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McGregor D, Nordberg E, Yoon HJ, Youngentob K, Schwarzkopf L, Krockenberger A. Comparison of home range size, habitat use and the influence of resource variations between two species of greater gliders (Petauroides minor and Petauroides volans). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286813. [PMID: 37856491 PMCID: PMC10586627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the spatial requirements of a species is fundamental to understanding its environmental requirements. However, this can be challenging as the size of a species' home range can be influenced by ecological factors such as diet and size-dependent metabolic demands, as well as factors related to the quality of their habitat such as the density and distribution of resources needed for food and shelter. Until recently, the genus Petauroides was thought to include only a single species with a widespread distribution across eastern Australia. However, a recent study has provided genetic and morphological evidence supporting Petauroides minor as a distinct northern species. Previous studies have focused on the ecology of P. volans, but there has been inadequate research on P. minor. Data on home range and habitat use were obtained for both species using a combination of techniques including GPS collar locations, radiotelemetry, and spotlighting and comparisons were made using consistent methodology. Home range sizes of P. minor (4.79 ha ± 0.97 s.d., KUD .95) were significantly larger than those of P. volans (2.0 ha ± 0.42 s.d., KUD .95). There were no significant differences between male and female home range sizes in either species. Both species showed site-specific preferences for tree species and for larger diameter trees for both forage and shelter. Tree size and biomass/ha were significantly greater in the P. volans study sites than the P. minor study sites and there was a negative correlation between home range size and eucalypt biomass. Larger home range size is likely driven by the substantial differences in biomass between northern (tropical) and southern (temperate) eucalypt-dominated habitats affecting the quality and quantity of resources for food and shelter. Understanding landscape use and habitat requirements within each species of Petauroides can provide important information regarding limiting factors and in directing conservation and management planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise McGregor
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Eric Nordberg
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hwan-Jin Yoon
- Health Intelligence, The Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Kara Youngentob
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Lin Schwarzkopf
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew Krockenberger
- Division of Research and Innovation, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
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Lindenmayer DB, McBurney L, Blanchard W, Marsh K, Bowd E, Watchorn D, Taylor C, Youngentob K. Elevation, disturbance, and forest type drive the occurrence of a specialist arboreal folivore. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265963. [PMID: 35417466 PMCID: PMC9007346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265963] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the factors associated with the presence and abundance of species is critical for conservation. Here, we quantify the factors associated with the occurrence of the Southern Greater Glider in the forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. We gathered counts of animals along transects and constructed models of the probability of absence, and then the abundance if animals were present (conditional abundance), based on species' associations with forest type, forest age, the abundance of denning sites in large old hollow-bearing trees, climatic conditions, and vegetation density. We found evidence of forest type effects, with animals being extremely uncommon in Alpine Ash and Shining Gum forest. In Mountain Ash forest, we found a negative relationship between the abundance of hollow-bearing trees and the probability of Southern Greater Glider absence. We also found a forest age effect, with the Southern Greater Glider completely absent from the youngest sites that were subject to a high-severity, stand-replacing wildfire in 2009. The best fitting conditional abundance model for the Southern Greater Glider included a strong positive effect of elevation; the species was more abundant in Mountain Ash forests at higher elevations. Our study highlights the importance of sites with large old hollow-bearing trees for the Southern Greater Glider, although such trees are in rapid decline in Mountain Ash forests. The influence of elevation on conditional abundance suggests that areas at higher elevations will be increasingly important for the conservation of the species, except where Mountain Ash forest is replaced by different tree species that may be unsuitable for the Southern Greater Glider.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Lachlan McBurney
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Karen Marsh
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Elle Bowd
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Darcy Watchorn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Taylor
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Kara Youngentob
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Marsh KJ, Saraf I, Hocart CH, Youngentob K, Singh IP, Foley WJ. Occurrence and distribution of unsubstituted B-ring flavanones in Eucalyptus foliage. Phytochemistry 2019; 160:31-39. [PMID: 30682682 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2019.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A group of plant specialised metabolites (PSMs) collectively known as unsubstituted B-ring flavanones (UBFs) have previously been found in the foliage of some species from the genus Eucalyptus L'Hér. (Myrtaceae), specifically from the subgenus Eucalyptus (monocalypts). Captive feeding studies using artificial diets suggest that these compounds may potentially influence the feeding preferences of marsupial folivores, such as koalas. Understanding natural variation in the composition and concentration of UBFs in eucalypt foliage is a first step to deciding whether, through their effects on herbivory, they might have broader effects on ecosystem dynamics. We used ESI-LCMS/MS and HPLC to characterise and quantify UBFs in 351 individual trees from 25 monocalypt species. We found large variation in the total UBF concentration both between and within species. For example, the mean concentration of UBFs in Eucalyptus muelleriana was 0.2 mg g-1 dry wt, whereas it was 105.7 mg g-1 dry wt, with a range of 78.2-141.3 mg g-1 dry wt, in Eucalyptus mediocris. Different eucalypt species contained different subsets of ten UBFs, and three species showed potential chemotypic variation between individuals within species. Our results suggest that UBFs naturally vary between monocalypt species and individuals at concentrations that could realistically be expected to affect the feeding dynamics of marsupial eucalypt folivores. UBFs could be measured relatively rapidly and cheaply in future studies using near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy, as we were able to successfully predict the total UBF concentration of samples from their NIR spectra, with an r2 value of 0.98 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 6.07. This work further solidifies NIR spectroscopy as a powerful tool enabling ecologists to analyse the chemical composition of large numbers of samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J Marsh
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Isha Saraf
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, 160062 Punjab, India
| | - Charles H Hocart
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Long Shuo Rd, Wei Yang District, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, People's Republic of China
| | - Kara Youngentob
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Inder-Pal Singh
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, 160062 Punjab, India
| | - William J Foley
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Lindenmayer DB, Hulvey KB, Hobbs RJ, Colyvan M, Felton A, Possingham H, Steffen W, Wilson K, Youngentob K, Gibbons P. Avoiding bio-perversity from carbon sequestration solutions. Conserv Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2011.00213.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Gibbons P, Zammit C, Youngentob K, Possingham HP, Lindenmayer DB, Bekessy S, Burgman M, Colyvan M, Considine M, Felton A, Hobbs RJ, Hurley K, McAlpine C, McCarthy MA, Moore J, Robinson D, Salt D, Wintle B. Some practical suggestions for improving engagement between researchers and policy-makers in natural resource management. Ecological Management & Restoration 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2008.00416.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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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B. Lindenmayer D, Fischer J, Felton A, Montague-Drake R, D. Manning A, Simberloff D, Youngentob K, Saunders D, Wilson D, M. Felton A, Blackmore C, Lowe A, Bond S, Munro N, P. Elliott C. The complementarity of single-species and ecosystem-oriented research in conservation research. OIKOS 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.15683.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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