Studies relating to the population dynamics of the European badger (Meles meles) in Ireland

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dc.check.chapterOfThesisChapter 5 (pp. 189-219); Future Directions (pp.220-230); Appendices 3 & 4 (pp. 244-262). Restricted to everyone for three yearsen
dc.check.embargoformatBoth hard copy thesis and e-thesisen
dc.check.opt-outNot applicableen
dc.check.reasonThis thesis is due for publication or the author is actively seeking to publish this materialen
dc.contributor.advisorDavenport, Johnen
dc.contributor.authorByrne, Andrew William
dc.contributor.funderTeagascen
dc.date.accessioned2013-04-08T12:40:17Z
dc.date.available2016-04-09T04:00:06Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.date.submitted2013
dc.description.abstractEuropean badgers (Meles meles) are an important part of the Irish ecosystem; they are a component of Ireland’s native fauna and are afforded protection by national and international laws. The species is also a reservoir host for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and implicated in the epidemiology of bTB in cattle. Due to this latter point, badgers have been culled in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) in areas where persistent cattle bTB outbreaks exist. The population dynamics of badgers are therefore of great pure and applied interest. The studies within this thesis used large datasets and a number of analytical approaches to uncover essential elements of badger populations in the ROI. Furthermore, a review and meta-analysis of all available data on Irish badgers was completed to give a framework from which key knowledge gaps and future directions could be identified (Chapter 1). One main finding suggested that badger densities are significantly reduced in areas of repeated culling, as revealed through declining trends in signs of activity (Chapter 2) and capture numbers (Chapter 2 and Chapter 3). Despite this, the trappability of badgers was shown to be lower than previously thought. This indicates that management programmes would require repeated long-term efforts to be effective (Chapter 4). Mark-recapture modelling of a population (sample area: 755km2) suggested that mean badger density was typical of continental European populations, but substantially lower than British populations (Chapter 4). Badger movement patterns indicated that most of the population exhibited site fidelity. Long-distance movements were also recorded, the longest of which (20.1km) was the greatest displacement of an Irish badger currently known (Chapter 5). The studies presented in this thesis allows for the development of more robust models of the badger population at national scales (see Future Directions). Through the use of large-scale datasets future models will facilitate informed sustainable planning for disease control.en
dc.description.statusNot peer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Version
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationByrne, A. W., 2013. Studies relating to the population dynamics of the European badger (Meles meles) in Ireland. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.en
dc.identifier.endpage263
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/1028
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherUniversity College Corken
dc.rights© 2013, Andrew W. Byrneen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/en
dc.subjectEuropean badgeren
dc.subjectMeles melesen
dc.subjectPopulation estimationen
dc.subjectMovement and dispersalen
dc.subject.lcshBadgers--Irelanden
dc.subject.lcshBadgers--Ecologyen
dc.subject.lcshPopulation biologyen
dc.thesis.opt-outfalse*
dc.titleStudies relating to the population dynamics of the European badger (Meles meles) in Irelanden
dc.typeDoctoral thesisen
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen
dc.type.qualificationnamePhD (Science)en
ucc.workflow.supervisorcora@ucc.ie*
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