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Legge S, Rumpff L, Garnett ST, Woinarski JCZ. Loss of terrestrial biodiversity in Australia: Magnitude, causation, and response. Science 2023; 381:622-631. [PMID: 37561866 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg7870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Australia's biota is species rich, with high rates of endemism. This natural legacy has rapidly diminished since European colonization. The impacts of invasive species, habitat loss, altered fire regimes, and changed water flows are now compounded by climate change, particularly through extreme drought, heat, wildfire, and flooding. Extinction rates, already far exceeding the global average for mammals, are predicted to escalate across all taxa, and ecosystems are collapsing. These losses are symptomatic of shortcomings in resourcing, law, policy, and management. Informed by examples of advances in conservation practice from invasive species control, Indigenous land management, and citizen science, we describe interventions needed to enhance future resilience. Many characteristics of Australian biodiversity loss are globally relevant, with recovery requiring society to reframe its relationship with the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Legge
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
- Fenner School of Society and the Environment, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Libby Rumpff
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen T Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - John C Z Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
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Ruscalleda-Alvarez J, Cliff H, Catt G, Holmes J, Burrows N, Paltridge R, Russell-Smith J, Schubert A, See P, Legge S. Right-way fire in Australia's spinifex deserts: An approach for measuring management success when fire activity varies substantially through space and time. J Environ Manage 2023; 331:117234. [PMID: 36646040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Indigenous Australians used fire in spinifex deserts for millennia. These practices mostly ceased following European colonisation, but many contemporary Indigenous groups seek to restore 'right-way fire' practices, to meet inter-related social, economic, cultural and biodiversity objectives. However, measuring and reporting on the fire pattern outcomes of management is challenging, because the spatio-temporal patterns of right-way fire are not clearly defined, and because spatio-temporal variability in rainfall makes fire occurrence highly variable in these desert environments. We present an approach for measuring and reporting on fire management outcomes to account for spatio-temporal rainfall variability. The purpose is to support Indigenous groups to assess performance against their management targets, and lay the groundwork for developing an accredited method for valuing combined social, cultural and biodiversity outcomes. We reviewed fire management plans of desert Indigenous groups to identify spatial fire pattern indicators for right-way fire in spinifex deserts. We integrated annual rainfall surfaces with time-since fire mapping (using Landsat imagery) to create a new spatial dataset of accumulated rainfall-since-last-fire, that better represents post-fire vegetation recovery as categorised by local Indigenous people. The fire pattern indicators were merged into a single score using an environmental accounting approach. To strengthen interpretation, we developed an approach for identifying a control area with matching vegetation and fire history, up to the point of management. We applied these methods to a 125,000 ha case study area: Durba Hills, managed by the Martu people of Western Australia. Using a 20-year time series, we show that since right-way fire management at Durba Hills was re-introduced (2009), the fire pattern indicators have improved compared to those in the matched control area, and the composite result is closer to the fine-scaled mosaic of right-way fire pattern targets. Our approach could be used by Indigenous groups to track performance, and inform annual fire management planning. As the indicators are standardised for rainfall variation, results from multiple sites can be aggregated to track changes in performance at larger scales. Finally, our approach could be adapted for other fire-prone areas, both in Australia and internationally with high spatio-temporal rainfall variability, to improve management planning and evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaume Ruscalleda-Alvarez
- Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Darwin, NT, 0810, Australia.
| | - Hannah Cliff
- Indigenous Desert Alliance, 587 Newcastle St, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.
| | - Gareth Catt
- Indigenous Desert Alliance, 587 Newcastle St, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.
| | - Jarrad Holmes
- Indigenous Desert Alliance, 587 Newcastle St, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia; PEC Consultants (People, Environment, Carbon), Lake Barrine, Qld, 4884, Australia.
| | - Neil Burrows
- Neil Burrows, FireNinti, 21 Sandra Way, Rossmoyne, WA, 6148, Australia.
| | - Rachel Paltridge
- Indigenous Desert Alliance, 587 Newcastle St, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.
| | - Jeremy Russell-Smith
- Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Darwin, NT, 0810, Australia.
| | | | - Peter See
- Country Needs People, Level 9, 121 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra City, ACT, 2601, Australia.
| | - Sarah Legge
- Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Darwin, NT, 0810, Australia; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2602, Australia.
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Yong C, Ward M, Watson JEM, Reside AE, van Leeuwen S, Legge S, Geary WL, Lintermans M, Kennard MJ, Stuart S, Carwardine J. The costs of managing key threats to Australia's biodiversity. J Appl Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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Southwell D, Skroblin A, Moseby K, Southgate R, Indigo N, Backhouse B, Bellchambers K, Brandle R, Brenton P, Copley P, Dziminski MA, Galindez-Silva C, Lynch C, Newman P, Pedler R, Rogers D, Roshier DA, Ryan-Colton E, Tuft K, Ward M, Zurell D, Legge S. Designing a large-scale track-based monitoring program to detect changes in species distributions in arid Australia. Ecol Appl 2023; 33:e2762. [PMID: 36218186 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring trends in animal populations in arid regions is challenging due to remoteness and low population densities. However, detecting species' tracks or signs is an effective survey technique for monitoring population trends across large spatial and temporal scales. In this study, we developed a simulation framework to evaluate the performance of alternative track-based monitoring designs at detecting change in species distributions in arid Australia. We collated presence-absence records from 550 2-ha track-based plots for 11 vertebrates over 13 years and fitted ensemble species distribution models to predict occupancy in 2018. We simulated plausible changes in species' distributions over the next 15 years and, with estimates of detectability, simulated monitoring to evaluate the statistical power of three alternative monitoring scenarios: (1) where surveys were restricted to existing 2-ha plots, (2) where surveys were optimized to target all species equally, and (3) where surveys were optimized to target two species of conservation concern. Across all monitoring designs and scenarios, we found that power was higher when detecting increasing occupancy trends compared to decreasing trends owing to the relatively low levels of initial occupancy. Our results suggest that surveying 200 of the existing plots annually (with a small subset resurveyed twice within a year) will have at least an 80% chance of detecting 30% declines in occupancy for four of the five invasive species modeled and one of the six native species. This increased to 10 of the 11 species assuming larger (50%) declines. When plots were positioned to target all species equally, power improved slightly for most compared to the existing survey network. When plots were positioned to target two species of conservation concern (crest-tailed mulgara and dusky hopping mouse), power to detect 30% declines increased by 29% and 31% for these species, respectively, at the cost of reduced power for the remaining species. The effect of varying survey frequency depended on its trade-off with the number of sites sampled and requires further consideration. Nonetheless, our research suggests that track-based surveying is an effective and logistically feasible approach to monitoring broad-scale occupancy trends in desert species with both widespread and restricted distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Southwell
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anja Skroblin
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Moseby
- University of NSW School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard Southgate
- Envisage Environmental Services, Kingscote, South Australia, Australia
| | - Naomi Indigo
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett Backhouse
- Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Robert Brandle
- Department for Environment and Water, South Australian Government, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- South Australian Arid Lands Landscape Board, Port Augusta, South Australia, Australia
| | - Peter Brenton
- Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO National Collections and Marine Infrastructure, Docklands, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Copley
- Department for Environment and Water, South Australian Government, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Martin A Dziminski
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Carolina Galindez-Silva
- Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Management, Alice Springs, Northwest Territories, Australia
| | - Catherine Lynch
- South Australian Arid Lands Landscape Board, Port Augusta, South Australia, Australia
| | - Peggy Newman
- Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO National Collections and Marine Infrastructure, Docklands, Victoria, Australia
| | - Reece Pedler
- University of NSW School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Daniel Rogers
- Department for Environment and Water, South Australian Government, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David A Roshier
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ellen Ryan-Colton
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Alice Springs, Northwest Territories, Australia
| | | | - Matt Ward
- Department for Environment and Water, South Australian Government, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Damaris Zurell
- Geography Department, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Sarah Legge
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Alice Springs, Northwest Territories, Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Ward M, Southwell D, Gallagher RV, Raadik TA, Whiterod NS, Lintermans M, Sheridan G, Nyman P, Suárez‐Castro AF, Marsh J, Woinarski J, Legge S. Modelling the spatial extent of post‐fire sedimentation threat to estimate the impacts of fire on waterways and aquatic species. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Ward
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- WWF‐Aus Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Darren Southwell
- Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences The University of Newcastle Callaghan NSW Australia
| | - Rachael V. Gallagher
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
| | - Tarmo A. Raadik
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Heidelberg Victoria Australia
| | - Nick S. Whiterod
- Aquasave−Nature Glenelg Trust Victor Harbor South Australia Australia
| | - Mark Lintermans
- Centre for Applied Water Science University of Canberra Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Gary Sheridan
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Petter Nyman
- Alluvium Consulting Australia Cremorne Victoria Australia
| | - Andrés F. Suárez‐Castro
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- Australian Rivers Institute Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
| | - Jessica Marsh
- Harry Butler Research Institute Murdoch University Murdoch Western Australia Australia
| | - John Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
- Fenner School of Environment & Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
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Lindenmayer DB, Woinarski J, Legge S, Maron M, Garnett ST, Lavery T, Dielenberg J, Wintle BA. Eight things you should never do in a monitoring program: an Australian perspective. Environ Monit Assess 2022; 194:701. [PMID: 35995962 PMCID: PMC9395441 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10348-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring is critical to gauge the effect of environmental management interventions as well as to measure the effects of human disturbances such as climate change. Recognition of the critical need for monitoring means that, at irregular intervals, recommendations are made for new government-instigated programs or to revamp existing ones. Using insights from past well-intentioned (but sadly also often failed) attempts to establish and maintain government-instigated monitoring programs in Australia, we outline eight things that should never be done in environmental monitoring programs (if they aim to be useful). These are the following: (1) Never commence a new environmental management initiative without also committing to a monitoring program. (2) Never start a monitoring program without clear questions. (3) Never implement a monitoring program without first doing a proper experimental design. (4) Never ignore the importance of matching the purpose and objectives of a monitoring program to the design of that program. (5) Never change the way you monitor something without ensuring new methods can be calibrated with the old ones. (6) Never try to monitor everything. (7) Never collect data without planning to curate and report on it. (8) If possible, avoid starting a monitoring program without the necessary resources secured. To balance our "nevers", we provide a checklist of actions that will increase the chances a monitoring program will actually measure the effectiveness of environmental management. Scientists and resource management practitioners need to be part of a stronger narrative for, and key participants in, well-designed, implemented, and maintained government-led monitoring programs. We argue that monitoring programs should be mandated in threatened species conservation programs and all new environmental management initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia.
