title: Remote forest refugia for Fijian wildlife.
abstract: On Pacific islands non-native rats and mongooses threaten many native species. In Fiji we compared visitation rates of rats and mongooses at bait stations and measured biomass of leaf-litter invertebrates to assess the relative predation pressure from these species in forest areas at different distances from the forest edge. Forest areas over 5 km from the forest edge had significantly fewer baits encountered by rats or mongooses than did natural forest areas nearer agricultural and urban habitats. Remote forest areas may function as a last refuge for island species threatened by predation from non-native rats and mongooses. The biomass of leaf-litter invertebrates in remote forest areas was higher indicating a refuge effect for some taxa targeted by rats and mongooses. Protection of the few remaining large blocks of natural forests on Pacific islands may be the most cost-effective approach for conserving many island endemics threatened by rats and mongooses. Logging roads can compromise this refuge effect by acting as dispersal routes for rats into natural forests.
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Conservation Society-South Pacific, 11 Ma'afu Street, Suva, Fiji. dolson@wcs.org
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: Waisea
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Naisilisili
authors.forename: Alipate
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raikabula
authors.forename: Om
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources; D005367:Fiji; D005843:Geography; D008988:Herpestidae / Q000502:physiology; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D051381:Rats; D014197:Trees