scholarly journals Similarities and contrasts in the diets of foxes, Vulpes vulpes, and cats, Felis catus, relative to fluctuating prey populations and drought

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Catling
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

The diets of the fox, Vulpes vulpes, and feral cat, Felis catus, were studied at Yathong Nature Reserve in semi-arid western New South Wales. The overall occurrence of rabbit was 45.1% in stomachs of foxes and 54.0% in cats, representing 51.3 and 82.6% respectively of the weight of stomach contents. Both predators exhibited a functional response to rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, (their staple prey) during the rabbit breeding season. Predation on rabbits was greatest on an increasing prey population during good pasture conditions and a decreasing population during drought. After the rabbit breeding season, diet changed to other prey and resulted in an annual prey cycle which was similar for foxes and cats. Both predators successfully co-exist in the semi-arid environment by primarily utilising different age groups of the same staple prey and to some extent different supplementary prey. Foxes mainly ate adult rabbits and cats young rabbits. During the drought foxes preyed heavily on adult rabbits; cats ate some rabbits but relied heavily on other food sources. The supplementary prey of foxes were invertebrates, birds, reptiles and carrion; small mammals and fruits opportunely eaten. Invertebrates, birds, reptiles and small mammals were supplementary prey for cats with carrion opportunely eaten.

Predation of the Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi) and other native fauna by cats and foxes on Mitchell grass downs in Queensland

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Mifsud ◽  
P. A. Woolley
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
Bearded Dragon ◽  
North Western

Examination of the stomach contents of cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) collected on Mitchell grass downs in north-western Queensland revealed that the diet of cats consists largely of native vertebrate fauna whereas that of foxes is largely carrion and insects. Mammals, followed closely by reptiles, made the largest contributions to the diet of the cats. Five species of small mammals, one of which – the Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi) – is listed as threatened, and 15 species of reptiles, two of which – the striped skink (Ctenotus agrestis) and the bearded dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) are endemic to the region – fell prey to the cats. Foxes appear to pose less of a threat to the native fauna than cats, provided carrion remains readily available.

Studies of the Ground-dwelling Mammals of Eucalypt Forests in North-eastern New South Wales: the Species, their Abundance and Distribution

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Catling ◽  
R. J. Burt
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Widespread Distribution ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Eucalypt Forests ◽  
Abundance And Distribution

The distribution and abundance of ground-dwelling mammals in the major vegetation alliances in the eucalypt forests within an area of c. 24000 km2 in north-eastern New South Wales were examined. Data for 33 species of mammal from 21 areas containing 30 vegetation alliances were collected. Four notable aspects of the data were the absence or low abundance of the introduced fox (Vulpes vulpes), the widespread distribution and abundance of the cat (Felis catus), the diversity and abundance of medium-sized native mammals and the diversity of small mammals. Although differences occurred between areas and alliances, there was no significant difference in the number of native and introduced species. The ground-dwelling mammals present in the eucalypt forests of north-eastern New South Wales were more diverse and in greater abundance than those found in forests of south-eastern New South Wales. However, some species, such as the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), appear to be in urgent need of protection and management if they are to persist.

Native small mammals and reptiles in cropped and uncropped parts of lakebeds in semi-arid Australia

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 629 ◽  
Author(s):  
SV Biggs
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Habitat Requirements ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

Small mammals and reptiles were surveyed by trapping in uncropped and cropped parts of two dry lakebeds in semi-arid New South Wales, Australia, in spring 1992 and 1993. Four species of native small mammals (18 individuals) were captured in uncropped parts of the lakebeds, compared with two individuals of one species in cropped parts of the lakebeds. A total of 38 reptiles (seven species) was caught at the uncropped sites compared with 10 individuals (four species) at the cropped sites. Small mammals were absent where the soil was scarified and bare between crop cycles. The habitat requirements of small mammals (particularly Planigale gilesi) and reptiles need to be provided for when cropping lakebeds. The most effective way to do this is to leave wide strips of uncropped soil at the edges of lakebeds, and patches of uncropped country that are connected to the strips, on lakebeds.

Observations on the effectiveness of warren destruction as a method of rabbit control in a semi-arid environment.

1979 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 232 ◽  
Author(s):  
JT Martin ◽  
JN Eveleigh
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Term Effect ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Rabbit Population ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Original Size ◽  
Semi Arid

The effectiveness of warren ripping as a method for controlling rabbits in a semi-arid environment was tested on a 3000 ha site at Kinchega National Park in western New South Wales. Estimates of rabbit numbers made during the study showed that the immediate effect of warren ripping was to reduce the rabbit population by about 65%. The longer term effect was to stabilise numbers at a relatively low level. The only warrens active 14 months after being ripped were those which gained new burrow entrances within two months of being destroyed. Re-opening rate of warrens was greatest for large limestone warrens where 90% of ripped warrens were again active after two months. Less than 30% of all sandy warrens became active again. Within each re-opened warren, the number of active entrances increased slowly but 14 months after being destroyed they had still not reached their original size.