| | - John Woinarski
- Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Stephen T Garnett
- Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Tyrone Lavery
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jaana Dielenberg
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Brendan A Wintle
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Farakish L, Legge S, Owen M, O’Donovan M, Walters J, Cardno A. Clinical Indicators of Symptom Dimensions and Cognitive Ability in Schizophrenia. Eur Psychiatry 2022. [PMCID: PMC9563343 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous disorder and it is unknown what causes individual variability in symptoms and cognitive ability. Objectives
To examine the association between nine clinical predictors measurable at the onset of schizophrenia and five phenotype dimensions: positive, negative (diminished expressivity), negative (motivation and pleasure), disorganised symptoms and cognitive ability. Methods 852 participants (mean age 49 years old) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective depression were included from the CardiffCOGS cross-sectional sample. Phenotype dimensions were created using confirmatory factor analysis and a 5-factor model. Associations were tested using linear regression, adjusting for age and sex. A Bonferroni correction was applied for (p<1.1x10-3) for multiple testing. Results Age of onset of psychosis was significantly associated with positive symptoms (β=-0.18, p=4.0 x10-6). Lower premorbid IQ was associated with diminished expressivity (β=-0.25, p= 7.0x10-13), reduced motivation and pleasure (β=-0.23, p= 4.3x10-11), disorganised symptoms (β=-0.14, p= 7.6x10-5) and reduced cognition (β=0.54, p= 4.8x10-77). Poor premorbid social adjustment held associations with all except positive. Developmental delay was associated with reduced cognition (β=-0.35, p= 4.3x10-5). Cannabis use (year before onset), psychosocial stressors (within 6 months), childhood abuse and family history of schizophrenia held no associations. Conclusions Clinical indicators measurable at schizophrenia onset are associated with lifetime symptom variability. A younger psychosis onset is associated with more severe positive symptoms, suggesting possible age-targeted management. Pre-established links of lower premorbid IQ with poor premorbid social adjustment and negative symptom severity with cognition are strengthened. Further investigation could potentially improve diagnosis and guide treatment choice for aspects of schizophrenia with poor outcomes. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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Blackwood EMJ, Rangers K, Bayley S, Bijlani H, Fensham RJ, Lindsay M, Noakes E, Wemyss J, Legge S. Pirra Jungku: Comparison of traditional and contemporary fire practices on Karajarri Country, Western Australia. Eco Management Restoration 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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McGregor H, Moseby K, Johnson CN, Legge S. Effectiveness of thermal cameras compared to spotlights for counts of arid zone mammals across a range of ambient temperatures. Aust Mammalogy 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/am20040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Effective monitoring of mammal species is critical to their management. Thermal cameras may enable more accurate detection of nocturnal mammals than visual observation with the aid of spotlights. We aimed to measure improvements in detection provided by thermal cameras, and to determine how these improvements depended on ambient temperatures and mammal species. We monitored small to medium sized mammals in central Australia, including small rodents, bettongs, bilbies, European rabbits, and feral cats. We conducted 20 vehicle-based camera transects using both a spotlight and thermal camera under ambient temperatures ranging from 10°C to 35°C. Thermal cameras resulted in more detections of small rodents and medium sized mammals. There was no increased benefit for feral cats, likely due to their prominent eyeshine. We found a strong relationship between increased detections using thermal cameras and environmental temperature: thermal cameras detected 30% more animals than conventional spotlighting at approximately 15°C, but produced few additional detections above 30°C. Spotlighting may be more versatile as it can be used in a greater range of ambient temperatures, but thermal cameras are more accurate than visual surveys at low temperatures, and can be used to benchmark spotlight surveys.
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Legge S, Woinarski JCZ, Scheele BC, Garnett ST, Lintermans M, Nimmo DG, Whiterod NS, Southwell DM, Ehmke G, Buchan A, Gray J, Metcalfe DJ, Page M, Rumpff L, Leeuwen S, Williams D, Ahyong ST, Chapple DG, Cowan M, Hossain MA, Kennard M, Macdonald S, Moore H, Marsh J, McCormack RB, Michael D, Mitchell N, Newell D, Raadik TA, Tingley R. Rapid assessment of the biodiversity impacts of the 2019–2020 Australian megafires to guide urgent management intervention and recovery and lessons for other regions. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Legge
- Fenner School of Environment & Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Science University of Queensland St Lucia Qld Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- Research Institute of the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - Ben C. Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment & Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Stephen T. Garnett
- Research Institute of the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - Mark Lintermans
- Centre for Applied Water Science University of Canberra Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Dale G. Nimmo
- Institute for Land, Water and Society School of Environmental Science Charles Sturt University Albury NSW Australia
| | | | - Darren M. Southwell
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | | | - Anne Buchan
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch, Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Heidelberg Vic. Australia
| | | | | | - Manda Page
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science Moggill Qld Australia
| | - Libby Rumpff
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Stephen Leeuwen
- School of Molecular & Life Sciences Curtin University Bentley WA Australia
| | - Dick Williams
- Research Institute of the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - Shane T. Ahyong
- Australian Museum Research Institute Sydney NSW Australia
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Kensington NSW Australia
| | - David G. Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton, Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Mitch Cowan
- Institute for Land, Water and Society School of Environmental Science Charles Sturt University Albury NSW Australia
| | - Md Anwar Hossain
- Climatic and Metabolic Ecology Lab Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Mark Kennard
- Australian Rivers Institute Griffiths University Nathan Qld Australia
| | | | - Harry Moore
- Institute for Land, Water and Society School of Environmental Science Charles Sturt University Albury NSW Australia
| | - Jessica Marsh
- Research Institute of the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - Robert B. McCormack
- Australian Crayfish Project Australian Aquatic Biological Pty Ltd Swan Bay NSW Australia
- Section of Invertebrate Zoology Carnegie Museum of Natural History Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - Damian Michael
- Institute for Land, Water and Society School of Environmental Science Charles Sturt University Albury NSW Australia
| | - Nicola Mitchell
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Perth WA Australia
| | - David Newell
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering Southern Cross University East Lismore NSW Australia
| | - Tarmo A. Raadik
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute Heidelberg Vic. Australia
| | - Reid Tingley
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton, Melbourne Vic. Australia
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Southwell D, Legge S, Woinarski J, Lindenmayer D, Lavery T, Wintle B. Design considerations for rapid biodiversity reconnaissance surveys and long‐term monitoring to assess the impact of wildfire. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Southwell
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne Parkville VIC Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
| | - John Woinarski
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne Parkville VIC Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - David Lindenmayer
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Tyrone Lavery
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Brendan Wintle
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne Parkville VIC Australia
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Shaw RE, James AI, Tuft K, Legge S, Cary GJ, Peakall R, Banks SC. Unburnt habitat patches are critical for survival and in situ population recovery in a small mammal after fire. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robyn E. Shaw
- Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Alex I. James
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyMornington Sanctuary Derby WA Australia
| | | | - Sarah Legge
- Threatened Species Recovery Hub National Environmental Science Program Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland St Lucia Qld Australia
- The Fenner School of Environment & Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Geoffrey J. Cary
- The Fenner School of Environment & Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Rod Peakall
- Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Sam C. Banks
- The Fenner School of Environment & Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
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13
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Bal P, Rhodes JR, Carwardine J, Legge S, Tulloch A, Game E, Martin TG, Possingham HP, McDonald‐Madden E. How to choose a cost‐effective indicator to trigger conservation decisions? Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Payal Bal
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - Jonathan R. Rhodes
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
| | | | - Sarah Legge
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- Fenner School of Environment & Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Ayesha Tulloch
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Edward Game
- The Nature Conservancy South Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Tara G. Martin
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences Faculty of Forestry University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Hugh P. Possingham
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- The Nature Conservancy South Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Eve McDonald‐Madden
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
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Tuft K, Legge S, Frank ASK, James AI, May T, Page E, Radford IJ, Woinarski JCZ, Fisher A, Lawes MJ, Gordon IJ, Johnson CN. Cats are a key threatening factor to the survival of local populations of native small mammals in Australia’s tropical savannas: evidence from translocation trials with Rattus tunneyi. Wildl Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr20193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextInvasive predators are a key threat to biodiversity worldwide. In Australia, feral cats are likely to be responsible for many extinctions of native mammal species in the south and centre of the continent.
