Gradient analysis of the distribution of mammals in Stage III of Kakadu National Park, with a review of the distribution patterns of mammals across north-western Australia

1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
JCZ Woinarski ◽  
RW Braithwaite ◽  
KA Menkhorst ◽  
S Griffin ◽  
r Fishe ◽  
...  

A total of 56 native mammal species (about one quarter of the species of land mammals known from Australia) was recorded from the Stage III area of Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory. A single environmental gradient (of substrate and disturbance) described well the distributions of species other than bats from this area. For most species, there was little shift in gradient position between three trapping periods (spaced over three years). The mammal fauna comprised a rocky upland assemblage, a lowland monsoon rainforest-swamp assemblage, and an open forest-woodland assemblage. Mammal diversity and abundance was greatest in the rocky uplands. The distribution of most bat species was not clearly associated with this gradient. The Stage III mammal fauna is compared with that described from elsewhere in north-western Australia. Across this region, the fauna shows little variation with longitude, but undergoes substantial latitudinal change in conjunction with a steep rainfall gradient. The habitat reSationships of the Stage III mammal fauna are broadly repeated across north-western Australia. The fauna of sandstone ranges is attenuated with decreasing size and increasing isolation of these ranges. The mammal fauna of monsoon rainforests is depauperate, reflecting the small size and patchiness of this habitat. The mammal fauna of open forest/woodland is characterised by extensive distributions of its constituent species and a relative lack of arboreal folivores and small macropods.

2002 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. E. Pfeil ◽  
L. A. Craven

Three new taxa of Glycine are described, namely Glycine pullenii B.E.Pfeil, Tindale & Craven and G.�aphyonota B.E.Pfeil from Bungle Bungle-Purnululu National Park, Western Australia, and G. hirticaulis subsp. leptosa B.E.Pfeil from the Top End of the Northern Territory. A key to Glycine Willd. in north-western Australia is provided. A range extension for G. falcata Benth. is noted.


1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 295 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Menkhorst ◽  
JCZ Woinarski

The mammal fauna of 50 patches of monsoon rainforest in the Northern Territory, Australia, was surveyed. No mammal species is restricted to this habitat, and most of the region's marnmal fauna uses it at least occasionally. Mammal species composition within monsoon rainforests undergoes substantial variation along an extensive environmental gradient reflecting moisture condition and rockiness. For most mammal species, variation in abundance among patches was related more to the position of the patch on this environmental gradient than to patch size or extent of disturbance. Disturbance was positively correlated with the richness and abundance in quadrats of three taxonomic groupingsrodents, 'other' native species, and all native species (other than bats)-and negatively correlated with richness and abundance of macropods. Compared with surrounding (open forest and savanna woodland) vegetation, monsoon rainforests have few grazing herbivores and small granivorous rodents, but more species that eat fleshy fruits and seeds from woody plants. The mammal fauna of monsoon rainforests in the Northern Territory is similar to that of monsoon rainforests of the Kimberley (to the west) but unlike that of wet tropical rainforests in Cape York (to the east). These differences, and the current impoverishment of the mammal fauna of the Northern Territory monsoon rainforest, are attributable to historical processes and the current small area of this highly fragmented monsoon rainforest estate. Three bat species may be important for pollination and dispersal of monsoon rainforest plants.


2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Start ◽  
A. A. Burbidge ◽  
M. C. McDowell ◽  
N. L. McKenzie

