Objective
The introduction of alien species into some areas has had a devastating impact on the native biodiversity as they cause fundamental changes in ecosystems. In most cases, eradication is impossible; however, it is necessary to control alien species in order to preserve the native species. In many European countries a catastrophic decrease in water vole numbers has been observed after American mink invasion. In Scotland, water voles disappeared from a majority of lowland rivers and streams, although some small populations still persist in the uplands in area not invade by mink. Our hypothesis considers reducing the magnitude and spatial scale of mink encroachment to the uplands in order to protect water vole population.
The main goal of this project is to re-create and maintain areas where water vole populations can survive in protected refuges on the basis of metapopulation and population dynamic theory. We will investigate the influences of density and demographic parameters of a lowland American mink population on mink dispersal into the uplands, and the effect of culling operations in reducing dispersal rate. The present project will also determine whether culling operations that are being implemented in a collaborative effort between conservationists and shooting interests in NE Scotland have any impact on the population dynamics of mink. We will build a parameterising basic spatial stage structured model of mink population dynamic used in recent statistical developments - Markov Chain Monte Carlo. We will combine field surveys, radio-telemetry, live trapping and mink genotyping with an analysis of trapping records, sex- and age-structure, and reproductive status of mink carcasses collected from sport shooting in estates in NE Scotland. The main project output will be the establishment of efficient management strategies for water vole conservation affected by alien species which can also be applied in other areas with the same problem.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
ABERDEEN
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.