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Reid T, Lada H, Selwood KE, Horrocks GFB, Thomson JR, Mac Nally R. Responses of floodplain birds to high‐amplitude precipitation fluctuations over two decades. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Reid
- Institute for Applied Ecology The University of Canberra Bruce Australian Capital Territory 2617 Australia
| | - Hania Lada
- Institute for Applied Ecology The University of Canberra Bruce Australian Capital Territory 2617 Australia
| | - Katherine E. Selwood
- Wildlife and Conservation Science Zoos Victoria Parkville Victoria Australia
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | | | - James R. Thomson
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Heidelberg Victoria Australia
| | - Ralph Mac Nally
- Institute for Applied Ecology The University of Canberra Bruce Australian Capital Territory 2617 Australia
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
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Delheimer MS, Moriarty KM, Slauson KM, Roddy AM, Early DA, Hamm KA. Comparative Reproductive Ecology of Two Subspecies of Pacific Marten (Martes caurina) in California. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3955/046.094.0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Delheimer
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - Katie M. Moriarty
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3625 93rd Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 98512
| | - Keith M. Slauson
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, California 95521
| | - Alyssa M. Roddy
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3625 93rd Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 and
| | - Desiree A. Early
- Green Diamond Resource Company, PO Box 68, Korbel, California 95550
| | - Keith A. Hamm
- Green Diamond Resource Company, PO Box 68, Korbel, California 95550
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Wilson BA, Garkaklis MJ. Patterns of decline of small mammal assemblages in vegetation communities of coastal south-east Australia: identification of habitat refuges. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/am20032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Since European settlement Australian native mammals have experienced significant extinctions and severe declines in the range and abundance of populations. Longitudinal studies are required to identify declines and activate timely management. Population studies of native small mammal communities were conducted across the eastern Otway Ranges during 1975–2007; however, their subsequent status was unknown. We aimed to: compare the current occurrence and abundance of species and communities (2013–18) to those in previous decades across major vegetation communities (heathy woodland, low forest, sand heathland, headland scrub, coastal dunes and estuarine wetland), and identify change characteristics and management priorities. Live trapping was employed to assess mammals at 30 sites across seven vegetation communities. In total, 67% of sites exhibited large to severe decreases in abundance and only 3% of sites had more than four species compared to 27% in earlier decades. Declines occurred following wildfire and drought, with drivers likely to be multifactorial. While regional declines were significant, higher mammal abundance (two- to six-fold) and native species richness were recorded at coastal dune sites, indicating that this community provides important mammal refuges. Identification of refuges across the landscape and their protection from inappropriate fire and predators should be management priorities.
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Law B, Doty A, Chidel M, Brassil T. Bat activity before and after a severe wildfire in Pilliga forests: Resilience influenced by fire extent and landscape mobility? AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Law
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Anna Doty
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Mark Chidel
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Traecey Brassil
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
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Reproductive parameters of the fisher (Pekania pennanti) in the southern Sierra Nevada, California. J Mammal 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Law BS, Chidel M, Law PR. Forest bat population dynamics over 14 years at a climate refuge: Effects of timber harvesting and weather extremes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191471. [PMID: 29444115 PMCID: PMC5812568 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term data are needed to explore the interaction of weather extremes with habitat alteration; in particular, can 'refugia' buffer population dynamics against climate change and are they robust to disturbances such as timber harvesting. Because forest bats are good indicators of ecosystem health, we used 14 years (1999-2012) of mark-recapture data from a suite of small tree-hollow roosting bats to estimate survival, abundance and body condition in harvested and unharvested forest and over extreme El Niño and La Niña weather events in southeastern Australia. Trapping was replicated within an experimental forest, located in a climate refuge, with different timber harvesting treatments. We trapped foraging bats and banded 3043 with a 32% retrap rate. Mark-recapture analyses allowed for dependence of survival on