Large-scale structure of brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) populations in England: effects on rodenticide resistance.

ABSTRACT: The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a relatively recent (<300 years) addition to the British fauna, but by association with negative impacts on public health, animal health and agriculture, it is regarded as one of the most important vertebrate pest species. Anticoagulant rodenticides were introduced for brown rat control in the 1950s and are widely used for rat control in the UK, but long-standing resistance has been linked to control failures in some regions. One thus far ignored aspect of resistance biology is the population structure of the brown rat. This paper investigates the role population structure has on the development of anticoagulant resistance. Using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA, we examined 186 individuals (from 15 counties in England and one location in Wales near

SUBMITTER: Haniza MZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4675108 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature