COS 34-6 - The application of adaptive resource management to reptile eradications: A case study for achieving functional eradication of brown treesnakes

Abstract: Adaptive resource management (ARM) is a specialized form of structured decision making that integrates a formal decision process in deciding and defining management actions, while identifying unknowns. The decision process iteratively evaluates previously identified metrics and executed actions against the selected goal allowing for the evolution of a management strategy, focused on achieving an originally identified goal. We applied this approach to first identify if a novel control tool could eradicate brown treesnakes in a barrier and then to determine which available tools would complement the original tool and whether eradication was necessary to achieve a conservation goal of avian recovery. Here, we will present our findings focusing on three elements including, 1) the three phases of the adaptive management program, 2) the response of the snake population to each and cumulatively, 3) the functional response of prey including lizards and birds, and 4) the tentative outcomes of a trial reintroduction. We found that ARM was successful in developing an integrated pest management strategy for brown treesnakes that yielded a functional response in birds and a tentatively successful lizard reintroduction. However, true eradication of the snake was not achieved through the trialed control approach. In novel invasive species control scenarios, such as snake eradication attempts, that have considerable uncertainty or high costs of implementation, functional eradication may be a viable approach to achieve species recovery goals.