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The impact of pest species over time

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A unique environment• Our unique plants & animals were isolated for

millions of years, evolving in the absence of people and mammalian predators.

• We have almost no native mammals (only some bats); our larger animal life is dominated by birds (over 300 species), lizards, frogs, wētā and land snails. Many of these have unusual characteristics.

Source: http://www.teara.govt.nz/

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How many?!!• 25,000 plant species, 54 mammal

species, and about 2,000 invertebrate species have been introduced here since human settlement[1].

[1] Source: Environment 2007 Report, Section 3 Biodiversity http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/enz07-dec07/chapter-12.pdf

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Aotearoa-New Zealand

• “one of the world’s weediest countries” [1]

[1] Source: Landcare Research (2009); http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/obi.asp?Proj_Collab_ID=14

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A problem!!

Do you know which is pampas grass & which is toetoe?

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The good & the bad• Animals –

some useful for agriculture BUT what if they go wild!?

• Plants – some useful for agriculture but others ….. impact on our native biodiversity

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Stoats & other mustelids

• DOC records, “(f)orty-four birds have become extinct since human colonisation brought pests, such as stoats, to New Zealand” [1].

[1] Source: Department of Conservation – Threats & Impacts: http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/conservation/threats-and-impacts/biosecurity/devastating-immigrants/

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Distribution of selected pest animal and weed species (indicator 2.5).

• Source: Measuring New Zealand’s Progress Using a Sustainable Development Approach: 2008 Topic 2: Biodiversity from Stats NZ http://www.statistics.govt.nz/Publications/NationalAccounts/sustainable-development/biodiversity.aspx

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Views of appropriate management for introduced wildlife animals

Source: Fraser, A (2006) Public attitudes to pest control -A literature review

DOC research report http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/drds227.pdf

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Perception of introduced wildlife as pest or resource

Source: Fraser, A (2006) Public attitudes to pest control -A literature review

DOC research report http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/drds227.pdf

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To rid our country of these pest species we need to spend large

amounts of money

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imagine …. All the humans have disappeared ….

but all those pest species we introduced still exist.

Discuss what could be the plus, minus, interesting factors of such a scenario for:

• the environment of Canterbury?• the native plants & animals?• agricultural plants & animals?