1
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Lepczyk CA, Fantle-Lepczyk JE, Dunham KD, Bonnaud E, Lindner J, Doherty TS, Woinarski JCZ. A global synthesis and assessment of free-ranging domestic cat diet. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7809. [PMID: 38086838 PMCID: PMC10716121 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42766-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Free-ranging cats (Felis catus) are globally distributed invasive carnivores that markedly impact biodiversity. Here, to evaluate the potential threat of cats, we develop a comprehensive global assessment of species consumed by cats. We identify 2,084 species eaten by cats, of which 347 (16.65%) are of conservation concern. Islands contain threefold more species of conservation concern eaten by cats than continents do. Birds, reptiles, and mammals constitute ~90% of species consumed, with insects and amphibians being less frequent. Approximately 9% of known birds, 6% of known mammals, and 4% of known reptile species are identified in cat diets. 97% of species consumed are <5 kg in adult body mass, though much larger species are also eaten. The species accumulation curves are not asymptotic, indicating that our estimates are conservative. Our results demonstrate that cats are extreme generalist predators, which is critical for understanding their impact on ecological systems and developing management solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Lepczyk
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA.
| | - Jean E Fantle-Lepczyk
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Kylee D Dunham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Nunavut Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Elsa Bonnaud
- Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Tim S Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - John C Z Woinarski
- Research Institute of the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia
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2
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Black JG, van Rooyen ARJ, Heinze D, Gaffney R, Hoffmann AA, Schmidt TL, Weeks AR. Heterogeneous patterns of heterozygosity loss in isolated populations of the threatened eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii). Mol Ecol 2023. [PMID: 38013623 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Identifying and analysing isolated populations is critical for conservation. Isolation can make populations vulnerable to local extinction due to increased genetic drift and inbreeding, both of which should leave imprints of decreased genome-wide heterozygosity. While decreases in heterozygosity among populations are frequently investigated, fewer studies have analysed how heterozygosity varies among individuals, including whether heterozygosity varies geographically along lines of discrete population structure or with continuous patterns analogous to isolation by distance. Here we explore geographical patterns of differentiation and individual heterozygosity in the threatened eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) in Tasmania, Australia, using genomic data from 85 samples collected between 2008 and 2011. Our analyses identified two isolated demes undergoing significant genetic drift, and several areas of fine-scale differentiation across Tasmania. We observed discrete genetic structures across geographical barriers and continuous patterns of isolation by distance, with little evidence of recent or historical migration. Using a recently developed analytical pipeline for estimating autosomal heterozygosity, we found individual heterozygosities varied within demes by up to a factor of two, and demes with low-heterozygosity individuals also still contained those with high heterozygosity. Spatial interpolation of heterozygosity scores clarified these patterns and identified the isolated Tasman Peninsula as a location where low-heterozygosity individuals were more common than elsewhere. Our results provide novel insights into the relationship between isolation-driven genetic structure and local heterozygosity patterns. These may help improve translocation efforts, by identifying populations in need of assistance, and by providing an individualised metric for identifying source animals for translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Black
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Dean Heinze
- Research Centre of Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robbie Gaffney
- Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas L Schmidt
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew R Weeks
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Cesar Australia, Brunswick, Victoria, Australia
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3
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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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4
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Moseby K, Van der Weyde L, Letnic M, Blumstein DT, West R, Bannister H. Addressing prey naivety in native mammals by accelerating selection for antipredator traits. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2780. [PMID: 36394506 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2780] [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: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Harnessing natural selection to improve conservation outcomes is a recent concept in ecology and evolutionary biology and a potentially powerful tool in species conservation. One possible application is the use of natural selection to improve antipredator responses of mammal species that are threatened by predation from novel predators. We investigated whether long-term exposure of an evolutionary naïve prey species to a novel predator would lead to phenotypic changes in a suite of physical and behavioral traits. We exposed a founder population of 353 burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) to feral cats (Felis catus) over 5 years and compared the physical and behavioral traits of this population (including offspring) to a control (non-predator exposed) population. We used selection analysis to investigate whether changes in the traits of bettongs were likely due to phenotypic plasticity or natural selection. We also quantified selection in both populations before and during major population crashes caused by drought (control) and high predation pressure (predator-exposed). Results showed that predator-exposed bettongs had longer flight initiation distances, larger hind feet, and larger heads than control bettongs. Trait divergence began soon after exposure and continued to intensify over time for flight initiation distance and hind foot length relative to control bettongs. Selection analysis found indicators of selection for larger hind feet and longer head length in predator-exposed populations. Results of a common garden experiment showed that the progeny of predator-exposed bettongs had larger feet than control bettongs. Results suggest that long-term, low-level exposure of naïve prey to novel predators can drive phenotypic changes that may assist with future conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Moseby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, South Australia, Australia
| | - Leanne Van der Weyde
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mike Letnic
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rebecca West
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hannah Bannister
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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5
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pH-Responsive Polymer Implants for the Protection of Native Mammals: Assessment of Material Properties and Poison Incorporation on Performance. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15040878. [PMID: 36850162 PMCID: PMC9958913 DOI: 10.3390/polym15040878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Efforts to mitigate the effects of feral cats through the management of remnant or reintroduced populations of threatened species, are often unsuccessful due to predation by control-averse feral cats, or 'problem individuals'. In order to target these animals, we have developed the Population Protecting Implant (PPI). PPIs are designed to be implanted subcutaneously in a native animal. If the animal is preyed upon, and the implant ingested by a feral cat, release of a toxic payload is triggered in the acidic stomach environment and the problem individual is eliminated. We introduce the first toxic implant incorporating the poison sodium fluoroacetate. Manufactured via fluidised-bed spray coating, toxic implants exhibited uniform reverse enteric coatings and low intra-batch variation. Toxic implants were found to exhibit favourable stability at subcutaneous pH in vitro, and rapidly release their toxic payload in vitro at gastric pH. However, limited stability was demonstrated in rats in vivo (~39-230 d), due to the use of a filament scaffold to enable coating and was likely exacerbated by metachromatic interactions caused by 1080. This work highlights that future development of the PPIs should primarily focus on removal of the filament scaffold, to afford implants with increased in vivo stability.
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6
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Brewer K, McWhorter TJ, Moseby K, Read JL, Peacock D, Blencowe A. pH-responsive subcutaneous implants prepared via hot-melt extrusion and fluidised-bed spray coating for targeted invasive predator control. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2023.104277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
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7
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Tay NE, Warburton NM, Moseby KE, Fleming PA. Predator escape behaviour in threatened marsupials. Anim Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- N. E. Tay
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University Murdoch WA Australia
| | - N. M. Warburton
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University Murdoch WA Australia
| | - K. E. Moseby
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
- Arid Recovery Ltd. P.O. Box 147 Roxby Downs 5725 Australia
| | - P. A. Fleming
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University Murdoch WA Australia
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8
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Wijewardhana UA, Jayawardana M, Meyer D. Modelling the recovery of resident shorebirds following a fox eradication program using citizen science data. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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9
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Bruce T, Williams SE, Amin R, L'Hotellier F, Hirsch BT. Laying low: Rugged lowland rainforest preferred by feral cats in the Australian Wet Tropics. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9105. [PMID: 35845357 PMCID: PMC9277418 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive mesopredators are responsible for the decline of many species of native mammals worldwide. Feral cats have been causally linked to multiple extinctions of Australian mammals since European colonization. While feral cats are found throughout Australia, most research has been undertaken in arid habitats, thus there is a limited understanding of feral cat distribution, abundance, and ecology in Australian tropical rainforests. We carried out camera-trapping surveys at 108 locations across seven study sites, spanning 200 km in the Australian Wet Tropics. Single-species occupancy analysis was implemented to investigate how environmental factors influence feral cat distribution. Feral cats were detected at a rate of 5.09 photographs/100 days, 11 times higher than previously recorded in the Australian Wet Tropics. The main environmental factors influencing feral cat occupancy were a positive association with terrain ruggedness, a negative association with elevation, and a higher affinity for rainforest than eucalypt forest. These findings were consistent with other studies on feral cat ecology but differed from similar surveys in Australia. Increasingly harsh and consistently wet weather conditions at higher elevations, and improved shelter in topographically complex habitats may drive cat preference for lowland rainforest. Feral cats were positively associated with roads, supporting the theory that roads facilitate access and colonization of feral cats within more remote parts of the rainforest. Higher elevation rainforests with no roads could act as refugia for native prey species within the critical weight range. Regular monitoring of existing roads should be implemented to monitor feral cats, and new linear infrastructure should be limited to prevent encroachment into these areas. This is pertinent as climate change modeling suggests that habitats at higher elevations will become similar to lower elevations, potentially making the environment more suitable for feral cat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Bruce
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science College of Science and Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
| | - Stephen E Williams
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science College of Science and Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
| | | | | | - Ben T Hirsch
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science College of Science and Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama Panama
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10
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Evans MJ, Weeks AR, Scheele BC, Gordon IJ, Neaves LE, Andrewartha TA, Brockett B, Rapley S, Smith KJ, Wilson BA, Manning AD. Coexistence conservation: Reconciling threatened species and invasive predators through adaptive ecological and evolutionary approaches. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maldwyn J. Evans
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
- Department of Ecosystem Studies, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan
| | - Andrew R. Weeks
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Ben C. Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Iain J. Gordon
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
- The James Hutton Institute Dundee UK
- Central Queensland University Townsville Queensland Australia
- Land & water, CSIRO Townsville Queensland Australia
- Lead, Protected Places Mission, National Environmental Science Program Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Cairns Queensland Australia
| | - Linda E. Neaves
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Tim A. Andrewartha
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Brittany Brockett
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Shoshana Rapley
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Kiarrah J. Smith
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Belinda A. Wilson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Adrian D. Manning
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
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11
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Castañeda I, Doherty TS, Fleming PA, Stobo‐Wilson AM, Woinarski JCZ, Newsome TM. Variation in red fox
Vulpes vulpes
diet in five continents. Mamm Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Castañeda
- Ecology and Genetics of Conservation and Restoration, UMR INRA 1202 BIOGECO Université de Bordeaux 33615 Pessac France
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Patricia A. Fleming
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University Perth WA 6150 Australia
| | - Alyson M. Stobo‐Wilson
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT 0909 Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT 0909 Australia
| | - Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
