Reducing harm to wildlife from rodent pest control strategies

背景目前控制啮齿动物害虫的策略对环境有很大的影响，依赖于对脊椎动物具有高度毒性的诱饵，并吸引非目标物种，如木鼠、田鼠和田鼠。这些毒素的高度持久性和生物积累导致鸟类和哺乳动物捕食者和食腐动物的广泛二次中毒1。例如，据报道，在英国，95%的谷仓猫头鹰2、70%的红风筝、67%的刺猬3和79%的臭鼬4中存在抗凝血剂灭鼠剂残留。本项目将重点研究如何减少非目标物种暴露于针对啮齿动物害虫的有害控制措施。主要目标将是-加深对非目标物种与入侵鼠类控制策略之间的相互作用以及对非目标物种的影响的了解。-开发新的方法来减轻灭鼠对非目标动物的影响。-通过实地测试和监测，展示新方法在现实世界中的有效性。学生将有机会进行行为调查，了解非目标接触情况，并建立潜在的缓解途径；开发和测试在自然和半自然条件下减少接触的有希望的方法；并监测和/或模拟自然种群的有效性。新颖性和时效性该项目解决了面对人为变化造成的日益严重的问题，迫切需要降低野生动物啮齿动物控制成本的问题。尽管自然环境受到广泛污染，但由于需要有效控制高度入侵的啮齿动物，对剧毒抗凝血灭鼠剂的依赖依然存在。该项目将建立在宿主实验室的一些有希望的研究的基础上，这些研究可能有助于减少对野生动物的有害成本。《生物科学》66：401-72 https://pbms.ceh.ac.uk3 Dowdling等人(2010年)环境污染158：161-塞恩斯伯里等人(2018年)环境污染

BackgroundCurrent strategies to control rodent pests have substantial environmental impact, relying on baits that are highly toxic to vertebrates and attract non-target species such as wood mice, bank voles and field voles. High persistence of these toxins and bioaccumulation then leads to widespread secondary poisoning of avian and mammalian predators and scavengers1. For example, anticoagulant rodenticide residues have been reported in 95% of barn owls2, 70% of red kites, 67% of hedgehogs3 and 79% of polecats4 in the UK.ObjectivesThis project will focus on ways to reduce the exposure of non-target species to harmful control measures aimed at rodent pests. Key objectives will be to- Improve understanding of the interactions between non-target species and invasive rodent control strategies, and the impacts on non-target species.- Develop new approaches to mitigate the impact of rodent control on non-target animals.- Demonstrate the effectiveness of new approaches in real world situations through field testing and monitoring.The student will have opportunities to carry out behavioural investigations to understand non-target exposure and establish potential avenues for mitigation; to develop and test promising approaches to reduce exposure under natural and semi-natural conditions; and to monitor and/or model effectiveness in natural populations.Novelty & TimelinessThe project addresses an urgent need to reduce the costs of rodent control for wildlife in the face of increasing problems due to anthropogenic change. Reliance on highly toxic anticoagulant rodenticides persists, despite widespread contamination of the natural environment, because of the need for effective control of highly invasive rodents. The project will build on some promising research in the host laboratory that could help reduce the harmful costs to wildlife.1 Elliott JE et al. (2016) Bioscience 66:401-72 https://pbms.ceh.ac.uk3 Dowdling et al (2010) Environmental Pollution 158:161-64 Sainsbury et al (2018) Environmental Pollution I236:689-98