Rats on islands disrupt ecosystems from land to sea, resear... ( SANTA CRUZ CA--Seabird colonies on i...)

Rats on islands disrupt ecosystems from land to sea, researchers find

Date:2/25/2008

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Seabird colonies on islands are highly vulnerable to introduced rats, which find the ground-nesting birds to be easy prey. But the ecological impacts of rats on islands extend far beyond seabird nesting colonies, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The study, which will be published the week of February 25, 2008, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has already helped make the case for the first major rat eradication effort in the Aleutian Islands. Planned to begin this summer, the project will target rats on the appropriately named Rat Island.

The UCSC researchers found that the presence of rats on islands in the Aleutian Archipelago dramatically alters the intertidal zone, reducing the amount of seaweed and increasing the numbers of snails, barnacles, and other invertebrates. These changes result from the decimation of seabird populations by the rats, according to graduate student Carolyn Kurle, who led the study.

"When you're on an island with rats, there are so few birds it's silent, in contrast to the cacophony on the islands without rats," Kurle said.

Some of the affected birds--sea gulls and oystercatchers, in particular--are major predators of invertebrates in the intertidal zone. In their absence, the snails, limpets, and other grazers increase in abundance, eat more algae, and clear more space for other invertebrates to settle and grow. The result is a shoreline practically stripped bare of the usual cover of fleshy algae (i.e., seaweed).

"Where there are no rats, we found plenty of birds, fewer invertebrates, and a lot more algal cover," Kurle said.

Kurle's coauthors are associate professor Donald Croll and assistant adjunct professor Bernie Tershy of UCSC's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Croll and Tershy are also the cofounders of Island Conservation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the
'/>"/>

Contact: Tim Stephens
stephens@ucsc.edu
831-459-2495
University of California - Santa Cruz
Source:Eurekalert

1

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3
Related biology news :

1. First wind turbines on Galapagos Islands will halve diesel imports, reduce risk of future oil spills
2. Disrupting common parasites ability to talk to each other reduces infection
3. Climate gas could disrupt food chain
4. City birds better than rural species in coping with human disruption
5. Adapting local ecosystems can soften impact of global climate change
6. Map is first to track global human influences on ocean ecosystems
7. First map of threats to marine ecosystems shows all the worlds oceans are affected
8. Resilience concepts poised to aid management of coastal marine ecosystems
9. At the root of nutrient limitation, ecosystems are not as different as they seem
10. Genetically engineered corn may harm stream ecosystems
11. Study shows genetically engineered corn could affect aquatic ecosystems

Post Your Comments:

(Date:5/24/2013)... non-coding RNAs are small molecules that help control ... they have emerged as disease biomarkers. miRNA profiles ... cancers of unknown primary origin, determine prognosis, monitor ... tractable, diagnostic methods for monitoring miRNA expression in ... issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation ...

(Date:5/24/2013)... 500 leading water scientists from around the world today ... the short span of one or two generations, the ... be living under the handicap of severe pressure on ... there is no substitute. This handicap will be self-inflicted ... bluntly pointed to chronic underlying problems led by mismanagement ...

(Date:5/23/2013)... Laboratory honored more than 165 staff for their ... PNNL,s annual Intellectual Property Commercialization Recognition & Rewards ... national laboratory named materials scientist Jun Liu Inventor ... materials that can store large amounts of energy, ... the time it takes to charge cell phones, ...

Breaking Biology News(10 mins):A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists 2 A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists 3 A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists 4 PNNL staff recognized for scientific accomplishments, moving technologies into the marketplace 2

[0] New fluorescent tools for cancer diagnosis [0] A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists [1] PNNL staff recognized for scientific accomplishments, moving technologies into the marketplace

... COLUMBIA, Mo. An incurable, paralyzing disease in humans is ... Researchers from the University of Missouri and the Broad ... degenerative myelopathy (DM) in dogs is the same mutation ... also known as Lou Gehrig,s Disease. As a result ...

... insecticide used to fumigate termite-infested buildings is a strong ... times longer than previously thought, UC Irvine research has ... the atmosphere at least 30-40 years and perhaps as ... lifetime at as low as five years, grossly underestimating ...

... the University of Leicester has published research which looks into ... being exposed to. Research published today (Jan 20) ... Archives of Disease in Childhood documents the non-drug ... as part of their medical care. The study led ...

