Invader removal triggers competitive release in a threatened avian predator

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)
By: , and 

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Abstract

Invasive species can cause extinctions of native species and widespread biodiversity loss. Invader removal is a common management response, but the use of long-term field experiments to characterize effectiveness of removals in benefitting impacted native species is rare. We used a large-scale removal experiment to investigate the demographic response of a threatened native species, the northern spotted owl, to removal of an invasive competitor species, the barred owl. Removal of barred owls had a strong, positive effect on survival of spotted owls, which arrested long-term population declines of spotted owls. The results demonstrate that the long-term persistence of spotted owls will depend heavily on reducing the negative impacts of barred owls while simultaneously addressing other threats, such as habitat loss.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Invader removal triggers competitive release in a threatened avian predator
Series title Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)
DOI 10.1073/pnas.2102859118
Volume 118
Issue 31
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher PNAS
Contributing office(s) Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Southwest Biological Science Center
Description e2102859118, 9 p.
Country United States
State California, Oregon, Washington
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