Interspecies co-use of southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) burrows

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Thornett ◽  
Bertram Ostendorf ◽  
David A. Taggart
Keyword(s):  
South Australia ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Harsh Environments ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Climatic Extremes ◽  
Bettongia Penicillata ◽  
Rich Diversity ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Ecological Conservation ◽  
Burrow Use

Burrows can provide refuge for both burrowing and non-burrowing species within harsh environments through protection from climatic extremes, water loss and predation. In Australia, however, despite having a rich diversity of burrowing mammals, little is known about the use of burrows by non-burrowing species. This study aimed to identify the extent of co-use of southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) burrows on Wedge Island off the coast of South Australia. Burrow use was monitored using 34 motion-activated cameras placed outside wombat burrows between March and September 2015. Eleven species were found to use burrows, with six commensal species observed using burrows on numerous occasions. These included two mammal species (black-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis pearsoni; brush-tailed bettong, Bettongia penicillata), three reptile species (peninsula dragon, Ctenophorus fionni; southern sand-skink, Liopholis multiscutata; White’s skink, Liopholis whitii), and one avian species (little penguin, Eudyptula minor). The most common species observed using burrows was the black-footed rock-wallaby, which was recorded using burrows 1795 times. Observations of wombats using burrows were made 1674 times. The prevalent use of burrows on Wedge Island by species other than wombats is an observation with potentially important and broad ecological, conservation, and management implications across Australia’s arid and semiarid zones.

Factors affecting pitfall capture rates of small ground vertebrates in arid South Australia. II. Optimum pitfall trapping effort

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Moseby ◽  
J. L. Read
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Type ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Trapping Efficiency ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Pitfall Trapping ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrates ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Capture Rates ◽  
Olympic Dam

Pitfall trapping is widely used for sampling small terrestrial vertebrates. This study investigated the influence of trapping period, number of trap sites and drift fences on the capture rates of small vertebrates in order to ascertain optimum pitfall trapping efficiency. Capture rates at fenced pits were five times higher than at unfenced pits. Our study indicates that one fenced site established in chenopod shrubland in the Olympic Dam region and trapped for four nights yielded less than one third of the local chenopod shrubland reptile inventory. Capture rates of reptiles at Olympic Dam in arid South Australia were significantly higher on the first three nights of trapping than on the seven subsequent nights. The most efficient number of trap nights for maximising the number of reptile species captured was five nights. Trapping only a single pitfall site per habitat type for 5 nights captured approximately 30% of the reptile species in that habitat compared with 55%, 65% and 73% for three, five and ten sites respectively. Typically, approximately 70% of the reptile species in chenopod shrubland were captured by trapping 5 sites for 7 nights, a method recommended for thorough surveys of species present in chenopod shrublands. Captures of mammals were more variable than those of reptiles and, as a result, sampling of mammal species benefited from more trapping nights than did sampling of reptiles. New mammal species continued to be recorded at a high rate for 8 nights and even 10 sites trapped for 10 nights typically yielded only 60–80% of the species present in chenopod shrubland. Standard 4-night trapping periods adopted by most surveys will fail to detect many rare species, or those that are difficult to trap. Repeated 7-night trapping sessions for up to 21 nights are recommended for surveys where more accurate species inventories are required.

A survey of marine fungi on wood in South Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-478
Author(s):  
Sally C. Fryar ◽  
Kevin D. Hyde ◽  
David E. A. Catcheside
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Marine Fungi ◽  
New Records ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Substrate Type ◽  
Geographic Locations ◽  
Mangrove Wood ◽  
High Diversity

AbstractA survey of driftwood and mangrove wood in South Australia revealed a high diversity of marine fungi. Across eight sites there were 43 species of marine fungi, of which 42 are new records for South Australia, 11 new records for Australia and 12 taxa currently of uncertain status likely to be new species. Sites had distinctive species compositions with the largest difference attributable to substrate type (beach driftwood vs. mangrove wood). However, even between mangrove sites, species assemblages were distinctly different with only the more common species occurring at all mangrove sites. More intensive surveys across a broader range of habitats and geographic locations should reveal significantly more species.

