Effects of drought on weight, survival and breeding success of agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), dusky antechinus (A. swainsonii) and bush rats (Rattus fuscipes)

Parrott, Marissa L.; Ward, Simon; Temple-Smith, Peter; Selwood, Lynne

doi:10.1071/wr07071

Cited by 32 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…This is particularly evident when the spring flush of insect prey, which historically has been predictable, is interrupted by drought (Rhind 2002;Parrott et al 2007;Sale et al 2008). In the present study, there was considerable interannual variation in seasonal body mass of animals in the mainland habitat (particularly during spring and summer), but the island population had a more stable body mass.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Inflated population density of island antechinus: a case of allochthonous marine inputs leading to increased food availability?

Sale

Arnould²

2012

Aust. J. Zool.

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Abstract. Resource availability and other processes that affect maintenance, growth and decline of animal populations are central to ecology and conservation. This study quantified features indicative of population fitness and the availability of food resources for island and mainland populations of an insectivorous marsupial, the swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus). The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that colonial seabirds increase productivity of island habitats, ultimately providing greater food resources. The study found that antechinus biomass density was 4-13 times greater on the island site compared with the mainland site and was associated with higher recapture rates, suggesting that more individuals were surviving on the island during spring and summer months. An index of antechinus food availability (abundance and biomass of invertebrates) was also higher on the island site. Island antechinus also accessed marine food subsidies, in the form of seabird carrion, during the energetically demanding post-weaning growth period in spring and summer. Furthermore, based on soil nutrient and stable isotope analyses, there was strong evidence of nutrient enrichment from marine sources in the island ecosystem, commonly linked to increased productivity. Therefore, greater antechinus biomass and abundance on offshore islands are likely to be, in part, due to greater survival caused by higher availability of food resources.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Inflated population density of island antechinus: a case of allochthonous marine inputs leading to increased food availability?

Sale

Arnould²

2012

Aust. J. Zool.

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“…In 1998, the males and the females were significantly lighter than in 1980, despite the potential for the 1980 drought to have affected body mass (Parrott et al 2007;Recher et al 2009). The most remarkable finding was in the early 1980s, with the body mass of the males showing a significant increase over the three post-fire years, with the mean body mass rising each June from 22.2 g in 1980 to a peak of 31.8 g in 1982.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The long-term effects of logging for woodchips on small mammal populations

et al. 2009

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Context. Long-term studies are internationally recognised as an essential component of achieving ecologically sustainable forest management with respect to fauna.Aims. This study aimed to assess longer-term responses of small mammals to logging by returning in 1998 to our 1980-83 study sites in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia.Methods. Three age-classes of forest were surveyed: unlogged; 18-19-year-old regrowth; and 26-34-year-old regrowth. Key results. Rattus fuscipes remained affected by logging, and there were significantly fewer R. fuscipes males in logged, north-west-facing sites than at other sites, although the effect was less pronounced in 1998 than in 1980-83. Antechinus agilis females were significantly less numerous in south-east-facing, unlogged forest. This was not expected from the 1980-83 results. Antechinus swainsonii, which had disappeared following a fire in 1980, had returned to the forest by 1998. A. swainsonii females showed a significant preference for south-east-facing slopes and this relationship was consistent between logged and unlogged forest. No members of Mus musculus or Sminthopsis leucopus, which were present in 1980-83, were caught in 1998.Conclusions. As in the 1980s study, the responses of small mammal species to logging history were varied and species specific.Implications. In our study area, we predict that sustained logging for woodchips will continue to deplete its populations of small mammals. This adds to the case for a more robust and sustained approach to researching and managing our forest fauna.

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“…This is especially true for short-lived monoestrus genera such as quolls (Dasyurus spp.). However, a sharp decline in rainfall can reduce prey availability and cause recruitment failure for an annual cohort in marsupials with this life history strategy (Parrott et al 2007). Therefore, population sizes can fluctuate in cycles of 'booms'…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecology and predator associations of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in the Pilbara

Hernández-Santín¹

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The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is an endangered carnivorous marsupial in the family Dasyuridae that occurs in the northern third of Australia. It has declined throughout its range, especially in open, lowland habitats. This led to the hypothesis that rocky outcrops where it persists provide a safe haven from introduced predators and provide greater microhabitat heterogeneity associated with higher prey availability.Proposed causes of decline include introduced cane toads (Rhinella marina, which are toxic), predation by feral cats (Felis catus), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and the dingo (Canis lupus), and habitat alteration by changes in fire regimes. The National Recovery Plan highlighted knowledge gaps relevant to the conservation of the northern quoll. These include assembling data on ecology and population status, determining factors in survival, especially introduced predators, selecting areas that can be used as refuges, and identifying and securing key populations. The Pilbara region in Western Australia is a key population currently free of invasive cane toads (a major threat).The Pilbara is a semi-arid to arid area subject to cyclones between December and ). These are dominated by spinifex (hummock) grasslands, with rugged rock outcrops, shrublands, riparian areas, and some soft (tussock) grasslands. They are subject to frequent seasonal fires, creating a mosaic of recently burnt and longer unburnt areas. The overall aim of this study was to assess the ecology of the northern quoll in the Pilbara to understand drivers of density and distribution of this endangered species, to enhance species-specific conservation efforts. I collected field data on six one-month trips over three years, predominantly using live-trapping, camera-trapping, sampling invertebrates, vegetation surveys, habitat structure, and den availability surveys.In the Pilbara, the largest mammalian predators are the introduced dingo and feral cat. The largest native mammalian carnivore is the northern quoll, which is smaller than the introduced predators but larger than the other dasyurids in the guild. In Chapter 2, I explored spatial and temporal associations among introduced predators and quolls and their associations with habitat to assess the impact of introduced predators on quolls. I found evidence that dingo control programs prevent dingoes from fulfilling their role as top predators, leading to mesopredator release of feral cats. Feral cats were associated with 3 open habitats (spinifex grasslands and recently burnt areas), and showed inverse associations to those of quolls, suggesting that quolls avoid cats in space. Quolls were positively associated with rocky habitats. In Chapter 3, I assessed spatial and temporal associations among dasyurids to understand the current role of northern quolls within their guild. I found that range contraction of northern quolls into rocky habitats prevent them from fulfilling their role as top predators across the landscape, potentially leading to mesopredator release of kalutas (Da...

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Effects of drought on weight, survival and breeding success of agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), dusky antechinus (A. swainsonii) and bush rats (Rattus fuscipes)

Cited by 32 publications

References 26 publications

Inflated population density of island antechinus: a case of allochthonous marine inputs leading to increased food availability?

Inflated population density of island antechinus: a case of allochthonous marine inputs leading to increased food availability?

The long-term effects of logging for woodchips on small mammal populations

Ecology and predator associations of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in the Pilbara

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