The impacts of rodents in both developing and developed countries are legendary. Myths and dogma about rodents and their outbreaks abound. They are imbedded in the culture and language of many societies. In many instances, it is the acceptance of these outbreaks by society that is our greatest challenge as crop protection specialists or conservation biologists. The reason these episodic outbreaks become etched in the socio-cultural psyche from the sparsely populated uplands of Laos to the considerably more affluent agricultural lands of Europe is that the impacts are often staggering—economically, socially, and even politically. This book is a collation of contributions from Asia, Africa, Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), Europe, and North America. The advent of ecologically based rodent management (EBRM) has stimulated the progress summarized in this book. The contributions provide a modern appraisal to an age-old problem through a better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to rodent outbreaks, why rodent population numbers increase under different circumstances, and the impact of outbreaks in a range of different agroecosystems and native forests in different parts of the world. This is an encouraging progress report driven by scientists passionate about rodents, about people, about conservation, and about improving our knowledge of these species and the ecosystems they inhabit. And, in a novel twist, there is an appendix of recipes for preparing rat meat. You will be more than tempted to try one of these dishes the next time you travel in Asia or Africa.
Edited by Grant Singleton, Steve Belmain, Peter Brown, Bill Hardy
Publisher: International Rice Research Institute
Los Baños, Philippines
Publication date: November 2010
Web availability: IRRI Google Books (
http://books.irri.org/)
Click
here to view the book online.
Rodent outbreaks and bamboo flowering in Asia
Chronicle and impacts of the 2005-09 mautam in Mizoram
KP Aplin, J Lalsiamliana
The Chittagong story: studies on the ecology of rat floods and bamboo masting
SR Belmain, N Chakma, NJ Sarker, SU Sarker, SK Sarker, NQ Kamal
The Chittagong story: a regional damage assessment during a rodent population outbreak
SKM Ahaduzzaman, SK Sarker
Rodent population outbreaks associated with bamboo flowering in Chin State, Myanmar
NM Htwe, GR Singleton, AM Thwe, YY Lwin
Rodent outbreaks in the uplands of Lao PDR
B Douangboupha, GR Singleton, PR Brown, K Khamphoukeo
Rodent impacts in lowland intensive rice systems in Southeast and South Asia
Rodent impacts in lowland irrigated intensive rice systems in West Java, Indonesia.
Sudarmaji, GR Singleton, PR Brown, J Jacob, N Herawati
Rodent outbreaks in South Sulawesi, Indonesia: the importance of understanding cultural norms
D Baco, R Nasruddin, H Juddawi
Rodent impacts in lowland irrigated intensive rice systems in Vietnam
HN Huan, VTQ Nga, PR Brown, MTM Phung, GR Singleton
Socio-cultural factors influencing adoption of ecologically based rodent pest management.
FG Palis, GR Singleton, PR Brown, NH Huan, NTD Nga
Response options to rodent outbreaks following extreme weather events: cyclone Nargis, a case study.
GR Singleton, NM Htwe, LA Hinds, W Soe
Analysis of communication pathways and impacts of the Boo! Boo! Rat! campaign
RJB Flor, GR Singleton
Section 3
Rodent outbreaks in other regions: a search for generalities
Rodent outbreaks in Europe: dynamics and damage
J Jacob, E Tkadlec
Rodent outbreaks in Australia: mouse plagues in cereal crops
PR Brown, GR Singleton, RP Pech, LA Hinds, CJ Krebs
Rodent outbreaks in New Zealand
WA Ruscoe, RP Pech
Rodent outbreaks in North America
G Witmer, G Proulx
Rodent outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa
H Leirs, V Sluydts, R Makundi