AimsHere we examine the effect of feral cats on native rodent populations in the second of two translocation experiments.
MethodsIn a wild-to-wild translocation, we introduced pale field rats, Rattus tunneyi, whose populations are declining in the wild, into two pairs of enclosures where accessibility by feral cats was manipulated.
Key resultsIndividual rats translocated into enclosures accessible to cats were rapidly extirpated after cats were first detected visiting the enclosures. Rats in the enclosure not exposed to cats were 6.2 times more likely to survive than those exposed to cats. Two individual cats were responsible for the deaths of all but 1 of 18 cat-accessible rats. Rats in the site with denser ground cover persisted better than in the site with more open cover.
ConclusionsThese results are consistent with our previous study of a different native rat species in the same experimental setup, and provide further evidence that, even at low densities, feral cats can drive local populations of small mammals to extinction.
ImplicationsEffective feral cat control may be necessary to enable recovery of small mammals.
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Wintle BA, Legge S, Woinarski JCZ. After the Megafires: What Next for Australian Wildlife? Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:753-757. [PMID: 32680597 PMCID: PMC7359797 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The 2019–2020 megafires in Australia brought a tragic loss of human life and the most dramatic loss of habitat for threatened species and devastation of ecological communities in postcolonial history. What must be done now to keep impacted species from extinction? What can be done to avoid a repeat of the impacts of such devastating bushfires? Here, we describe hard-won lessons that may also be of global relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan A Wintle
- School of Bioscience, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Sarah Legge
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - John C Z Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909, Australia
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Lindenmayer D, Woinarski J, Legge S, Southwell D, Lavery T, Robinson N, Scheele B, Wintle B. A checklist of attributes for effective monitoring of threatened species and threatened ecosystems. J Environ Manage 2020; 262:110312. [PMID: 32250795 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of threatened species and threatened ecosystems is critical for determining population trends, identifying urgency of management responses, and assessing the efficacy of management interventions. Yet many threatened species and threatened ecosystems are not monitored and for those that are, the quality of the monitoring is often poor. Here we provide a checklist of factors that need to be considered for inclusion in robust monitoring programs for threatened species and threatened ecosystems. These factors can be grouped under four broad themes - the design of monitoring programs, the structure and governance of monitoring programs, data management and reporting, and appropriate funding and legislative support. We briefly discuss key attributes of our checklist under these themes. Key topics in our first theme of the design of monitoring programs include appropriate objective setting, identification of the most appropriate entities to be measured, consistency in methodology and protocols through time, ensuring monitoring is long-term, and embedding monitoring into management. Under our second theme which focuses on the structure and governance of monitoring programs for threatened species and ecosystems, we touch on the importance of adopting monitoring programs that: test the effectiveness of management interventions, produce results that are relevant to management, and engage with (and are accepted by) the community. Under Theme 3, we discuss why data management is critical and highlight that the costs of data curation, analysis and reporting need to be factored into budgets for monitoring programs. This requires that appropriate levels of funding are made available for monitoring programs, beyond just the cost of data collection - a key topic examined in Theme 4. We provide examples, often from Australia, to highlight the importance of each of the four themes. We recognize that these themes and topics in our checklist are often closely inter-related and therefore provide a conceptual model highlighting these linkages. We suggest that our checklist can help identify the parts of existing monitoring programs for threatened species and threatened ecosystems that are adequate for the purpose or may be deficient and need to be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Lindenmayer
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
| | - John Woinarski
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia; National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Darren Southwell
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Tyrone Lavery
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Natasha Robinson
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Ben Scheele
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Brendan Wintle
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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Konte B, Walters JT, Giegling I, Legge S, Pardiña AF, Cohen D, Pirmohamed M, Tiihonen J, Hartmann AM, Bogers JP, van der Weide J, van der Weide K, Putkonen A, Repo-Tiihonen E, Hallikainen T, Silva E, Imgimarsson O, Sigurdsson E, Kennedy JL, Breen G, Sullivan PF, Rietschel M, Stefansson H, Collier DA, OʼDonovan MC, Rujescu D. HLA-DQB1 6672 G>C is associated with the risk of clozapine-induced agranulocytosis in individuals of European ancestry. PHARMACOPSYCHIATRY 2020. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3403016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B Konte
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - JT Walters
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - I Giegling
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - S Legge
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - AF Pardiña
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - D Cohen
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - M Pirmohamed
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - J Tiihonen
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - AM Hartmann
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - JP Bogers
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | | | - A Putkonen
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | - T Hallikainen
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - E Silva
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - O Imgimarsson
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - E Sigurdsson
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - JL Kennedy
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - G Breen
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - PF Sullivan
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - M Rietschel
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - H Stefansson
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - DA Collier
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - MC OʼDonovan
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - D Rujescu
- Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
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Kapasi DP, Eichholz J, McRae T, Ward RL, Slagmolen BJJ, Legge S, Hardman KS, Altin PA, McClelland DE. Tunable narrow-linewidth laser at 2 μm wavelength for gravitational wave detector research. Opt Express 2020; 28:3280-3288. [PMID: 32122000 DOI: 10.1364/oe.383685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We present and characterize a narrow-linewidth external-cavity diode laser at 2 μm, and show that it represents a low-cost, high-performance alternative to fiber lasers for research into 2 μm photonic technologies for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors. A linewidth of 20 kHz for a 10 ms integration time was measured without any active stabilization, with frequency noise of ∼ 15 Hz/Hz between 3 kHz and 100 kHz. This performance is suitable for the generation of quantum squeezed light, and we measure intensity noise comparable to that of master oscillators used in current gravitational wave interferometers. The laser wavelength is tunable over a 120 nm range, and both the frequency and intensity can be modulated at up to 10 MHz by modulating the diode current. These features also make it suitable for other emerging applications in the 2 μm wavelength region including gas sensing, optical communications and LIDAR.
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Legge S, Woinarski JCZ, Dickman CR, Doherty TS, McGregor H, Murphy BP. Cat ecology, impacts and management in Australia. Wildl Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wrv47n8_ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Legge S, Woinarski JCZ, Dickman CR, Murphy BP, Woolley LA, Calver MC. We need to worry about Bella and Charlie: the impacts of pet cats on Australian wildlife. Wildl Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Research and management attention on the impacts of the introduced domestic cat (Felis catus) on Australian fauna have focussed mainly on the feral population. Here, we summarise the evidence for impacts of predation by pet cats on Australian wildlife. We collate examples of local wildlife population decline and extirpation as a result, at least in part, of predation by pet cats. We assemble information across 66 studies of predation by pet cats worldwide (including 24 Australian studies) to estimate the predation toll of pet cats in Australia, plus the predation pressure per unit area in residential areas. We compared these estimates to those published for feral cats in Australia. The per capita kill rate of pet cats is 25% that of feral cats. However, pet cats live at much higher densities, so the predation rate of pets per square kilometre in residential areas is 28–52 times larger than predation rates by feral cats in natural environments, and 1.3–2.3 times greater than predation rates per km2 by feral cats living in urban areas. Pet cats kill introduced species more often than do feral cats living in natural environments, but, nonetheless, the toll of native animals killed per square kilometre by pet cats in residential areas is still much higher than the toll per square kilometre by feral cats. There is no evidence that pet cats exert significant control of introduced species. The high predation toll of pet cats in residential areas, the documented examples of declines and extirpations in populations of native species caused by pet cats, and potential pathways for other, indirect effects (e.g. from disease, landscapes of fear, ecological footprints), and the context of extraordinary impacts from feral cats on Australian fauna, together support a default position that pet cat impacts are serious and should be reduced. From a technical perspective, the pet cat impacts can be reduced more effectively and humanely than those of feral cats, while also enhancing pet cat welfare. We review the management options for reducing predation by pet cats, and discuss the opportunities and challenges for improved pet cat management and welfare.
