Assessing the ecological impacts of non-native gamebird release on reptiles in the UK
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Kent
Department Name: Sch of Anthropology & Conservation
Abstract
Background and Rationale:
Britain has a long history of releasing ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), hereafter referred to as "gamebirds", into the countryside for the shoot (Madden & Sage 2020). The number of gamebirds released on shooting estates has been increasing since 1960, with a 4.3% annual increase in the density of birds released per site between 1960 and 2014 (Robertson et al. 2017), and a 38% increase in the number of birds since 2004 (Aebischer 2019). Despite this, the numbers of gamebirds shot have remained relatively stable, which has led to a reduction in rear-releasing efficiency (Mason et al. 2020). At 57 million birds, this latest estimate for the annual large-scale release of gamebirds exceeds any other gamebird release in Europe or North America (Mason et al. 2020), and at the Autumn point of release it is estimated that gamebirds represent more than twice the spring biomass of all native UK breeding birds combined (Blackburn and Gaston 2018; Aebischer 2019).
The increasing number of gamebirds released in the UK has triggered concerns about the ecological impacts of this widespread activity amongst conservationists, policymakers and within the shooting community itself (Mason et al. 2020). There is evidence that game estate management can indirectly benefit biodiversity, for example through woodland protection and maintenance (Oldfield et al. 2003) and on hedgerow networks (Draycott et al. 2012). However, concerns have been raised that the numbers and densities of non-native gamebirds are having widespread negative ecological impacts through a range of direct pressures (predation, browsing, habitat modification) and indirect pressures (impacts on generalist predators, resource competition, illegal persecution and lead ammunition poisoning).
Anecdotal evidence suggests that gamebird release may be having a negative impact on UK reptile populations (Edgar et al. 2015; Gardner et al. 2019; Mason et al. 2020). Recent reviews recommend urgent research examining the direct impacts of gamebirds on reptiles (Madden and Sage 2020; Mason et al. 2020) as information is lacking on the effect of gamebirds and their potentially detrimental effects on reptile populations. Against a backdrop of native species decline in the UK (Hayhow et al. 2019), understanding the impacts of large-scale releases of gamebirds represents a major challenge. There is therefore strong justification for studies that aim to produce empirical evidence on the relationship between gamebirds and reptiles.
Britain has a long history of releasing ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), hereafter referred to as "gamebirds", into the countryside for the shoot (Madden & Sage 2020). The number of gamebirds released on shooting estates has been increasing since 1960, with a 4.3% annual increase in the density of birds released per site between 1960 and 2014 (Robertson et al. 2017), and a 38% increase in the number of birds since 2004 (Aebischer 2019). Despite this, the numbers of gamebirds shot have remained relatively stable, which has led to a reduction in rear-releasing efficiency (Mason et al. 2020). At 57 million birds, this latest estimate for the annual large-scale release of gamebirds exceeds any other gamebird release in Europe or North America (Mason et al. 2020), and at the Autumn point of release it is estimated that gamebirds represent more than twice the spring biomass of all native UK breeding birds combined (Blackburn and Gaston 2018; Aebischer 2019).
The increasing number of gamebirds released in the UK has triggered concerns about the ecological impacts of this widespread activity amongst conservationists, policymakers and within the shooting community itself (Mason et al. 2020). There is evidence that game estate management can indirectly benefit biodiversity, for example through woodland protection and maintenance (Oldfield et al. 2003) and on hedgerow networks (Draycott et al. 2012). However, concerns have been raised that the numbers and densities of non-native gamebirds are having widespread negative ecological impacts through a range of direct pressures (predation, browsing, habitat modification) and indirect pressures (impacts on generalist predators, resource competition, illegal persecution and lead ammunition poisoning).
Anecdotal evidence suggests that gamebird release may be having a negative impact on UK reptile populations (Edgar et al. 2015; Gardner et al. 2019; Mason et al. 2020). Recent reviews recommend urgent research examining the direct impacts of gamebirds on reptiles (Madden and Sage 2020; Mason et al. 2020) as information is lacking on the effect of gamebirds and their potentially detrimental effects on reptile populations. Against a backdrop of native species decline in the UK (Hayhow et al. 2019), understanding the impacts of large-scale releases of gamebirds represents a major challenge. There is therefore strong justification for studies that aim to produce empirical evidence on the relationship between gamebirds and reptiles.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jim Groombridge (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Lawrence Hills (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE/S007334/1 | 01/10/2019 | 30/09/2028 | |||
| 2773838 | Studentship | NE/S007334/1 | 01/10/2022 | 31/05/2026 | Lawrence Hills |