population stabilization

[ldg]

I know nobody cares for this thread anymore but look at this! The more studies I read the more I realize everything can be questioned. We has internet info consumers should take everything with a grain of salt. Here is a snippet-

The link between species invasions and the extinction of natives is widely accepted by scientists as well as conservationists, but available data supporting invasion as a cause of extinctions are, in many cases, anecdotal, speculative and based upon limited observation. We pose the question, are aliens generally responsible for widespread extinctions? Our goal is to prompt a more critical synthesis and evaluation of the available data, and to suggest ways to take a more scientific, evidence-based approach to understanding the impact of invasive species on extinctions. Greater clarity in our understanding of these patterns will help us to focus on the most effective ways to reduce or mitigate extinction threats from invasive species.



http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169534704002022

Sorry, I don't have time to catch up on everything right now, but this just popped out at me. These links are appropriate and more recent:

http://scienceblogs.com/observations/2011/06/13/alien-invasions-do-they-deserv/

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/species-persecution/

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v474/n7350/full/474153a.html

I have the letter written by Davis & associates as published in Nature. If you would like the article (rather than have to buy it), just PM me. I think I can attach it via PM.

 

[ldg]

Oh - and if you want an example of a trophic cascade caused by removal of alien "invaders" (I think I already posted this here? :dk: ), here you go:

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/macquarie-island.html#cr

They killed (most of) the rabbits that were destroying the vegetation. Then the introduced cats ate the island's burrowing birds. So they killed (most of) the cats. Then the rabbit population exploded.

 

[pocho]

Oh - and if you want an example of a trophic cascade caused by removal of alien "invaders" (I think I already posted this here?

), here you go:

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/macquarie-island.html#cr

They killed (most of) the rabbits that were destroying the vegetation. Then the introduced cats ate the island's burrowing birds. So they killed (most of) the cats. Then the rabbit population exploded.

Thanks! It is much more complicated and needs to be respected as such. I am concerned about so many making such simplistic statements like, "cats are killing all the birds, They are invasive.."

I now am looking towards the TNR results of my colony as an improvement to individual quality of life. Not sure if the group can even stabilize..The cats should come back soon. Havent seen them for two mornings...

Going to read now what you sent..

 

[ldg]

http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/art10/


Under 50 cats TNR over 50 TE for population control? If anyone smarter can interpret this it would be greatly appreciated. I have been trying to read up on population dynamics which has lead me to many scientific journals and papers. I am ill equipped here to really understand what I am reading. I am noticing even in serious science circles there is endless debate and even agendas...

I'll help you take this apart. But for now, all you REALLY need to know is that Kerrie Anne Loyd is a known anti-cat advocate, and this mathematical analysis is completely suspect because of it. To understand who she is, this may help:

http://www.voxfelina.com/2012/08/ki...els-of-wildlife-being-killed-by-outdoor-cats/

The KittyCams project was conducted by Kerrie Anne Loyd, a doctoral candidate in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. As her advisor, Dr. Sonia Hernandez, explains on her website, Loyd “analyzed hunting and risk behaviors (crossing roads, encountering predators, contact with other cats, etc.) to address questions related to predation of cats on native wildlife as well as about the type and frequency of cat risks.” Hernandez and Loyd are, we’re told, “interested in improving the welfare of both cats and wildlife and continue to work on educational materials using images and statistics from the “KittyCams” project.”

Interested in the welfare of cats? I have my doubts—in part because Loyd was among those former Smithsonian researcher and fellow Warnell alum Nico Dauphiné thanked “for helpful information, advice, ideas, and discussion in researching this subject” in her 2009 paper “Impacts of Free-ranging Domestic Cats (Felis catus) on Birds in the United States.” [1] And we all know how interested Dauphiné was in the welfare of cats.

Nico Dauphine was very high profile in publishing anti-cat predation data, all of dubious nature, but lauded by the cat hating, bird loving conservationists you're probably finding over and over, that I've listed earlier in this thread. But Nico takes the cake: she was found guilty of attempted poisoning, and had her career ruined as a result. She hired Michael Vick's lawyer. Glad that backfired.

A bit on Nico: http://www.voxfelina.com/2012/04/nico-dauphine-apocalypse-meow/

So if you want to take apart the published mathematical exercise that includes that trap-and-kill is better and more economical, we can do that at a future date when I have time. Or you can simply note that one of the authors is known to be pro trap-and-kill, and simply assume that the data was rigged to produce the result she wanted.

Unfortunately, she couldn't rig the actual results of the kitty cam project. But they sure changed the SPIN on it right quick.

 

[pocho]

No thats ok....I am going over so much info and even forgot about the voxfelina site you mentioned before. I have felt uneasy when reading these strange studies that are put into a machine, calculated, and spit back out with all the answers anyways. 

Actually need to go back through all the threads and pick out the suggested readings.

thanks

 

[ldg]

Yes, if you find any research on TNR or cat predation that's been published within the last 2 - 3 years, it's a good idea to go to the Vox Felina website and conduct a search for the lead author's name. Peter does an excellent job of analyzing these things, and identifying how they get distorted and used for anti-cat PR.