The Ecology and Conservation Group
Anna Gsell

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My study on olfaction and scent in the critical endangered kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) does not only carry on a tradition in my scientific carrier on chemical communication in a range of different species, but more so focuses on the approach of actively applying biological scent and olfaction in conservation biology.

I conducted my Masters in collaboration with Basel University (Switzerland), Cambridge University (UK) and the University of Pretoria (South Africa) in Prof. Tim Clutton-Brocks' Kalahari Meerkat Project in South Africa). I concentrated on whether hierarchy structures in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) existed and whether they were communicated by scent. My findings in meerkats served as a model in a comparative, but endangered, cooperative breeder, the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus). I helped to develop a biological method to keep wild dogs from farms away. This project got undertaken in the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Hitherto, only little was known about olfaction in birds and the offer to work on the Northern brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) in New Zealand was all the more tempting, since I had to deal with a bird, whose behaviour reminds in many aspects rather of a mammal than a bird. Initial behavioural experiments undertaken on free ranging birds in an offshore island at the Hauraki Gulf indicate the use of body-scent in the social life of kiwi and a pilot analysis of the chemical compounds in body scent by gas chromatography revealed the presence of aromatic oils and alcohols that could account for the strong smell of this bird.

My PhD leads into two directions making once more use of chemical communication as a tool in conservation. One part looks at the application of scent and olfaction in pest management. I tried using scent to eventually trap introduced mammalian predators such as rats and mice. Experiments to attract Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) with the scent of lab rats have successfully been conducted and may lay the base to synthesize an odour to eventually attract wild rats to kill-traps. In another attempt, certified rodent dogs were successfully tested in locating single mice and Norway rats in an essential pest free nature reserve, pointing out the use of the dogs' nose in conservation.

My main project though focuses on chemical communication in parrots and specificically in the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus). My aim is to shed more light on the function of the sweet and strong body smell in Kakapo and its role in conspecific communication. Quantifying the distinct smell of the kakapo will contribute to the understanding of the role scent may play in the behavioural ecology of this unusual and remarkable bird and prove helpful in the conservation of this endemic and critical endangered parrot.

RESEARCH

Chemical communication in parrots with a specific emphasis on the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)

New Zealand's isolation and the absence of mammalian predators and in particular the lack of mammals that rely on scent to find their prey have New Zealand enabled to evolve a unique bird fauna, presented by predominantly flightless and nocturnal species. Having adopted features that rather speak for mammals than birds, it is then perhaps plausible that olfaction may be an important aspect of New Zealand's avian ecology, as this historically would not increase their vulnerability to predation and olfaction might play an important role in communication and mate choice.

Furthermore New Zealand is home to one of the most unusual parrots worldwide, the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), which is known for its strong and sweet smell. The aim of this project is to investigate the role chemical communication may play in parrots and in specific in the kakapo. Understanding the role of the chemical ecology may prove helpful in the conservation of the critical endangered kakapo.

Novel applied techniques in pest management:

1. Comparative effectiveness and cost of certified rodent dogs for locating single mice (Mus musculus) and Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) in essential pest-free mainland forest.
2. Can the odour of lab Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) be used to attract wild Norway rats?

Zealand's many 'pest' free offshore and mainland island refuges are the foundation of conservation management of our unique biodiversity. The success of these refuges is the long term maintenance of this pest free status. Rodents (Norway and ship rats, and mice) are major pests and predators of indigenous fauna. Incursions by these rodents into conservation refuges can occur and early detection of these rodents is crucial for appropriate control responses and eradication. The longer the rodents go unnoticed the more difficult they will be to control and the more damage they will do to the indigenous species within the refuge. Currently, the most commonly used detection device is baited tracking tunnels that record rodent footprints. However, tracking tunnels need to be serviced regularly, making them labour- and hence cost intense.

We aim to test and quantify two detection methods:

1. The efficiency of certified rodent dogs in spotting a low density number of rodents in essential pest free forest
2. Can the scent of lab Norway rats attract wild Norway rats?

The main benefits of quantifying the efficacy of these methods will be to conservation managers and community restoration projects. If one or both of the new methods prove to be efficient at detecting rodents then we hope they can be incorporated into current conservation practises.

FUNDING BODIES

• Maungatautari Scholarship, Massey University, New Zealand
• Massey University Scholarship, New Zealand
• Maungatautari Island Trust& Environmental Initiatives Fund, Auckland Regional Council, New Zealand

PUBLICATIONS/ REPORTS

Gsell A 2003. Wie das Immunsystem entstand Drogen, Uni Nova: Wissenschaftsmagazin der Universität Basel. 95: 26-29

Gsell A 2002. Wie Erdmännchen Duftmarken setzten. Sprache und Identität Uni Nova: Wissenschaftsmagazin der Universität Basel. 92: 27-28.

Gsell AC 2002. Marking behaviour und hierarchy structures in meerkats (Suricata suricatta): Do marks indicate rank? Unpublished MSc thesis. University of Basle, Switzerland.

CONFERENCES ATTENDED

2008 - Annual conference of the New Zealand Ecological Society,Auckland, New Zealand.
Gsell A, Seabrook- Davison D, Shanas U, Agnew W, Ji W, Brunton D. a) Can lab-rats (Rattus norvegicus) and their derivates (urine/ bedding) be used to attract wild Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). In: Use of scent and olfaction in pest management.
Gsell A, Innes J, de Monchy P, Brunton D. b) Effectiveness of certified rodent dogs in locating single lab mice (Mus musculus) and lab Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) in essential pest-free mainland forest? In: Use of scent and olfaction in pest management.

2007 - Sanctuaries of New Zealand workshop, Wellington, New Zealand.
Gsell A 2007. Research on the effectiveness of certified rodent dogs in spotting a low density population of rodents in an essentially pest free area.

2007 - Neuroethology across the Tasman Minisymposium, Auckland, New Zealand.

2005 - TAWIRI, Vth Annual TAWIRI Scientific Conference, Arusha, Tanzania.

2005 - Annual Meeting of the Society of Conservation Biology Brasilia, Brazil.

VOLUNTEER WORK

• 2007: North Island weka (Gallirallus australis) count, Kawa Kawa Bay, New Zealand.
• 2004: Saddleback Conservation Programme, Mokoia Island, Rotorua, New Zealand. Observation, mist-netting and sampling of life history data in saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater).
• 2002: 'Yellow Mongoose Project', Witsand, South Africa. Adlib and scans in a radio tagged population of yellow mongooses (Cynictis penicillata).
• 2001: Catching rainbow skinks (Mabuya margaritifer) in Nelspruit, South Africa.
• 1980-1990: Sporadic and various voluntary work in the Zoological Garden of Basel, Switzerland.

PROJECTS

• 2004 - Ponui Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Helping catching Northern brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) as well as setting up a project, with the aim to study the behaviour in the Northern brown kiwi. Observations and experimental approaches in scent marking behaviour in the kiwi.
• 2002 - African Wild-Dog Conservation Research Camp Botswana, Maun, Botswana. Dr. Tico McNutt Evaluation on how scent marking behaviour in African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) could be used to their advantage and conservation especially in consideration that the dogs share a similar family structure compared to meerkats.
• 2000 - Course in micro slight cuttings under the direction of Dr. Van De Merwe, University of Pretoria / SA.
• 1999 - Pilot project in the Kalahari Meerkat Research Project of Prof. Tim Clutton-Brock, University of Cambridge / UK in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Finding methods in evaluating scent marking behaviour in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) and conducting volunteer work such as collecting adlibs, scans and focals.
• 1997 - Plant thesis in plant eco-physiology: "Temperature resistance in Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae)" University of Basle, Switzerland.
• 1990 - Radar monitoring of migrating birds, Ornithological Institute Sempach, Switzerland.
• 1990 - Internship in the herbarium section of the Botanical Institute of Basel.