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Tulloch AIT, Jackson MV, Bayraktarov E, Carey AR, Correa-Gomez DF, Driessen M, Gynther IC, Hardie M, Moseby K, Joseph L, Preece H, Suarez-Castro AF, Stuart S, Woinarski JCZ, Possingham HP. Effects of different management strategies on long-term trends of Australian threatened and near-threatened mammals. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14032. [PMID: 36349543 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring is critical to assess management effectiveness, but broadscale systematic assessments of monitoring to evaluate and improve recovery efforts are lacking. We compiled 1808 time series from 71 threatened and near-threatened terrestrial and volant mammal species and subspecies in Australia (48% of all threatened mammal taxa) to compare relative trends of populations subject to different management strategies. We adapted the Living Planet Index to develop the Threatened Species Index for Australian Mammals and track aggregate trends for all sampled threatened mammal populations and for small (<35 g), medium (35-5500 g), and large mammals (>5500 g) from 2000 to 2017. Unmanaged populations (42 taxa) declined by 63% on average; unmanaged small mammals exhibited the greatest declines (96%). Populations of 17 taxa in havens (islands and fenced areas that excluded or eliminated introduced red foxes [Vulpes vulpes] and domestic cats [Felis catus]) increased by 680%. Outside havens, populations undergoing sustained predator baiting initially declined by 75% but subsequently increased to 47% of their abundance in 2000. At sites where predators were not excluded or baited but other actions (e.g., fire management, introduced herbivore control) occurred, populations of small and medium mammals declined faster, but large mammals declined more slowly, than unmanaged populations. Only 13% of taxa had data for both unmanaged and managed populations; index comparisons for this subset showed that taxa with populations increasing inside havens declined outside havens but taxa with populations subject to predator baiting outside havens declined more slowly than populations with no management and then increased, whereas unmanaged populations continued to decline. More comprehensive and improved monitoring (particularly encompassing poorly represented management actions and taxonomic groups like bats and small mammals) is required to understand whether and where management has worked. Improved implementation of management for threats other than predation is critical to recover Australia's threatened mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha I T Tulloch
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Micha V Jackson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Elisa Bayraktarov
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Research, Specialised and Data Foundations, Digital Solutions, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexander R Carey
- Saving our Species Program, Department of the Environment, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Diego F Correa-Gomez
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Driessen
- Conservation Science Section, Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ian C Gynther
- Department of Environment and Science, Moggill, Queensland, Australia
- Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mel Hardie
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Moseby
- Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Liana Joseph
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco East, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Harriet Preece
- Department of Environment and Science, Dutton Park, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrés Felipe Suarez-Castro
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephanie Stuart
- Saving our Species Program, Department of the Environment, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John C Z Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Odour-mediated Interactions Between an Apex Reptilian Predator and its Mammalian Prey. J Chem Ecol 2022; 48:401-415. [PMID: 35233678 PMCID: PMC9079038 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01350-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
An important but understudied modality for eavesdropping between predators and prey is olfaction, especially between non-mammalian vertebrate predators and their prey. Here we test three olfactory eavesdropping predictions involving an apex reptilian predator, the sand goanna Varanus gouldii, and several species of its small mammalian prey in arid central Australia: 1) small mammals will recognize and avoid the odour of V. gouldii; 2) V. gouldii will be attracted to the odour of small mammals, especially of species that maximize its energetic returns; and 3) small mammals will be less mobile and will show higher burrow fidelity where V. gouldii is absent compared with where it is present. As expected, we found that small mammals recognized and avoided faecal odour of this goanna, feeding less intensively at food patches where the odour of V. gouldii was present than at patches with no odour or a pungency control odour. Varanus gouldii also was attracted to the odour of small mammals in artificial burrows and dug more frequently at burrows containing the odour of species that were energetically profitable than at those of species likely to yield diminishing returns. Our third prediction received mixed support. Rates of movement of three species of small mammals were no different where V. gouldii was present or absent, but burrow fidelity in two of these species increased as expected where V. gouldii had been removed. We conclude that olfaction plays a key role in the dynamic interaction between V. gouldii and its mammalian prey, with the interactants using olfaction to balance their respective costs of foraging and reducing predation risk. We speculate that the risk of predation from this apex reptilian predator drives the highly unusual burrow-shifting behaviour that characterizes many of Australia's small desert mammals.
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Doody JS, McHenry C, Rhind D, Gray C, Clulow S. Impacts of invasive cane toads on an Endangered marsupial predator and its prey. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research has revealed that impacts of some invasive species are chronic. Invasive cane toads Rhinella marina have apparently caused rapid and severe population-level declines of the Endangered northern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus across tropical Australia; however, more targeted, quantitative impact data are needed to disentangle this from other threats such as fire regimes, disease, feral cats and dingos. Moreover, repeatable counts before, during, after and long after toad invasion are needed in order to determine if short-term impacts are chronic vs. transitory. We used game cameras to monitor 2 quoll populations and their prey over a 5 yr period spanning the invasion of the toxic cane toads in 2 gorges in northwestern Australia. We predicted severe declines in quolls with the toad invasion, and predatory release of 2 prey species of quolls, a rodent and a smaller marsupial. Quolls declined quickly upon arrival of toads, becoming undetectable in one gorge and barely detectable in the other. Identification of individuals via unique spot patterns confirmed that the declines in detection rates were due to changes in relative abundance rather than decreases in activity. Despite quoll declines we found no evidence of mesopredator release; small mammals generally declined as toads arrived. Our research confirmed rapid population-level declines of quolls, and possibly smaller mammals, associated with arrival of invasive cane toads. Importantly, our surveys provide a baseline for future surveys to determine whether these short-term impacts are chronic or transitory, and whether recovery requires assistance from managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- JS Doody
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - C McHenry
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - D Rhind
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Northern Territory Government, PO Box 496, Palmerston, Northern Territory 0831, Australia
| | - C Gray
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA
| | - S Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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von Takach B, Penton CE, Murphy BP, Radford IJ, Davies HF, Hill BM, Banks SC. Population genomics and conservation management of a declining tropical rodent. Heredity (Edinb) 2021; 126:763-775. [PMID: 33664461 PMCID: PMC8102610 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-021-00418-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation management is improved by incorporating information about the spatial distribution of population genetic diversity into planning strategies. Northern Australia is the location of some of the world's most severe ongoing declines of endemic mammal species, yet we have little genetic information from this regional mammal assemblage to inform a genetic perspective on conservation assessment and planning. We used next-generation sequencing data from remnant populations of the threatened brush-tailed rabbit-rat (Conilurus penicillatus) to compare patterns of genomic diversity and differentiation across the landscape and investigate standardised hierarchical genomic diversity metrics to better understand brush-tailed rabbit-rat population genomic structure. We found strong population structuring, with high levels of differentiation between populations (FST = 0.21-0.78). Two distinct genomic lineages between the Tiwi Islands and mainland are also present. Prioritisation analysis showed that one population in both lineages would need to be conserved to retain at least ~80% of alleles for the species. Analysis of standardised genomic diversity metrics showed that approximately half of the total diversity occurs among lineages (δ = 0.091 from grand total γ = 0.184). We suggest that a focus on conserving remnant island populations may not be appropriate for the preservation of species-level genomic diversity and adaptive potential, as these populations represent a small component of the total diversity and a narrow subset of the environmental conditions in which the species occurs. We also highlight the importance of considering both genomic and ecological differentiation between source and receiving populations when considering translocations for conservation purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenton von Takach
- grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia
| | - Cara E. Penton
- grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia ,grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XNESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia
| | - Ian J. Radford
- grid.452589.70000 0004 1799 3491Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kununurra, WA Australia
| | - Hugh F. Davies
- grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia ,grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XNESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia
| | - Brydie M. Hill
- grid.483876.60000 0004 0394 3004Flora and Fauna Division, Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, Northern Territory Government, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia
| | - Sam C. Banks
- grid.1043.60000 0001 2157 559XResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory Australia
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Parkin T, Jolly CJ, Laive A, Takach B. Snakes on an urban plain: Temporal patterns of snake activity and human–snake conflict in Darwin, Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Parkin
- Darwin Snake Catchers Darwin Northern Territory0800Australia
- Australian Museum Research Institute Sydney New South WalesAustralia
| | - Chris J. Jolly
- Darwin Snake Catchers Darwin Northern Territory0800Australia
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville VictoriaAustralia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - Alana Laive
- Darwin Snake Catchers Darwin Northern Territory0800Australia
| | - Brenton Takach
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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von Takach B, Scheele BC, Moore H, Murphy BP, Banks SC. Patterns of niche contraction identify vital refuge areas for declining mammals. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brenton von Takach
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - Ben C. Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Australia
| | - Harry Moore
- School of Environmental Science Institute for Land, Water and Society Charles Sturt University Albury NSW Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub Australia
| | - Sam C. Banks
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
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