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McGregor H, Read J, Johnson CN, Legge S, Hill B, Moseby K. Edge effects created by fenced conservation reserves benefit an invasive mesopredator. Wildl Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextFenced reserves from which invasive predators are removed are increasingly used as a conservation management tool, because they provide safe havens for susceptible threatened species, and create dense populations of native wildlife that could act as a source population for recolonising the surrounding landscape. However, the latter effect might also act as a food source, and promote high densities of invasive predators on the edges of such reserves.
AimsOur study aimed to determine whether activity of the feral cat is greater around the edges of a fenced conservation reserve, Arid Recovery, in northern South Australia. This reserve has abundant native rodents that move through the fence into the surrounding landscape.
MethodsWe investigated (1) whether feral cats were increasingly likely to be detected on track transects closer to the fence over time as populations of native rodents increased inside the reserve, (2) whether native rodents were more likely to be found in the stomachs of cats caught close to the reserve edge, and (3) whether individual cats selectively hunted on the reserve fence compared with two other similar fences, on the basis of GPS movement data.
Key resultsWe found that (1) detection rates of feral cats on the edges of a fenced reserve increased through time as populations of native rodents increased inside the reserve, (2) native rodents were far more likely to be found in the stomach of cats collected at the reserve edge than in the stomachs of cats far from the reserve edge, and (3) GPS tracking of cat movements showed a selection for the reserve fence edge, but not for similar fences away from the reserve.
ConclusionsInvasive predators such as feral cats are able to focus their movements and activity to where prey availability is greatest, including the edges of fenced conservation reserves. This limits the capacity of reserves to function as source areas from which animals can recolonise the surrounding landscape, and increases predation pressure on populations of other species living on the reserve edge.
ImplicationsManagers of fenced conservation reserves should be aware that increased predator control may be critical for offsetting the elevated impacts of feral cats attracted to the reserve fence.
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Legge S, Taggart PL, Dickman CR, Read JL, Woinarski JCZ. Cat-dependent diseases cost Australia AU$6 billion per year through impacts on human health and livestock production. Wildl Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr20089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextCats are the definitive or primary host for pathogens that cause diseases in people and livestock. These cat-dependent diseases would not occur in Australia if cats had not been introduced, and their ongoing persistence depends on contacts with cats. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that cycles between cats and any other warm-blooded animals. People infected by T. gondii may appear asymptomatic, or have a mild illness, or experience severe, potentially lethal symptoms; the parasite may also affect behaviour and mental health. T. gondii is also a major contributor to spontaneous abortion in sheep and goats. Two species of Sarcocystis, another genus of protozoan parasite, cycle through cats and sheep, causing macroscopic cysts to form in sheep tissues that reduce meat saleability. Toxocara cati, the cat roundworm, causes minor illnesses in humans and livestock, and the bacterium Bartonella henselae causes cat scratch disease, an infection that can be contracted by people when scratched or bitten by cats carrying the pathogen.
AimsWe estimated the economic costs of cat-dependent pathogens in Australia.
MethodsWe collated national and global data on infection rates, health and production consequences.
Key resultsWe estimated the costs of two cat-dependent diseases (toxoplasmosis, cat scratch disease) in people at AU$6.06 billion (plausible range AU$2.11–10.7 billion) annually, and the costs to livestock production from toxoplasmosis and sarcocystosis at AU$11.7 million (plausible range AU$7.67–18.3 million). Most of the human health costs are due to the associations between T. gondii and higher rates of traffic accidents and mental illness in people. The causality behind these associations remains uncertain, so those costs may be overestimated. Conversely, our estimates are incomplete, infections and illness are under-reported or misdiagnosed, and our understanding of disease outcomes is still imperfect, all of which make our costs underestimated.
ConclusionsOur analysis suggests that substantial benefits to public health and livestock production could be realised by reducing exposure to cats and breaking parasite transmission cycles.
ImplicationsReducing feral cat populations in farming and urban areas, reducing the pet cat population and increasing rates of pet cat containment could help reduce the burden of cat-dependent diseases to people and livestock.
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Corey B, Andersen AN, Legge S, Woinarski JCZ, Radford IJ, Perry JJ. Better biodiversity accounting is needed to prevent bioperversity and maximize co‐benefits from savanna burning. Conserv Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Corey
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Kununurra Western Australia Australia
| | - Alan N. Andersen
- Research Institute for the Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- School of Conservation and Biodiversity ScienceUniversity of Queensland St. Lucia Queensland Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyThe Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Ian J. Radford
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Kununurra Western Australia Australia
| | - Justin J. Perry
- Department of Land and WaterCSIRO Townsville Queensland Australia
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Hayward MW, Callen A, Allen BL, Ballard G, Broekhuis F, Bugir C, Clarke RH, Clulow J, Clulow S, Daltry JC, Davies-Mostert HT, Fleming PJS, Griffin AS, Howell LG, Kerley GIH, Klop-Toker K, Legge S, Major T, Meyer N, Montgomery RA, Moseby K, Parker DM, Périquet S, Read J, Scanlon RJ, Seeto R, Shuttleworth C, Somers MJ, Tamessar CT, Tuft K, Upton R, Valenzuela-Molina M, Wayne A, Witt RR, Wüster W. Deconstructing compassionate conservation. Conserv Biol 2019; 33:760-768. [PMID: 31206825 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity. The positions taken by so-called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the limited understanding of conservation problems by the general public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt W Hayward
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, 6019, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alex Callen
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Allen
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia
| | - Guy Ballard
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Northern Ring Road, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales Government, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia
| | - Femke Broekhuis
- WildCRU, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abington Road, Oxford, OX135QL, U.K
| | - Cassandra Bugir
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Rohan H Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - John Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Simon Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balclava Road, Sydney, NSWs, 2019, Australia
| | - Jennifer C Daltry
- Fauna & Flora International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB23QZ, U.K
| | - Harriet T Davies-Mostert
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
- Endangered Wildlife Trust, Pinelands Office Park, Building K2, Ardeer Road, Modderfontein 1609, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Peter J S Fleming
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Northern Ring Road, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales Government, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia
| | - Andrea S Griffin
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Lachlan G Howell
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Graham I H Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, 6019, South Africa
| | - Kaya Klop-Toker
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Science, University of Queensland, University Drive, Saint Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Linnaeus Way, Acton, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Tom Major
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, College Road, Gwynedd, LL572DG, U.K
| | - Ninon Meyer
- Fondation Yaguara Panama, Ciudad del Saber, calle Luis Bonilla, Panama City, 0843-03081, Panama
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 220 Trowbridge Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, U.S.A
| | - Katherine Moseby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, ANZAC Parade, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, SA, 5725, Australia
| | - Daniel M Parker
- Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Drosty Road, Grahamstown, 6139, South Africa
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, D725 Roads, Mbombela, 1200, South Africa
| | | | - John Read
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Robert J Scanlon
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Rebecca Seeto
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Craig Shuttleworth
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, College Road, Gwynedd, LL572DG, U.K
| | - Michael J Somers
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for Invasion Biology, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Cottrell T Tamessar
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | | | - Rose Upton
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Marcia Valenzuela-Molina
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, C.P. 23096, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| | - Adrian Wayne
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Brain Street, Manjimup, WA, 6258, Australia
| | - Ryan R Witt
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Wüster
- College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, College Road, Gwynedd, LL572DG, U.K
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Legge S, Smith JG, James A, Tuft KD, Webb T, Woinarski JCZ. Interactions among threats affect conservation management outcomes: Livestock grazing removes the benefits of fire management for small mammals in Australian tropical savannas. Conservat Sci and Prac 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyMornington Sanctuary Derby Western Australia Australia
- Fenner School of Environment & SocietyThe Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceUniversity of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- Research Institute of Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin University Casuarina Northwest Territories Australia
| | - James G. Smith
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyMornington Sanctuary Derby Western Australia Australia
| | - Alex James
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyMornington Sanctuary Derby Western Australia Australia
| | - Katherine D. Tuft
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyMornington Sanctuary Derby Western Australia Australia
- Arid Recovery Roxby Downs South Australia Australia
| | - Terry Webb
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyMornington Sanctuary Derby Western Australia Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- Research Institute of Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin University Casuarina Northwest Territories Australia
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Ringma J, Legge S, Woinarski JC, Radford JQ, Wintle B, Bentley J, Burbidge AA, Copley P, Dexter N, Dickman CR, Gillespie GR, Hill B, Johnson CN, Kanowski J, Letnic M, Manning A, Menkhorst P, Mitchell N, Morris K, Moseby K, Page M, Palmer R, Bode M. Systematic planning can rapidly close the protection gap in Australian mammal havens. Conserv Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Ringma
