Status: In Progress
Start date: 1 July 2021
Completion date: 30 June 2024
Project code: A-030
Species/Threats: Mice
Current invasive mammal pest management is based on several management techniques including baiting, trapping, fencing and for rabbits; viral biocontrol. Many of these methods rely on costly sustained resources to accomplish a reduction of impacts. There are currently no effective management landscape options for devastating mouse plagues
Gene drive is a technology that aims to manipulate reproductive processes to disseminate a gene across a population. In terms of biocontrol, the gene selected would suppress the rate of reproduction and thus the overall spread and impact of the pest population.
The objective of this project is:
Birand A, Cassey P, Ross JV, Russell JC, Thomas P and Prowse TAA (2022) Gene drives for vertebrate pest control: Realistic spatial modelling of eradication probabilities and times for island mouse populations Molecular Ecology 31, 1907-1923. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16361
Birand A, Cassey P, Ross JV, Thomas PQ and Prowse TAA (2022) Scalability of genetic biocontrol for eradicating invasive alien mammals. Neobiota 74, 93-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.74.82394
Gierusa L, Birand A, Buntinga MD, Godahewab GI, Pilt S, Oh K, Piaggio AJ, Threadgill DW, Godwini J, Edwards O, Cassey P, Rossk JV, Prowse TAA and Thomas PQ (2022) Leveraging a natural murine meiotic drive to suppress invasive populations PNAS 119(46), e2213308119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2213308119