Burrow use by bilbies in temperate South Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karleah K. Berris ◽  
Steven J. B. Cooper ◽  
William G. Breed ◽  
Joshua R. Berris ◽  
Susan M. Carthew
Keyword(s):  
South Australia ◽  
Burrow Use

scholarly journals Long-Term Trends in Small Mammals on a Right-of-Way in Pennsylvania, U.S.

2007 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-152
Author(s):  
Richard Yahner ◽  
Richard Yahner ◽  
Russell Hutnik
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Common Species ◽  
The State ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Right Of Way ◽  
Live Trapping ◽  
Long Term Trends

The State Game Lands 33 Research and Demonstration Area, Centre County, Pennsylvania, U.S., has been studied since 1953 with the objective of comparing the effectiveness of commonly used mechanical and herbicidal maintenance treatments on vegetation and wildlife on a right-of-way (ROW). Small mammals are important wildlife species on a ROW by consuming tree seeds, thereby reducing invasion of undesirable tree species, and these mammals are important components of a healthy ecosystem. As a follow up to a 2-year study of small mammals conducted 15 years earlier (1989 to 1990) on the State Game Lands 33 ROW, we initiated a 2-year live-trapping study in 2004 on small mammal populations on this ROW. The objectives of our study were to determine relative abundance and species richness (number of species) in six major cover types and in the adjacent forest. One hundred twenty-one individuals of eight species were observed in 2004 and 2005 combined; the most common species was the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). One of the most important cover types to small mammals on the ROW was forb-grass, whereas the forest cover type tended to be less diverse in terms of number of mammal species than in cover types on the ROW.

scholarly journals Freshwater cyclopoids and harpacticoids (Crustacea: Copepoda) from the Gnangara Mound region of Western Australia

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2029 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANNY TANG ◽  
BRENTON KNOTT
Keyword(s):  
Ground Water ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
National Park ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Unconfined Aquifer ◽  
Swan Coastal Plain ◽  
Freshwater Copepods ◽  
First Time

The Gnangara Mound is a 2,200 km 2 unconfined aquifer located in the Swan Coastal Plain of Western Australia. This aquifer is one of the most important ground water resources for the Perth Region and supports a number of groundwaterdependent ecosystems, such as the springs of Ellen Brook and root mat communities of the Yanchep Caves. Although freshwater copepods have been documented previously from those caves and springs, their specific identity were hitherto unknown. The current work formally identifies copepod samples collected from 23 sites (12 cave, three bore, five spring and three surface water localities) within the Gnangara Mound region. Fifteen species were documented in this study: the cyclopoids Australoeucyclops sp., Eucyclops edytae sp. nov., Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine, 1820), Mesocyclops brooksi Pesce, De Laurentiis & Humphreys, 1996, Metacyclops arnaudi (G. O. Sars, 1908), Mixocyclops mortoni sp. nov., Paracyclops chiltoni (Thomson, 1882), Paracyclops intermedius sp. nov. and Tropocyclops confinis (Kiefer, 1930), and the harpacticoids Attheyella (Chappuisiella) hirsuta Chappuis, 1951, Australocamptus hamondi Karanovic, 2004, Elaphoidella bidens (Schmeil, 1894), Kinnecaris eberhardi (Karanovic, 2005), Nitocra lacustris pacifica Yeatman, 1983 and Paranitocrella bastiani gen. et sp. nov. Tropocyclops confinis is recorded from Australia for the first time and A. (Ch.) hirsuta and E. bidens are newly recorded for Western Australia. The only copepod taxa endemic to the Gnangara Mound region are E. edytae sp. nov. (occurs primarily in springs and rarely in the Yanchep National Park Caves) and P. bastiani gen. et sp. nov. (confined to the Yanchep National Park Caves containing tuart root mats). Paracyclops chiltoni was the most common species, whilst T. confinis and N. l. pacifica were rarely encountered. Metacyclops arnaudi was the only taxon absent from ground waters. The copepod fauna recorded in the caves and springs of the Gnangara Mound region are comparable, with respect to species richness, endemicity and the varying degrees of dependency on ground water, to those reported from similar habitats in South Australia and Western Australia. Restoring the root mats and maintaining permanent water flow within the Yanchep Caves, as well as minimising urban development near the Ellen Brook Springs, are essential to protect the copepod species, particularly the endemic P. bastiani gen. et sp. nov. and E. edytae sp. nov., inhabiting these unique ground water environments.

