Rocky landform specialists of the Mount Isa Inlier: camera trapping reveals seasonal occupancy and habitat associations of a unique faunal assemblage in an ancient landscape

Australian Journal of Zoology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 73(2)

Published: March 2, 2025

Rocky landforms offer a complex and persistent habitat for diverse range of fauna. The Mount Isa Inlier bioregion north-west Queensland is dominated by such landforms, but the faunal assemblage inhabiting them has received scant attention. We conducted 13-month camera trap study at 60 stations, totalling 21,965 days, aimed detecting present on these landforms. categorised each identified taxon as either rocky landform specialist or non-specialist. 15 specialists implemented multiseason community occupancy model 12 to assess how they utilised over course year, according suite environmental characteristics. Rates use increased in November decreased April. At level we found higher rates south west slopes than north slopes, hills jumpups, metamorphic igneous geologies sedimentary ones. provide first evidence this unique community’s landscape through both space time highlight broad site characteristics candidate areas which focus future management conservation initiatives.

Language: Английский

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Here kitty-kitty: lure choice for predator attraction in a temperate environment

Wildlife Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 51(10)

Published: Sept. 26, 2024

Context Camera traps have become a crucial tool for monitoring predators and are frequently deployed with lures to boost detection. Feral cats, problematic invasive species in Australia, commonly monitored using camera lures. Despite the additional effort required lure deployment, it remains unclear which effective feral cats. Aims Our study aimed address this knowledge gap assess impact of various treatments on cat detection activity. We also examined response other predators, such as Tasmanian devils spotted-tailed quolls, explored how their activity influenced visitation. Methods food, olfactory visual lures, along null treatment across four grids 16 over period 4 months south-eastern Tasmania. Key results observed increased food (odds ratio = 3.69, 97.5% CI 1.04, 13.2) 5.95, 1.75, 20.2), but not 1.88, 0.55, 6.51). Examining only sites where cats were detected, 3.35, 1.27, 8.9), 3.39, 1.41, 8.1) 2.7, 1.02, 7.1) all visitation traps. devil quoll 4.85-fold (CI 2.89, 4.94-fold 2.92, 8.4) when lure, 4.24-fold 2.5, 7.2) 3.49-fold 2.03, 6.0) lure. Whereas positive relationship existed between overall (β 0.49, s.e. 0.15, P ≤ 0.001), negative associations found presence −0.36, 0.19, 0.057) −0.42, 0.20, 0.026) Conclusions findings demonstrated effectiveness temperate environments highlighted potential interspecific interactions that reduce Implications recommend thoughtful consideration environment resident ensure use minimise unintended influences capture target species.

Language: Английский

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Patterns of breeding in the long-nosed potoroo revealed by camera trapping in northern New South Wales

Australian Mammalogy, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 46(3)

Published: July 9, 2024

The breeding pattern of the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) has not been described in north its geographic range. Long-nosed potoroos were continuously monitored at eight camera sites on New England Tableland northern South Wales over a 17-month period. Evidence relied detecting females with pouch bulges and young-at-foot. Breeding occurred throughout year but more commonly seen May October than other months. Females produced two to four young per site, equating 2.1 year. This study demonstrated great potential using trapping describe aspects cryptic marsupial.

Language: Английский

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Experimenting with artificial shelters to assist habitat restoration for medium‐sized ground‐dwelling mammals

Restoration Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 7, 2024

Many terrestrial vertebrates require microhabitat shelter structures for survival. Where anthropogenic or environmental disturbances have degraded depleted shelter, artificial shelters are increasingly used to provide supplementary habitat various taxa. However, their application medium‐sized ground‐dwelling mammals (MGMs) remains largely unexplored. We installed rudimentary in a conservation reserve emulate the vegetative cover as refuge by three Australian MGMs: long‐nosed ( Perameles nasuta ) and northern brown bandicoots Isoodon macrourus ), vulnerable potoroo Potorous tridactylus ). multi‐method occupancy modeling behavioral analysis compare detections behaviors of target species with those four non‐target species. Our study design included plot types (treatments)—artificial baited lure, disturbance control—enabling unambiguous evaluation responses shelters. The showed no difference detection among treatments, whereas was highest at control plots. Detection generally demonstrated much higher willingness enter compared use appeared be exploratory, evidence that individuals remained during day. There limited reduced species' perceptions predation risk predators were attracted high availability natural our small sample size likely influenced these findings. Nevertheless, they lay foundation research refinement into more effective designs.

Language: Английский

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Anatomy of a post-wildfire recovery: Responses of mammals to a Black Summer wildfire in a fox-free landscape

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 569, P. 122205 - 122205

Published: Aug. 15, 2024

Language: Английский

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