The proliferation of invasive alien species (IAS), particularly rats, on island ecosystems has very harmful consequences for local animal and vegetal populations. This is the case on Europa Island, administered by the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises  (TAAF) , in the southern Mozambique Channel, which is non permanently inhabited and highly preserved.
On Europa, a rat population is growing in the 836ha of mangrove bordering a well-preserved lagoon, threatening tropicbirds in particular.
As part of the RECI project (Insular Ecosystem Restoration), the TAAF have drawn up IAS eradication protocols, with a test eradication project on an enclosed mangrove on Europa Island through aerial rodenticide bait application.

In this project, we are involved in carrying out an impact study on the presence and fate of the rodenticide in an intertidal ecosystem, with contamination likely to occur at different levels of the trophic chains.
How is brodifacoum transferred to different environmental matrices (sediment, water, flesh, etc.)?
Does it persist in theses compartments ?  What are the risks of bioaccumulation of such a contaminant in preserved aquatic ecosystems?

This project is supported by the TAAF (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises) : convention-TAAF-2268.
PI : Pr Elliott Sucré, University of Mayotte, University of Montpellier : MARBEC UMR
Partners : -  University of Montpellier : Hydrosciences