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- Title
Effects of quinestrol and levonorgestrel on populations of plateau pikas, Ochotona curzoniae, in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
- Authors
Liu, Ming; Qu, Jiapeng; Yang, Min; Wang, Zengli; Wang, Yanling; Zhang, Yanming; Zhang, Zhibin
- Abstract
BACKGROUND: Plateau pikas ( Ochotona curzoniae, Hodgson, 1858) are viewed as a pest in the Tibetan Plateau meadow ecosystem when their population densities are high. Traditional culling using rodenticides often poses a high risk to non-target species and even to humans. In this study, an investigation was made of the infertility effects of quinestrol (E), levonorgestrel (P) and a combination of the two (EP, ratio E:P = 1:2) on plateau pikas during 2007 and 2008. RESULTS: Treatment with E or EP significantly decreased the pregnancy rate of female pikas in 2007. In 2008, there was a cross-year effect that still suppressed male reproduction in treated groups. Treatment with E obviously reduced the reproduction of pikas but not their population abundance in 2007; the reduction in population size was significant in 2008. CONCLUSIONS: Single baiting of quinestrol in early breeding season reduced the reproduction and population size of pikas throughout 2007. The effect of infertility lasted into the next breeding season through a cross-year effect, which resulted in a significant reduction of population size in 2008. Quinestrol is a very promising non-lethal approach to managing pika populations; however, several factors need to be investigated further to improve the practicality of this method. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
- Subjects
TIBETAN Plateau; TIBET (China); CHINA; PIKAS; RODENTICIDES; ANALYSIS of variance
- Publication
Pest Management Science, 2012, Vol 68, Issue 4, p592
- ISSN
1526-498X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ps.2302