T E R R E S T R I A L I N VA S I V E S P E C I E S A L T E R

M A R I N E V E R T E B R A T E B E H AV I O U R

Felix Sekar
TYBSc. Div. C
TS2223412
 Alternative Title
Invasive rats are changing how reef fish behave because
there's not enough bird poop
 Published on Jan. 5 in the
Journal Nature Ecology & Evolution
by
Rachel L. Gunn, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Nicholas
A. J. Graham, Ian R. Hartley, Adam C. Algar &
Sally A. Keith
 • Introduction - Abstract
Topics • Elements
• Analysis of the given data
• Methods
• Conclusion
• References
 INTRODUCTION - ABSTRACT

• Human-induced environmental changes, such as the introduction of invasive species, are

driving declines in nutrient inputs, which can have knock-on effects at higher trophic levels
and broader ecological scales.
• Black rats are terrestrial invasive sp. that disrupt a nutrient pathway provided by seabirds,
altering the territorial behaviour of coral reef fsh.
• Rat eradication as a conservation strategy has the potential to restore species interactions
via territoriality, which can scale up to infuence populations and communities at higher
ecological levels.
• Ten islands were studied across three atolls within the Chagos Archipelago. (where n = 5
rat-free islands & n = 5 rat-infested islands)
• Seabird densities on rat-free islands are up to 720 times higher.
• The nitrogen input provided by seabirds was 251 times greater, than around rat-infested
islands.
• An area of 60 damselfish territories were calculated (n = 30 around islands with seabirds, n
= 30 around islands with rats).
• Aggressive behaviour of 57 of these 60 individuals were recorded (n = 28 around islands
with seabirds, n = 29 around islands with rats).
 Organisms of interest

Rat
Rattus rattus
Seabirds Jewel Damselfish
Plectro-glyphi-dodon lacry-matus
• KINGDOM - ANIMALIA
• P H Y L U M - C H O R D ATA
• CLASS - MAMMALIA
• ORDER - RODENTIA
• GENUS - Ratus
• SPECIES - rattus

Status - Problematic

-ve Affect on Nutrient

pathway
Invasive
Predator
Sea birds of Chagos

Status - The KEYSTONE Sp.' poop

Enhanced
coral growth
δ15N

+ve affect on reef fish

growth
Provides Nutrient
Pathway
• KINGDOM - ANIMALIA
• P H Y L U M - C H O R D ATA
• C L A S S - A C T I N O P T E RY G I I
• ORDER - POMACENTRIDAE
• GENUS - Plectro-glyphi-dodon
• SPECIES - lacrymatus

Status - The Victim.

Always angry
Hates Intruder
Algae Farmer
 The Ultimate Villian
• Anthropogenic activities have limited the flow of naturally
occurring nutrients between animals to 6% of historic values.
• Certain human-induced environmental changes might
enhance the nutrient load to an ecosystem.
• While some can have a detrimental influence on the resources
that organisms can use.
• At first the organisms adapt to human-induced environmental
change.
• What follows is quick behavioural alterations that minimise
the organism's resource demand, such as changes in foraging
behaviour, aggression, and territoriality.
• The transport of naturally occurring nutrients between habitats and ecosystems is a
powerful productivity driver that can have an impact on community dynamics.
• Animals can significantly contribute to an ecosystem's nutrition budget.
• Changes
 Ecosystem-level
consequences

Territory size ELEMENTS Aggression

Nutritional
Resources
 Rat infested islands

Ecosystem level
consequences

Territory size Nutritional

Aggression
 NUTRITIONAL SOURCES
• Guano contains a high level of δ15N.
• δ15N act as an indicator of seabird-derived nutrient subsidies and source quality.
• Turf algae was higher in rat-free islands or sea bird-rich islands.
• It had 0.83 posterior probability.
• No invasive sp. + No human interference = higher seabird nutrient subsidies + higher
nutritional enrichment of algae + high nutritional gain per unit of foraging effort of fish.
• The nutritional value of algal resources can influence the trade-off between territory
size and quality.
 TERRITORY SIZE

• In rat free islands - Greater the nutritional gain per unit

foraging effort, smaller the territory.
• In rat infested islands- Greater need for turf algae and
larger territory to maximize nutritional gain.
 AGGRESSION

• In rat-free islands - more aggressive since algae are

guano rich and hence needs to be conserved by the
fish.
• In rat-infested islands- less aggressive and sluggish
since algae are less nutritious to defend.
 ECOSYSTEM LEVEL CONSEQUENCES
• Increased ecosystem function in rat-free islands.
• Spatial organization of Damselfish and other interspecific species is affected in rat-
infested islands.
• Corals are affected due to the alteration of territory (of damselfish).
• Impacting benthic and reef fish community composition, populations, biodiversity, and
subsequently ecosystem function and resilience.
 Site & Species study

Behavioral observations

Benthic composition

Methods
Isotope sampling

Territory mapping

Statistical analysis

Territory size and

aggression between island
types

Territory size and

aggression within island
types

Nutritional resources
 90%
O F A L L I S L A N D S I N T H E W O R L D A R E R AT I N F E S T E D !

1 IN 3
S E A B I R D S P. A R E T H R E AT N E D B E C A U S E O F R AT S !

THE GREAT AUK

A F L I G H T L E S S N O RT H AT L A N T I C B I R D , W E N T E X T I N C T
B E C A U S E O F R AT S ! !
SOLUTION?
Eradicate the rodents
INVASIVE SPEICES IN INDIA
 https://www.livingoceansfoundation.org/seabirds-chagos-islands/
https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/372
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201008-palmyra-how-tropical-islands-got-rid-of-their-rats
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201008-palmyra-how-tropical-islands-got-rid-of-their-rats