The herpetofauna of Kioloa, New South Wales: baseline observational data collected 30 years ago and inspired by R. E. Barwick

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Henle ◽  
Will Osborne ◽  
Frank Lemckert
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Field Station ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitat ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Frog Species

There is increasing concern about the global decline of amphibians and reptiles. One problem with documenting declines and identifying underlying causes is the absence of historical data to compare to current data. Here we provide historic data for Kioloa on the south-eastern coast of New South Wales. In this region considerable clearing of natural forest and woodland and creation of farmland ponds took place during the second half of the 20th century. The Australian National University has a field station at Kioloa and R.E. Barwick introduced us to the field station and what was known of the herpetofauna in the mid-1980s. We undertook detailed observational surveys of the herpetofauna at this time and we revisited the area at other times, focusing on the coastal habitats. We found 13 species of frogs and 11 species of reptiles. Three further frog species and one reptile species known to occur in the area in the 1980s were not detected by us. More recently, one further frog species and six reptile species were added to the list, raising the total to 17 frog and 18 reptile species. The number and composition was similar to other locations of coastal New South Wales, except for some of the rarely encountered species. No strictly forest-dependent species were observed in the partially cleared survey area and such species presumably had already disappeared from these areas already before we commenced our observations. The frog Pseudophryne bibronii was still common in tall open-forest but was uncommon in partially cleared areas. Six species of frogs and one species of reptile presumably benefited from the anthropogenic habitat modifications. No declines of common species of reptiles occurred between the mid-1980s and 1993 but all species of frogs were very rare in 1993 due to very dry conditions. Litoria aurea, a threatened species of frog that was widespread in the mid-1980s, survives (2012) only at one site in the area.

scholarly journals Are tortoises and freshwater turtles still traded illegally as pets in Singapore?

Oryx ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ter Yang Goh ◽  
Ruth M. O'Riordan
Keyword(s):  
Common Species ◽  
Trachemys Scripta ◽  
The Other ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Trachemys Scripta Elegans ◽  
Pelodiscus Sinensis ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Soft Shell

The red-eared slider Trachemys scripta elegans is currently the only reptile species that can be legally sold as a pet in Singapore. We report on the species of tortoises and freshwater turtles that were found for sale during a survey of 27 pet shops in 2004. Although the red-eared slider was the most common species for sale, small numbers of 11 other species were available. Of these, the import of one species (the Chinese soft-shell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis) is allowed for food but import of the other 10 species is not permitted for either food or the pet trade. We found that illegally held chelonians are often not kept on the pet shop premises. Our findings suggest that the Singaporean authorities' efforts to address illegal wildlife trade have to include other methods in addition to conducting raids on shop premises.

scholarly journals Fauna of the Land Habitats of the Pivka Lakes

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Slavko Polak
Keyword(s):  
Animal Species ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Extensive Farming ◽  
Management And Conservation