time, species, sex, logging treatment and for transients. A large portion of the population remained resident, with a maximum time to recapture of nine years. The effect of logging history (unlogged vs 16-30 years post-logging regrowth) on apparent survival was minor and species specific, with no detectable effect for two species, a positive effect for one and negative for the other. There was no effect of logging history on abundance or body condition for any of these species. Apparent survival of residents was not strongly influenced by weather variation (except for the smallest species), unlike previous studies outside of refugia. Despite annual variation in abundance and body condition across the 14 years of the study, no relationship with extreme weather was evident. The location of our study area in a climate refuge potentially buffered bat population dynamics from extreme weather. These results support the value of climate refugia in mitigating climate change impacts, though the lack of an external control highlights the need for further studies on the functioning of climate refugia. Relatively stable population dynamics were not compromised by timber harvesting, suggesting ecologically sustainable harvesting may be compatible with climate refugia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley S. Law
- Forest Science Unit, NSW Primary Industries, Parramatta, Sydney NSW, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Mark Chidel
- Forest Science Unit, NSW Primary Industries, Parramatta, Sydney NSW, Australia
| | - Peter R. Law
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Mutton TY, Gray EL, Fuller SJ, Baker AM. Life history, breeding biology and movement in a new species of carnivorous marsupial, the buff-footed antechinus (Antechinus mysticus) and a sympatric congener, the subtropical antechinus (Antechinus subtropicus). MAMMAL RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-017-0325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Tokushima H, Jarman PJ. Ecology of the rare but irruptive Pilliga mouse, Pseudomys pilligaensis. V. Relationships with yellow-footed antechinus, Antechinus flavipes, and house mouse, Mus domesticus. AUST J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/zo16063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We investigated relationships between Pseudomys pilligaensis and other small mammal species in terms of their population fluctuations and habitat selection during a population irruption of P. pilligaensis. Antechinus flavipes showed only seasonal fluctuations in numbers, suggesting that it did not respond to the same environmental factors as P. pilligaensis. A. flavipes consistently selected areas with less sand in all phases of the irruption of P. pilligaensis, resulting in a clear separation from P. pilligaensis except in the Peak phase of the latter’s irruption. Numbers of Mus domesticus fluctuated similarly to P. pilligaensis until the latter’s irruption peak in April 2000. However, M. domesticus disappeared after July 2000 from our sites. M. domesticus seemed to occupy the area only temporarily when seeds were abundant. In the Increase and Peak phases of the irruption of P. pilligaensis, M. domesticus occupied core habitats characterised by more sand and shrub, and less litter, while in the Low phase P. pilligaensis occupied the core habitats that M. domesticus used to occupy. This may suggest that M. domesticus was excluded from core habitats through competition with P. pilligaensis in the Low phase of the latter’s irruption. However, since increased anthropogenic disturbance might create conditions that M. domesticus prefers, it is important to assess carefully any impacts of such disturbance on P. pilligaensis.
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Lock M, Wilson BA. Influence of rainfall on population dynamics and survival of a threatened rodent (Pseudomys novaehollandiae) under a drying climate in coastal woodlands of south-eastern Australia. AUST J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/zo16084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In Mediterranean systems, such as south-east Australia, predictions of climate change including lower rainfall and extended drought, threaten vulnerable mammal species. We investigated the relationship between rainfall and population dynamics for a native rodent at risk of extinction, the New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae). In the eastern Otways, the species was significantly influenced by rainfall, exhibiting a population irruption (15–20 individuals ha–1) following six years of above-average rainfall and a precipitous decline to site extinction during subsequent drought. The decline was predominantly related to loss of adults before and during breeding seasons, together with an apparent decrease in juvenile survival. Population abundance was positively correlated with a rainfall lag of 0–9 months. We propose that the response of this omnivore to high rainfall was mediated through increased productivity and that rainfall decline resulted in resource depletion and population decline. Under a drying climate the direct impacts of rainfall decline will continue. However management of other threats may increase the species’ resilience. Burning to provide optimal successional vegetation, protection of refugia, and predator control are priorities. However, burning should be avoided during drought, as the likelihood of local extinctions is substantial.
