Invasive rats are affecting the behaviour of algae-farming fish

Invasive rats are affecting the behaviour of algae-farming fish

By James Ashworth

Source: nhm

1/5/2023

Credit: zaferkizilkaya/Shutterstock

Rats can affect the behaviour of 'farming' fish, causing them to become much less aggressive.

By attacking seabirds, rats are responsible for a chain of events that reduce the nutritional value of algae, with the damselfish that tend to a patch less inclined to protect it.

Invasive rats are devastating tropical islands, with effects reaching far beyond the land.

Rodents are some of the most difficult invasive species to eradicate, being very adaptable and with a broad diet that can extend from grains and fruits to insects and even chicks.

A new study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, has revealed that their voracious appetite for young birds is affecting nutrient cycling on tropical islands to such an extent that the oceans around them are also changing.