V prispevku je podan pregled trenutnega poznavanja favne kopenskih habitatov Pivških jezer. Doslej je bilo na območju ugotovljenih 20 vrst sesalcev in 127 vrst ptic. Od ptic jih 75 vrst tu tudi gnezdi. Izpostavljene so vrst evropske ohranitvene pozornosti kot so kosec, hribski škrjanec, podhujka in pisana penica. Pisana penica, poljski škrjanec, rjavi srakoper in velik strnad imajo na Pivških jezerih ene največjih gnezditvenih gostot v državi. Na območju Pivških jezer je bilo doslej ugotovljenih 8 vrst plazilcev in 9 vrst dvoživk. Večina vrst je uvrščena na rdeči seznam ogroženih živali. Metulji dnevniki so relativno dobro raziskani. Za območje je znanih 106 vrst kar znaša 57% vseh v Sloveniji živečih vrst metuljev. Tudi med metulji je veliko ogroženih in ranljivih vrst. Doslej je znanih prek 210 vrst hroščev. Ocenjeno je, da tu živi med 4000 do 6000 vrst hroščev. Veliko ogroženih vrst je vezanih na močvirne travnike jezer, suha kraška travišča ter kamnite griže. Za gozdove in grmišča je značilnih manj ogroženih vrst živali. Naravovarstveno so pomembni ostanki starih hrastovih gozdov. Na območju Pivških jezer je zaradi opuščanja človekove rabe opaziti hitro zaraščanje travišč, kar vodi v zmanjševanje biotske pestrosti. Poleg pravnega zavarovanja Pivških jezer je zato predlagano aktivno upravljanje, ohranjanje in usmerjanje ter spodbujanje dosedanje ekstenzivne kmetijske rabe.  The paper gives an overview of the current knowledge of the fauna of the land habitats around the Pivka lakes. So far 20 mammal species and 127 bird species have been identified. Of the bird species, 75 also nest here. Special attention is paid to European conservation species such as the corn crake, woodlark, nightjar and barred warbler. The nesting density of the barred warbler, skylark, red-backed shrike and corn bunting at the Pivka lakes is among the highest in the country. In the area of the Pivka lakes 8 reptile species and 9 amphibian species have been identified. The majority of these species are on the Red List of Threatened Animals. The butterflies have been relatively well researched. 106 species have been identified in the area, which amounts to 57% of all species of butterflies living in Slovenia. Many of them are threatened and vulnerable species. To the present, 210 species of beetles have been identified, live here. Many of the threatened species are connected with the marshy grasslands of the lakes, dry karst grasslands and barren rocky outcrops. There are fewer threatened animal species in the forests and brush. The remains of old oak forests are scientifically important. Due to the abandonment of land use by humans in the area of the Pivka lakes we can observe the rapid overgrowth of pasturelands, which leads to decreased biodiversity. In addition to legal protection of the Pivka lakes it is therefore also recommend active management and conservation as well as preserving and encouragement of the formerly extensive farming practices. 

An experimental translocation of brush-tailed bettongs (Bettongia penicillata) to western New South Wales

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 421 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Priddel ◽  
Robert Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Release Site ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Source Population ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Bettongia Penicillata ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
Low Incidence

A total of 85 brush-tailed bettongs (Bettongia penicillata) from Western Australia and two sites in South Australia were translocated to Yathong Nature Reserve (YNR) in western New South Wales in October 2001. Aerial baiting to control the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) had been undertaken on YNR since 1996. Thirty-one bettongs were fitted with radio-transmitters at the time of release, and two subsequently. Trapping took place at irregular intervals after the translocation. In all, 73% of telemetered bettongs died within the first six months; all were dead within 13 months. Eight bettongs died within the first eight days immediately following their release, due to causes other than predation. These eight all originated from St Peter Island (SPI), South Australia. A low incidence of breeding on SPI supports the belief that this source population was in poor condition and unsuited for translocation. Overall, 19 of the 33 telemetered bettongs were killed by predators: 14 (74%) by feral house cats (Felis catus), two (11%) by birds, and three (16%) by predators, which, although they could not be fully identified, were not foxes. One month after release, surviving bettongs weighed less than they did at the time of their release (mean decrease in mass = 9.7%, range 2.6–22.4%, n = 11). Within two months of their release most had regained any lost mass (mean change in mass since release = –0.3%, range –5.9 to 10.5%). Food resources on YNR appeared sufficient to sustain adult brush-tailed bettongs, despite a period of severe drought. Small pouch young present at the time of release were subsequently lost. Females gave birth and carried small pouch young (up to 50 mm), but no young-at-foot were recorded. Bettongs did not disperse further than 10 km from their release site. Overall, 50% of aerial-tracking locations were no further than 3.2 km from the release site, and 92% no further than 7.0 km. This experimental translocation of brush-tailed bettongs failed due to predation by cats. It demonstrated that foxes were no longer a threat to wildlife on YNR and identified cats as the major impediment to the restoration of locally extinct fauna.

Burrow use and ranging behaviour of the southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) in the Murraylands, South Australia

2005 ◽  
Vol 265 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Finlayson ◽  
G. A. Shimmin ◽  
P. D. Temple-Smith ◽  
K. A. Handasyde ◽  
D. A. Taggart
Keyword(s):  
South Australia ◽  
Ranging Behaviour ◽  
Burrow Use
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