Conservation of marine birds: Biosecurity, control, and eradication of invasive species threats

Abstract

Invasive species pose the highest overall threat to seabirds, affecting the most species and the greatest impact based on the timing, scope, and severity. Invasive mammals have been proven the most harmful on seabird breeding islands, and important advances have been made towards solutions to prevent, control, or eradicate these impacts to seabirds. Biosecurity aims to prevent new invasive species from arriving, and as the most cost-effective strategy considered is a cornerstone for island restoration. Great strides have been made in eradicating invasive mammals from islands, with more than 1500 efforts on nearly 1000 islands worldwide and clearly documented benefits for seabirds. Considerable synergy exists for implementing seabird solutions on islands to achieve conservation goals for other biotas and benefits for human communities. For many seabird species, implementing tractable invasive species solutions will be a critical component of boosting resilience to projected climate change impacts.