- School of Global, Urban and Social Sciences RMIT Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia Crawley WA 6009 Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland St Lucia Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland St Lucia Qld 4072 Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - John C.Z. Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory 0909 Australia
| | - James Q. Radford
- Bush Heritage Australia Melbourne Victoria 8009 Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Brendan Wintle
- The University of Melbourne, School of Biosciences University of Melbourne Parkville VIC 3052 Australia
| | - Joss Bentley
- Ecosystems and Threatened Species NSW Office of Environment and Heritage joss
| | | | - Peter Copley
- Conservation and Land Management Branch Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources Adelaide SA 5001 Australia
| | | | - Chris R. Dickman
- Desert Ecology Research Group School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Graeme R. Gillespie
- Flora and Fauna Division Department of Environment and Natural Resources Northern Territory 0828 Australia
| | - Brydie Hill
- Flora and Fauna Division Department of Environment and Natural Resources Northern Territory 0828 Australia
| | - Chris N. Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences & Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania 7005 Australia
| | - John Kanowski
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy Subiaco East WA 6008 Australia
| | - Mike Letnic
- Centre for Ecosystem Science University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Adrian Manning
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Peter Menkhorst
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment Land Water and Planning Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - Nicola Mitchell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - Keith Morris
- Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 Australia
| | - Katherine Moseby
- Arid Recovery Roxby Downs 5725 Australia
- University of NSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Manda Page
- Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 Australia
| | - Russell Palmer
- Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions Woodvale WA 6026 Australia
| | - Michael Bode
- School of Mathematical Sciences Queensland University of Technology Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia
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Kearney SG, Carwardine J, Reside AE, Fisher DO, Maron M, Doherty TS, Legge S, Silcock J, Woinarski JCZ, Garnett ST, Wintle BA, Watson JEM. The threats to Australia’s imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/pc18024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Since European occupation of Australia, human activities have caused the dramatic decline and sometimes extinction of many of the continent’s unique species. Here we provide a comprehensive review of threats to species listed as threatened under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Following accepted global categories of threat, we find that invasive species affect the largest number of listed species (1257 species, or 82% of all threatened species); ecosystem modifications (e.g. fire) (74% of listed species) and agricultural activity (57%) are also important. The ranking of threats was largely consistent across taxonomic groups and the degree of species’ endangerment. These results were significantly different (P<0.01) from recent analyses of threats to threatened species globally, which highlighted overexploitation, agriculture and urban development as major causes of decline. Australia is distinct not only in the biodiversity it contains but also in the extent and mixture of processes that threaten the survival of these species. Notably, the IUCN threat classification scheme separates the numerous threats (e.g. urban development, agriculture, mining) that cause habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, hence further research is required to quantify the net impact of these types of habitat change. We provide feasible suggestions for a more coordinated national approach to threatened species conservation, which could provide decision makers and managers at all levels with improved resources and information on threats and management. Adequate policy, legislative support and funding are critical for ensuring that on-ground management is successful in halting the decline of Australia’s threatened species.
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Hohnen R, P. Murphy B, A. Gates J, Legge S, R. Dickman C, C. Z. Woinarski J. Detecting and protecting the threatened Kangaroo Island dunnart ( Sminthopsis fuliginosusaitkeni). Conservation Science and Practice 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/csp2.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Hohnen
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub; Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University; Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub; Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University; Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Jody A. Gates
- South Australian Department for Environment and Water; Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub; Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland; St Lucia Queensland Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub; Fenner School, The Australian National University; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub; Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub; Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University; Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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Hohnen R, P. Murphy B, A. Gates J, Legge S, R. Dickman C, C. Z. Woinarski J. Detecting and protecting the threatened Kangaroo Island dunnart (
Sminthopsis fuliginosus aitkeni
). Conservation Science and Practice 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Hohnen
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery HubResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery HubResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Jody A. Gates
- South Australian Department for Environment and Water Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery HubCentre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery HubFenner School, The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery HubDesert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery HubResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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Scheele BC, Legge S, Armstrong DP, Copley P, Robinson N, Southwell D, Westgate MJ, Lindenmayer DB. How to improve threatened species management: An Australian perspective. J Environ Manage 2018; 223:668-675. [PMID: 29975894 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Targeted threatened species management is a central component of efforts to prevent species extinction. Despite the development of a range of management frameworks to improve conservation outcomes over the past decade, threatened species management is still commonly characterised as ad hoc. Although there are notable successes, many management programs are ineffective, with relatively few species experiencing improvements in their conservation status. We identify underlying factors that commonly lead to ineffective and inefficient management. Drawing attention to some of the key challenges, and suggesting ways forward, may lead to improved management effectiveness and better conservation outcomes. We highlight six key areas where improvements are needed: 1) stakeholder engagement and communication; 2) fostering strong leadership and the development of achievable long-term goals; 3) knowledge of target species' biology and threats, particularly focusing on filling knowledge gaps that impede management, while noting that in many cases there will be a need for conservation management to proceed initially despite knowledge gaps; 4) setting objectives with measurable outcomes; 5) strategic monitoring to evaluate management effectiveness; and 6) greater accountability for species declines and failure to recover species to ensure timely action and guard against complacency. We demonstrate the importance of these six key areas by providing examples of innovative approaches leading to successful species management. We also discuss overarching factors outside the realm of management influence that can help or impede conservation success. Clear recognition of factors that make species' management more straightforward - or more challenging - is important for setting realistic management objectives, outlining strategic action, and prioritising resources. We also highlight the need to more clearly demonstrate the benefit of current investment, and communicate that the risk of under-investment is species extinctions. Together, improvements in conservation practice, along with increased resource allocation and re-evaluation of the prioritisation of competing interests that threaten species, will help enhance conservation outcomes for threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- B C Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia.
| | - S Legge
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia
| | - D P Armstrong
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - P Copley
- Parks and Regions, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, South Australia, Australia
| | - N Robinson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia
| | - D Southwell
- National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia; Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - M J Westgate
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - D B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia
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Robinson NM, Scheele BC, Legge S, Southwell DM, Carter O, Lintermans M, Radford JQ, Skroblin A, Dickman CR, Koleck J, Wayne AF, Kanowski J, Gillespie GR, Lindenmayer DB. How to ensure threatened species monitoring leads to threatened species conservation. Ecol Manag Restor 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Maute K, French K, Legge S, Astheimer L, Garnett S. Corrigendum to: Condition index monitoring supports conservation priorities for the protection of threatened grass-finch populations. Conserv Physiol 2018; 6:coy028. [PMID: 29977562 PMCID: PMC6007382 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov025.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov025.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Maute
- Corresponding author: School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Tel: +61 2 4252 8522.
| | - Kristine French
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, PMB 925, Derby, WA, Australia
| | | | - Stephen Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihood, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, Australia
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Radford JQ, Woinarski JCZ, Legge S, Baseler M, Bentley J, Burbidge AA, Bode M, Copley P, Dexter N, Dickman CR, Gillespie G, Hill B, Johnson CN, Kanowski J, Latch P, Letnic M, Manning A, Menkhorst P, Mitchell N, Morris K, Moseby K, Page M, Ringma J. Degrees of population-level susceptibility of Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species to predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus). Wildl Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/wr18008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Over the last 230 years, the Australian terrestrial mammal fauna has suffered a very high rate of decline and extinction relative to other continents. Predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus) is implicated in many of these extinctions, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species.
Aims
To assess the degree to which Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species are susceptible at the population level to predation by the red fox and feral cat, and to allocate each species to a category of predator susceptibility.