Cached Biology News:Researchers genetically link Lou Gehrig's disease in humans to dog disease 2 Termite insecticide a potent greenhouse gas 2 Research exposes the risk to infants from the chemicals used in liquid medicines 2 Research exposes the risk to infants from the chemicals used in liquid medicines 3

Researchers genetically link Lou Gehrig's disease in humans to dog disease Termite insecticide a potent greenhouse gas Research exposes the risk to infants from the chemicals used in liquid medicines

(Date:5/23/2013)... (PRWEB) May 23, 2013 Graphite ... self-lubricating bushings mounted in stainless steel pillow ... properties of GRAPHALLOY with the application and installation ... Steel Pillow Blocks work exceptionally well when ... or hostile liquids such as acids, alkalies, hydrocarbons, ...

(Date:5/23/2013)... , May 23, 2013 Rahal Letterman Lanigan ... human cord blood stem cell banking and therapeutics, announced ... the No. 16 Acorn Stairlifts Indy car driven by ... the remainder of the IZOD IndyCar 2013 season. ... will work to support awareness of umbilical cord blood ...

(Date:5/23/2013)... , May 23, 2013 VG Energy, ... alliance with DAK Renewable Research to conduct field ... yield. VG Energy is a majority owned subsidiary ... VG Energy,s exclusively licensed compound LipidMax ... oil yield in plants, possessing a wide variety ...

(Date:5/23/2013)... Pa. , May 23, 2013 ... research and advisory firms for specialized biopharmaceutical issues, ... hepatologists, and infectious disease specialists reported that in ... patients (e.g., intentionally delaying treatment) in anticipation of ... than six months ago, when only 6 percent ...

Breaking Biology Technology:Graphite Metallizing Now Offers GRAPHALLOY® Stainless Steel Pillow Blocks for Success in Submersible Applications 2 Graphite Metallizing Now Offers GRAPHALLOY® Stainless Steel Pillow Blocks for Success in Submersible Applications 3 StemCyte, Inc. Joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing As Associate Sponsor Of No. 16 IndyCar Program For James Jakes Beginning With The 97th Indianapolis 500 2 StemCyte, Inc. Joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing As Associate Sponsor Of No. 16 IndyCar Program For James Jakes Beginning With The 97th Indianapolis 500 3 VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials 2 VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials 3 The Majority of Physicians that Treat Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Have Begun "Warehousing" and Preparing Their HCV Patients for the Next Generation of HCV Treatments 2 The Majority of Physicians that Treat Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Have Begun "Warehousing" and Preparing Their HCV Patients for the Next Generation of HCV Treatments 3

[0] Graphite Metallizing Now Offers GRAPHALLOY® Stainless Steel Pillow Blocks for Success in Submersible Applications [0] StemCyte, Inc. Joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing As Associate Sponsor Of No. 16 IndyCar Program For James Jakes Beginning With The 97th Indianapolis 500 [0] VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials [0] The Majority of Physicians that Treat Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Have Begun "Warehousing" and Preparing Their HCV Patients for the Next Generation of HCV Treatments

... Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY ), the ... to September 30, 2011. Financial Highlights Q3 ... +24% Non GAAP operating income $341 million +15% US GAAP ... ADS $1.28 +10% US GAAP diluted earnings per ADS $1.02 ...

... of Colorado Boulder study shows that huge amounts of ... promote healthy heart growth, results that may have implications ... Leinwand and her research team found the amount of ... oils -- in the blood of Burmese pythons one ...

... at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a ... a key ingredient found in many explosives. ... on paper or paper-like material using standard inkjet technology, ... to the presence of explosives, such as improvised explosive ...

Shire plc: Continued Strong Product Sales Performance in Q3: On Track to Deliver Significant 2011 Earnings Growth CU-Boulder python study may have implications for human heart health Low-cost paper-based wireless sensor could help detect explosive devices

... new Hummingbird has the ability to quickly and ... makes it a perfect candidate for inclusion in ... OCX interface supplied with all the Cartesian products ... Hummingbirds ability to copy plates in seconds ...

Sigmas E-TOXATE (Limulus Amebocyte Lysate) test kits are intended for the detection and semiquantitation of endotoxins for research purposes. sensitivity 0.05-0.1 EU/mL...

... isolation chamber provides a safe, clean ... pharmaceuticals, in accord with USP-797 requirements. ... (ISO 5) cleanliness conditions in the ... rod and tilt-up front panel for ...

... Protein determined by Biuret. Physical ... (NH 4 ) 2 SO ... Note: Affinity purified • Physical ... Additives: MgCl 2 1 ...

Biology Products:

Hummingbird for Compound Library Management from Genomic Solutions Endotoxin Gel formation Assay Kit, E-TOXATE from Sigma-Aldrich Pharmaceutical Compounding Chamber from Terra Universal, Inc.Bovine Phosphatase, Alkaline bovine intestinal mucosa, Unconjugated from Sigma-Aldrich