Blackburn et al. (Biodiver Conserv 20:2189-2199, 2011) claim that a reanalysis of passerine introductions to New Zealand supports the propagule pressure hypothesis. The conclusion of Blackburn et al. (2011) are invalid for three reasons: First, the historical record is so flawed that there is no sound basis for identifying the mechanisms behind exti […]

Introduced species are widely believed to represent a significant threat to conservation of biological diversity. A better understanding of the ecological factors associated with successful species establishment should lead to improved management and mitigation of these introductions. The "propagule pressure hypothesis", implying a greater chance o […]

Published in Oikos 121: (2012) pp. 77-84. […]

Concern over increasing numbers of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and their impacts on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture has resulted in increased need for quantitative information to develop and evaluate depredation management efforts. We evaluated aerial surveys in a stratified cluster sampling (SCS) design to estimate an […]

The USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services (WS) oral rabies vaccination program uses tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic and relatively reliable biomarker, to quantify vaccinebait uptake by raccoons (Procyon lotor). However, obtaining samples (e.g., bone or teeth) to assess tetracycline uptake is highly invasive, and sample preparation can be expensive. By contr […]

Lehua Island is an uninhabited, 290-acre crescent-shaped volcanic cone located approximately 150 miles north-northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, or approximately 20 miles west of the island of Kauai. Lehua is a state-designated seabird sanctuary managed by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (HIDLNR) and federally owned by the U.S. Coast Guard. Re […]

There is no reliable method for determining age for most species of long-lived birds. Recent success using the skin chemical pentosidine as a biomarker has shown promise as an aging tool for birds. Pentosidine levels have been determined only from the breast tissue of carcasses, and we sought to refine the procedure with respect to biopsy size and location f […]

As a professional biologist working for a government agency, I am required to carry a card alerting medical personnel that I may have been exposed to certain zoonotic diseases (animal diseases that can infect man) not routinely considered in differential diagnosis. Some of these pathogens are obscure and seldom heard of, such as monkeypox and Q fever; others […]

Equine influenza A virus (EIV) is a highly infectious respiratory pathogen of horses (Hannant and Mumford 1996, Palese and Shaw 2007). The illness is characterised by an abrupt onset of fever, depression, coughing and nasal discharge, and is often complicated by secondary bacterial infections that can lead to pneumonia and death. Two subtypes of EIV, H3N8 an […]

The study of mammals suffering intense poaching in remote areas poses an increasingly difficult conservation challenge, in part because the extreme flightiness of such species complicates safe capture. The benefits of handling (an opportunity to obtain biological information and attach radio collars) must be weighed against stress to the animals and potentia […]