Methods
We collated the available evidence and complemented this with expert opinion to categorise each Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species (extinct and extant) into one of four classes of population-level susceptibility to introduced predators (i.e. ‘extreme’, ‘high’, ‘low’ or ‘not susceptible’). We then compared predator susceptibility with conservation status, body size and extent of arboreality; and assessed changes in the occurrence of species in different predator-susceptibility categories between 1788 and 2017.
Key results
Of 246 Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species (including extinct species), we conclude that 37 species are (or were) extremely predator-susceptible; 52 species are highly predator-susceptible; 112 species are of low susceptibility; and 42 species are not susceptible to predators. Confidence in assigning species to predator-susceptibility categories was strongest for extant threatened mammal species and for extremely predator-susceptible species. Extinct and threatened mammal species are more likely to be predator-susceptible than Least Concern species; arboreal species are less predator-susceptible than ground-dwelling species; and medium-sized species (35 g–3.5kg) are more predator-susceptible than smaller or larger species.
Conclusions
The effective control of foxes and cats over large areas is likely to assist the population-level recovery of ~63 species – the number of extant species with extreme or high predator susceptibility – which represents ~29% of the extant Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal fauna.
Implications
Categorisation of predator susceptibility is an important tool for conservation management, because the persistence of species with extreme susceptibility will require intensive management (e.g. predator-proof exclosures or predator-free islands), whereas species of lower predator susceptibility can be managed through effective landscape-level suppression of introduced predators.
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Geyle HM, Woinarski JCZ, Baker GB, Dickman CR, Dutson G, Fisher DO, Ford H, Holdsworth M, Jones ME, Kutt A, Legge S, Leiper I, Loyn R, Murphy BP, Menkhorst P, Reside AE, Ritchie EG, Roberts FE, Tingley R, Garnett ST. Quantifying extinction risk and forecasting the number of impending Australian bird and mammal extinctions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/pc18006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A critical step towards reducing the incidence of extinction is to identify and rank the species at highest risk, while implementing protective measures to reduce the risk of extinction to such species. Existing global processes provide a graded categorisation of extinction risk. Here we seek to extend and complement those processes to focus more narrowly on the likelihood of extinction of the most imperilled Australian birds and mammals. We considered an extension of existing IUCN and NatureServe criteria, and used expert elicitation to rank the extinction risk to the most imperilled species, assuming current management. On the basis of these assessments, and using two additional approaches, we estimated the number of extinctions likely to occur in the next 20 years. The estimates of extinction risk derived from our tighter IUCN categorisations, NatureServe assessments and expert elicitation were poorly correlated, with little agreement among methods for which species were most in danger – highlighting the importance of integrating multiple approaches when considering extinction risk. Mapped distributions of the 20 most imperilled birds reveal that most are endemic to islands or occur in southern Australia. The 20 most imperilled mammals occur mostly in northern and central Australia. While there were some differences in the forecasted number of extinctions in the next 20 years among methods, all three approaches predict further species loss. Overall, we estimate that another seven Australian mammals and 10 Australian birds will be extinct by 2038 unless management improves.
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Legge S, Woinarski JCZ, Burbidge AA, Palmer R, Ringma J, Radford JQ, Mitchell N, Bode M, Wintle B, Baseler M, Bentley J, Copley P, Dexter N, Dickman CR, Gillespie GR, Hill B, Johnson CN, Latch P, Letnic M, Manning A, McCreless EE, Menkhorst P, Morris K, Moseby K, Page M, Pannell D, Tuft K. Havens for threatened Australian mammals: the contributions of fenced areas and offshore islands to the protection of mammal species susceptible to introduced predators. Wildl Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/wr17172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context Many Australian mammal species are highly susceptible to predation by introduced domestic cats (Felis catus) and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). These predators have caused many extinctions and have driven large distributional and population declines for many more species. The serendipitous occurrence of, and deliberate translocations of mammals to, ‘havens’ (cat- and fox-free offshore islands, and mainland fenced exclosures capable of excluding cats and foxes) has helped avoid further extinction. Aims The aim of this study was to conduct a stocktake of current island and fenced havens in Australia and assess the extent of their protection for threatened mammal taxa that are most susceptible to cat and fox predation. Methods Information was collated from diverse sources to document (1) the locations of havens and (2) the occurrence of populations of predator-susceptible threatened mammals (naturally occurring or translocated) in those havens. The list of predator-susceptible taxa (67 taxa, 52 species) was based on consensus opinion from >25 mammal experts. Key results Seventeen fenced and 101 island havens contain 188 populations of 38 predator-susceptible threatened mammal taxa (32 species). Island havens cover a larger cumulative area than fenced havens (2152km2 versus 346km2), and reach larger sizes (largest island 325km2, with another island of 628km2 becoming available from 2018; largest fence: 123km2). Islands and fenced havens contain similar numbers of taxa (27 each), because fenced havens usually contain more taxa per haven. Populations within fences are mostly translocated (43 of 49; 88%). Islands contain translocated populations (30 of 139; 22%); but also protect in situ (109) threatened mammal populations. Conclusions Havens are used increasingly to safeguard threatened predator-susceptible mammals. However, 15 such taxa occur in only one or two havens, and 29 such taxa (43%) are not represented in any havens. The taxon at greatest risk of extinction from predation, and in greatest need of a haven, is the central rock-rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus). Implications Future investment in havens should focus on locations that favour taxa with no (or low) existing haven representation. Although havens can be critical for avoiding extinctions in the short term, they cover a minute proportion of species’ former ranges. Improved options for controlling the impacts of cats and foxes at landscape scales must be developed and implemented.
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Bolton PE, West AJ, Cardilini APA, Clark JA, Maute KL, Legge S, Brazill-Boast J, Griffith SC, Rollins LA. Three Molecular Markers Show No Evidence of Population Genetic Structure in the Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167723. [PMID: 27936082 PMCID: PMC5147959 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of genetic diversity and connectivity between regions can inform conservation managers about risk of inbreeding, potential for adaptation and where population boundaries lie. The Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is a threatened species in northern Australia, occupying the savannah woodlands of the biogeographically complex monsoon tropics. We present the most comprehensive population genetic analysis of diversity and structure the Gouldian finch using 16 microsatellite markers, mitochondrial control region and 3,389 SNPs from genotyping-by-sequencing. Mitochondrial diversity is compared across three related, co-distributed finches with different conservation threat-statuses. There was no evidence of genetic differentiation across the western part of the range in any of the molecular markers, and haplotype diversity but not richness was lower than a common co-distributed species. Individuals within the panmictic population in the west may be highly dispersive within this wide area, and we urge caution when interpreting anecdotal observations of changes to the distribution and/or flock sizes of Gouldian finch populations as evidence of overall changes to the population size of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peri E Bolton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrea J West
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam P A Cardilini
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jennalee A Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kimberley L Maute
- Institute of Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.,Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - James Brazill-Boast
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lee A Rollins
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. J. S. Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science; University of Queensland; St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
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McGregor HW, Legge S, Jones ME, Johnson CN. Extraterritorial hunting expeditions to intense fire scars by feral cats. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22559. [PMID: 26932268 PMCID: PMC4773836 DOI: 10.1038/srep22559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Feral cats are normally territorial in Australia’s tropical savannahs, and hunt intensively with home-ranges only two to three kilometres across. Here we report that they also undertake expeditions of up to 12.5 km from their home ranges to hunt for short periods over recently burned areas. Cats are especially likely to travel to areas burned at high intensity, probably in response to vulnerability of prey soon after such fires. The movements of journeying cats are highly directed to specific destinations. We argue that the effect of this behaviour is to increase the aggregate impact of cats on vulnerable prey. This has profound implications for conservation, considering the ubiquity of feral cats and global trends of intensified fire regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh W McGregor
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, PMB 925, Derby, WA 6728, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, PMB 925, Derby, WA 6728, Australia
| | - Menna E Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Christopher N Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
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McGregor HW, Hampton JO, Lisle D, Legge S. Live-capture of feral cats using tracking dogs and darting, with comparisons to leg-hold trapping. Wildl Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Predation by feral cats is a key threatening process to many species of native Australian wildlife. Unfortunately, cats are difficult to capture using standard trapping techniques, limiting the potential to conduct research on their ecology and impacts.
Aims
We present an alternative capture method: remote chemical immobilisation after tracking with trained dogs. We also compare capture rates to a concurrent soft-jaw leg-hold trapping program.
Methods
We used dogs to capture cats detected by spotlighting at night, and also recaptured cats fitted with telemetry collars during the day. Cats were either bailed on the ground or treed and then hand-netted, or chemically immobilised using darts shot from a CO2-powered dart rifle, loaded with tiletamine–zolazepam at ~6 mg kg–1. Factors affecting the success rate of capturing cats using dogs were assessed. Efficiency in terms of cats captured per person-hours of fieldwork were compared using trained dogs versus leg-hold trapping.