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Autecology of a new species of carnivorous marsupial, the endangered black-tailed dusky antechinus (Antechinus arktos), compared to a sympatric congener, the brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii). MAMMAL RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-016-0281-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Gray EL, Burwell CJ, Baker AM. Benefits of being a generalist carnivore when threatened by climate change: the comparative dietary ecology of two sympatric semelparous marsupials, including a new endangered species (Antechinus arktos). AUST J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/zo16044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The endangered black-tailed dusky antechinus (Antechinus arktos) was described in 2014, so most aspects of its ecology are unknown. We examined diet composition and prey selection of A. arktos and a sympatric congener, the northern form of A. stuartii, at two sites in Springbrook National Park. Overall, taxa from 25 invertebrate orders were identified in the diets from 252 scat samples. Dietary components were similar for each species, but A. arktos consumed a higher frequency and volume of dipteran larvae and Diplopoda, while A. stuartii consumed more Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Isopoda. Both species of Antechinus had a higher percentage of ‘empty’ scats (devoid of any identifiable invertebrate material) in 2014 compared with 2015. The former was a drier year overall. Lower rainfall may have reduced abundance and diversity of arthropod prey, causing both species to supplement their diet with soft-bodied prey items such as earthworms, which are rarely detected in scats. Comparison of prey in scats with invertebrate captures from pitfall traps showed both species to be dietary generalists, despite exhibiting distinct preference and avoidance of certain prey categories. The ability of an endangered generalist marsupial to switch prey may be particularly advantageous considering the anticipated effects of climate change on Gondwanan rainforests during the mid-late 21st century.
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Selwood KE, McGeoch MA, Mac Nally R. The effects of climate change and land-use change on demographic rates and population viability. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 90:837-53. [PMID: 25155196 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the processes that lead to species extinctions is vital for lessening pressures on biodiversity. While species diversity, presence and abundance are most commonly used to measure the effects of human pressures, demographic responses give a more proximal indication of how pressures affect population viability and contribute to extinction risk. We reviewed how demographic rates are affected by the major anthropogenic pressures, changed landscape condition caused by human land use, and climate change. We synthesized the results of 147 empirical studies to compare the relative effect size of climate and landscape condition on birth, death, immigration and emigration rates in plant and animal populations. While changed landscape condition is recognized as the major driver of species declines and losses worldwide, we found that, on average, climate variables had equally strong effects on demographic rates in plant and animal populations. This is significant given that the pressures of climate change will continue to intensify in coming decades. The effects of climate change on some populations may be underestimated because changes in climate conditions during critical windows of species life cycles may have disproportionate effects on demographic rates. The combined pressures of land-use change and climate change may result in species declines and extinctions occurring faster than otherwise predicted, particularly if their effects are multiplicative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Selwood
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Melodie A McGeoch
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Ralph Mac Nally
- Institute for Applied Ecology, The University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, 2617, Australia
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Lada H, Thomson JR, Cunningham SC, Mac Nally R. Relating demographic characteristics of a small mammal to remotely sensed forest-stand condition. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91731. [PMID: 24621967 PMCID: PMC3951454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many ecological systems around the world are changing rapidly in response to direct (land-use change) and indirect (climate change) human actions. We need tools to assess dynamically, and over appropriate management scales, condition of ecosystems and their responses to potential mitigation of pressures. Using a validated model, we determined whether stand condition of floodplain forests is related to densities of a small mammal (a carnivorous marsupial, Antechinus flavipes) in 60 000 ha of extant river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests in south-eastern Australia in 2004, 2005 and 2011. Stand condition was assessed remotely using models built from ground assessments of stand condition and satellite-derived reflectance. Other covariates, such as volumes of fallen timber, distances to floods, rainfall and life stages were included in the model. Trapping of animals was conducted at 272 plots (0.25 ha) across the region. Densities of second-year females (i.e. females that had survived to a second breeding year) and of second-year females with suckled teats (i.e. inferred to have been successful mothers) were higher in stands with the highest condition. There was no evidence of a relationship with stand condition for males or all females. These outcomes show that remotely-sensed estimates of stand condition (here floodplain forests) are relatable to some demographic characteristics of a small mammal species, and may provide useful information about the capacity of ecosystems to support animal populations. Over-regulation of large, lowland rivers has led to declines in many facets of floodplain function. If management of water resources continues as it has in recent decades, then our results suggest that there will be further deterioration in stand condition and a decreased capacity for female yellow-footed antechinuses to breed multiple times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hania Lada
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - James R. Thomson
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shaun C. Cunningham
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ralph Mac Nally
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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