Ecological and physiological impacts on lava lizards following an eradication of invasive mammals from a Galapagos Island

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Jörg Müller; Professor Dr. Ralf Schulz
• Subject Area: Ecology and Biodiversity of Animals and Ecosystems, Organismic Interactions ; Ecology of Land Use
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 541485293

The eradication of invasive mammals is a management approach used to mitigate the negative effects that invasive mammalian species have on island ecosystems. However, the ecosystem changes and use of aerially applied anticoagulants used to undertake eradications can have unexpected impacts such as cascading ecosystem effects and anticoagulant persistence throughout trophic levels, which are not well understood. An eradication campaign planned in 2023 on Floreana Island in the Galapagos Islands, and the reintroduction of 13 native species to this island, presents an opportunity to investigate the effects of species eradication and the application of the anticoagulant, brodifacoum on the island ecosystem. A BACI design approach will be used to investigate the possible negative effects of sub-lethal exposure of this toxicant on an understudied group, reptiles. Lava lizards are a well-connected species in Galapagos food webs and carry out an important ecosystem function of seed dispersal. Consequently, they will be used as the indicator species to investigate the potential impacts on reptile populations and ecosystem effects following an eradication with brodifacoum. This research will provide insights on effects of this toxicant on reptile populations and their respective food webs. The research will also produce valuable data to inform and successfully implement some of the native species’ reintroductions following the eradication on Floreana Island, as well as eradication plans and reintroductions within the wider archipelago and globally. This will allow us to refine island conservation management techniques and our understanding of the consequence of eradications for understanding island ecosystems.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants