Cel 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. Dziedzina nauki social sciencessociologydemographymedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems Słowa kluczowe American mink Invasive species demography dispersal pest population dynamice Program(-y) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Temat(-y) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Zaproszenie do składania wniosków FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5 Zobacz inne projekty w ramach tego zaproszenia System finansowania EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Koordynator THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN Wkład UE Brak danych Adres Kings College ABERDEEN Zjednoczone Królestwo Zobacz na mapie Linki Strona internetowa Opens in new window Koszt całkowity Brak danych
