The feeding ecology of the dingo II. Dietary and numerical relationships with fluctuating prey populations in south‐eastern Australia

Newsome, A. E.; Catling, P. C.; Corbett, LK

doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1983.tb01332.x

Cited by 109 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Cat remains were also found in the gut of one dingo (2 %), and in one faecal sample (1.2 %). Consumption of cats by dingoes has also been reported by Newsome, Catling & Corbett (1983), Lundie-Jenkins, Corbett & Phillips (1993), Thomson (1992), Corbett (1995) and Paltridge (2002). In addition, Pettigrew (1993) reported that an adult cat fitted with a radio collar was killed by a dingo.…”

Section: Evidence For Interactions (1 ) Interactions Between Natmentioning

confidence: 77%

Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management

2005

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Mammalian carnivore populations are often intensively managed, either because the carnivore in question is endangered, or because it is viewed as a pest and is subjected to control measures, or both. Most management programmes treat carnivore species in isolation. However, there is a large and emerging body of evidence to demonstrate that populations of different carnivores interact with each other in a variety of complex ways. Thus, the removal or introduction of predators to or from a system can often affect other species in ways that are difficult to predict. Wildlife managers must consider such interactions when planning predator control programmes. Integrated predator control will require a greater understanding of the complex relationships between species.In many parts of the world, sympatric species of carnivores have coexisted over an evolutionary time scale so that niche differentiation has occurred, and competition is difficult to observe. Australia has experienced numerous introductions during the past 200 years, including those of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the feral cat (Felis catus). These species now exist in sympatry with native mammalian predators, providing ecologists with the opportunity to study their interactions without the confounding effects of coevolution.Despite an increasing body of observational evidence for complex interactions among native and introduced predators in Australia, few studies have attempted to clarify these relationships experimentally, and the interactions remain largely unacknowledged. A greater understanding of these interactions would provide ecologists and wildlife managers world-wide with the ability to construct robust predictive models of carnivore communities, and to identify their broader effects on ecosystem functioning. We suggest that future research should focus on controlled and replicated predator removal or addition experiments. The dingo (Canis lupus dingo), as a likely keystone species, should be a particular focus of attention.

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Section: Evidence For Interactions (1 ) Interactions Between Natmentioning

confidence: 77%

Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management

2005

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“…Foxes may pose a greater threat to these species during severe drought. Newsome et al (1983), for example, observed greater predation pressure on macropods during drought.…”

Section: Vulpes Vulpesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of fragmentation and disturbance on the potential impact of feral predators on native fauna in Australian forest ecosystems

May¹,

Norton²

1996

Wildl. Res.

125

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We review current knowledge of the diet and predator-prey relationships of the feral cat (Felis catus), fox (Vulpes vulpes) and dingo (Canis familiaris dingo) (including wild dogs), and consider how forest fragmentation by roads may influence the use of native forest ecosystems by these species and the significance of this for native fauna. The cat, fox and dingo are significant predators in Australia that interact with native fauna in various ways, including predation, competition for resources, and transmission of disease. On the basis of current knowledge, it is clear that the nature and impact of predation by the cat, fox and dingo on native fauna are primarily determined by prey availability, although there are exceptions to this rule. Generally, dingoes prey upon large to medium-sized prey species (e.g. wallabies, common wombats and possums), foxes prey upon medium-sized to small prey (e.g. possums and rats) and consume a significant component of scavenged material and vegetation, while cats also prey upon medium-sized to small prey, but may have a greater proportion of reptiles and birds in their diet. The cat is generally considered to be an opportunistic predator and to have contributed to the demise of a number of mammals. The fox is considered more of a threat to small native mammals than is the cat and it has been asserted that all species of mammals that fall within the critical weight range (CWR) of 120-5000 g are at risk of local extinction when the fox is present. The severity of the impact of the dingo upon the native fauna is considered to be minimal, at least in comparison with the impact that the cat and fox can have on populations. The dingo is not considered a threat to CWR mammals in undisturbed environments. The fox, feral cat and dingo are all considered to have the ability to selectively prey upon species and, to some extent, individual sexes and age-classes of a number of larger prey species.Although many of Australia's forested areas are relatively heavily fragmented by roads, there are no published studies specifically investigating the use of roads by feral predators. Information on the distribution and abundance of foxes, cats and dingoes in these ecosystems, their ecology and their impact on native fauna is particularly limited. Further, the extent to which roads influence the distribution and abundance of these species and the consequences of these for native fauna are poorly known. Given this, we suggest that one of the most important research needs is to establish the relative impact that exotic predators may have on native fauna under varying degrees of road construction within native forests. For example, are areas with and without roads in forests used differently by exotic predators and what is the significance of this in terms of the potential impact on fauna? The extent to which feral predators forage away from roads needs further investigation, as does the rates of predation within edges, because this may have several consequences for the design, location and siz...

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“…The high occurrence of P. tridactylus in the diet is taken as a reflection of an increase in the population size of this species in the forest. It is also possible that the numbers taken in 1981-1982 reflected an increased exposure due to logging and fire at this time (Newsome et al 1983).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Not only is it cost-effective, it is also one of the most productive methods of surveying mammals in a forest. However, it should be recognised that the abundance of prey may vary from its relative availability (Newsome et al 1983;Catling et al 2001). Other measures of abundance, such as through the use of soil plots along transects (e.g., Catling and Burt 1994) are valuable.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term changes in the mammal fauna of logged, coastal forests near Bega, New South Wales, detected by analysis of dog and fox scats.

Lunney¹,

Matthews²,

Triggs³

2001

Aust. Mammalogy

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In 1996, a study was undertaken to identify the mammals in Mumbulla State Forest near Bega on the south coast of New South Wales through the collection of dog and fox scats in the area. A total of 1121 scats was collected. The objective was to assess the changes in mammal fauna since 1981 when the first detailed analysis of predator scats was made after the forest was first logged for woodchips and sawlogs under the Eden woodchip agreement. The most notable change between the two surveys was a decrease in the canid diet of large mammals such as swamp wallaby and red-necked wallaby and the rabbit, and an increase of smaller mammals such as bush rat, long-nosed potoroo, common ringtail possum and dusky antechinus. The regrowth of the forest following logging, particularly of the understorey, increased available habitat for some species, such as the long-nosed potoroo. The shift to the smaller species was most pronounced in the diet of foxes. The decrease of rabbit in the canid diet was consistent with its relative abundance on adjacent farmland. The extensive 1996 scat collection also provided an opportunity to examine predator movements. Non-poisoned baits containing coloured markers were placed along the forest roads to determine how far dogs and foxes range between feeding and defecation. Of the marked scats collected in the forest, 67 % were found within 2 km and 94 % were found within 5 km of the bait station. These data will assist future researchers to find the locations of target species by narrowing the potential area to be searched. The primary finding of this study, namely that the mammal composition of the forest changed markedly between the two surveys, highlights the need to sample a forest through time to reveal the forest's full ecological picture. It can be predicted that the mammal fauna composition will change again following the next logging cycle.

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The feeding ecology of the dingo II. Dietary and numerical relationships with fluctuating prey populations in south‐eastern Australia

Cited by 109 publications

References 28 publications

Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management

Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management

Influence of fragmentation and disturbance on the potential impact of feral predators on native fauna in Australian forest ecosystems

Long-term changes in the mammal fauna of logged, coastal forests near Bega, New South Wales, detected by analysis of dog and fox scats.

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