1 
IV. Population ecology and biology of the Polynesian rat, nattus exulans , 
on Green Island, Kure Atoll 
A. Live trapping 
1. A 550 foot square study area has been set up at the north 
end of the island. The area has all the ecological niches 
which the island offers; bare sand, sand and grass, punc- 
turevine and grass, open Scaevola with mixed grass and 
puncturevine, and solid Scaevola . The area has been gridded 
and narked at 50 foot intervals. 
2. The study area will be trapped for two 4-night periods 
(1152 trap-nights) during each month the principal invest¬ 
igator is at Kure. All animals will be toe-clipped for 
identification. Record will be kept for each individual 
captured each month of weight, condition of molt, ecto¬ 
parasites, reproductive status, and date and trap station 
of each capture. This portion of the study will provide 
data on population dynamics and structure, natality and 
mortality, breeding cycles, density, home range and spa¬ 
tial distribution, and ectoparasite infestation. 
3. Each station will be characterized by the percent of each 
type of vegetation occurring within a 25 foot radius of the 
marker. In this fashion a crude vegetation map will be 
constructed of the entire area. In addition, arrangements 
are presently being made for vertical aerial photographs 
to be taken of Kure this fall. 
4. The study area has nesting tropicbirds, masked and brown 
boobies, wedgetailed shearwaters, and Bonin Island petrels, 
and will probably have albatrosses of both species. The 
interrelationships between the rats and nesting birds will 
be carefully studied. 
5. Fifty foot square sections of the study area will be chosen 
at random and carefully searched for shearwater and petrel 
burrows; these will be charted on plot maps and their con¬ 
dition of use determined. A careful search will be made 
for nests of all above ground nesting species, and these 
also will be plotted on area charts. 
6 . The breeding cycles of species using this study area will 
be carefully studied. 
Microclimate information will be gathered on the study area, 
including temperature, humidity and rainfall, and diel 
temperature and humidity cycles in various ecological niches 
within the area. 
7 . 
