Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz

Invasive mammal eradication on islands results in substantial conservation gains.

Significance Global conservation actions to prevent or slow extinctions and protect biodiversity are costly. However, few conservation actions have been evaluated for their efficacy globally, hampering the prioritization of conservation actions. Islands are key areas for biodiversity conservation because they are home to more than 15% of terrestrial species and more than one-third of critically endangered species; nearly two-thirds of recent extinctions were of island species. This research quantifies the benefits to native island fauna of removing invasive mammals from islands. Our results highlight the importance of this conservation measure for protecting the worlds most threatened species. More than US

High-impact Conservation: Invasive Mammal Eradications from the Islands of Western Mexico

21 billion is spent annually on biodiversity conservation. Despite their importance for preventing or slowing extinctions and preserving biodiversity, conservation interventions are rarely assessed systematically for their global impact. Islands house a disproportionately higher amount of biodiversity compared with mainlands, much of which is highly threatened with extinction. Indeed, island species make up nearly two-thirds of recent extinctions. Islands therefore are critical targets of conservation. We used an extensive literature and database review paired with expert interviews to estimate the global benefits of an increasingly used conservation action to stem biodiversity loss: eradication of invasive mammals on islands. We found 236 native terrestrial insular faunal species (596 populations) that benefitted through positive demographic and/or distributional responses from 251 eradications of invasive mammals on 181 islands. Seven native species (eight populations) were negatively impacted by invasive mammal eradication. Four threatened species had their International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List extinction-risk categories reduced as a direct result of invasive mammal eradication, and no species moved to a higher extinction-risk category. We predict that 107 highly threatened birds, mammals, and reptiles on the IUCN Red List—6% of all these highly threatened species—likely have benefitted from invasive mammal eradications on islands. Because monitoring of eradication outcomes is sporadic and limited, the impacts of global eradications are likely greater than we report here. Our results highlight the importance of invasive mammal eradication on islands for protecting the worlds most imperiled fauna.

Transboundary seabird conservation in an important North American marine ecoregion

Abstract Islands harbor a disproportionate amount of the earths biodiversity, but a significant portion has been lost due in large part to the impacts of invasive mammals. Fortunately, invasive mammals can be routinely removed from islands, providing a powerful tool to prevent extinctions and restore ecosystems. Given that invasive mammals are still present on more than 80% of the worlds major islands groups and remain a premier threat to the earths biodiversity, it is important to disseminate replicable, scaleable models to eradicate invasive mammals from islands. We report on a successful model from western México during the past decade. A collaborative effort between nongovernmental organizations, academic biologists, Mexican government agencies, and local individuals has resulted in major restoration efforts in three island archipelagos. Forty-two populations of invasive mammals have been eradicated from 26 islands. For a cost of USD 21 615 per colony and USD 49 370 per taxon, 201 seabird colonies and 88 endemic terrestrial taxa have been protected, respectively. These conservation successes are a result of an operational model with three main components: i) a tri-national collaboration that integrates research, prioritization, financing, public education, policy work, capacity building, conservation action, monitoring, and evaluation; ii) proactive and dedicated natural resource management agencies; and iii) effective partnerships with academic researchers in México and the United States. What is now needed is a detailed plan to eradicate invasive mammals from the remaining islands in the region that integrates the needed additional financing, capacity, technical advances, and policy issues. Island conservation in western México provides an effective approach that can be readily applied to other archipelagos where conservation efforts have been limited.

Prioritizing Restoration Actions for the Islands of Mexico

SUMMARY Many seabird species of conservation concern have large geographic ranges that span political borders, forcing conservation planners to facilitate their pro- tection in multiple countries. Seabird conservation planningwithintheseabird-diverseCaliforniaCurrent System (CCS) marine ecoregion presents an important opportunityfortransboundarycollaborationstobetter protect seabirds across the USA/Mborder. While seabird populations in the USA are relatively well- studied and well-protected, the status of seabird populations in the Mexican region of the CCS is not well known and seabird colonies have been virtually unprotected. This study synthesizes and supple- ments information on breeding seabird diversity and distribution, identifies and ranks threats to seabirds and evaluates conservation capacity in the Mexican CCStoprovideaframeworkfortransboundaryseabird conservation throughout the CCS ecoregion. Island- breeding seabirds in M´ exico support 43-57% of CCS breeding individuals, 59% of CCS breeding taxa and a high level of endemism. Connectivity between populations in Mand the USA is high. At least 17 of the 22 extant Mexican CCS breeding seabirds are USA/M´ exico transboundary breeders or foragers, 13 of which are federally listed in the USA or M´ exico. Introduced predators and human disturbance have caused multiple seabird population extirpations in the Mexican CCS because breeding colonieslacklegalprotectionorenforcement.However, conservation capacity in this region has increased rapidly in recent years through the establishment of new protected areas, growth of local conservation non-governmental organizations, and increase in local community support, all of which will allow for more effective use of conservation funds. Transboundary conservation coordination would better protect CCS seabirds by facilitating restoration of seabird colonies in the Mexican CCS and enabling an ecoregion-wide

Birds of Clarion Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico

Abstract. Science-based planning and prioritization can help achieve greater return on investment of limited conservation funds. We conducted a GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis to prioritize efforts to eradicate populations of invasive alien species that threaten native biota on the islands of Mexico. We evaluated 29 Mexican islands with documented presence of invasive mammals and characterized the following attributes of each island: presence of endemic taxa, presence of threatened species, presence of important seabird nesting areas, species richness, likelihood of reinvasion, eradication feasibility, and economic cost. We categorized the islands into 4 priority categories for eradication action. The highest priority islands where eradication efforts are feasible are Socorro, Espíritu Santo, María Cleofas, and María Magdalena islands, where eradication of 11 invasive mammal populations could advance the restoration of an additional 35,813 ha, thereby reducing the extinction risk of approximately 80 endemic taxa.

