Non-native species not the bad guys in a changing eco-system <\/p>\n
April 17, 2014 <\/p>\n
University of Canterbury researchers are investigating some positive features of animals being introduced to New Zealand. <\/p>\n
Exotic animals are generally considered to be a major threat to native species in New Zealand and worldwide. <\/p>\n
Despite numerous examples of invasive species harming eco-systems, exotic species may actually be able to fill ecological gaps in their new home, such as those left by native species that have become extinct. <\/p>\n
University of Canterbury ecologist Professor Jason Tylianakis says no study has explicitly tested whether exotic species fill the roles left by declining native species. <\/p>\n
``A collaborative research project between scientists at the University of Canterbury and the University of Oviedo, Spain, has examined the role of exotic birds in dispersing the seeds of native New Zealand trees and shrubs. <\/p>\n
``Many fruiting plants require birds to carry their seeds to new locations and drive the persistence and recovery of native forests. <\/p>\n
``New Zealand fruit-feeding birds have historically suffered a strong decline but the country has also gained new fruit-eaters in the form of introduced European birds, such as blackbirds and song thrushes. <\/p>\n
The Canterbury researchers studied the network of feeding interactions between different species of plants and birds in the North and South islands. They found that the intermediate body and beak size of exotic birds allowed them to feed on a great variety of different fruits. <\/p>\n
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