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LETTER

Unexpected consequences of control: competitive vs. predator release in a four-species assemblage of invasive mammals

  1. Wendy A. Ruscoe1,*,
  2. David S. L. Ramsey2,
  3. Roger P. Pech1,
  4. Peter J. Sweetapple1,
  5. Ivor Yockney1,
  6. Mandy C. Barron1,
  7. Mike Perry1,
  8. Graham Nugent1,
  9. Roger Carran1,
  10. Rodney Warne3,
  11. Chris Brausch4,
  12. Richard P. Duncan1,5

Article first published online: 1 AUG 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01673.x

Issue

Ecology Letters

Ecology Letters

Volume 14, Issue 10, pages 1035–1042, October 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ruscoe, W. A., Ramsey, D. S. L., Pech, R. P., Sweetapple, P. J., Yockney, I., Barron, M. C., Perry, M., Nugent, G., Carran, R., Warne, R., Brausch, C. and Duncan, R. P. (2011), Unexpected consequences of control: competitive vs. predator release in a four-species assemblage of invasive mammals. Ecology Letters, 14: 1035–1042. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01673.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand

  2. 2

    Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, PO Box 137, Heidelberg Vic. 3084, Australia

  3. 3

    Department of Conservation, PO Box 462, New Plymouth 4320, New Zealand

  4. 4

    Bushwork Contracting, RD2 Katikati, New Zealand

  5. 5

    Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, PO Box 84, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand

*E-mail: ruscoew@landcareresearch.co.nz

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 SEP 2011
  2. Article first published online: 1 AUG 2011
  3. Editor, Franck Courchamp Manuscript received 13 April 2011 First decision made 19 May 2011 Manuscript accepted 5 July 2011

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Keywords:

  • Competition;
  • food webs;
  • mark recapture;
  • Bayesian analysis;
  • pest control;
  • predation;
  • trophic cascades

Ecology Letters (2011) 14: 1035–1042

Abstract

Invasive species are frequently the target of eradication or control programmes to mitigate their impacts. However, manipulating single species in isolation can lead to unexpected consequences for other species, with outcomes such as mesopredator release demonstrated both theoretically and empirically in vertebrate assemblages with at least two trophic levels. Less is known about the consequences of species removal in more complex assemblages where a greater number of interacting invaders increases the potential for selective species removal to result in unexpected changes in community structure. Using a replicated Before-After Control-Impact field experiment with a four-species assemblage of invasive mammals we show that species interactions in the community are dominated by competition rather than predation. There was no measurable response of two mesopredators (rats and mice) following control of the top predator (stoats), but there was competitive release of rats following removal of a herbivore (possums), and competitive release of mice following removal of rats.

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