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12
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Stobo‐Wilson AM, Murphy BP, Legge SM, Caceres‐Escobar H, Chapple DG, Crawford HM, Dawson SJ, Dickman CR, Doherty TS, Fleming PA, Garnett ST, Gentle M, Newsome TM, Palmer R, Rees MW, Ritchie EG, Speed J, Stuart J, Suarez‐Castro AF, Thompson E, Tulloch A, Turpin JM, Woinarski JC. Counting the bodies: Estimating the numbers and spatial variation of Australian reptiles, birds and mammals killed by two invasive mesopredators. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alyson M. Stobo‐Wilson
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water Winnellie Northern Territory Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory Australia
| | - Sarah M. Legge
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland St. Lucia Queensland Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Hernan Caceres‐Escobar
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland St. Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - David G. Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
| | - Heather M. Crawford
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Stuart J. Dawson
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University Perth Western Australia Australia
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Invasive Species and Environment Biosecurity South Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- Desert Ecology Research Group School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08 University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Patricia A. Fleming
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Stephen T. Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory Australia
| | - Matthew Gentle
- Pest Animal Research Centre Invasive Plants and Animals Biosecurity Queensland Toowoomba Queensland Australia
- School of Agriculture and Environmental Science University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba Queensland Australia
| | - Thomas M. Newsome
- Global Ecology Lab School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Russell Palmer
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Bentley Western Australia Australia
| | - Matthew W. Rees
- Quantitative & Applied Ecology Group School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Euan G. Ritchie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Victoria Australia
| | - James Speed
- Pest Animal Research Centre Invasive Plants and Animals Biosecurity Queensland Toowoomba Queensland Australia
| | - John‐Michael Stuart
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Harry Butler Institute Murdoch University Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Andrés F. Suarez‐Castro
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland St. Lucia Queensland Australia
- Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt Bogota D.C. Colombia
| | - Eilysh Thompson
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Victoria Australia
| | - Ayesha Tulloch
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Jeff M. Turpin
- School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - John C.Z. Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory Australia
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
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13
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Read JL, Wilson GR, Coulson G, Radford JQ. Introduction to the special edition on overabundant macropods. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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14
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Finlayson G, Taggart P, Cooke B. Recovering Australia's arid‐zone ecosystems: learning from continental‐scale rabbit control experiments. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13552] [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)
- Graeme Finlayson
- Bush Heritage Australia Flinders Lane Melbourne Victoria 3009 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia 5005 Australia
- Rabbit Free Australia PO Box 145 Collinswood South Australia 5081 Australia
| | - Patrick Taggart
- Department of Primary Industries NSW Vertebrate Pest Research Unit Queanbeyan New South Wales 2620 Australia
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences The University of Adelaide Roseworthy South Australia 5371 Australia
| | - Brian Cooke
- Rabbit Free Australia PO Box 145 Collinswood South Australia 5081 Australia
- Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Bruce Australian Capital Territory 2617 Australia
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15
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Lazenby BT, Mooney NJ, Dickman CR. Raiders of the last ark: the impacts of feral cats on small mammals in Tasmanian forest ecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02362. [PMID: 33899303 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Feral individuals of the cat Felis catus are recognized internationally as a threat to biodiversity. Open, non-insular systems support a large proportion of the world's biodiversity, but the population-level impacts of feral cats in these systems are rarely elucidated. This limits prioritization and assessment of the effectiveness of management interventions. We quantified the predatory impact of feral cats on small mammals in open, non-insular forest systems in Tasmania, Australia in the context of other factors hypothesized to affect small mammal densities and survival, namely the density of a native carnivore, co-occurring small mammals, and rainfall. Change in feral cat density was the most important determinant of small mammal density and survival. We calculated that, on average, a 50% reduction in feral cat density could result in 25% and 10% increases in the density of the swamp rat Rattus lutreolus and long-tailed mouse Pseudomys higginsi, respectively. Low-level culling of feral cats that we conducted on two of our four study sites to experimentally alter feral cat densities revealed that swamp rat survival was highest when feral cat densities were stable. We conclude that feral cats exert downward pressure on populations of indigenous small mammals in temperate forest systems. However, alleviating this downward pressure on prey by culling a large proportion of the feral cat population is difficult as current methods for reducing feral cat populations in cool temperate forest systems are ineffective, and potentially even counterproductive. We suggest using an adaptive approach that regularly and robustly monitors how feral cats and small mammals respond to management interventions that are intended to conserve vulnerable prey species.
