Genetic structure of introduced American mink (Neovison vison) in Patagonia: colonisation insights and implications for control and management strategies

Context Biological invasions have caused dramatic changes in native biodiversity and ecosystem function. Studies of genetic variation and evolutionary changes are useful for understanding population dynamics during biological invasions, and shed light on management, prevention and restoration strategies. Aims This study aimed to investigate the structure and genetic variability of American mink (Neovison vison), an invasive species in southern South America, introduced for fur farming in the 1930s. Methods Samples from 153 mink were obtained from 12 locations in southern Chile to sequence the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and to genotype 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Key results The highest mtDNA diversity was detected in Puerto Cisnes, suggesting multiple introductions and/or the most probable area where mink was first introduced. The latter is also supported by microsatellite data, because a high percentage of individuals from different locations were assigned to this location. All other locations showed low or no mtDNA diversity, possibly due to founder effect. The results also indicate marked population structure, with three genetic clusters coincident with the main historical introduction points, with low dispersal among them. Conclusions The results suggest that control strategies for American mink in southern Chile should be concentrated on these three genetically differentiated management units, and particularly on source populations and locations with low effective population size and restricted connectivity. Implications Genetic approaches have been used for the management of numerous alien species worldwide. Recommendations delivered here for American mink control could also be implemented in other regions and for other invasive species with similar genetic diversity distribution and connectivity.

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Multiple introductions determine the genetic structure of an invasive species population: American mink Neovison vison in Poland

Biological Conservation ◽

10.1016/j.biocon.2010.03.009 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 143 (6) ◽

pp. 1355-1363 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Andrzej Zalewski ◽

Aleksandra Michalska-Parda ◽

Magdalena Bartoszewicz ◽

Michał Kozakiewicz ◽

Marcin Brzeziński

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Genetic Structure ◽

American Mink ◽

Neovison Vison ◽

Multiple Introductions ◽

Species Population

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Molecular Survey of Parvoviruses and Mycoplasma spp. in Invasive American Mink (Neovison vison) from Southern Chile

Journal of Wildlife Diseases ◽

10.7589/jwd-d-20-00047 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

Author(s):

María Belén Zapararte ◽

Francisco Ramírez-Pizarro ◽

Carlos Landaeta-Aqueveque ◽

Elie Poulin ◽

René Ortega ◽

...

Keyword(s):

American Mink ◽

Neovison Vison ◽

Southern Chile ◽

Molecular Survey ◽

Mycoplasma Spp

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Targeting Vulnerable Life-Stages of Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) with Prescribed Burns

Invasive Plant Science and Management ◽

10.1614/ipsm-d-12-00002.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 487-493 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Bryant M. Wong ◽

Gregory R. Houseman ◽

Sarah E. Hinman ◽

Bryan L. Foster

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Seedling Survival ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Effective Control ◽

Life Stages ◽

Lespedeza Cuneata ◽

Sericea Lespedeza ◽

Invasive Species Control

AbstractThere is growing interest in whether invasive species may be controlled by utilizing management strategies that target vulnerable life stages. We manipulated the timing of fire and measured its effects on sericea lespedeza germination and seedling survival. Although fire strongly decreased germination in the laboratory, fire increased germination under field conditions. Additionally, fire caused small decreases in seedling survival in the field. Therefore, controlled burns are likely to encourage spread of sericea lespedeza and are unlikely to effectively control this invasive species. Although targeting vulnerable life stages is a promising strategy for invasive species control, our results illustrate that system-specific studies may be needed to unravel potentially complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors before effective control strategies can be devised.

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A multiregional assessment of transnational pathways of introduction

10.1101/2020.11.09.373977 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chris M. McGrannachan ◽

Shyama Pagad ◽

Melodie A. McGeoch

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Biological Invasions ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Information Gathering ◽

Introduction Pathways ◽

The Past ◽

Pathway Data ◽

Hierarchical Levels ◽

Global Indicators ◽

Specialist Group

AbstractInformation on the pathways by which alien taxa are introduced to new regions is vital for prioritising policy and management responses to invasions. However, available datasets are often compiled using disparate methods, making comparison and collation of pathway data difficult. Using a standardised framework for recording and categorising pathway data can help to rectify this problem and provide the information necessary to develop indicators for reporting on alien introductions. We combine the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Pathways Categorisation Scheme (CPC) with data compiled by the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) to report on multiregional trends on alien introduction pathways over the past 200+ years. We found a significant increase in the documented number of multiregional alien introduction events across all pathways of the CPC’s three hierarchical levels. The ‘escape’ pathway is the most common documented pathway used by alien taxa. Transport stowaways via shipping-related vectors are a rapidly increasing contribution to alien introductions. Most alien introduction events were of unknown pathway origin, highlighting the challenge of information gaps in pathway data and reiterating the need for standardised information-gathering practices. Combining the CPC framework with alien introduction pathways data will standardise pathway information and facilitate the development of global indicators of trends in alien introductions and the pathways they use. These indicators have the potential to inform policy and management strategies for preventing future biological invasions and can be downscaled to national and regional levels that are applicable across taxa and ecosystems.

