Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species,including the Critically Endangered ground lizard(Pholidoscelis atratus).Black rats(Rattus rattus)and domestic goats(Capra...Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species,including the Critically Endangered ground lizard(Pholidoscelis atratus).Black rats(Rattus rattus)and domestic goats(Capra hircus)were introduced to the island at some time after its discovery by Europeans in the late 1500s.They had a devastating effect on the island,resulting in the loss of nearly all trees and most of the ground vegetation.Point count surveys of P.atratus in 2012 indicated low densities,and the invasive rats were observed hunting and preying on the lizards.Both populations of rats and goats were successfully removed in 2017 as part of an ecological restoration program,and native vegetation and invertebrate populations have increased rapidly since.Population surveys in 2017,2018,and 2019 show the lizard population has increased by more than sixfold.In 2017,as rats and goats were being removed,we evaluated the morphology and escape behavior of this species and repeated these measurements 1 year later.We observed that P.atratus had become bolder,with a reduced flight distance.We also detected changes in limb morphology related to locomotion and suggest possible explanations that will need to be further investigated in the future.These results show how the removal of invasive species can rapidly affect lizard population recovery and behavior,potentially restoring island ecosystems to their pre-human interference dynamics.展开更多
基金This research was carried out under the auspices of the Redonda Restoration Programme,a collaborative program of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda,Environmental Awareness Group,British Mountaineering Council,Fauna&Flora International,Island Conservation and Wildlife Management International Ltd.Fieldwork between 2012 and 2019 was funded by grants from Darwin Initiative through UK Government funding(grant#23-003)Betty Liebert Trust,Disney Conservation Fund,Global Wildlife Conservation,National Fish&Wildlife Foundation(#51228)+2 种基金Taurus Foundation,and U.S.Fish andWildlife Service’s Neotropical Migratory Birds Conservation Act(grants#F10AP00785 and F17AP00667)with additional technical and material support from Caribbean Helicopters Ltd.and Syngenta Crop Protection AGSupport for field work for A.H.and C.M.D.was provided through the U.S.N.S.F.IOS-1354620 to J.LososA.H.A.H.and C.M.D.thank Ms.Nneka Nicholas(Department of Environment)for her assistance in procuring permits to conduct fieldwork.
文摘Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species,including the Critically Endangered ground lizard(Pholidoscelis atratus).Black rats(Rattus rattus)and domestic goats(Capra hircus)were introduced to the island at some time after its discovery by Europeans in the late 1500s.They had a devastating effect on the island,resulting in the loss of nearly all trees and most of the ground vegetation.Point count surveys of P.atratus in 2012 indicated low densities,and the invasive rats were observed hunting and preying on the lizards.Both populations of rats and goats were successfully removed in 2017 as part of an ecological restoration program,and native vegetation and invertebrate populations have increased rapidly since.Population surveys in 2017,2018,and 2019 show the lizard population has increased by more than sixfold.In 2017,as rats and goats were being removed,we evaluated the morphology and escape behavior of this species and repeated these measurements 1 year later.We observed that P.atratus had become bolder,with a reduced flight distance.We also detected changes in limb morphology related to locomotion and suggest possible explanations that will need to be further investigated in the future.These results show how the removal of invasive species can rapidly affect lizard population recovery and behavior,potentially restoring island ecosystems to their pre-human interference dynamics.