Influence of lime and gypsum on long-term rehabilitation of a Red Sodosol, in a semi-arid environment of New South Wales

Soil Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. McL. Bennett ◽  
R. S. B. Greene ◽  
B. W. Murphy ◽  
P. Hocking ◽  
D. Tongway
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Sodic Soils ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

This paper determines the influence of lime and gypsum on the rehabilitation of a degraded sodic soil in a semi-arid environment 12 years after application. The aim was to assess rehabilitation strategies for sodic soils as alternatives to the application of gypsum alone. An experimental site was used where lime and gypsum combinations (L0G0, lime 0 t ha–1 and gypsum 0 t ha–1; L0G1, L0G2.5, L0G5, L1G0, L2.5G0, L5G0, L1G1, L2.5G1) had been applied 12 years prior, in 1994. An earlier study had reported on the effects after 3 years of the chemical ameliorants and tillage on a range of soil physical and chemical properties at the site. The current study, sampled in 2006, assessed the effects after 12 years of lime and gypsum on soil chemistry, stability, hydraulics, vegetative growth and soil respiration. Calcium, primarily from lime, was observed to have a major effect on soil health. Significant effects on soil chemistry were limited to increases in exchangeable calcium and decreases in exchangeable magnesium, although aggregate stability in water and hydraulic conductivity were significantly improved where L5G0 was applied. Vegetation patch width, total nitrogen and carbon, and soil respiration were significantly improved where lime had been added at 2.5 or 5 t ha–1. As no lime could be detected in the soil 12 years after application, it was deduced that lime had acted as a catalyst for increased functionality in soil and vegetation interactions. This increased soil functionality resulted in an increased rate of lime dissolution in the soil.

The influence of pasture distribution, temperature and sex on home-range size of feral pigs in a semi-arid environment

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Dexter
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

In this study the home-range sizes of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) at Nocoleche Nature Reserve, semi-arid New South Wales were measured by radio-telemetry over the course of a drought. The abundance of food was indexed simultaneously by the amount of pasture in the four most common habitats at Nocoleche (shrubland, woodland, riverine woodland, and ephemeral swamps). The influence of the pig's sex, and mean maximum temperature and pasture biomass on the home-range size of pigs were examined using ANOVA and multiple regression, respectively. Mean home-range size of males was 7.9–11.6 km2 and that for females was 4.2–8.0 km2 . Males had significantly larger home ranges than females, and their home-range size did not change significantly over the course of the drought. In contrast, the size of the home ranges of females changed significantly and was correlated negatively with the abundance of pasture biomass in shrublands and mean maximum temperature, and positively with the abundance of pasture biomass in ephemeral swamps. The conclusion from this study is that males maintained a large, unvarying, home range to maximise access to females while females changed their home-range size according the abundance of food and the constraints of high temperature.

The Stomach Contents of Foxes, Vulpes Vulpes, Collected in New South Wales.

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
JD Croft ◽  
LJ Hone
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Domestic Fowl ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
The Road ◽  
Food Items ◽  
South Wales ◽  
On The Road

Foxes were killed in each of 4 seasons in the 5 years 1969-73 and a table gives numbers of stomachs with food for each year and season in each of 6 regions into which New South Wales was divided according to climate, vegetation and land use. Incidence of 11 food items or classes of food varied with region. An appendix lists precentage and volume of food items for the 811 foxes with food, out of the 899 that were killed. Main foods were rabbit, sheep and house mouse, by number and volume. The number of plant and insect items was high but the volume was low. Food included reptiles, amphibians, fish, grass and fruit. Foxes seemed to be opportunists and scavengers; food included feral pig and kangaroo when those were being shot locally, sheep carrion in the lambing season, mice during a plague of mice, domestic fowl, birds and animals probably killed on the road, and blackberries and apples in season. Insects included maggots, locusts and processionary caterpillars.

scholarly journals Changes in prey importance and prey niche overlap of sexes during the alpine newt breeding season

2020 ◽  
Vol 146 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oldřich Kopecký
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Sexual Differences ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Quantitative Composition ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Alpine Newt ◽  
Prey Items

Urodeles, including European newts, are usually sexually dimorphic predators. Among newts, the alpine newt has the most pronounced sexual size dimorphism (in favour of females). Gender is a factor that is often associated with intra-specific diet differences. Despite the significant number of dietary studies on the alpine newt, some topics such as the breadth of the trophic niche and its overlap between sexes, or inter-sexual differences in qualitative and quantitative composition of prey remain unresolved. The present study dealing with these questions was conducted at two localities (ponds at an elevation of about 450 m) in the Czech Republic. Newts were captured from the banks during the entire breeding season using a dip net, and the stomach contents were extracted using a stomach flushing technique. Altogether 190 individuals were sampled, and a total of 1,417 prey items were obtained. The available food sources differed over the course of the breeding season, as newts changed the taxa they preyed on. This reflects the ability of newts to switch between several hunting strategies. The overall food niche overlap between the sexes was relatively large (C = 0.761, resp. C = 0.797). Inter-sexual differences were detected at both localities, mainly in the number of prey items consumed from the most important prey categories such as Rana eggs or Isopoda, which were consumed in higher numbers by females. The findings of this study suggest that females are more sensitive to the trade-off between energy intake and expenditure during the breeding season.

Establishment and survival of lucerne in a semi-arid environment.

1981 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
VE Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Dry Matter Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Treat Ment ◽  
Semi Arid

Dry matter production and plant density were measured after seeding lucerne: (Medicago rarii'a) into grassland at two sites in New South Wales having inearl annual rainfalls of 292 and 425 mm. Various methods of minimal tillage establishment were used. Sod-seeding failed to produce a satisfactory stand at either site, even where herbicide had been applied. Survival was best when lucerne was sown in furrows 15 cm wide, the lucerne density after five years being 8 plants ~n'~, or 80,000 plants ha-'. This treat- ment was also superior in dry matter production to the use of furrows of 5 and 10 an width, or to seeding after a single cultivation. The effect on production of a herbicide applied at sowing decreased with increasing width of furrow. The results of this study could also be relevant to the establishment of other species under rangeland conditions.

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