To assess the current status of mammals in relation to mean annual rainfall and to improve knowledge of the original mammalian assemblages in tropical Western Australia, extant terrestrial mammals and subfossil mammalian remains were sought along a rainfall gradient in two parallel ranges in the Kimberley, Western Australia. As expected, extant mammal species richness decreased with decreasing rainfall. Data from other studies in higher-rainfall areas complemented this conclusion and a parallel decline in trap success implied an overall decline in abundance, although numbers of two rodents (Rattus tunneyi and Zyzomys argurus) were highly variable. Small rodents were rare. Subfossil deposits were biased by accumulation processes, with most attributable to tytonid owls. They largely consisted of rodent and, to a lesser extent, small dasyurid bones and there was a high level of consistency in the proportional composition of many common species across the rainfall gradient. Most deposits appear to predate the introduction of stock in the 1880s and some may be much older. All species persist in the study area except two Notomys spp. and three Pseudomys spp. Both the Notomys and one Pseudomys are apparently undescribed, extinct species. However, there were marked ratio differences between subfossil and modern assemblages. Although specimens of species larger than those taken by tytonid owls were scarce, their occurrences were broadly consistent with the modern understanding of distributions.


1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
K.L. Twyford

Habitat relationships of six species of small mammals was investigated in eight vegetation communities at Port Campbell National Park, Victoria. The dispersion of 317 trap captures over 10 months was used to assess the relationships of small mammals with different vegetation communities. Rattus fuscipes showed a strong affinity for dense, structurally complex vegetation, particularly a disused softwood plantation and to a lesser extent a closed-heath/low open-forest community. Captures of Rattus lutreolus were most frequent in the wetter communities which provided adequate cover, particularly the swamp community. A possible relationship between captures of this species and the abundance of sedge food resources is suggested. Antechinus swainsonii was captured in greatest numbers in tussock-grassland/low open-shrubland where dense ground cover was present. However, areas with dense mid-storey cover which were considered to be favourable habitat supported few individuals. Sminthopsis leucopus, although captured at low rates in only two communities, favoured more open vegetation than both A. swainsonii and A. minimus. The later species was captured rarely, but exclusively in open-heath, although more favourable habitat appeared to be present elsewhere in the Park. The low abundance of Mus musculus was attributed to a lack of habitat available at an early successional stage. A mammal species list for the Park of 15 species has been compiled based on trapping, incidental observations and indirect traces. Key areas for conservation of small mammals within the Park are identified.


1984 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 207 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Kerle ◽  
MA Burgman

On the Pancontinental Jabiluka exploration lease, between July 1979 and September 1981, mammals of 30 native and five introduced species were recorded, with an overall trap success rate of 5% and an average of 1.9 sightings per spotlight-hour. Three major groups of mammal species corresponded to the primary groupings of vegetation in the study area: riparian woodland, dryland woodland and open forest, and sandstone. This last group was subdivided into three on site preferences. Two ungrouped species were found in a variety of habitats. The distribution of mammals was very patchy, and their abundance varied seasonally. This may result from rainfall patterns, fire occurrence and fire history, as well as from landform and edaphic factors. The species responded to the variation in environment and the consequent mosaic of habitats by three strategies: by rapid response to changes in microhabitat through increased dispersion or moving to more favourable habitats, by restriction to stable habitats, or by adaptation to a variety of habitats.


1992 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
J.C.Z. Woinarski

Most records of Sminthopsis sp. and all records of Pseudomys calabyi are from gravelly hills with Eucalyplus dichromophloia and E. tintinnans woodland in Stage III of Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory. This habitat is distinct from that used by other small dasyurids and pseudomyine rodents of this region. For P. calabyi it may offer the attraction of prolonged availability of fallen grass seeds. Both taxa have vicariants in the Kimberley, a pattern resembling that for many vertebrate species pairs of the more isolated sandstone massifs of the Kimberley and Arnhem Land area.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
George Madani

ABSTRACT The Western Hooded Scaly-foot Pygopus nigriceps is a widespread pygopod concomitant with the sandy arid zone of inland and western Australia. The limited suitable habitat available and inaccessibility of north western New South Wales means that the occurrence of P. nigriceps has long gone undetected in the state. This is despite ecological work and fauna surveys having been conducted within this area. Here I report two records of P. nigriceps from far north western NSW (Sturt National Park and Winnathee Station), which are the only known confirmed records to date. This brings the number of known pygopods in NSW to 12 species.


