This study investigated the use of the grass-tree, Xanthorrhoea semiplana F.Muell. (family Xanthorrhoeaceae), for shelter by Rattus fuscipes (southern bush rat) in South Australia. Eight bush rats were radiotracked for 4-8 days each. To identify the understorey shelters available to each animal, surveys were conducted using point-intercept sampling at 2-m intervals along transect lines. Grass-tree density was calculated in each area used by the radio-tracked animals, and canopy thickness of grass-trees selected for refuge was assigned a score; the availability of other potential shelters was also calculated. The results indicated that (1) R. fuscipes preferentially selected grass-trees over other understorey shelter; (2) the grass-trees chosen had thick canopy covers; (3) areas with high grass-tree densities were preferred for cover over areas with fewer grass-trees; and (4) grass-trees provided dense cover and, therefore, concealed burrows and nest sites.
Use of Xanthorrhoea semiplana (grass-trees) for refuge by Rattus fuscipes (southern bush rat)
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.