Navigation Links
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

0

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:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:7/25/2008)..., Arizona,s state soil, "Casa Grande," is featu...! The Secrets of Soil," at the Smithsonian,s Natur... will travel to museums across the country from 20... along with the President of the Soil Science Soci...cuss the new "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil" exhibit...
(Date:7/25/2008)..., Researchers, growers and Industry specialists f...nto the use of Brassica species, such as mustard...and weeds a technique known as biofumigation. ,...t suppress pests and pathogens, principally isothi...e as the ,hot, flavour in mustard or horseradish,"...
(Date:7/24/2008)..., A multi-institutional team led by Massachusetts...d a powerful new tool for genomic research and med...zymes that can target particular DNA sequences for... Molecular Cell, the researchers describe an eff...omized zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), which can be ...
(Date:7/24/2008)..., An infection due to a virus called cytomegalovi... compromised immune systems, can also affect hospi...tem problems, University of Washington researchers... longer hospital and intensive-care unit (ICU) sta...tudy, published July 23 in JAMA , the Journal of...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Consortium develops new method enabling routine targeted gene modification 2CMV infections affect more than just patients with compromised immune systems, researchers find 2Wyeth Announces Election of Timothy P Cost as Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs 3046 1Wyeth Announces Election of Timothy P Cost as Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs 3046 2Brain Injury May Not Erase Long Term Memory 11090 1Brain Injury May Not Erase Long Term Memory 11090 2Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 1Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 2Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 3Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 4Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 5Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 6Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 7Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 8Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 9Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 10Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 11Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 12Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 13Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 14Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 15Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 16Edwards Lifesciences Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Sales 11087 17California Department of Social Services Announces Improved Access to Disability Payments to Homeless Individuals 11083 1California Department of Social Services Announces Improved Access to Disability Payments to Homeless Individuals 11083 2
...ng multi-disciplinary analysis that included cogni...echniques, the team found both a low-level viral i...filtrated the brain in order to protect against th...ain immune cells achieve a level of control of the...ys Howard Fox, associate professor at Scripps Rese...
...ng multi-disciplinary analysis that included cogni...echniques, the team found both a low-level viral i...filtrated the brain in order to protect against th...ain immune cells achieve a level of control of the...ys Howard Fox, associate professor at Scripps Rese...
...expertise is being exported to North America to he... in as little as 30 years time. , Researchers fro..., working with The University of Arizona in the US... time will pinpoint the biggest threats to the rar...del are published in the academic journal Biologic...
... sweetgum tree grows widely throughout the country... are sometimes called "gumballs." Now, this spiny ... needed to make a lifesaving drug against bird flu...de, researchers say. , Chemists have found that th...amounts of shikimic acid, the starting material us...
Other Biology News:Experimental vaccine protects nonhuman primates when given after exposure to Marburg virus 2Immune response to HIV in the brain 2Computers to save unique type of American red squirrel 2Computers to save unique type of American red squirrel 3Sweetgum tree could help lessen shortage of bird flu drug 2
(Date:7/24/2008)...ows hospital physicians, pulmonary and critical ca... about overuse of antibiotics, DURHAM, N.C., July...two,surveys, fielded during conferences of the Ame...icine, that show how hospitalists, pulmonary and,c...mous in their view that,new methods and technologi...
(Date:7/24/2008)..., July 24 /- Glasses embedded with a ...h impaired vision to drive and do,other activities...esearch,Institute scientists describe the advantag...s in an article published in the May/June issue of...rs in print form this,month., "This new design ha...
(Date:7/24/2008)...TON, Mass., July 24 /- Instrumentatio...Inc., a leading supply chain services,company, has...ering its,critical care products and services. Bro...nts more than 915 acute care hospitals, more than ...00 physician practices., The contract covers IL,s...
(Date:7/24/2008)...RK, July 24 /- American Ori...ounced that it plans to release,second quarter 200...ter the,market closes., The Company will hold a c... discuss its fiscal second quarter 2008 results. L...9816 or 1-617-847-8705 for,international callers, ...
Breaking Biology Technology:U.S. Clinicians Indicate a Strong Need for New Tools to Combat Sepsis 2U.S. Clinicians Indicate a Strong Need for New Tools to Combat Sepsis 3Telescope Embedded in Spectacle Lens Promises to Make Driving Easier for Visually Impaired 2Telescope Embedded in Spectacle Lens Promises to Make Driving Easier for Visually Impaired 3Instrumentation Laboratory Announces Contract for Multi-Parameter Testing Products with Broadlane 2
...Stacy L. Deeds, and Edward J. Weinstein , ...een utilized in small to large scale screening pr... perform gene-silencing experiments in timeframes ...siRNA screens have become fairly common, large sca...ages of shRNA-based experiments include long-term...
...oduction , With the introduction of two... ODS-100V and TSKgel ODS-100Z, excellent chroma...an be achieved for a wide range of sample types. T...based on a spherical, five micron, silica gel , ...erivatized with difunctional , octadecylm...
...gley, Tosoh Bioscience LLC, Tatsunari Yoshida, Tos...tract: , The TSKgel Amide-80 column pro... peptides in hydrophilic interaction chromatogr...ties bonded to a silica base material. , ...ion of peptides with many acidic and basic residue...
...z Esser, multiBIND biotec GmbH, , ..., Prof. Dr. Thomas Lisowsky, multiBIND biote... Advanced experiments in gene technology demonstr...s,are sufficient to cause infections, recombinat...onally, the,complete decontamination of equipmen...
Other Biology Technology:A Screen of shRNAs Targeting Tumor Suppressor Genes to Identify Factors Involved in Paclitaxel Sensitivity 2A Screen of shRNAs Targeting Tumor Suppressor Genes to Identify Factors Involved in Paclitaxel Sensitivity 3A Screen of shRNAs Targeting Tumor Suppressor Genes to Identify Factors Involved in Paclitaxel Sensitivity 4A Screen of shRNAs Targeting Tumor Suppressor Genes to Identify Factors Involved in Paclitaxel Sensitivity 5A Screen of shRNAs Targeting Tumor Suppressor Genes to Identify Factors Involved in Paclitaxel Sensitivity 6Unique Surface Treatment of Novel TSK-GEL ODS Columns Provide Separation of Aqueous and Fat Soluble Vitamins 2Unique Surface Treatment of Novel TSK-GEL ODS Columns Provide Separation of Aqueous and Fat Soluble Vitamins 3Separation of Peptides by Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Using TSKgel Amide-80 2Separation of Peptides by Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Using TSKgel Amide-80 3Separation of Peptides by Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Using TSKgel Amide-80 4New Insights Into DNA Decontamination 2New Insights Into DNA Decontamination 3New Insights Into DNA Decontamination 4New Insights Into DNA Decontamination 5
streptavidin, Alexa Fluor® 750–allophycocyanin conjugate (Alexa Fluor® 750–allophycocyanin streptavidin) *1 mg/mL*
Biotin-OSu is used to label proteins, immunological agents, DNA and synthetic oligonucleotides. Biotin labeling is detected through enzymatically labeled avidin or streptavidin proteins that conforma
RAT ANTI MOUSE JAM-2 Immunogen: Recombinant soluble JAM-2
Normal Hamster Serum from Equitech-Bio
Biology Products: