Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Predicting the spread of feral populations of the American mink in Italy: is it too late for eradication?

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biological Invasions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Predicting the speed and direction of the spread of alien species is one of the ways in which models can contribute to managing invasions. In Italy, the American mink is an alien invasive living in feral populations whose distribution and impacts are little known. The aim of this study was to predict the likely distribution of the American mink across Italy and the rate of population spread. An extended spatially explicit population dynamics model (SEPM) was used to simulate mink expansion in Italy across a period of 20 years. We used the current and recent distribution of mink farms as the initial points of invasion and validated the model in two ways: (1) by comparing the predicted distribution with the distribution of known populations of mink in Italy; (2) by comparing the predicted rates of spread with those observed in real populations. The application of the model to the Italian landscape highlighted the possibility that mink are already widespread in the country even though only few reports of this species have ever been made. This is of serious conservation concern considering that mink has proven to be a damaging invasive elsewhere. However, the fact that this species should mostly be restricted to north-east Italy suggests that eradication may still be possible. This study highlights the risks posed by American mink and shows that modelling, which is generally less expensive than field studies, can be used to guide surveys and future management of alien invasives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andow D, Kareiva P, Levin S, Okubo A (1990) Spread of invading organisms. Landscape Ecol 4:177–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angelici FM, Luiselli L, Rugiero L (2000) First note of dietary habits of American mink Mustela vison in Italy. Mammalia 64(2):253–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon PJ (1981) The consequences of unreported fox rabies (Europe). J Environ Manage 12(2):195–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Barreto G (1998) Analysis of a declining population of water voles, Arvicola terrestris, in England. DPhil, University of Oxford, Oxford

  • Barreto GR, Macdonald DW (2000) The decline and local extinction of a population of water voles, Arvicola terrestris, in southern England. Zeitschrift Fur Saugetierkunde-Int J Mammal Biol 65(2):110–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Barreto GR, Rushton S, Strachan R (1998) The role of habitat and mink predation in determining the status and distribution of declining populations of water voles in England. Anim Conserv 1:129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beirne BP (1975) Biological control attempts by introductions against pest insects in the field in Canada. Can Entomol 107:225–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birks JDS (1981) Home range and territorial behaviour of the feral mink (Mustela vison Schreber) in Devon. PhD, University of Exeter, Exeter

    Google Scholar 

  • Bon M, Mezzavilla E (1995) Mustela vison. In: Bon M, Paolucci P, Mezzavilla E, De Battisti R, Vernier E (eds) Atlante dei Mammiferi del Veneto. Lavori Societa’ Veneziana di Scienze Naturali, suppl, vol 21

  • Bonesi L, Palazon S (2007) The American mink in Europe: status, impacts, and control. Biol Conserv 134:470–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonesi L, Harrington L, Maran T, Sidorovich VE, Macdonald DW (2006a) Demography of three populations of American mink, Mustela vison, in Europe. Mammal Rev 36(1):98–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonesi L, Strachan R, Macdonald DW (2006b) Why are there fewer signs of mink in England? Considering multiple hypotheses. Biol Conserv 130(2):268–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonesi L, Rushton S, Macdonald DW (2007) Trapping for mink control and water vole survival: identifying key criteria using a spatially-explicit individual-based model. Biol Conserv 136:636–650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caswell H (2001) Matrix population models: construction, analysis and interpretation. Sinauer, Sunderland

    Google Scholar 

  • Caughley G (1994) Directions in conservation biology. Biol Conserv 134:470–483

    Google Scholar 

  • Chanin P (1976) The ecology of the feral mink (Mustela vison Schreber) in Devon. PhD, University of Exeter, Exeter

  • Corsi F, Leeuw J, Skidmore A (2000) Modelling species distribution with GIS. In: Boitani L, Fuller TK (eds) Research techniques in animal ecology. Controversies and consequences. Columbia University Press, New York, pp 343–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Courchamp F, Chapuis J-L, Pascal M (2003) Mammal invaders on islands: impact, control and control impact. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 78(3):347–383

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Craik JCA (1995) Effects of North American mink on the breeding success of terns and smaller gulls in west Scotland. Seabird 17:3–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Craik C (1997) Long-term effects of North American Mink Mustela vison on seabirds in western Scotland. Bird Study 44(3):303–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crooks JA, Soulé ME (1999) Lag times in population explosions of invasive species: causes and implications. In: Sandlund OT, Schei PJ, Viken A (eds) Invasive species and biodiversity management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 103–125

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dunstone N (1993) The Mink. Poyser, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunstone N, Birks J (1985) The comparative ecology of coastal, riverine and lacustine mink Mustela vison in Britain. Zeitschrift fur Angewardte Zoologie 72:59–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Fasola M, Canova L (1996) Conservation of gull and tern colony sites in northeastern Italy, an internationally important bird area. Waterbirds 1(1):59–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferretto M, Bonesi L (2008) Primi dati di distribuzione del Visone americano (Neovison vison) nella provincia di Vicenza. Natura Vicentina 12:219–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Fielding AH, Bell JF (1997) A review of methods for the assessment of prediction errors in conservation presence/absence models. Environ Conserv 34:38–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia P, Mateos S, Arevalo V (2009) Diurnal activity of the American mink (Neovison vison) in central Spain. Hystrix 20:61–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Genovesi P (2005) Eradication of invasive alien species in Europe: a review. Biol Invasions 7(1):127–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Genovesi P, Shine C (2003) European strategy on invasive alien species. Convention on the conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Strasbourg, 1–5 Dec 2003

  • Gerell R (1971) Population studies on mink Mustela vison in southern Sweden. Oikos 8:83–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosling LM, Baker SJ (1987) Planning and monitoring an attempt to eradicate coypus from Britain. Symp Zool Soc Lond 58:99–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosling LM, Baker SJ (1989) The eradications of muskrats and coypus from Britain. Biol J Linn Soc 38:39–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gosling LM, Watt AD, Baker SJ (1981) Continuous retrospective census of the East Anglian coypu population between 1970 and 1979. J Anim Ecol 50:885–901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GRASS_Development_Team (2005) GRASS 6.0 users manual. Trento, ITC-irst

  • Hammershøj M, Pertoldi C, Asferg T, Møller TB, Kristensen NB (2005) Danish free-ranging mink populations consist mainly of farm animals: evidence from microsatellite and stable isotope analyses. J Nat Conserv 13:267–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrington LA, Harrington AL, Macdonald DW (2008) Distinguishing tracks of mink Mustela vison and polecat M. putorius. Eur J Wildl Res 54:367–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hengeveld R (1989) Dynamics of biological invasions. Chapman and Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoshen J, Kopelman R (1976) Percolation and cluster distribution. I. Cluster multiple labeling technique and critical concentration algorithm. Phys Rev B 14(8):3438–3445

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (2000) Guidelines for the prevention of biodiversity loss caused by alien invasive species. Prepared by the IUCN/SCC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) and approved by the 51 Meeting of the IUCN Council, Gland

  • Jefferies D (2003) The water vole and mink survey of Britain 1996–1998 with a history of the long term changes in the status of both species and their causes. The Vincent Wildlife Trust, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Jefferies DJ, Strachan R, Strachan C (2003) The expansion and decline of the mink population in Britain. In: Jefferies DJ (ed) The water vole and mink survey of Britain 1996–1998 with a history of long term changes in the status of both species and their causes. The Vincent Wildlife Trust, Ledbury, pp 145–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeschke JM, Strayer DL (2005) Invasion success of vertebrates in Europe and North America. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 102(20):7198–7202

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy CEJ, Southwood TRE, Grafen A (1984) The number of species of insects associated with British trees: a reanalysis. J Anim Ecol 53(2):455–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King CM (1983) Factors regulating mustelid populations. Acta Zool Fennica 174:217–220

