Rat mark-recapture in rodenticide treatment and non-treatment plots, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, fall 2016 and spring 2017

This is a selected data set used to assess the impacts of rodenticide treatment on black rat (Rattus rattus) abundance within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HAVO). The key objective was to identify rat density in native habitat in the Mauna Loa Strip section of HAVO before and after rodenticide treatment, using a paired non-treatment and treatment plot for comparison in a before-after, control-impact (BACI) study design. These data are part of larger work describing the response of native species to rat control. This data set includes the results of the mark recapture study that took place during two different trapping periods (before and after treatment) within a centralized 300x300 m (9 ha) portion of each 700x700 m (49 ha) study plot (treatment and non-treatment). Traps were placed 50 m apart in a grid fashion, with a total of 49 traps per plot. Rodenticide application commenced in the treatment plot in January 2017, in between the fall 2016 and spring 2017 trapping periods. The treatment covered the entire 49 ha plot at Kipuka Ki, using bait stations containing 0.45 kg 0.005% diphacinone spaced 50 m apart (225 stations). Rats were reduced to low numbers throughout the treatment period, which continued from January through August 2017.

[
  "010:12"
]

[
  "geospatial"
]