An integrated control system for rodents in pine plantations in central Chile.
Abstract
In >1 million ha of the exotic pine, Pinus radiata, planted in the coastal area of central Chile in the last 15 yr, up to 55% of stems in attacked stands have been damaged by rodents. In studies at 2 sites with 10-yr-old P. radiata, silvicultural treatments (pruning or thinning/pruning), habitat modification (cleared strips to impede rodent dispersal, perches to attract predatory birds), trapping, and rodenticides were compared separately or in combination. In general, silvicultural treatments and habitat modification were effective in the long-term, and trapping and rodenticide application were appropriate for short-term control of severe outbreaks.