Relationships between native small mammals and native and introduced large herbivores

Pedersen, Simen; Andreassen, Harry P.; Keith, David A.; Skarpe, Christina; Dickman, Chris R.; Gordon, Iain J.; Crowther, Mathew S.; McArthur, Clare

doi:10.1111/aec.12072

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…However, these results were confounded by reduced coarse woody habitat (logs) in areas of high sambar density, which may have affected small-mammal abundance. Pedersen et al (2014) demonstrated negative correlations between the occurrence of two small mammal species and rusa deer at sites burnt within the past 9 years (Table 2). Inferences were limited by the non-experimental nature of the study, the lag time between deer-pellet deposition and small-mammal trapping, and uncertainty in the index of deer abundance.…”

Section: Habitat Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (family Cervidae) in Australia

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Deer are among the world's most successful invasive mammals and can have substantial deleterious impacts on natural and agricultural ecosystems. Six species have established wild populations in Australia, and the distributions and abundances of some species are increasing. Approaches to managing wild deer in Australia are diverse and complex, with some populations managed as 'game' and others as 'pests'. Implementation of cost-effective management strategies that account for this complexity is hindered by a lack of knowledge of the nature, extent and severity of deer impacts. To clarify the knowledge base and identify research needs, we conducted a systematic review of the impacts and management of wild deer in Australia. Most wild deer are in south-eastern Australia, but bioclimatic analysis suggested that four species are well suited to the tropical and subtropical climates of northern Australia. Deer could potentially occupy most of the continent, including parts of the arid interior. The most significant impacts are likely to occur through direct effects of herbivory, with potentially cascading indirect effects on fauna and ecosystem processes. However, evidence of impacts in Australia is largely observational, and few studies have experimentally partitioned the impacts of deer from those of sympatric native and other introduced herbivores. Furthermore, there has been little rigorous testing of the efficacy of deer management in Australia, and our understanding of the deer ecology required to guide deer management is limited. We identified the following six priority research areas: (i) identifying long-term changes in plant communities caused by deer; (ii) understanding interactions with other fauna; (iii) measuring impacts on water quality; (iv) assessing economic impacts on agriculture (including as disease vectors); (v) evaluating efficacy of management for mitigating deer impacts; and (vi) quantifying changes in distribution and abundance. Addressing these knowledge gaps will assist the development and prioritisation of cost-effective management strategies and help increase stakeholder support for managing the impacts of deer on Australian ecosystems.

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Section: Habitat Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (family Cervidae) in Australia

et al. 2016

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“…This National Park is 15 068 ha in area and is contiguous with suburban Sydney on the north-western portion. The study area stretches 5 km inland on a low plateau from the coast (Pedersen et al 2014). Soils are shallow and poorly drained with relatively low fertility.…”

Section: Study Area and Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are derived from the Hawkesbury Sandstone and support heathland vegetation communities in the park, with 'Coastal Sandstone Plateau Heath' (Coastal Heathlands) the most dominant and floristically diverse vegetation type in this region (NPWS 2000b;Keith 2004). This dominant heath consists of dense to open shrubland (1-5 m high) interspersed with Coastal Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland associated with deeper and richer soils (Mosley 2012;Pedersen et al 2014). Climate data recorded from weather station at Lucas Heights Ansto (3.6 km east of the park boundary), (Australian Bureau of Meteorology, www.…”

Section: Study Area and Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With the rapid spread of introduced deer, there are many studies on the direct impacts on vegetation in forest and woodland communities, mostly in Britain, North America and New Zealand (Waller & Alverson 1997;Partl et al 2002;Coomes et al 2003;Weller et al 2011). Direct effects of herbivory on flora include reduction of cover, diversity, and density and structural shifts, leading to knock-on effects such as habitat change and food scarcity for other animals including ground dwelling small mammals (Flowerdew & Ellwood 2001;Keith 2004;Pedersen et al 2014). Plants can suffer from severe loss of vegetative tissue and reproductive material (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of impacts from introduced deer are only recently emerging in Australia (Pedersen et al 2014;Foster et al 2015). In contrast, the impacts of fire on various vegetation communities are well documented, especially in the coastal heathlands of Sydney (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interactions between fire and introduced deer herbivory on coastal heath vegetation

Crowther

Ortac

Pedersen³

et al. 2016

Austral Ecology

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The coastal heathlands of the Royal National Park are impacted by both fire and herbivory by introduced deer, and to date these two factors have been dealt with independently in the management of natural areas. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition for a more integrated approach to manage these two disturbance agents. Fire and its role in Australian heathlands are well known, while impacts from introduced deer and the combined effects of fire and introduced deer are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of fire and Javan rusa deer (Cervus timorensis) on both vegetation cover and floristics. The percentage cover of plants at different height layers and the presence/absence of individual species were recorded at sites representing two different burn histories (1993/ 1994 and 2000/2001) and deer presence or absence. Fire significantly reduced vegetation cover at low (<50 cm) and intermediate heights (50-100 cm), while deer presence affected grasses and sedges, and low vegetation at more recently burnt sites. Rusa deer also affected composition of the plant species assemblages, but no such effect was found for fire. Understanding the influence of each disturbance factor independently and together in the heathlands will be critical for implementing a more robust framework for future management.

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Indirect effects of a large mammalian herbivore on small mammal populations: Context‐dependent variation across habitat types, mammal species, and seasons

Ellis

Cushman

2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Multiple consumer species frequently co‐occur in the same landscape and, through effects on surrounding environments, can interact in direct and indirect ways. These interactions can vary in occurrence and importance, and focusing on this variation is critical for understanding the dynamics of interactions among consumers. Large mammalian herbivores are important engineers of ecosystems worldwide, have substantial impacts on vegetation, and can indirectly affect small‐mammal populations. However, the degree to which such indirect effects vary within the same system has received minimal attention. We used a 16‐year‐old exclosure experiment, stratified across a heterogeneous landscape, to evaluate the importance of context‐dependent interactions between tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) and small mammals (deer mice [Peromyscus maniculatus], meadow voles [Microtus californicus], and harvest mice [Reithrodontymys megalotis]) in a coastal grassland in California. Effects of elk on voles varied among habitats and seasons: In open grasslands, elk reduced vole numbers during fall 2013 but not summer 2014; in Lupinus‐dominated grasslands, elk reduced vole numbers during summer 2014 but not fall 2013; and in Baccharis‐dominated grasslands, elk had no effect on vole numbers in either season. Effects of elk on the two mice species also varied among habitats and seasons, but often in different ways from voles and each other. In fall 2013, elk decreased mice abundances in Lupinus‐dominated grasslands, but not in Baccharis‐dominated or open grasslands. In summer 2014, elk decreased the abundance of harvest mice consistently across habitat types. In contrast, elk increased deer‐mice numbers in open grasslands but not other habitats. Within the same heterogenous study system, the influence of elk on small mammals was strongly context‐dependent, varying among habitats, mammal species, and seasons. We hypothesize that such variability is common in nature and that failure to consider it may yield inaccurate findings and limit our understanding of interactions among co‐occurring consumers.

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Relationships between native small mammals and native and introduced large herbivores

Cited by 15 publications

References 30 publications

A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (family Cervidae) in Australia

A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (family Cervidae) in Australia

Interactions between fire and introduced deer herbivory on coastal heath vegetation

Indirect effects of a large mammalian herbivore on small mammal populations: Context‐dependent variation across habitat types, mammal species, and seasons

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