|
|||||
|
|
The diet of feral cats on islands: a review and a call for more studies |
|
| Authors: | E Bonnaud F M Medina E Vidal M Nogales B Tershy E Zavaleta C J Donlan B Keitt M Le Corre S V Horwath |
| Institution: | 1. Mediterranean Institute for Ecology and Palaeoecology (UMR CNRS/IRD), Aix-Marseille University (Universit?? P. Cezanne), Batiment Villemin, Domaine du Petit Arbois, Avenue Philibert, BP 80 13545, Aix-en-Provence cedex 04, France 2. Ecology Systematic and Evolution, UMR CNRS 8079, Paris Sud University, Bat. 362, 91405, ORSAY Cedex, France 3. Consejer??a de Medio Ambiente, Cabildo Insular de La Palma, Avenida Los Indianos 20, 2o, 38700, Santa Cruz de La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain 4. Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), Astrof??sico Francisco S??nchez 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain 5. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA 6. Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA 7. Advanced Conservation Strategies, P.O. Box 1444, Driggs, ID, 83422, USA 8. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, PO Box 1201, Midway, Utah, 84049, USA 9. Island Conservation, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, U.S.A 10. Lab ECOMAR, Universit?? de La R??union, Saint Denis, 97715, La R??union, France |
| Abstract: | Cats are among the most successful and damaging invaders on islands and a significant driver of extinction and endangerment. Better understanding of their ecology can improve effective management actions such as eradication. We reviewed 72 studies of insular feral cat diet from 40 islands worldwide. Cats fed on a wide range of species from large birds and medium sized mammals to small insects with at least 248 species consumed (27 mammals, 113 birds, 34 reptiles, 3 amphibians, 2 fish and 69 invertebrates). Three mammals, 29 birds and 3 reptiles recorded in the diet of cats are listed as threatened by the IUCN. However, a few species of introduced mammals were the most frequent prey, and on almost all islands mammals and birds contributed most of the daily food intake. Latitude was positively correlated with the predation of rabbits and negatively with the predation of reptiles and invertebrates. Distance from landmass was positively correlated with predation on birds and negatively correlated with the predation of reptiles. The broad range of taxa consumed by feral cats on islands suggests that they have the potential to impact almost any native species, even the smallest ones under several grams, that lack behavioral, morphological or life history adaptations to mammalian predators. Insular feral cat??s reliance on introduced mammals, which evolved with cat predation, suggests that on many islands, populations of native species have already been reduced. |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ | |