story, however, remained uncertain. To resolve this, we developed an individual-based model of the local population using surveyed individual fates (survival and reproduction) of surrogate-reared and wild-captured otters, and modelled estimates of immigration. Estimates derived from a decade of population monitoring indicated that surrogate-reared and wild sea otters had similar reproductive and survival rates. This was true for males and females, across all ages (1-13 years) and locations evaluated. The model simulations indicated that reconstructed counts of the wild population are best explained by surrogate-reared otters combined with low levels of unassisted immigration. In addition, the model shows that 55% of observed population growth over this period is attributable to surrogate-reared otters and their wild progeny. Together, our results indicate that the integration of surrogacy methods and reintroduction of juvenile sea otters helped establish a biologically successful population and restore a once-impaired ecosystem.