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Affiliation(s)
- B T Lazenby
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, 134 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - N J Mooney
- Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Dunn Place, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - C R Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
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Viacava P, Baker AM, Blomberg SP, Phillips MJ, Weisbecker V. Using 3D geometric morphometrics to aid taxonomic and ecological understanding of a recent speciation event within a small Australian marsupial (Antechinus: Dasyuridae). Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Taxonomic distinction of species forms the foundation of biodiversity assessments and conservation priorities. However, traditional morphological and/or genetics-based taxonomic assessments frequently miss the opportunity of elaborating on the ecological and functional context of species diversification. Here, we used 3D geometric morphometrics of the cranium to improve taxonomic differentiation and add ecomorphological characterization of a young cryptic divergence within the carnivorous marsupial genus Antechinus. Specifically, we used 168 museum specimens to characterize the recently proposed clades A. stuartii ‘south’, A. stuartii ‘north’ and A. subtropicus. Beyond slight differences attributable to overall size (and, therefore, not necessarily diagnostic), we also found clear allometry-independent shape variation. This allowed us to define new, easily measured diagnostic traits in the palate, which differentiate the three clades. Contrary to previous suggestions, we found no support for a latitudinal gradient as causing the differentiation between the clades. However, skull shape co-varied with temperature and precipitation seasonality, suggesting that the clades may be adapted to environmental variables that are likely to be impacted by climate change. Our study demonstrates the use of 3D geometric morphometrics to improve taxonomic diagnosis of cryptic mammalian species, while providing perspectives on the adaptive origins and potential future threats of mammalian diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Viacava
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew M Baker
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Natural Environments Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simone P Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew J Phillips
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Lawton JA, Holland GJ, Bennett AF. What determines the distribution of a threatened species, the brush‐tailed phascogale
Phascogale tapoatafa
(Marsupialia: Dasyuridae), in a highly modified region? AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Lawton
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria 3086Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Greg J. Holland
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria 3086Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy Narrabri New South Wales Australia
| | - Andrew F. Bennett
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria 3086Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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18
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Bannister HL, Letnic M, Blumstein DT, Moseby KE. Individual traits influence survival of a reintroduced marsupial only at low predator densities. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. L. Bannister
- Centre for Ecosystem Science The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
- South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. Albany WA Australia
| | - M. Letnic
- Centre for Ecosystem Science The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - D. T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology The University of California Los Angeles CA USA
| | - K. E. Moseby
- Centre for Ecosystem Science The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
- Arid Recovery SA Australia
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19
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Edwards MC, Hoy JM, FitzGibbon SI, Murray PJ. Relaxed predation theory: size, sex and brains matter. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:153-161. [PMID: 32441454 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Australia's wildlife is being considerably impacted by introduced mammalian predators such as cats (Felis catus), dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). This is often attributed to native wildlife being naïve to these introduced predators. A systematic review of the literature reveals that native metatherians (body mass range 0.02-25 kg) do not recognise, and show relaxed antipredator behaviours towards, native and some introduced mammalian predators. Native eutherians (all with body mass < 2 kg), however, do appear to recognise and exhibit antipredator behaviours towards both native and introduced predators. Based on our findings, we propose a novel theory, the 'Relaxed Predation Theory'. Our new theory is based on the absence of large mammalian predators leading to reduced predation pressure in Australia during the past 40000-50000 years, and on three key differences between Australian metatherians and eutherians: size, sex, and brains. In light of this Relaxed Predation Theory, we make a number of recommendations for the conservation of Australian wildlife: (i) predator avoidance training of suitable species; (ii) exclusion fencing to exclude some, but not all, predators to facilitate the development of antipredator behaviours; (iii) captive breeding programs to prevent the extinction of some species; and (iv) reintroduction of Australia's larger predators, potentially to compete with and displace introduced predators. A more detailed understanding of the responses of Australian mammals to predators will hopefully contribute to the improved conservation of susceptible species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan C Edwards
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, 4343, Queensland, Australia.,Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, The University of Queensland, 617 Grandchester Mount-Mort Road, Grandchester, 4340, Queensland, Australia
| | - Julia M Hoy
- Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, The University of Queensland, 617 Grandchester Mount-Mort Road, Grandchester, 4340, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sean I FitzGibbon
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, 4343, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter J Murray
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, 4343, Queensland, Australia
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20
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McHugh D, Goldingay RL, Parkyn J, Goodwin A, Letnic M. Short‐term response of threatened small macropods and their predators to prescribed burns in subtropical Australia. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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21
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Body Size and Bite Force of Stray and Feral Cats-Are Bigger or Older Cats Taking the Largest or More Difficult-to-Handle Prey? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10040707. [PMID: 32316555 PMCID: PMC7222765 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As carnivorans rely heavily on their head and jaws for prey capture and handling, skull morphology and bite force can therefore reflect their ability to take larger or more difficult-to-handle prey. For 568 feral and stray cats (Felis catus), we recorded their demographics (sex and age), source location (feral or stray) and morphological measures (body mass, body condition); we estimated potential bite force from skull measurements for n = 268 of these cats, and quantified diet composition from stomach contents for n = 358. We compared skull measurements to estimate their bite force and determine how it varied with sex, age, body mass, body condition. Body mass had the strongest influence of bite force. In our sample, males were 36.2% heavier and had 20.0% greater estimated bite force (206.2 ± 44.7 Newtons, n = 168) than females (171.9 ± 29.3 Newtons, n = 120). However, cat age was the strongest predictor of the size of prey that they had taken, with older cats taking larger prey. The predictive power of this relationship was poor though (r2 < 0.038, p < 0.003), because even small cats ate large prey and some of the largest cats ate small prey, such as invertebrates. Cats are opportunistic, generalist carnivores taking a broad range of prey. Their ability to handle larger prey increases as the cats grow, increasing their jaw strength, and improving their hunting skills, but even the smallest cats in our sample had tackled and consumed large and potentially 'dangerous' prey that would likely have put up a defence.
