Search

Search Results

• 1. [Article] Feral Swine Action Plan for Oregon

  Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Feral Swine Action Plan for Oregon Author: Sytsma, Mark, Rouhe, Arick Christopher Year: 2007 Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world via human introduction. Currently, feral swine populations are established on every continent except Antarctica. Unlike other large mammal invaders, swine have a high reproductive capacity and are omnivorous, which allows for a quick assimilation into most habitats. Once a breeding population is established in an area, the population can quickly increase and negatively impact the ecosystem. A successful invasion of feral swine is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reverse. A feral swine pest risk assessment for Oregon, released in 2004, designated feral swine as a very high-risk species due to high potential for establishment, environmental and economic impacts, and disease transmission to wildlife, livestock and humans. Economic impacts on ecosystems and disease transmission to wildlife are difficult to assess, but restoration of ecosystems and losses to agriculture and livestock have been estimated to exceed US$800 million in the United States each year. Environmental impacts include facilitation of noxious weed invasions, shifts in dominant plant species, reduction of forest regeneration, and soil erosion. Facilitation of noxious weeds and erosion due to feral swine rooting are documented in Oregon. Feral swine in Oregon have not been implicated in disease transmission to humans, but the recent E. coli outbreak from spinach grown on a California farm that caused three deaths has been genetically traced to feral swine excrement deposited in spinach fields. The feral swine population in Oregon is currently small and dispersed. Few disturbances have been documented but state and federal biologists report regular occurrence of disturbances due to feral swine. Actions to prevent the effects of an invasion fall into three categories: management, control or eradication. Of the three categories, only eradication efforts have successfully slowed or reversed the effects of swine invasions. Case studies from California, Australia, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands and the Channel Islands off the coast of California show that management and control efforts, while effective in the short term, have not successfully kept small feral swine populations from increasing to levels that are unmanageable and uncontrollable. A four-year feral swine eradication plan is proposed. The Plan includes recommended legislative changes to facilitate eradication, outreach and education, population assessment, rapid response, and eradication elements. A 0.5 FTE position is required at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement the plan. Eradication of feral swine in Oregon is estimated to require a four-year, $1.29 million effort. Follow-up control of new releases and escapes will require a maintenance effort estimated at less than $50,000 per year (excluding contingency funds for emergency response). These costs are small relative to the value of the $3.6 billion Oregon agriculture and livestock industries and the investment Oregon has made in riparian restoration efforts. Sustained control of feral swine in Oregon will require a longterm commitment that will include annual domestic swine marking, education, and monitoring. Title: Feral Swine Action Plan for Oregon Author: Sytsma, Mark, Rouhe, Arick Christopher Year: 2007 Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world via human introduction. Currently, feral swine populations are established on every continent except Antarctica. Unlike other large mammal invaders, swine have a high reproductive capacity and are omnivorous, which allows for a quick assimilation into most habitats. Once a breeding population is established in an area, the population can quickly increase and negatively impact the ecosystem. A successful invasion of feral swine is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reverse. A feral swine pest risk assessment for Oregon, released in 2004, designated feral swine as a very high-risk species due to high potential for establishment, environmental and economic impacts, and disease transmission to wildlife, livestock and humans. Economic impacts on ecosystems and disease transmission to wildlife are difficult to assess, but restoration of ecosystems and losses to agriculture and livestock have been estimated to exceed US$800 million in the United States each year. Environmental impacts include facilitation of noxious weed invasions, shifts in dominant plant species, reduction of forest regeneration, and soil erosion. Facilitation of noxious weeds and erosion due to feral swine rooting are documented in Oregon. Feral swine in Oregon have not been implicated in disease transmission to humans, but the recent E. coli outbreak from spinach grown on a California farm that caused three deaths has been genetically traced to feral swine excrement deposited in spinach fields. The feral swine population in Oregon is currently small and dispersed. Few disturbances have been documented but state and federal biologists report regular occurrence of disturbances due to feral swine. Actions to prevent the effects of an invasion fall into three categories: management, control or eradication. Of the three categories, only eradication efforts have successfully slowed or reversed the effects of swine invasions. Case studies from California, Australia, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands and the Channel Islands off the coast of California show that management and control efforts, while effective in the short term, have not successfully kept small feral swine populations from increasing to levels that are unmanageable and uncontrollable. A four-year feral swine eradication plan is proposed. The Plan includes recommended legislative changes to facilitate eradication, outreach and education, population assessment, rapid response, and eradication elements. A 0.5 FTE position is required at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement the plan. Eradication of feral swine in Oregon is estimated to require a four-year, $1.29 million effort. Follow-up control of new releases and escapes will require a maintenance effort estimated at less than $50,000 per year (excluding contingency funds for emergency response). These costs are small relative to the value of the $3.6 billion Oregon agriculture and livestock industries and the investment Oregon has made in riparian restoration efforts. Sustained control of feral swine in Oregon will require a longterm commitment that will include annual domestic swine marking, education, and monitoring. Close