    Google Scholar 

  • King CM (2002) Cohort variation in the life history parameters of stoats Mustela erminea in relation to fluctuating food resources: a challenge to boreal ecologists. Acta Theriol 47:225–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs CJ (1999) Ecological methodology. Addison-Wesley Longman Inc, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambrinos JG (2000) The impact of the invasive alien grass Cortaderia jubata (Lemoine) Stapf on an endangered mediterranean-type shrubland in California. Divers Distrib 6:217–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landis JR, Koch GC (1977) The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics 33:159–174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lapini L (1991) Il visone americano nel Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Fauna 2:44–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Lecis R, Norris K (2004) Habitat correlates of distribution and local population decline of the endemic Sardinian Eutoproctus platycephalus. Biol Conserv 115(2):303–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenton EJ, Chanin PRF, Jefferies D (1980) Otter survey of England 1977–79. Nature Conservancy Council, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Linn IJ, Birks JDS (1981) Observations on the home ranges of feral American mink (Mustela vison) in Devon, England, as revealed by radio-tracking. Worldwide Furbearer Conference, Maryland

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood JL, Cassey P, Blackburn T (2005) The role of propagule pressure in explaining species invasions. Trends Ecol Evol 20(5):223–228

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lurz PWW, Rushton SP, Wauters LA, Bertolino S, Currado I, Mazzoglio P, Shirley MDF (2001) Predicting grey squirrel expansion in North Italy: a spatially explicit modelling approach. Landscape Ecol 16(5):407–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald DW, Harrington LA (2003) The American mink: the triumph and tragedy of adaptation out of context. N Z J Zool 30(4):421–441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald DW, Rushton S (2003) Modelling space use and dispersal of mammals in real landscapes: a tool for conservation. J Biogeogr 30(4):607–620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mack RN (1981) Invasion in Bromus tectorum L. into western North America: an ecological chronicle. Agro Ecosystems 7:145–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mech L (2003) Incidence of Mink, Mustela vison, and River Otter, Lutra canadensis, in a Highly Urbanized Area. Can Field Nat 117:115–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Melero Y, Palazón S, Revilla E, Martelo J, Gosalbez J (2008) Space use and habitat preferences of the invasive American mink (Mustela vison) in a Mediterranean area. Eur J Wildl Res 54:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell JL (1961) Mink movements and populations on a Montana river. J Wildl Manag 25:48–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mortelliti A, Bonesi L, Bartolommei P, Salvatori V, Boitani L (2008) Report1: Indagine Conoscitiva sulla Distribuzione del Visone Americano (Neovison vison) nel Lazio. Agenzia Regionale Parchi del Lazio ed Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Mota M, Braasch H, Bravo M, Penas A, Burgermeister W, Metge K, Sousa E (1999) First report of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in Portugal and Europe. Nematology 1:727–734

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neubert MG, Parker IM (2004) Projecting rates of spread for invasive species. Risk Anal 24(4):817–831

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Niedziałlkowska M, Koczak J, Czarnomska S, Jdrzejewska B (2010) Species diversity and abundance of small mammals in relation to forest productivity in Northeast Poland. Ecoscience 17(1):109–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pignatti S (1982) Flora d’Italia. Bologna, Edagricole

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell RA (1979) Mustelid spacing patterns: variation on a theme by Mustela. Z Tierpsychol 50:153–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Racey GD, Euler DL (1983) Changes in mink habitat and food selection as influenced by cottage development in central Ontario. J Appl Ecol 20:387–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz-Olmo J, Palazon S, Bueno F, Bravo C, Munilla I, Romero R (1997) Distribution, status and colonization of the American mink Mustela vison in Spain. J Wildl Res 2(1):30–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell GJ (2007) Invasion ecology and genetics of Norway rats on New Zealand islands. DPhil, University of Auckland, Auckland

