title: Eradications as scientific experiments: progress in simultaneous eradications of two major invasive taxa from a Mediterranean island.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Black rats, Rattus rattus, and mat-forming iceplants, Carpobrotus aff. acinaciformis and Carpobrotus edulis, are pervasive pests on Mediterranean islands. Their cumulative impacts on native biotas alter the functioning of island ecosystems and threaten biodiversity. A report is given here of the first attempt to eradicate both taxa from a protected nature reserve in south-eastern France (Bagaud Island). In order to minimise unwanted hazardous outcomes and produce scientific knowledge, the operations were embedded in a four-step strategy including initial site assessment, planning, restoration and monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Trapping, which resulted in the removal of 1923 rats in 21 045 trap-nights, made it possible to eliminate a substantial proportion of the resident rat population and to reduce the amount of rodenticide delivered in the second stage of the operation. Forty tons of Carpobrotus spp. were manually uprooted from a total area of 18 000 m(2) ; yet careful monitoring over a decade is still required to prevent germinations from the seed bank.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two years after the beginning of the interventions, both eradication operations are still ongoing. Biosecurity measures have been implemented to reduce reinvasion risks of both taxa. With the long-term monitoring of various native plants and animals, Bagaud Island will become a reference study site for scientific purposes.
authors.affiliation: Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruffino
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Passetti
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aboucaya
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Affre
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fourcy
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lorvelec
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barcelo
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berville
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bigeard
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brousset
authors.forename: Hélène De
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Méringo
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gillet
authors.forename: Patricia Le
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Quilliec
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Limouzin
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Médail
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.forename: Marine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pascal
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pascal
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponel
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rifflet
authors.forename: Coralie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santelli
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buisson
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vidal
mesh_terms: D035722:Aizoaceae; D000818:Animals; D005602:France; D058865:Introduced Species; D008521:Mediterranean Islands; D035723:Mesembryanthemum; D010571:Pest Control; D051381:Rats; D058728:Weed Control
keywords: biological invasions; biosecurity; ecosystem engineers; pest management; restoration; species interactions