• 2. [Article] Prioritizing Zebra and Quagga Mussel Monitoring in the Columbia River Basin

  The purpose of this report is to provide a framework for the prioritization of water bodies in the Columbia River Basin and the Greater Northwest region (surrounding areas in Oregon, Washington, California, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Prioritizing Zebra and Quagga Mussel Monitoring in the Columbia River Basin Author: Wells, Steve W., Counihan, Timothy D., Puls, Amy, Sytsma, Mark, Adair, Brian Year: 2011 The purpose of this report is to provide a framework for the prioritization of water bodies in the Columbia River Basin and the Greater Northwest region (surrounding areas in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming) for early detection monitoring for dreissenid mussels. Our ability to assess the relative risk of establishment and introduction of dreissenid mussels was confounded by significant gaps in the data necessary to rigorously predict where dreissenid mussels will become introduced and subsequently established. Consequently, local jurisdictions should evaluate the prioritized lists provided critically and make adjustments where local knowledge and additional information dictates. Further, since invasive species can be introduced and become established in areas identified with low to very low risk of establishment and introduction, monitoring these areas will increase the probability of detecting mussels before they become locally established. Title: Prioritizing Zebra and Quagga Mussel Monitoring in the Columbia River Basin Author: Wells, Steve W., Counihan, Timothy D., Puls, Amy, Sytsma, Mark, Adair, Brian Year: 2011 The purpose of this report is to provide a framework for the prioritization of water bodies in the Columbia River Basin and the Greater Northwest region (surrounding areas in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming) for early detection monitoring for dreissenid mussels. Our ability to assess the relative risk of establishment and introduction of dreissenid mussels was confounded by significant gaps in the data necessary to rigorously predict where dreissenid mussels will become introduced and subsequently established. Consequently, local jurisdictions should evaluate the prioritized lists provided critically and make adjustments where local knowledge and additional information dictates. Further, since invasive species can be introduced and become established in areas identified with low to very low risk of establishment and introduction, monitoring these areas will increase the probability of detecting mussels before they become locally established. Close

• 3. [Article] The Potential for Mitten Crab Colonization of Estuaries on the West Coast of North America

  Mitten crabs are invasive species that pose a risk to the aquatic environments of the Pacific Northwest and the economic and social activities that depend upon intact aquatic systems. The recent establishment ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Potential for Mitten Crab Colonization of Estuaries on the West Coast of North America Author: Hanson, Erik, Sytsma, Mark Year: 2005 Mitten crabs are invasive species that pose a risk to the aquatic environments of the Pacific Northwest and the economic and social activities that depend upon intact aquatic systems. The recent establishment of a large population in the San Francisco Bay and the potential for introductions from California, Asia and Europe pose a significant invasion potential for esturaires and rivers from Catifornia to Alaska. Title: The Potential for Mitten Crab Colonization of Estuaries on the West Coast of North America Author: Hanson, Erik, Sytsma, Mark Year: 2005 Mitten crabs are invasive species that pose a risk to the aquatic environments of the Pacific Northwest and the economic and social activities that depend upon intact aquatic systems. The recent establishment of a large population in the San Francisco Bay and the potential for introductions from California, Asia and Europe pose a significant invasion potential for esturaires and rivers from Catifornia to Alaska. Close