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Ringma J, Barnes MD, Bode M. Australian birds could benefit from predator exclusion fencing. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Ringma
- School of Global, Urban and Social StudiesRMIT University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Megan D. Barnes
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Michael Bode
- Science and Engineering Faculty, Mathematical Sciences, Applied and Computational MathematicsQueensland University of Technology Brisbane Queensland Australia
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Miritis V, Rendall AR, Doherty TS, Coetsee AL, Ritchie EG. Living with the enemy: a threatened prey species coexisting with feral cats on a fox-free island. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextFeral domestic cats (Felis catus) have contributed to substantial loss of Australian wildlife, particularly small- and medium-sized terrestrial mammals. However, mitigating cat impacts remains challenging. Understanding the factors that facilitate coexistence between native prey and their alien predators could aid better pest management and conservation actions.
AimsWe estimated feral cat density, examined the impact of habitat cover on long-nosed potoroos (Potorous tridactylus tridactylus), and assessed the spatial and temporal interactions between cats and potoroos in the ‘Bluegums’ area of French Island, south-eastern Australia.
Materials and methodsWe operated 31 camera stations across Bluegums for 99 consecutive nights in each of winter 2018 and summer 2018/19. We used a spatially explicit capture–recapture model to estimate cat density, and two-species single-season occupancy models to assess spatial co-occurrence of cats and potoroos. We assessed the influence of vegetation cover and cat activity on potoroo activity by using a dynamic occupancy model. We also used image timestamps to describe and compare the temporal activities of the two species.
Key resultsBluegums had a density of 0.77 cats per km2 across both seasons, although this is a conservative estimate because of the presence of unidentified cats. Cats and long-nosed potoroos were detected at 94% and 77% of camera stations, respectively. Long-nosed potoroo detectability was higher in denser vegetation and this pattern was stronger at sites with high cat activity. Cats and potoroos overlapped in their temporal activity, but their peak activity times differed.
Conclusions Feral cat density at Bluegums, French Island, is higher than has been reported for mainland Australian sites, but generally lower than in other islands. Long-nosed potoroos were positively associated with cats, potentially indicating cats tracking potoroos as prey or other prey species that co-occur with potoroos. Temporal activity of each species differed, and potoroos sought more complex habitat, highlighting possible mechanisms potoroos may use to reduce their predation risk when co-occurring with cats.
ImplicationsOur study highlighted how predator and prey spatial and temporal interactions, and habitat cover and complexity (ecological refuges), may influence the ability for native prey to coexist with invasive predators. We encourage more consideration and investigation of these factors, with the aim of facilitating more native species to persist with invasive predators or be reintroduced outside of predator-free sanctuaries, exclosures and island safe havens.
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Hradsky BA. Conserving Australia’s threatened native mammals in predator-invaded, fire-prone landscapes. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Inappropriate fire regimes and predation by introduced species each pose a major threat to Australia’s native mammals. They also potentially interact, an issue that is likely to be contributing to the ongoing collapse of native mammal communities across Australia. In the present review, I first describe the mechanisms through which fire could create predation pinch points, exacerbating the impacts of predators, including red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, and feral cats, Felis catus, on their native mammalian prey. These mechanisms include a localised increase in predator activity (a numerically mediated pathway) and higher predator hunting success after fire (a functionally moderated pathway), which could both increase native mammal mortality and limit population recovery in fire-affected landscapes. Evidence for such interactions is growing, although largely based on unreplicated experiments. Improving native mammal resilience to fire in predator-invaded landscapes requires addressing two key questions: how can the impacts of introduced predators on native mammals in fire-affected areas be reduced; and, does a reduction in predation by introduced species result in higher native mammal survival and population recovery after fire? I then examine potential management options for reducing predator impacts post-fire. The most feasible are landscape-scale predator control and the manipulation of fire regimes to create patchy fire scars. However, robust field experiments with adequate statistical power are required to assess the effectiveness of these approaches and preclude null (e.g. compensatory mortality) or adverse (e.g. mesopredator or competitor release) outcomes. Ongoing predator management and prescribed burning programs provide an opportunity to learn through replicated natural experiments as well as experimental manipulations. Standardised reporting protocols and cross-jurisdiction monitoring programs would help achieve necessary spatial and environmental replication, while multi-trophic, spatially explicit simulation models could help synthesise findings from disparate study designs, predict management outcomes and generate new hypotheses. Such approaches will be key to improving management of the complex mechanisms that drive threatened native mammal populations in Australia’s predator-invaded, fire-prone landscapes.
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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. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [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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Rowland J, Hoskin CJ, Burnett S. Distribution and diet of feral cats (Felis catus) in the Wet Tropics of north-eastern Australia, with a focus on the upland rainforest. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextFeral cats have been identified as a key threat to Australia’s biodiversity, particularly in arid areas and tropical woodlands. Their presence, abundance and potential impacts in rainforest have received less attention.
AimsTo investigate the distribution and diet of feral cats (Felis catus) in upland rainforest of the Wet Tropics.
MethodsWe collated available occurrence records from the Wet Tropics, and data from upland camera-trapping surveys over an 8-year period, to assess geographic and elevational distribution of feral cats in the bioregion. We also assessed the diet of feral cats from scats collected at upland sites.