The Conservation and Restoration of the Mexican Islands, a Successful Comprehensive and Collaborative Approach Relevant for Global Biodiversity

Abstract We recorded 62 bird species on Clarion Island, Mexico (Revillagigedo Archipelago, Pacific Ocean) during 1998–2006, eight of which breed there, 52 are considered non-breeders, and breeding is likely but unconfirmed for the Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus), Nazca Booby (Sula granti), and an unidentified shearwater. Thirty species are new for the island. A census of the Clarion Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia rostrata) in 2002/03 suggested a maximum total population of ∼850 pairs. At least 46 pairs of Laysan Albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) bred in 2002/03, but the species experienced total breeding failure during our study. This result was unexpected because feral pigs (Sus scrofa) were successfully eradicated from Clarion by 2002; endemic Clarion Ravens (Corvus corax clarionensis), an endemic snake (Clarion Racer, Masticophis anthonyi), and an unidentified ant were associated with egg and hatchling failures. A small colony of an unidentified shearwater could be a recolonization by the endemic and Critically Endangered Townsends Shearwater (Puffinus auricularis) or Wedge-tailed Shearwater (P. pacificus), which has not been recorded for Clarion Island.

Patrimonialism, Natural Resource Management, and Civil Service in Mexico: Lessons Learnt from the Last 30 Years

Islands are biodiversity hotspots that offer unique opportunities for applied restoration techniques that have proven to bring inspiring outcomes. The trajectory of island restoration in Mexico is full of positive results that include (1) the removal of 60 invasive mammal populations from 39 islands, (2) the identification of conservation and restoration priorities, (3) the active restoration of seabird breeding colonies through avant-garde social attraction techniques, (4) the active restoration of integrated plant communities focusing on a landscape level, (5) applied research and science-based decision-making for the management of invasive alien species, (6) the legal protection of all Mexican islands, and (7) biosecurity and environmental learning programs to ensure outcomes are long lasting. Still, there are many complex challenges to face in order to achieve the goal of having all Mexican islands free of invasive mammals by 2030.

Mexico's invasive species plan in context

As the incipient Mexican democracy unfolds, governance and institutional challenges emerge accordingly to attend with efficacy the subjects posted by the unparalleled current environmental crisis. A crucial part is the creation and adaptation of institutions that have as mandate to answer to the complex environmental conjuncture. However, the institutionalization process is still struggling to achieve a strong foundation, particularly the federal government that plays a decisive role in that regard. To better understand the dynamics of public management and policies with respect to environmental conservation and natural resource governance in Mexico, a detailed examination of the public service officers’ trajectories during the last three decades is presented, advancing an original analysis—including an index—to characterize the institutional arrangements and recognize the factors driving it. The results add elements for a reflection on Mexican governance, ideally, to improve the development of environmental institutions and its tangible results.

Rodent eradications as ecosystem experiments: a case study from the Mexican tropics

In their Letter “Mexicos ambiguous invasive species plan” (10 March, p. [1033][1]), L. M. Ochoa-Ochoa et al. claimed that the Mexican invasive species list ([ 1 ][2]) is incomplete and ambiguous. They were not considering the list in the appropriate context. The invasive species list is

Laysan Albatross on Guadalupe Island, México: current status and conservation actions

For effective and efficient pest management it is essential to understand the ecology of the target species and recipient ecosystems. The use of rodent eradication as a restoration tool is well established in temperate regions, but less common in the tropics, presenting an opportunity to undertake scientific learning in tandem with rodent eradications. On a dry tropical archipelago, we used a Before-After-Control-Impact framework to document (1) fluctuations in the abundance and demography of invasive Rattus rattus and Mus musculus on three different islands, (2) the trophic niche of all three invasive rodent populations, and (3) changes in the invertebrate community before and after rodent eradication, also comparing with two rodent free islands. While rat density was high and relatively stable throughout the year, the two mouse populations greatly differed in body size and seasonal dynamics, despite their proximity. The rodents in all three populations were generalist and opportunistic feeders, although stable isotope analyses results indicated major differences among them, driven by food availability and rodent species. Seasonal fluctuations in invertebrate communities depended on rodent invasion status, but recovery in the invertebrate communities one year after rodent removal was limited for all islands. Predictions for other tropical ecosystem biomes require long-term research on more tropical islands. Improving our understanding of island and species-specific contexts of rodent eradications can advance island restoration projects and assist the selection of indicator species for ecosystem recovery.