• 4. [Article] OSMB Final Report: Task 5. Zebra and Quagga Mussel Early-Detection Monitoring in High Risk Oregon Waters

  Neither zebra nor quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis, respectively) were detected by Portland State University (PSU) during their early detection sampling in Oregon water ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: OSMB Final Report: Task 5. Zebra and Quagga Mussel Early-Detection Monitoring in High Risk Oregon Waters Author: Wells, Steve W., Sytsma, Mark Year: 2014 Neither zebra nor quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis, respectively) were detected by Portland State University (PSU) during their early detection sampling in Oregon water bodies during 2013. PSU conducted sampling for planktonic larvae, juvenile, and adult mussels at nine Oregon water bodies during the July to August period coinciding with water temperatures favorable for mussel spawning. A total of 113 plankton samples were collected and over 1.6 million liters of lake water were filtered through 63-μm mesh nets during plankton sample collection. The greatest sampling effort occurred in East Lake, Prineville Reservoir, and Paulina Lake; these water bodies were identified as high risk for both mussel establishment and introduction according to Wells et al. (2009). The sampling effort, however, was fairly uniform amongst the targeted water bodies, and sampling also occurred in Upper Klamath Lake, Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Reservoir, Emigrant Lake, Ochoco Reservoir, and Lake Billy Chinook. Non-native invertebrates and macrophytes were opportunistically collected during Dreissena spp. sampling in 2013. Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam) straight-hinge juveniles were collected in plankton samples from East Lake and Howard Prairie Lake. Potamopyrgus antipodarum (New Zealand mud snails) were collected in Lake Billy Chinook. Radix auricularia (big-ear radix) snails were collected in Hyatt Reservoir, Lake Billy Chinook and Paulina Lake. Orconectes neglectus (ringed crayfish) were collected in Hyatt Reservoir. Potamogeton crispus (curly leaf pondweed) were collected in Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Reservoir, Lake Billy Chinook, and Upper Klamath Lake. Most of these collections were not the first detections for these species in these locations; however, to the authors’ knowledge, the following represent first detections: R. auricularia in Hyatt Reservoir and Paulina Lake, O. neglectus in Hyatt Reservoir and C. fluminea in Howard Prairie Lake. Title: OSMB Final Report: Task 5. Zebra and Quagga Mussel Early-Detection Monitoring in High Risk Oregon Waters Author: Wells, Steve W., Sytsma, Mark Year: 2014 Neither zebra nor quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis, respectively) were detected by Portland State University (PSU) during their early detection sampling in Oregon water bodies during 2013. PSU conducted sampling for planktonic larvae, juvenile, and adult mussels at nine Oregon water bodies during the July to August period coinciding with water temperatures favorable for mussel spawning. A total of 113 plankton samples were collected and over 1.6 million liters of lake water were filtered through 63-μm mesh nets during plankton sample collection. The greatest sampling effort occurred in East Lake, Prineville Reservoir, and Paulina Lake; these water bodies were identified as high risk for both mussel establishment and introduction according to Wells et al. (2009). The sampling effort, however, was fairly uniform amongst the targeted water bodies, and sampling also occurred in Upper Klamath Lake, Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Reservoir, Emigrant Lake, Ochoco Reservoir, and Lake Billy Chinook. Non-native invertebrates and macrophytes were opportunistically collected during Dreissena spp. sampling in 2013. Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam) straight-hinge juveniles were collected in plankton samples from East Lake and Howard Prairie Lake. Potamopyrgus antipodarum (New Zealand mud snails) were collected in Lake Billy Chinook. Radix auricularia (big-ear radix) snails were collected in Hyatt Reservoir, Lake Billy Chinook and Paulina Lake. Orconectes neglectus (ringed crayfish) were collected in Hyatt Reservoir. Potamogeton crispus (curly leaf pondweed) were collected in Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Reservoir, Lake Billy Chinook, and Upper Klamath Lake. Most of these collections were not the first detections for these species in these locations; however, to the authors’ knowledge, the following represent first detections: R. auricularia in Hyatt Reservoir and Paulina Lake, O. neglectus in Hyatt Reservoir and C. fluminea in Howard Prairie Lake. Close

