Potential benefits to breeding seabirds of converting abandoned coconut plantations to native habitats after invasive predator eradication
Potential benefits to breeding seabirds of converting abandoned coconut plantations to native habitats after invasive predator eradication
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DOI：
10.1111/rec.13386
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发表时间：
2021-07-04
影响因子：
3.2
通讯作者：
Nicoll, Malcolm A. C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Carr, Peter;Trevail, Alice;Nicoll, Malcolm A. C.
在许多太平洋和印度洋岛屿上，人类的殖民带来了入侵物种，当地植被遭到破坏，椰子种植园，导致海鸟数量大量减少。此后，海洋岛屿上的椰子产业崩溃了，留下了改变的、贫困的生态系统。许多岛屿恢复项目消灭入侵物种，特别是老鼠，目的是恢复海鸟驱动的生态系统。然而，如果不把废弃的种植园变成有利于海鸟繁殖的生境，海鸟驱动的生态系统在消灭老鼠后可能无法完全恢复。在这里，我们量化，并通过资源选择功能，确认在查戈斯群岛海鸟栖息地的选择，估计潜在的差异，繁殖丰度后，老鼠根除和没有积极管理废弃的种植园。使用硬币岛作为我们的主要例子，我们估计，在消灭老鼠，但没有种植园转换，这个岛屿可能支持4，306（+/- 93）对繁殖海鸟;如果恢复到相关的无鼠岛屿的栖息地代表，138，878（+/-1，299）对。如果将1平方公里的种植园转化为0.5平方公里的原始森林和热带稀树草原，理论上可以支持319，762（+/-2，279）对繁殖配对-比目前整个群岛的数量还要多。我们的研究表明，在查戈斯群岛设定恢复目标时，至少55%的恢复栖息地应该由原生森林和稀树草原组成，以支持一个可行的海鸟群落。我们的研究增强了在热带景观中成功恢复海鸟岛屿的前景，并为本地生物多样性带来更广泛的利益。
On many Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, colonization by humans brought invasive species, native vegetation destruction, and coconut plantations, leading to the decimation of seabird populations. The coconut industry on oceanic islands has since crashed, leaving the legacy of altered, impoverished ecosystems. Many island restoration projects eradicate invasive species, particularly rats, with the goal of restoring seabird-driven ecosystems. However, in the absence of converting abandoned plantations to habitat conducive to breeding seabirds, seabird-driven ecosystems may not fully recover after rat eradication. Here we quantify and, by resource selection function, confirm seabird habitat selection within the Chagos Archipelago, before estimating the potential difference in breeding abundance following rat eradication with and without active management of abandoned plantations. Using Ile du Coin as our primary example, we estimate that following rat eradication, but without plantation conversion, this island could potentially support 4,306 (+/- 93) pairs of breeding seabird; if restored to habitat representative of associated rat-free islands, 138,878 (+/- 1,299) pairs. If 1 km(2) of plantation is converted to produce 0.5 km(2) each of native forest and savanna, it could theoretically support 319,762 (+/- 2,279) breeding pairs-more than the entire archipelago at present. Our research indicates that when setting restoration goals in the Chagos Archipelago, at least 55% of the restored habitat should be composed of native forest and savanna in order to support a viable seabird community. Our research enhances the prospects of successfully restoring seabird islands across the tropical landscape with wider benefits to native biodiversity.