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Improving Trapping Efficiency for Control of American Mink (Neovison vison) in Patagonia

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani12020142 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 142

Author(s):

Gonzalo Medina-Vogel ◽

Francisco Muñoz ◽

Meredith Moeggenberg ◽

Carlos Calvo-Mac ◽

Macarena Barros-Lama ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

American Mink ◽

Neovison Vison ◽

Trapping Efficiency ◽

Southern Chile ◽

Scent Gland ◽

Canned Fish ◽

Male Scent ◽

Different Seasons ◽

Catch Rates

Two main challenges when controlling alien American mink (Neovison vison) in Patagonia are to maximize campaign efficacy and cost-effectiveness and to avoid trapping native species. We designed and tested new variants of collapsible wire box traps, compared the efficacy of a food-based bait and a scent lure and compared catch rates in different seasons of the year. We used the data to model the efficiency rate of the trapping and to determine the trapping effort required to remove 70–90% of the estimated discrete mink population. Between January 2018 and March 2021, we operated 59 trapping transects over 103 three-day trapping periods in southern Chile. Traps were first baited with canned fish, and afterwards with mink anal gland lure. We compared the efficacy of mink capture with that of our previous study. We trapped 196 mink (125 males, 71 females), with most captures in summer. The medium-sized GMV-18 trap caught more male mink, but the more compact GMV-13 caught fewer non-target rodents and no native mammals. The scent lure was more successful than the canned fish when the previous campaign’s data were included in the analysis. There was also a significant improvement in the proportion of female mink trapped and reduced labour compared with our previous campaign that used larger traps, fish bait and 400–500 m trap spacings. We caught relatively more females than males after the third night of trapping on a transect. Our data analysis supports the use of the GMV-13 variant of wire cage trap as the best trap size: it is effective on female mink, small, cheap and easy to transport. Combined with mink anal scent lure, it reduces the possibility of trapping native species compared with other traps tested in Chile. As the most efficient method for removing at least 70% of the estimated discrete mink population within the area covered by each trap transect in southern Chile tested to date, we recommend trapping campaigns using GMV-13 during summer, with a 200-m trap spacing, for up to 6 days before moving traps to a new site, with a combination of three days with a female scent gland lure, followed by three days with a male scent gland lure.

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New insights on the infection of pathogenic Leptospira species in American mink (Neovison vison) in southern Chile

Tropical Animal Health and Production ◽

10.1007/s11250-020-02469-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Miguel Angel Salgado Alfaro ◽

Eduardo Raffo ◽

María Isabel Bustos ◽

Camilo Tomckowiack ◽

Carlos Tejeda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

American Mink ◽

Neovison Vison ◽

Southern Chile ◽

Pathogenic Leptospira ◽

Leptospira Species

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Molecular genetic polymorphism of American mink populations (Neovison vison) in model fur farms and on the adjacent territories in Belarus

Doklady of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus ◽

10.29235/1561-8323-2020-64-6-685-693 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 685-693

Author(s):

A. A. Valnisty ◽

K. V. Homel ◽

E. E. Kheidorova ◽

A. V. Shpak ◽

M. E. Nikiforov

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Genetic Polymorphism ◽

American Mink ◽

Molecular Genetic ◽

Microsatellite Analysis ◽

Neovison Vison ◽

Genotype Data ◽

Wild Populations ◽

Microsatellite Genotype ◽

Feral Populations

American mink (Neovison vison) is both a problematic invader and an economically valuable fur breed species in Belarus. The increasing scale of mink breeding for fur and the growing impact of this invasive species on the local ecosystems requires sound, novel strategies for managing both farm and wild populations. Containment of wild American mink populations under the effects of possible migration from the fur farms could be especially problematic. With that issue in mind, we have used microsatellite analysis todetermine the genetic polymorphism in two color breeds of farm-bred American mink in the populations of several Belorussian model fur farms, as well as the same characteristics for the feral populations on the territories adjacent to said fur farms. We confirm the presence of effective influx of mink into the wild from fur farms, determined through the means of analyzing microsatellite genotype data of feral and farm populations.

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A multiregional assessment of transnational pathways of introduction

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.64.60642 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 64 ◽

pp. 43-67

Author(s):

Chris M. McGrannachan ◽

Shyama Pagad ◽

Melodie A. McGeoch

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Biological Invasions ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Information Gathering ◽

Introduction Pathways ◽

The Past ◽

Pathway Data ◽

Hierarchical Levels ◽

Global Indicators ◽

Specialist Group

Information on the pathways by which alien taxa are introduced to new regions is vital for prioritising policy and management responses to invasions. However, available datasets are often compiled using disparate methods, making comparison and collation of pathway data difficult. Using a standardised framework for recording and categorising pathway data can help to rectify this problem and provide the information necessary to develop indicators for reporting on alien introductions. We combine the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Pathways Categorisation Scheme (CPC) with data compiled by the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) to report on multiregional trends on alien introduction pathways over the past 200+ years. We found a significant increase in the documented number of multiregional alien introduction events across all pathways of the CPC’s three hierarchical levels. The ‘escape’ pathway is the most common documented pathway used by alien taxa. Transport stowaways via shipping-related pathways are a rapidly increasing contribution to alien introductions. Most alien introduction events were of unknown pathway origin, highlighting the challenge of information gaps in pathway data and reiterating the need for standardised information-gathering practices. Combining the CPC framework with alien introduction pathways data will standardise pathway information and facilitate the development of global indicators of trends in alien introductions and the pathways they use. These indicators have the potential to inform policy and management strategies for preventing future biological invasions and can be downscaled to national and regional levels that are applicable across taxa and ecosystems.

Download Full-text