2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Z. Woinarski ◽  
M. Armstrong ◽  
K. Brennan ◽  
A. Fisher ◽  
A. D. Griffiths ◽  
...  

Context. Australia has a lamentable history of mammal extinctions. Until recently, the mammal fauna of northern Australia was presumed to have been spared such loss, and to be relatively intact and stable. However, several recent studies have suggested that this mammal fauna may be undergoing some decline, so a targeted monitoring program was established in northern Australia’s largest and best-resourced conservation reserve. Aims. The present study aims to detect change in the native small-mammal fauna of Kakadu National Park, in the monsoonal tropics of northern Australia, over the period of 1996–2009, through an extensive monitoring program, and to consider factors that may have contributed to any observed change. Methods. The small-mammal fauna was sampled in a consistent manner across a set of plots established to represent the environmental variation and fire regimes of Kakadu. Fifteen plots were sampled three times, 121 plots sampled twice and 39 plots once. Resampling was typically at 5-yearly intervals. Analysis used regression (of abundance against date), and Wilcoxon matched-pairs tests to assess change. For resampled plots, change in abundance of mammals was related to fire frequency in the between-sampling period. Key results. A total of 25 small mammal species was recorded. Plot-level species richness and total abundance decreased significantly, by 54% and 71%, respectively, over the course of the study. The abundance of 10 species declined significantly, whereas no species increased in abundance significantly. The number of ‘empty’ plots increased from 13% in 1996 to 55% in 2009. For 136 plots sampled in 2001–04 and again in 2007–09, species richness declined by 65% and the total number of individuals declined by 75%. Across plots, the extent of decline increased with increasing frequency of fire. The most marked declines were for northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus, fawn antechinus, Antechinus bellus, northern brown bandicoot, Isoodon macrourus, common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula, and pale field-rat, Rattus tunneyi. Conclusions. The native mammal fauna of Kakadu National Park is in rapid and severe decline. The cause(s) of this decline are not entirely clear, and may vary among species. The most plausible causes are too frequent fire, predation by feral cats and invasion by cane toads (affecting particularly one native mammal species). Implications. The present study has demonstrated a major decline in a key conservation reserve, suggesting that the mammal fauna of northern Australia may now be undergoing a decline comparable to the losses previously occurring elsewhere in Australia. These results suggest that there is a major and urgent conservation imperative to more precisely identify, and more effectively manage, the threats to this mammal fauna.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59
Author(s):  
Tun Susdiyanti ◽  
Ken Dara Cita ◽  
Annisa Izzatin Widawardani Kusno

Distribution pattern and habitat quality of mammals is essential to keep the existing of mammals which depends on interactions between its intrinsic evolutionary and ecological system. Mandalawangi Resort aside from being a conservation area, it is also a tourist area. Tourism activities carried out in the region, will directly and indirectly affect the sustainability of mammal diversity. The benefits of mammals are to stabilize the food chain, the spread of plant seeds, as an object of research and education. The study aims to determine  the distribution patterns and habitat of mammals in Mandalawangi Resort . Research on mammal diversity was carried out using 4 methods: rapid assessment, line transect, animal footprint. Habitat data obtained using vegetation analysis and field observation methods. The diversity of mammals in the Mandawalangi Resort consists of 7 types of mammals from 6 families, namely kekes squirrel (Tupaia javanica), langur (Trachypithecus auratus), wild cats (Felis domesticus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), leopard (Panthera pardus melas) , civet mongoose (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and house gutters (Suncus murinus). Species wealth index is low (0.50). The diversity index of mammals is included in the low diversity category (0.25). The highest level of mammal species meeting is kekes squirrel (Tupaia javanica) with a value of 29.4%. Evenness index is included in the unstable community category (0.15). Mammalian habitat is divided into tropical rain forests and open land with dominating trees namely Damar (Agathis damara) and Rasamala (Altingia excelsa).


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document