• 5. [Article] Recreational Boats as Potential Vectors of Marine Organisms at an Invasion Hotspot

  With more than 200 aquatic nonindigenous species (NIS), San Francisco Bay (California, USA) is among the world’s most invaded harbors. Hard-substratum benthic (biofouling) organisms, which dominate NIS ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Recreational Boats as Potential Vectors of Marine Organisms at an Invasion Hotspot Author: Davidson, Ian C., Zabin, Chela J., Chang, Andrew L., Brown, Christopher W., Sytsma, Mark, Ruiz, Gregory M. Year: 2010 With more than 200 aquatic nonindigenous species (NIS), San Francisco Bay (California, USA) is among the world’s most invaded harbors. Hard-substratum benthic (biofouling) organisms, which dominate NIS richness, have arrived primarily as a result of shipping and aquaculture activity over past centuries. To date there has been no assessment of the leisure craft vector in the Bay. We aimed to characterize (1) biofouling on boats’ submerged surfaces and (2) boater behavior likely to affect the risk of NIS transfers. We used an underwater pole-cam, specimen collections, and a boater questionnaire to quantify the extent and composition of biofouling on recreational boats and to evaluate boater behavior at a subset of the Bay’s marinas. Several NIS, already established within the Bay, were recorded from vessel hulls, including the bryozoans Bugula neritina, Membranipora chesapeakensis and Watersipora sp., the ascidians Botrylloides violaceus, Styela clava and Ciona intestinalis, the polychaete Ficopomatus enigmaticus, and the sponge Clathria prolifera. Only 16% of questionnaire respondents had traveled to sites outside the Bay in the previous 12 mo. Frequency of hull painting and cleaning varied substantially, but we did not find strong patterns of biofouling extent associated with hull husbandry or boat usage. The potential for within-Bay and coastwise regional spread of NIS is high, and recreational boats probably interact in close proximity to other vectors (e.g. commercial ships), causing a ratchet effect of vector events; however, there remains a gap in understanding the levels and condition of biofouling on transient boats. Transient vessels from San Francisco Bay and other West Coast sites should be the focus of future studies to evaluate the extent to which organisms are being transferred among bays and how vector management could be applied to prevent NIS transfers and impacts. Title: Recreational Boats as Potential Vectors of Marine Organisms at an Invasion Hotspot Author: Davidson, Ian C., Zabin, Chela J., Chang, Andrew L., Brown, Christopher W., Sytsma, Mark, Ruiz, Gregory M. Year: 2010 With more than 200 aquatic nonindigenous species (NIS), San Francisco Bay (California, USA) is among the world’s most invaded harbors. Hard-substratum benthic (biofouling) organisms, which dominate NIS richness, have arrived primarily as a result of shipping and aquaculture activity over past centuries. To date there has been no assessment of the leisure craft vector in the Bay. We aimed to characterize (1) biofouling on boats’ submerged surfaces and (2) boater behavior likely to affect the risk of NIS transfers. We used an underwater pole-cam, specimen collections, and a boater questionnaire to quantify the extent and composition of biofouling on recreational boats and to evaluate boater behavior at a subset of the Bay’s marinas. Several NIS, already established within the Bay, were recorded from vessel hulls, including the bryozoans Bugula neritina, Membranipora chesapeakensis and Watersipora sp., the ascidians Botrylloides violaceus, Styela clava and Ciona intestinalis, the polychaete Ficopomatus enigmaticus, and the sponge Clathria prolifera. Only 16% of questionnaire respondents had traveled to sites outside the Bay in the previous 12 mo. Frequency of hull painting and cleaning varied substantially, but we did not find strong patterns of biofouling extent associated with hull husbandry or boat usage. The potential for within-Bay and coastwise regional spread of NIS is high, and recreational boats probably interact in close proximity to other vectors (e.g. commercial ships), causing a ratchet effect of vector events; however, there remains a gap in understanding the levels and condition of biofouling on transient boats. Transient vessels from San Francisco Bay and other West Coast sites should be the focus of future studies to evaluate the extent to which organisms are being transferred among bays and how vector management could be applied to prevent NIS transfers and impacts. Close