Simulating effects of fitness and dispersal on the use of Trojan sex chromosomes for invasive species management

The use of Trojan Y Chromosomes (TYC) for controlling invasive species involves manipulating the sex chromosomes of captive-raised individuals. Once released, the offspring of these individuals consist of only one sex, thereby skewing the sex-ratio of the invasive population and potentially leading to eradication. Simulation models are needed that can inform managers on how to maximize the likelihood of species eradication, since implementation of this novel management approach in the field is still rare. Here, we present the first spatially explicit, mechanistic simulation model of a real-world TYC program for invasive species eradication. Using a brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) system model, we investigated the effects of competitive and reproductive fitness of the captive-raised YY males, dispersal behavior upon their release, and landscape heterogeneity on eradication success. Likelihood of eradication was dependent on both the competitive and reproductive fitness of the ...