Key resultsFeral cats are widespread through the Wet Tropics bioregion, from the lowlands to the peaks of the highest mountains (>1600m), and in all vegetation types. Abundance appears to vary greatly across the region. Cats were readily detected during camera-trap surveys in some upland rainforest areas (particularly in the southern Atherton Tablelands and Bellenden Ker Range), but were never recorded in some areas (Thornton Peak, the upland rainforest of Windsor Tableland and Danbulla National Park) despite numerous repeated camera-trap surveys over the past 8 years at some of these sites. Scat analysis suggested that small mammals comprise ~70% of the diet of feral cats at an upland rainforest site. Multivariate analysis could not detect a difference in mammal community at sites where cats were detected or not.
ConclusionsFeral cats are widespread in the Wet Tropics and appear to be common in some upland areas. However, their presence and abundance are variable across the region, and the drivers of this variability are not resolved. Small mammals appear to be the primary prey in the rainforest, although the impacts of cats on the endemic and threatened fauna of the Wet Tropics is unknown.
ImplicationsGiven their documented impact in some ecosystems, research is required to examine the potential impact of cats on Wet Tropics fauna, particularly the many upland endemic vertebrates. Studies are needed on (1) habitat and prey selection, (2) population dynamics, and (3) landscape source–sink dynamics of feral cats in the Wet Tropics.
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Roshier DA, Hotellier FL, Carter A, Kemp L, Potts J, Hayward MW, Legge SM. Long-term benefits and short-term costs: small vertebrate responses to predator exclusion and native mammal reintroductions in south-western New South Wales, Australia. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextThe success of conservation fences at protecting reintroduced populations of threatened mammals from introduced predators has prompted an increase in the number and extent of fenced exclosures. Excluding introduced species from within conservation fences could also benefit components of insitu faunal assemblages that are prey for introduced predators, such as reptiles and small mammals. Conversely, reintroduced mammals may compete with smaller mammals and reptiles for resources, or even prey on them.
AimsIn a 10-year study from 2008, we examine how small terrestrial vertebrates respond to the exclusion of introduced predators, the feral cat (Felis catus) and red fox (Vulpes Vulpes), introduced herbivores and the reintroduction of regionally extinct mammal species.
MethodsDifferences in the yearly relative abundance of reptiles and mammals according to habitat type and whether sites were fenced or not, were tested using multivariate generalised linear models. Next, we calculated univariate P-values to identify individual species that showed significant relationships, positive and negative, with any of the explanatory variables.
Key resultsTotal captures of reptiles were lower inside the conservation fence in all years, whereas total captures of small mammals were markedly higher inside the fenced area, notably in dasyurids.
ConclusionOur results showed that conservation fences can deliver benefits for some fauna (but not all) beyond facilitating the reintroduction of highly threatened mammals.
ImplicationsOur results demonstrated the consequential impacts of introduced predators on the Australian small mammal fauna, and showed that predator-exclusion fences can be an effective conservation intervention for this guild.
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Woinarski JCZ, Legge SM, Woolley LA, Palmer R, Dickman CR, Augusteyn J, Doherty TS, Edwards G, Geyle H, McGregor H, Riley J, Turpin J, Murphy BP. Predation by introduced cats Felis catus on Australian frogs: compilation of species records and estimation of numbers killed. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextWe recently estimated the numbers of reptiles, birds and mammals killed by cats (Felis catus) in Australia, with these assessments providing further evidence that cats have significant impacts on Australian wildlife. No previous studies have estimated the numbers of frogs killed by cats in Australia and there is limited comparable information from elsewhere in the world.
AimsWe sought to (1) estimate the numbers of frogs killed by cats in Australia and (2) compile a list of Australian frog species known to be killed by cats.
MethodsFor feral cats, we estimated the number of frogs killed from information on their frequency of occurrence in 53 cat dietary studies (that examined stomach contents), the mean number of frogs in dietary samples that contained frogs, and the numbers of cats in Australia. We collated comparable information for take of frogs by pet cats, but the information base was far sparser.
Key resultsFrogs were far more likely to be reported in studies that sampled cat stomachs than cat scats. The mean frequency of occurrence of frogs in cat stomachs was 1.5%. The estimated annual per capita consumption by feral cats in Australia’s natural environments is 44 frogs, and, hence, the annual total take is estimated at 92 million frogs. The estimated annual per capita consumption by pet cats is 0.26 frogs, for a total annual kill of one million frogs by pet cats. Thirty native frog species (13% of the Australian frog fauna) are known to be killed by cats: this tally does not include any of the 51 threatened frog species, but this may simply be because no cat dietary studies have occurred within the small ranges typical of threatened frog species.
ConclusionsThe present study indicated that cats in Australia kill nearly 100 million frogs annually, but further research is required to understand the conservation significance of such predation rates.
ImplicationsThe present study completed a set of reviews of the impacts of cats on Australian terrestrial vertebrates. Cat predation on Australian frogs is substantial, but is likely to be markedly less than that on Australian reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Van Helden BE, Close PG, Stewart BA, Speldewinde PC, Comer SJ. Going to ground: implications of ground use for the conservation of an arboreal marsupial. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/am18053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
On the basis of previous observations, the critically endangered western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) has been described as strictly arboreal. Using motion-sensing cameras placed in bushland remnants and residential gardens, we demonstrate that the species uses the ground during its nocturnally active period. To acknowledge that ground use may make the species more susceptible to terrestrial predators than previously thought, we propose that the species should not be described as ‘strictly’ arboreal.
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The short-term response of feral cats to rabbit population decline: Are alternative native prey more at risk? Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-02131-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Dickman CR, Legge SM, Woinarski JCZ. Assessing Risks to Wildlife from Free-Roaming Hybrid Cats: The Proposed Introduction of Pet Savannah Cats to Australia as a Case Study. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9100795. [PMID: 31615026 PMCID: PMC6826879 DOI: 10.3390/ani9100795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The domestic cat, Felis catus, is often cross-bred with other species in the cat family to produce hybrid or ‘designer’ cats that are sought by people as pets. However, hybrid cats are often surrendered to wildlife shelters, or released, which leads to concern that they may establish free-roaming populations and damage native wildlife. In 2008, the Australian government rejected an application, on precautionary grounds, to import savannah cats (hybrids of the domestic cat and serval Leptailurus serval) into the country. We review the limited information informing this decision and then present a framework that identifies the native mammal species likely to have been most at risk of predation from savannah cats if importation and establishment had occurred. Assuming that savannah cats hunt similar prey to those that are hunted by both parent species, we estimate that 91% of Australia’s extant terrestrial mammal fauna would likely face some risk of predation from savannah cats, including 93% of non-volant mammal species that have threatened conservation status. The framework results strongly validate the decision to ban savannah cats from Australia. We suggest that our framework approach could be adapted to assess the likely risks that are posed by the arrival of other hybrid cats or hybrids of other animals. Abstract Hybrid cats—created by crossing different species within the family Felidae—are popular pets, but they could potentially threaten native species if they escape and establish free-roaming populations. To forestall this possibility, the Australian government imposed a specific ban on importation of the savannah cat, a hybrid created by crossing the domestic cat Felis catus and serval Leptailurus serval, in 2008. We develop a decision–framework that identifies those species of non-volant native mammals in Australia that would likely have been susceptible to predation by savannah cats if importation and establishment had occurred. We assumed that savannah cats would hunt ecologically similar prey to those that are depredated by both the domestic cat and the serval, and categorised native mammals as having different levels of susceptibility to predation by savannah cats based on their size, habitat range, and behaviour. Using this framework, we assessed savannah cats as likely to add at least 28 extant native mammal species to the 168 that are known already to be susceptible to predation by the domestic cat, posing a risk to 91% of Australia’s extant non-volant terrestrial mammal species (n = 216) and to 93% of threatened mammal species. The framework could be generalised to assess risks from any other hybrid taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Dickman
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Sarah M Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909, Australia.
| | - John C Z Woinarski
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909, Australia.
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Ruykys L, Carter A. Removal and eradication of introduced species in a fenced reserve: Quantifying effort, costs and results. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Woolley L, Geyle HM, Murphy BP, Legge SM, Palmer R, Dickman CR, Augusteyn J, Comer S, Doherty TS, Eager C, Edwards G, Harley DK, Leiper I, McDonald PJ, McGregor HW, Moseby KE, Myers C, Read JL, Riley J, Stokeld D, Turpin JM, Woinarski JC. Introduced catsFelis catuseating a continental fauna: inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leigh‐Ann Woolley
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
| | - Hayley M. Geyle
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
| | - Sarah M. Legge
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland St Lucia Qld4072Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra ACT2602Australia
| | - Russell Palmer
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 Australia
| | - Christopher R. Dickman
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Desert Ecology Research Group School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08 University of Sydney NSW2006Australia
| | - John Augusteyn
- Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service PO Box 3130Red HillQld4701Australia
| | - Sarah Comer
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions South Coast Region Albany WA6330Australia
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus) Deakin University Geelong Vic3220Australia
| | | | - Glenn Edwards
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesAlice Springs NT0871Australia
| | - Dan K.P. Harley
- Wildlife Conservation and Science Department Zoos Victoria PO Box 248 Healesville Vic.3777Australia
| | - Ian Leiper
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
| | - Peter J. McDonald
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesAlice Springs NT0871Australia
| | - Hugh W. McGregor
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub School of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania Private Bag 55 Hobart Tas7001Australia
| | | | - Cecilia Myers
- Dunkeld Pastoral Co Pty Ltd P.O. Box 50 Dunkeld Vic3294Australia
| | - John L. Read
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Adelaide Adelaide SA5000Australia
| | - Joanna Riley
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol 24 Tyndall Ave BristolBS8 1TQUK
| | - Danielle Stokeld
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesBerrimah NT0828Australia
| | - Jeff M. Turpin
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology Western Australian Museum 49 Kew Street Welshpool WA6106Australia
| | - John C.Z. Woinarski
- NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Casuarina NT0909Australia
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Greenwell CN, Calver MC, Loneragan NR. Cat Gets Its Tern: A Case Study of Predation on a Threatened Coastal Seabird. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9070445. [PMID: 31315191 PMCID: PMC6681120 DOI: 10.3390/ani9070445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic cats have a cosmopolitan distribution, commonly residing in urban, suburban and peri-urban environments that are also critical for biodiversity conservation. This study describes the impact of a desexed, free-roaming cat on the behavior of a threatened coastal seabird, the Australian Fairy Tern, Sternula nereis nereis, in Mandurah, south-western Australia. Wildlife cameras and direct observations of cat incursions into the tern colony at night, decapitated carcasses of adult terns, dead, injured or missing tern chicks, and cat tracks and scats around the colony provided strong evidence of cat predation, which led to an initial change in nesting behavior and, ultimately, colony abandonment and the reproductive failure of 111 nests. The death of six breeding terns from the population was a considerable loss for this threatened species and had the potential to limit population growth. This study highlights the significant negative impacts of free-roaming cats on wildlife and the need for monitoring and controlling cats at sites managed for species conservation. It also provides strong evidence against the practice of trap-neuter-release programs and demonstrates that desexed cats can continue to negatively impact wildlife post-release directly through predation, but also indirectly through fundamental changes in prey behavior and a reduction in parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire N Greenwell