  • Scalera RA, Mortelliti A, Bonesi L, Bartolommei P, Salvatori V, Boitani L (2008) Report 2: Studio di fattibilita’ per l’eradicazione del visone americano (Neovison vison) nel Lazio. Agenzia Regionale Parchi del Lazio e Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidorovich VE (1993) Reproductive plasticity of the American Mink Mustela vison in Byelarus. Acta Theriol 38(2):175–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidorovich VE (1999) How to identify mustelid tracks. Small Carniv Conserv 10:22–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidorovich V, Kruuk H, Macdonald DW (1999) Body size, and interactions between European and American mink (Mustela lutreola and M. vison) in Eastern Europe. J Zool 248(4):521–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spagnesi M, Toso S, De Marinins AM (2002) I Mammiferi d’Italia. Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  • Strachan R, Jefferies D (1996) Otter survey of England 1991–1994. Vincent Wildlife Trust, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Strachan R, Birks J, Chanin P, Jefferies D (1990) Otter survey of England 1984–86. Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough

    Google Scholar 

  • Strachan C, Jefferies DJ, Barreto GR, Macdonald DW, Strachan R (1998) The rapid impact of resident American mink on water voles: case studies in lowland England. In: Dunstone N, Gorman M (eds) Behaviour and ecology of riparian mammals. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 339–357

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sundell J (2003) Reproduction of the least weasel in captivity: basic observations and the influence of food availability. Acta Theriol 48(1):59–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson M (1996) Biological Invasions. Chapman & Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamaguchi N (2000) The basic ecology and the reproductive biology of feral American mink in the Upper Thames. University of Oxford, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamaguchi N, Sarno RJ, Johnson WE, O’Brien SJ, Macdonald DW (2004) Multiple paternity and reproductive tactics of free-ranging American minks, Mustela vison. J Mammal 85(3):432–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zabala J, Zuberogoitia I, Martinez-Climent JA (2007) Winter habitat preferences of feral American mink Mustela vison in Biscay, Northern Iberian Peninsula. Acta Theriol 52:27–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zabala J, Zuberogoitia I, Gonzalez-Oreja J (2010) Estimating costs and outcomes of invasive American mink (Neovison vison) management in continental areas: a framework for evidence based control and eradication. Biol Invasions 12:2999–3012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zschille J, Heidecke D, Stubbe M (2004) Distribution and ecology of feral American mink Mustela vison Schreber, 1777 (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in Saxony-Anhalt (Germany). Hercynia 37(1):103–126

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Italian Association of Mink Farmers (A.I.A.V.) and the following researchers for providing information about mink distribution Italy: Michele Ferretto, Piero Genovesi, Luca Lapini and Dino Scaravelli and two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments that helped improving the manuscript. We are grateful to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Vincent Wildlife Trust for making their data on mink distribution in England available; to Enrico Bressan, Louis Goffe, Tatsiana Hubina, Katja Mignozzi, for helping with map handling and to Paola Ganis for advice on statistics. Francesca Iordan was funded by the ‘D4 Project’ by the Central Office for Work, Training Universities and Research of the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy). Laura Bonesi was sponsored by the Italian program ‘Incentivazione alla mobilità di studiosi stranieri e italiani residenti all’estero’.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Weiss 2, 34127, Trieste, Italy

    F. Iordan & L. Bonesi

  2. School of Biology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Devonshire Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    S. P. Rushton

  3. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Tubney, Oxford, OX13 5QL, UK

    D. W. Macdonald

Authors
  1. F. Iordan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. P. Rushton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. W. Macdonald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. Bonesi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. Bonesi.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iordan, F., Rushton, S.P., Macdonald, D.W. et al. Predicting the spread of feral populations of the American mink in Italy: is it too late for eradication?. Biol Invasions 14, 1895–1908 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-012-0200-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-012-0200-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation