Photographic identification of ground-nest predators in Australian tropical rainforest

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
WF Laurance ◽  
JD Grant
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Large Majority ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Frequent Visitor ◽  
Ground Nesting ◽  
Nest Predators

Automatic cameras triggered by infrared beams were used to identify animals visiting artificial groundnests in north Queensland rainforest. In 1992-93 six cameras and nests were established at four sites ranging from 340 to 840m in elevation, and a total of 279 identifiable photographs of nest visitors were recorded. White-tailed rats (Uromys caudimaculatus) comprised 74% of all photographs and were the most frequent visitor at five of six nests. Bush rats (Rattus fuscipes) were second in frequency (17%), with other small mammals (Rattus leucopus, Melomys cervinipes, Perameles nasuta), birds (Ailuroedus melanotis, Pitta versicolor) and reptiles (Varanus varius) each accounting for less than 2% of nest visits. Omnivorous rodents comprised the large majority (96%) of visits and may be significant predators on nests of some ground-nesting birds in Australian tropical rainforest.

Effects of logging and fire on small mammals in Mumbulla State Forest, near Bega, New South Wales

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Lunney ◽  
B. Cullis ◽  
P. Eby
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
First Year ◽  
Severe Effect ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes

This study of the effects of logging on small mammals in Mumbulla State Forest on the south coast of New South Wales included the effects of a fire in November 1980 and a drought throughout the study period from June 1980 to June 1983. Rattus fuscipes was sensitive to change: logging had a significant impact on its numbers, response to ground cover, and recapture rate; fire had a more severe effect, and drought retarded the post-fire recovery of the population. The three species of dasyurid marsupials differed markedly in their response to ground cover, canopy cover, logging and fire. Antechinus stuartii was distributed evenly through all habitats and was not affected by logging, but fire had an immediate and adverse effect which was sustained by the intense drought. A. swainsonii markedly preferred the regenerating forest, and was not seen again after the fire, the failure of the population being attributed to its dependence on dense ground cover. Sminthopsis leucopus was found in low numbers, appeared to prefer forest with sparse ground cover, and showed no immediate response to logging or fire; its disappearance by the third year post-fire suggests that regenerating forest is inimical to the survival of this species. Mus musculus showed no response to logging. In the first year following the fire its numbers were still very low, but in the next year there was a short-lived plague which coincided with the only respite in the 3-year drought and, importantly, occurred in the intensely burnt parts of the forest. The options for managing this forest for the conservation of small mammals include minimising fire, retaining unlogged forest, extending the time over which alternate coupes are logged and minimising disturbance from heavy machinery.

The Response of Small Mammals to Clearing and Burning of Eucalypt Forest in South-eastern Australia

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
GR Friend
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Pine Plantation ◽  
Eucalypt Forest ◽  
Population Turnover ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes

Before, during and after a clearing operation for pine plantation establishment, small mammals were trapped on ridges which were to be cleared of all vegetation, and in adjacent gullies which were to be permanently retained under native forest. Rattus fuscipes was the most abundant native species on all grids throughout the study, while R. lutreolus, Antechinus stuartii and A. swainsonii were in low abundance. Clearing in early summer, the breeding season in most of these species, resulted in an acceleration and accentuation of population turnover. Some juveniles and subadults may have moved from the ridges during clearing, while breeding adults remained and probably perished. Populations of R. fuscipes on ridge areas were drastically reduced by clearing and windrowing, but subadults recolonized the affected areas within 1-2 months. Results for the other three native species were inconclusive, due to the few individuals captured at any time during the study. The exotic species Mus musculus began to invade immediately following windrow burning.

A 10-year demographic study of a small mammal community in the Australian Alps

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 338 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. D. Happold
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
High Fecundity ◽  
Annual Variations ◽  
Subalpine Zone ◽  
Australian Alps ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Interannual Fluctuations ◽  
Population Numbers

This paper describes a 10-year study of the community of two species of small rodents (Mastacomys fuscus, Rattus fuscipes) and one species of dasyurid marsupial (Antechinus swainsonii) in the subalpine zone of the Australian Alps. Each species exhibited differing life-histories with respect to population numbers, intra- and interannual fluctuations in numbers, reproduction, proportion of young in the population, winter survival, immigration and longevity. Of the two species of rodents, M. fuscus had the lowest population numbers, was the least fecund, had the highest rate of survival, and the smallest fluctuations in numbers. A. swainsonii was the least numerous species, and the winter die-off of males and the high fecundity of females resulted in much greater fluctuations in numbers than for either rodent. For all species, there were interannual variations in most demographic parameters, suggesting considerable flexibility in response to annual variations in the environment. None of the three species is known to hibernate, nor is there any evidence of cyclicity, as shown by some species of subarctic and arctic small mammals. Comparisons are made with subalpine small mammals in other parts of the world and the influence of the subalpine environment in determining population numbers is considered.

Use by small mammals of a chronosequence of tropical rainforest revegetation

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tegan Whitehead ◽  
Miriam Goosem ◽  
Noel D. Preece
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Management Technique ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

Context The conversion of tropical rainforest to grazing pasture results in a drastic change in small-mammal community composition. Restoring the landscape through ecological revegetation is thus an increasingly important management technique to conserve rainforest mammals. Aims This study aimed to determine the habitat ages at which species of small mammals recolonised revegetated habitats on the southern Atherton Tablelands, north-eastern Queensland, Australia. We focussed on changes in rainforest mammal abundance and diversity with increasing habitat age. Methods Small-mammal trapping and mark–recapture techniques investigated mammal diversity, abundance and community composition within remnant rainforest, three age classes of ecological revegetation and abandoned grazing pasture. Key results Small-mammal community composition differed between remnant rainforest and abandoned grazing pasture. The pasture and 3-year old revegetated sites were similar in composition, both lacking rainforest small mammals. Six- and 7-year old revegetation plantings provided suboptimal habitat for both rainforest and grassland mammals, whereas 16- and 22-year old revegetated habitats were dominated by rainforest species, with some individuals being frequently recaptured. Conclusions As revegetated habitats aged, the small-mammal community composition transitioned from a grassland-like composition to a community dominated by rainforest species. Implications Although rainforest small mammals were very occasionally captured within the 6- and 7-year old habitats, revegetated plantings were not dominated by rainforest species until the habitat was 16 years old. This highlights the importance of commencing revegetation as early as possible to minimise future population declines and maximise the conservation of rainforest mammals.

scholarly journals Interaction of ectoparasites-small mammals in tropical rainforest of Malaysia

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Madinah ◽  
F. Abang ◽  
A. Mariana ◽  
M.T. Abdullah ◽  
J. Mohd-Azlan
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Tropical Rainforest

Populations of Four Small Mammals in Radiata Pine Plantations and Eucalypt Forests of North-Eastern Victoria.

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
GC Suckling ◽  
A Heislers
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Radiata Pine ◽  
Pine Plantations ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Eucalypt Forest ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Eucalypt Forests

[See also FA 39, 2088] A 2-yr trapping study was made on (a) Rattus fuscipes, (b) Antechinus stuartii, (c) Mus musculus and (d) A. swainsonii in mature eucalypt forest, a narrow stream-side strip of eucalypt forest, and in 3 pine plantations, 8, 22 and 42 yr old. In each area (a) and (d) were largely and (c) always confined to dense native vegetation along streams, whilst (b) was more frequent along streams than on slopes. More animals were found away from streams in young pine plantations than in other forest types.

scholarly journals Monitoring of small mammal populations in the Brindabella Ranges after fire

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micah J. Davies ◽  
Alex Drew
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Population Recovery ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
Antechinus Agilis ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Line Movement

We live-trapped small mammals in the Brindabella Ranges west of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory from April 2009 until October 2011 to assess population recovery after an intense and widespread fire that occurred across the region in 2003. Three native mammals (agile antechinus, Antechinus agilis; dusky antechinus, Antechinus swainsonii; bush rat, Rattus fuscipes) were encountered. Trapping records and spool-and-line movement patterns suggested a strong association of these small mammals with moist gully vegetation that had survived the fire.

Effects of tropical rainforest roads on small mammals: inhibition of crossing movements

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Goosem
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Species Differences ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
The Road ◽  
Barrier Effects ◽  
Linear Barrier ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Wide Road

Along a narrow, unsealed road through rainforest in north-eastern Queensland, movements of small mammals were examined to determine whether the road would inhibit road crossings, thereby causing linear barrier effects. Crossings of a 12- or 20-m-wide road clearing by Melomys cervinipes were severely inhibited, crossing inhibition of Rattus sp. was less severe, while crossings by Uromys caudimaculatus were unaffected. This differential effect was attributed to species differences in size, mobility and behaviour. Baiting on only one side of the road increased crossing rates for all species. During the breeding season, crossings of 20-m clearings by Rattus sp. were almost completely inhibited and were significantly fewer than crossings of 12-m clearings. Clearing width had little effect on crossing rate outside the breeding season. Seasonal dispersal of juvenile and breeding animals appeared to explain this discrepancy in clearing-width effects. Rattus sp. were significantly less likely to cross a road where there was no vegetative cover at the entrance to a road culvert than where there was cover at both culvert entrances. Linear barrier effects for small mammals may be mitigated by narrower road-clearing widths, by replanting of grassy road verges resulting in increased cover at culvert entrances and canopy closure above the road, and by providing more faunal underpasses.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document