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
| | - Michael C Calver
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia
| | - Neil R Loneragan
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia
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McHugh D, Goldingay RL, Link J, Letnic M. Habitat and introduced predators influence the occupancy of small threatened macropods in subtropical Australia. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:6300-6317. [PMID: 31236222 PMCID: PMC6580277 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Australia has had the highest rate of mammal extinctions in the past two centuries when compared to other continents. Frequently cited threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, changed fire regimes and the impact of introduced predators, namely the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the feral cat (Felis catus). Recent studies suggest that Australia's top predator, the dingo (Canis dingo), may have a suppressive effect on fox populations but not on cat populations. The landscape of fear hypothesis proposes that habitat used by prey species comprises high to low risk patches for foraging as determined by the presence and ubiquity of predators within the ecosystem. This results in a landscape of risky versus safe areas for prey species. We investigated the influence of habitat and its interaction with predatory mammals on the occupancy of medium-sized mammals with a focus on threatened macropodid marsupials (the long-nosed potoroo [Potorous tridactylous] and red-legged pademelon [Thylogale stigmatica]). We assumed that differential use of habitats would reflect trade-offs between food and safety. We predicted that medium-sized mammals would prefer habitats for foraging that reduce the risk of predation but that predators would have a positive relationship with medium-sized mammals. We variously used data from 298 camera trap sites across nine conservation reserves in subtropical Australia. Both dingoes and feral cats were broadly distributed, whilst the red fox was rare. Long-nosed potoroos had a strong positive association with dense ground cover, consistent with using habitat complexity to escape predation. Red-legged pademelons showed a preference for open ground cover, consistent with a reliance on rapid bounding to escape predation. Dingoes preferred areas of open ground cover whereas feral cats showed no specific habitat preference. Dingoes were positively associated with long-nosed potoroos whilst feral cats were positively associated with red-legged pademelons. Our study highlights the importance of habitat structure to these threatened mammals and also the need for more detailed study of their interactions with their predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren McHugh
- School of Environment, Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityLismoreNew South WalesAustralia
- NSW National Parks and Wildlife ServiceIlukaNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ross L. Goldingay
- School of Environment, Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityLismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jeremy Link
- NSW National Parks and Wildlife ServiceIlukaNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Mike Letnic
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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36
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Cunningham CX, Johnson CN, Jones ME. Harnessing the power of ecological interactions to reduce the impacts of feral cats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2019.1585289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher N. Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Menna E. Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
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37
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Dorning J, Harris S. Quantifying group size in the red fox: impacts of definition, season and intrusion by non‐residents. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Dorning
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
| | - S. Harris
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
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38
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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] [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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39
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Moseby KE, Letnic M, Blumstein DT, West R. Understanding predator densities for successful co‐existence of alien predators and threatened prey. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E. Moseby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecosystem Science University of New South Wales 2035 Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Michael Letnic
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecosystem Science University of New South Wales 2035 Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles California USA
| | - Rebecca West
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecosystem Science University of New South Wales 2035 Sydney New South Wales Australia
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40
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Cooper SJB, Ottewell K, MacDonald AJ, Adams M, Byrne M, Carthew SM, Eldridge MDB, Li Y, Pope LC, Saint KM, Westerman M. Phylogeography of southern brown and golden bandicoots: implications for the taxonomy and distribution of endangered subspecies and species. AUST J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/zo19052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Southern brown (Isoodon obesulus) and golden (Isoodon auratus) bandicoots are iconic Australian marsupials that have experienced dramatic declines since European settlement. Conservation management programs seek to protect the remaining populations; however, these programs are impeded by major taxonomic uncertainties. We investigated the history of population connectivity to inform subspecies and species boundaries through a broad-scale phylogeographic and population genetic analysis of Isoodon taxa. Our analyses reveal a major east–west phylogeographic split within I. obesulus/I. auratus, supported by both mtDNA and nuclear gene analyses, which is not coincident with the current species or subspecies taxonomy. In the eastern lineage, all Tasmanian samples formed a distinct monophyletic haplotype group to the exclusion of all mainland samples, indicative of long-term isolation of this population from mainland Australia and providing support for retention of the subspecific status of the Tasmanian population (I. o. affinis). Analyses further suggest that I. o. obesulus is limited to south-eastern mainland Australia, representing a significant reduction in known range. However, the analyses provide no clear consensus on the taxonomic status of bandicoot populations within the western lineage, with further analyses required, ideally incorporating data from historical museum specimens to fill distributional gaps.
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