Key results
We attempted 160 cat captures using the tracking dogs with 114 of those being successful. There were no mortalities or debilitating physical injuries associated with chemical immobilisation; however, sedated cats had prolonged recoveries (>4 h). Capture success with the tracking dogs increased as the dogs gained experience. Capture success rates per person-hour of fieldwork were four times greater using spotlighting with tracking dogs than using leg-hold traps. The success rate of recaptures using dogs was 97%.
Conclusions
The use of trained tracking dogs proved an effective method for capturing feral cats. The method had a much higher success rate than live-trapping with leg-hold traps, took less effort (in terms of person-hours) and caused less physical injuries than did leg-hold traps. However, substantial setup costs and time are required, which are discussed.
Implications
Using these methods could improve efficiency and outcomes when catching feral cats, and enable more data per individual cat to be collected than otherwise.
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Hohnen R, Tuft K, Legge S, Walters N, Johanson L, Carver S, Radford IJ, Johnson CN. The significance of topographic complexity in habitat selection and persistence of a declining marsupial in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. AUST J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/zo16015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian species in northern Australia are declining. The resources that many species from this region require to persist in the landscape remain poorly understood. We examined habitat selection and diet of the scaly-tailed possum (Wyulda squamicaudata, hereafter called Wyulda) in the north-west Kimberley, Western Australia, in relation to variation in complexity of rocky habitat, habitat heterogeneity, and recent fire history. We fitted GPS tags to 23 Wyulda between January 2013 and February 2014 and analysed step selection between GPS fixes to describe habitat choice. We assessed diet by microscopic analysis of plant fragments from 47 faecal samples. Individual Wyulda preferentially foraged in locations with high rock complexity and high habitat heterogeneity in a wide variety of habitats, but denned exclusively in complex rock piles. They used savannas of a range of post-fire ages, including recently burnt (1–2 months after fire) and long unburnt (>24 months after fire). They were highly frugivorous with, on average, 77% of plant fragments per scat sample identified as fruit epidermal layers. Overall, rock complexity appears to be an important landscape attribute for Wyulda, as it may provide den sites and protect fire-sensitive landscape features such as fruiting trees and habitat heterogeneity.
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Legge S, Garnett S, Maute K, Heathcote J, Murphy S, Woinarski JCZ, Astheimer L. A Landscape-Scale, Applied Fire Management Experiment Promotes Recovery of a Population of the Threatened Gouldian Finch, Erythrura gouldiae, in Australia's Tropical Savannas. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137997. [PMID: 26445496 PMCID: PMC4596524 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fire is an integral part of savanna ecology and changes in fire patterns are linked to biodiversity loss in savannas worldwide. In Australia, changed fire regimes are implicated in the contemporary declines of small mammals, riparian species, obligate-seeding plants and grass seed-eating birds. Translating this knowledge into management to recover threatened species has proved elusive. We report here on a landscape-scale experiment carried out by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) on Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary in northwest Australia. The experiment was designed to understand the response of a key savanna bird guild to fire, and to use that information to manage fire with the aim of recovering a threatened species population. We compared condition indices among three seed-eating bird species--one endangered (Gouldian finch) and two non-threatened (long-tailed finch and double-barred finch)--from two large areas (> 2,830 km2) with initial contrasting fire regimes ('extreme': frequent, extensive, intense fire; versus 'benign': less frequent, smaller, lower intensity fires). Populations of all three species living with the extreme fire regime had condition indices that differed from their counterparts living with the benign fire regime, including higher haematocrit levels in some seasons (suggesting higher levels of activity required to find food), different seasonal haematocrit profiles, higher fat scores in the early wet season (suggesting greater food uncertainty), and then lower muscle scores later in the wet season (suggesting prolonged food deprivation). Gouldian finches also showed seasonally increasing stress hormone concentrations with the extreme fire regime. Cumulatively, these patterns indicated greater nutritional stress over many months for seed-eating birds exposed to extreme fire regimes. We tested these relationships by monitoring finch condition over the following years, as AWC implemented fire management to produce the 'benign' fire regime throughout the property. The condition indices of finch populations originally living with the extreme fire regime shifted to resemble those of their counterparts living with the benign fire regime. This research supports the hypothesis that fire regimes affect food resources for savanna seed-eating birds, with this impact mediated through a range of grass species utilised by the birds over different seasons, and that fire management can effectively moderate that impact. This work provides a rare example of applied research supporting the recovery of a population of a threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 8070, Subiaco East, WA, 6008, Australia
| | - Stephen Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods and Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the National Environmental Science Programme, Charles Darwin University, NT, 0909, Australia
| | - Kim Maute
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 8070, Subiaco East, WA, 6008, Australia
- Institute of Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Joanne Heathcote
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 8070, Subiaco East, WA, 6008, Australia
| | - Steve Murphy
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 8070, Subiaco East, WA, 6008, Australia
- Bush Heritage Australia, Collins St, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods and Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the National Environmental Science Programme, Charles Darwin University, NT, 0909, Australia
| | - Lee Astheimer
- Deakin University, DVC Research Office, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
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McGregor H, Legge S, Jones ME, Johnson CN. Feral Cats Are Better Killers in Open Habitats, Revealed by Animal-Borne Video. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133915. [PMID: 26288224 PMCID: PMC4545751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the key gaps in understanding the impacts of predation by small mammalian predators on prey is how habitat structure affects the hunting success of small predators, such as feral cats. These effects are poorly understood due to the difficulty of observing actual hunting behaviours. We attached collar-mounted video cameras to feral cats living in a tropical savanna environment in northern Australia, and measured variation in hunting success among different microhabitats (open areas, dense grass and complex rocks). From 89 hours of footage, we recorded 101 hunting events, of which 32 were successful. Of these kills, 28% were not eaten. Hunting success was highly dependent on microhabitat structure surrounding prey, increasing from 17% in habitats with dense grass or complex rocks to 70% in open areas. This research shows that habitat structure has a profound influence on the impacts of small predators on their prey. This has broad implications for management of vegetation and disturbance processes (like fire and grazing) in areas where feral cats threaten native fauna. Maintaining complex vegetation cover can reduce predation rates of small prey species from feral cat predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh McGregor
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, PMB 925, Derby, Western Australia, 6728 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001 Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, PMB 925, Derby, Western Australia, 6728 Australia
| | - Menna E. Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001 Australia
| | - Christopher N. Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001 Australia
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Hohnen R, Tuft KD, Legge S, Radford IJ, Carver S, Johnson CN. Post-fire habitat use of the golden-backed tree-rat (Mesembriomys macrurus) in the northwest Kimberley, Western Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Hohnen
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7000 Australia
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary; Derby Western Australia Australia
| | - Katherine D. Tuft
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary; Derby Western Australia Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary; Derby Western Australia Australia
| | - Ian J. Radford
- Department of Parks and Wildlife; Kununurra Western Australia Australia
| | - Scott Carver
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7000 Australia
| | - Christopher N. Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7000 Australia
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Lawes MJ, Fisher DO, Johnson CN, Blomberg SP, Frank ASK, Fritz SA, McCallum H, VanDerWal J, Abbott BN, Legge S, Letnic M, Thomas CR, Thurgate N, Fisher A, Gordon IJ, Kutt A. Correlates of Recent Declines of Rodents in Northern and Southern Australia: Habitat Structure Is Critical. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130626. [PMID: 26111037 PMCID: PMC4482364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Australia has experienced dramatic declines and extinctions of its native rodent species over the last 200 years, particularly in southern Australia. In the tropical savanna of northern Australia significant declines have occurred only in recent decades. The later onset of these declines suggests that the causes may differ from earlier declines in the south. We examine potential regional effects (northern versus southern Australia) on biological and ecological correlates of range decline in Australian rodents. We demonstrate that rodent declines have been greater in the south than in the tropical north, are strongly influenced by phylogeny, and are consistently greater for species inhabiting relatively open or sparsely vegetated habitat. Unlike in marsupials, where some species have much larger body size than rodents, body mass was not an important predictor of decline in rodents. All Australian rodent species are within the prey-size range of cats (throughout the continent) and red foxes (in the south). Contrary to the hypothesis that mammal declines are related directly to ecosystem productivity (annual rainfall), our results are consistent with the hypothesis that disturbances such as fire and grazing, which occur in non-rainforest habitats and remove cover used by rodents for shelter, nesting and foraging, increase predation risk. We agree with calls to introduce conservation management that limits the size and intensity of fires, increases fire patchiness and reduces grazing impacts at ecological scales appropriate for rodents. Controlling feral predators, even creating predator-free reserves in relatively sparsely-vegetated habitats, is urgently required to ensure the survival of rodent species, particularly in northern Australia where declines are not yet as severe as those in the south.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Lawes
