Evaluation of the impacts of feral camels

Edwards, Glenn; Zeng, Benxiang; Saalfeld, W. K.; Vaarzon‐Morel, Petronella

doi:10.1071/rj09037

Cited by 48 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…In addition, the success of feral camels and deer in Australia has been largely attributed to their ability to utilize native trees and shrubs rarely touched by extant macropodoids (Duncan 1992;Edwards et al 2010). There still appears to be a considerable amount of potential browse vegetation, evinced by the number of mixed feeders that consume browse to varying degrees, as well as other browsing taxa such as possums and emus.…”

Section: Dental Morphologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary classification of extant kangaroos and their relatives (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea)

Arman

Prideaux

2015

Austral Ecology

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Kangaroos and kin (superfamily Macropodoidea) are the principal endemic herbivores of Australia and the most diverse radiation of marsupial herbivores ever to have evolved. As is typical of other herbivore groups (e.g. bovids), dietary niches span fruit, fungi, dicot leaves and monocot grasses in both specialists and generalists, but to date dietary classification has been largely ad hoc and poorly tied to actual dietary ecological data. Here we provide a simple dietary classification of the Macropodoidea based on an extensive literature survey. Intake of four major dietary items -grasses, dicot leaves, fruits and seeds, and fungi -was assessed using proportional intake for 19 species and categorical (ranked intake) data for 37 species. Statistical comparisons with cluster and principal components analyses aligned species into four dietary groups. Members of the first group have diets that primarily consist of fungi and fruits. Relative proportions of grasses to dicot leaves separate the remaining species into browser (more than 70% dicots), grazer (more than 70% grasses) and mixed feeder groups. Comparison of our diet-based classification with a prevailing scheme based on dental morphology suggests that most species with what has traditionally been viewed as a 'browser-grade dentition' are actually mixed feeders.This suggests that either morphology and diet are not tightly linked or that morphological differences between the dentitions of browsers and mixed feeders are subtle and have been overlooked. A positive correlation was found between body mass and average proportional intake of grass in the diet of macropodoids. This parallels the situation found in bovids, as well as the percentage cut-off between dietary groups. These trends suggest that some underlying ecophysiological constraints may influence food choice in mammalian herbivores providing useful pointers to the diets of extinct taxa.

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Section: Dental Morphologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary classification of extant kangaroos and their relatives (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea)

Arman

Prideaux

2015

Austral Ecology

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“…As described above, most studies (e.g. Edwards et al, 2010) report that these impacts are density dependent.…”

Section: Camels and Weedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although flexible, camels will preferentially eat particular species, including to the point of damage, defoliation and suppression of germinating seedlings (Dorges and Heuke, 2003). As discussed by Edwards et al (2010) in areas of central Australia several studies have demonstrated that camels contribute to local decline of particular plants; in some cases this might conveniently include species deemed undesirable, but it may also include plants such as Quandong and native apricot, which are culturally important for Aboriginal people (Dorges and Heuke, 2003). As described above, most studies (e.g.…”

Section: Camels and Weedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recorded impacts include damage to vegetation through selective grazing and browsing; trampling of wetlands and waterholes as animals drink; competition with native and stock animals for food, water and shelter; damage to industrial and community infrastructure, including fences, yards, watering points and sites of cultural significance; stock loss due to broken fences; nuisance and safety hazards in residential areas, roads and air strips; and risk of carriage and spread of disease NRMMC, 2010;Vaarzon-Morel and Edwards, 2010).…”

Section: Camel Assemblages: Impacts Belonging Distributive Agency Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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Camel country: Assemblage, belonging and scale in invasive species geographies

2015

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Invasive species and their impacts have become a focus of global environmental management. Invasive, alien and feral species are understood to represent destructive categories of organisms. However, in the context of contemporary environmental change and uncertainty, the native/alien dichotomy is no longer tenable as the basis for decision-making, and the focus on impacts presents an impasse in environmental management. The differential status of camels (Camelus dromedarius) over time and space illustrates the complexity of species management. In this paper we seek to move beyond the native/alien dichotomy, and disrupt the discourse of impacts, through an analysis of camel assemblages in Australia. We draw on assemblage thinking to critique the circumstances under which camels are deemed to belong, or not, and to reveal aspects of the camel story often ignored in its contemporary telling. We present three case studies: first, an historical case of the introduction of camels to Australia; second, camel management through a national-scale culling program; and third, relations between camels and 'weeds' in which camels are deemed simultaneously to belong and not belong. We argue that assemblage thinking disrupts fixed categories, and reveals agency beyond that of individual species, thus contributing to multi-scalar considerations. We find that camel belonging does not emerge from the animal or species itself, but is contingent. Finally, we argue that camel management is currently firmly imagined and enacted at the national scale, but in the context of contemporary environmental change invasive species management must take into account processes and relations across multiple scales. Invasive, alien and feral species are understood to represent destructive categories of organisms.However, in the context of contemporary environmental change and uncertainty, the native/alien dichotomy is no longer tenable as the basis for decision-making, and the focus on impacts presents an impasse in environmental management. The differential status of camels (Camelus dromedarius) over time and space illustrates the complexity of species management. In this paper we seek to move beyond the native/alien dichotomy, and disrupt the discourse of impacts, through an analysis of camel assemblages in Australia. We draw on assemblage thinking to critique the circumstances under which camels are deemed to belong, or not, and to reveal aspects of the camel story often ignored in its contemporary telling. We present three case studies: first, an historical case of the introduction of camels to Australia; second, camel management through a national-scale culling program; and third, relations between camels and 'weeds' in which camels are deemed simultaneously to belong and not belong. We argue that assemblage thinking disrupts fixed categories, and reveals agency beyond that of individual species, thus contributing to multi-scalar considerations. We find that camel belonging does not emerge from the animal or species itself, but is cont...

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“…Edwards et al (2010) have found that feral camels impose an annual net cost of $10.67 million on the Australian economy and note that the non-market impacts are likely to be significantly higher. Vaarzon-Morel (2010) notes the impacts on natural and cultural resources which are important to Aboriginal people.…”

Section: Impacts and Attitudes Of Land Managersmentioning

confidence: 99%