Dietary shift of an invasive predator: rats, seabirds and sea turtles.

ABSTRACT: Rats have reached about 80% of the world's islands and are among the most successful invasive mammals. Rats are opportunistic predators that are notorious for their impact on a variety of animal and plant species. However, little documented evidence on the complexities of these interactions is available.In our study, we assessed the impact of black rats Rattus rattus introduced on a small uninhabited island with a relatively simple ecosystem, Surprise Island, New Caledonia. We also compared the diet of R. rattus in the presence and absence of breeding seabirds, assessing the dietary compensation for this potentially important food source. From 2002 to 2005, we used live trapping studies combined with stable isotope analysis and conventional diet analyses (direct observations, gut and faeca

SUBMITTER: Caut S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2326384 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature