Satellite-Based Monitoring of Primary Production in a Mediterranean Islet Post Black Rat Eradication

Research Pathway: Human-wildlife conflicts

In the recent paper published in Remote Sensing-MPDI entitled “Satellite-Based Monitoring of Primary Production in a Mediterranean Islet Post Black Rat Eradication”, Ibañez-Álvarez et al. 2022 have explored the effects of black rat (Rattus rattus) eradication on Mediterranean vegetation productivity in the Sa Dragonera Islet, Mallorca (Spain). Using a temporal series of monthly NDVI data extracted from Landsat imagery, Miguel has shown changes across the 21-year monthly NDVI time series could not be explicitly attributed to the action of rats, when compared to the historical changes on the islet and the changes found to co-occur within the control zone. These findings could, perhaps, be explained by the high resilience of Mediterranean shrubs to browsing including that of rat invasion.

Check the full article (Open Access) at https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/1/101/htm