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Diana O. Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chris N. Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Simon P. Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anke S. K. Frank
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
- Flora and Fauna Division, Northern Territory Department of Land Resource Management, PO Box 496, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Susanne A. Fritz
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) & Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Hamish McCallum
- School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Sydney, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jeremy VanDerWal
- Centre for Climate Change and Tropical Biology, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett N. Abbott
- CSIRO—Land and Water—Australian Tropical Sciences Precinct, PMB PO, Aitkenvale, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 8070, Subiaco East, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- National Environmental Research Program Northern Australia Hub, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern TerritoryT, Australia
| | - Mike Letnic
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Nikki Thurgate
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alaric Fisher
- Flora and Fauna Division, Northern Territory Department of Land Resource Management, PO Box 496, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- National Environmental Research Program Northern Australia Hub, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern TerritoryT, Australia
| | - Iain J. Gordon
- James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Kutt
- ARCUE, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Maute K, French K, Legge S, Astheimer L, Garnett S. Condition index monitoring supports conservation priorities for the protection of threatened grass-finch populations. Conserv Physiol 2015; 3:cov025. [PMID: 27293710 PMCID: PMC4778451 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Conservation agencies are often faced with the difficult task of prioritizing what recovery actions receive support. With the number of species under threat of decline growing globally, research that informs conservation priorities is greatly needed. The relative vulnerability of cryptic or nomadic species is often uncertain, because populations are difficult to monitor and local populations often seem stable in the short term. This uncertainty can lead to inaction when populations are in need of protection. We tested the feasibility of using differences in condition indices as an indication of population vulnerability to decline for related threatened Australian finch sub-species. The Gouldian finch represents a relatively well-studied endangered species, which has a seasonal and site-specific pattern of condition index variation that differs from the closely related non-declining long-tailed finch. We used Gouldian and long-tailed finch condition variation as a model to compare with lesser studied, threatened star and black-throated finches. We compared body condition (fat and muscle scores), haematocrit and stress levels (corticosterone) among populations, seasons and years to determine whether lesser studied finch populations matched the model of an endangered species or a non-declining species. While vulnerable finch populations often had lower muscle and higher fat and corticosterone concentrations during moult (seasonal pattern similar to Gouldian finches), haematocrit values did not differ among populations in a predictable way. Star and black-throated finch populations, which were predicted to be vulnerable to decline, showed evidence of poor condition during moult, supporting their status as vulnerable. Our findings highlight how measures of condition can provide insight into the relative vulnerability of animal and plant populations to decline and will allow the prioritization of efforts towards the populations most likely to be in jeopardy of extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Maute
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Kristine French
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, PMB 925, Derby, WA, Australia
| | | | - Stephen Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihood, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, Australia
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Perth WA Australia
- Threatened Species Hub; National Environmental Science Program; Charles Darwin University; Darwin NT Australia
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47
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Ziembicki MR, Woinarski JCZ, Webb JK, Vanderduys E, Tuft K, Smith J, Ritchie EG, Reardon TB, Radford IJ, Preece N, Perry J, Murphy BP, McGregor H, Legge S, Leahy L, Lawes MJ, Kanowski J, Johnson CN, James A, Griffiths AD, Gillespie G, Frank AS, Fisher A, Burbidge AA. Stemming the tide: progress towards resolving the causes of decline and implementing management responses for the disappearing mammal fauna of northern Australia. Therya 2015. [DOI: 10.12933/therya-15-236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Hayward MW, Poh ASL, Cathcart J, Churcher C, Bentley J, Herman K, Kemp L, Riessen N, Scully P, Diong CH, Legge S, Carter A, Gibb H, Friend JA. Numbat nirvana: conservation ecology of the endangered numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) (Marsupialia : Myrmecobiidae) reintroduced to Scotia and Yookamurra Sanctuaries, Australia. AUST J ZOOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/zo15028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Despite a vigorous reintroduction program between 1985 and 2010, numbat populations in Western Australia are either static or declining. This study aimed to document the population ecology of numbats at two sites that are going against this trend: Scotia Sanctuary in far western New South Wales and Yookamurra Sanctuary in the riverland of South Australia. Scotia (64 659 ha) and Yookamurra (5026 ha) are conservation reserves owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and where numbats were reintroduced in 1999 and 1993 respectively. Both sites have large conservation-fence-protected introduced-species-free areas where there are no cats (Felis catus) or red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Numbats were sourced from both wild and captive populations. From small founder populations, the Scotia numbats are now estimated to number 169 (113–225) with 44 at Yookamurra. Radio-collared individuals at Scotia were active between 13 and 31°C. Females had home ranges of 28.3 ± 6.8 ha and males 96.6 ± 18.2 ha, which leads to an estimated sustainable population or carrying capacity of 413–502 at Scotia. Captive-bred animals from Perth Zoo had a high mortality rate upon reintroduction at Scotia due to predation by raptors and starvation. The habitat preferences for mallee with a shrub understorey appear to be driven by availability of termites, and other reintroduced ecosystem engineers appear to have been facilitators by creating new refuge burrows for numbats. This study shows that numbats can be successfully reintroduced into areas of their former range if protected from introduced predators, and illustrates the difficulties in monitoring such cryptic species.
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McGregor HW, Legge S, Potts J, Jones ME, Johnson CN. Density and home range of feral cats in north-western Australia. Wildl Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr14180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Feral cats (Felis catus) pose a significant threat to biodiversity in Australia, and are implicated in current declines of small mammals in the savannas of northern Australia. Basic information on population density and ranging behaviour is essential to understand and manage threats from feral cats.
Aims
In this study, we provide robust estimates of density and home range of feral cats in the central Kimberley region of north-western Australia, and we test whether population density is affected by livestock grazing, small mammal abundance and other environmental factors.
Methods
Densities were measured at six transects sampled between 2011 and 2013 using arrays of infrared cameras. Cats were individually identified, and densities estimated using spatially explicit capture–recapture analysis. Home range was measured from GPS tracking of 32 cats.
Key results
Densities were similar across all transects and deployments, with a mean of 0.18 cats km–2 (range = 0.09–0.34 km–2). We found no evidence that population density was related to livestock grazing or abundance of small mammals. Home ranges of males were, on average, 855 ha (±156 ha (95% CI), n = 25), and those of females were half the size at 397 ha (±275 ha (95% CI), n = 7). There was little overlap in ranges of cats of the same sex.
Conclusions
Compared with elsewhere in Australia outside of semiarid regions, feral cats occur at low density and have large home ranges in the central Kimberley. However, other evidence shows that despite this low density, cats are contributing to declines of small mammal populations across northern Australia.
Implications
It will be very difficult to reduce these already-sparse populations by direct control. Instead, land-management practices that reduce the impacts of cats on prey should be investigated.
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McGregor HW, Legge S, Jones ME, Johnson CN. Landscape management of fire and grazing regimes alters the fine-scale habitat utilisation by feral cats. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109097. [PMID: 25329902 PMCID: PMC4198095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Intensification of fires and grazing by large herbivores has caused population declines in small vertebrates in many ecosystems worldwide. Impacts are rarely direct, and usually appear driven via indirect pathways, such as changes to predator-prey dynamics. Fire events and grazing may improve habitat and/or hunting success for the predators of small mammals, however, such impacts have not been documented. To test for such an interaction, we investigated fine-scale habitat selection by feral cats in relation to fire, grazing and small-mammal abundance. Our study was conducted in north-western Australia, where small mammal populations are sensitive to changes in fire and grazing management. We deployed GPS collars on 32 cats in landscapes with contrasting fire and grazing treatments. Fine-scale habitat selection was determined using discrete choice modelling of cat movements. We found that cats selected areas with open grass cover, including heavily-grazed areas. They strongly selected for areas recently burnt by intense fires, but only in habitats that typically support high abundance of small mammals. Intense fires and grazing by introduced herbivores created conditions that are favoured by cats, probably because their hunting success is improved. This mechanism could explain why, in northern Australia, impacts of feral cats on small mammals might have increased. Our results suggest the impact of feral cats could be reduced in most ecosystems by maximising grass cover, minimising the incidence of intense fires, and reducing grazing by large herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh W. McGregor
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Derby, Western Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Sarah Legge
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, Derby, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Menna E. Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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