Tim S. Doherty

The global impacts of domestic dogs on threatened vertebrates

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 06-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2017.04.007

A critical review of habitat use by feral cats and key directions for future research and management

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2014

DOI: 10.1071/WR14159

Abstract: Feral cats (Felis catus) have a wide global distribution and cause significant damage to native fauna. Reducing their impacts requires an understanding of how they use habitat and which parts of the landscape should be the focus of management. We reviewed 27 experimental and observational studies conducted around the world over the last 35 years that aimed to examine habitat use by feral and unowned cats. Our aims were to: (1) summarise the current body of literature on habitat use by feral and unowned cats in the context of applicable ecological theory (i.e. habitat selection, foraging theory) (2) develop testable hypotheses to help fill important knowledge gaps in the current body of knowledge on this topic and (3) build a conceptual framework that will guide the activities of researchers and managers in reducing feral cat impacts. We found that feral cats exploit a erse range of habitats including arid deserts, shrublands and grasslands, fragmented agricultural landscapes, urban areas, glacial valleys, equatorial to sub-Antarctic islands and a range of forest and woodland types. Factors invoked to explain habitat use by cats included prey availability, predation/competition, shelter availability and human resource subsidies, but the strength of evidence used to support these assertions was low, with most studies being observational or correlative. We therefore provide a list of key directions that will assist conservation managers and researchers in better understanding and ameliorating the impact of feral cats at a scale appropriate for useful management and research. Future studies will benefit from employing an experimental approach and collecting data on the relative abundance and activity of prey and other predators. This might include landscape-scale experiments where the densities of predators, prey or competitors are manipulated and then the response in cat habitat use is measured. Effective management of feral cat populations could target high-use areas, such as linear features and structurally complex habitat. Since our review shows often- ergent outcomes in the use of the same habitat components and vegetation types worldwide, local knowledge and active monitoring of management actions is essential when deciding on control programs.

Cat ecology, impacts and management in Australia

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/WRV47N8_ED

Evidence that post‐fire recovery of small mammals occurs primarily via in situ survival

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 14-05-2022

DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13283

Abstract: As climate change intensifies and wildfire frequency and scale increase, it is critical we develop a robust understanding of how species recover from these major disturbances. Here, we aim to determine whether source populations for recovery following large‐scale intense wildfires are derived from either in situ survival, or immigration from surrounding unburnt areas (ex situ). Secondly, we sought to determine whether habitat elements (e.g., logs) within the landscape facilitate in situ survival of small mammals during fires. Gr ians National Park, south‐eastern Australia. We used long‐term post‐fire small mammal monitoring to investigate sources of recovery for small mammals, and camera trapping and habitat surveys immediately following large intense wildfires to assess evidence for and drivers of post‐fire survival. We found no relationship between distance to unburnt vegetation and the occurrence of any native species, suggesting that in situ survival is the probable mechanism for recovery of post‐fire mammal populations, compared with immigration from external unburnt areas. We also show that key habitat elements such as rocks and large trees were associated with the occurrence of several species immediately post‐fire, suggesting a role for these features in facilitating the survival of species during and following fire. We present evidence for post‐fire recovery being driven by in situ survival. In situ survival is facilitated by small unburnt patches and habitat elements in burnt areas. These surviving in iduals become the founders for subsequent post‐fire population recovery. Given that globally we are seeing increasingly frequent large‐scale wildfires driven by climate change, the capacity for in situ survival will help mitigate some of the fire‐related impacts of climate change.

Invasive predators and global biodiversity loss

Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Date: 16-09-2016

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.1602480113

Abstract: Invasive mammalian predators are arguably the most damaging group of alien animal species for global bio ersity. Thirty species of invasive predator are implicated in the extinction or endangerment of 738 vertebrate species—collectively contributing to 58% of all bird, mammal, and reptile extinctions. Cats, rodents, dogs, and pigs have the most pervasive impacts, and endemic island faunas are most vulnerable to invasive predators. That most impacted species are insular indicates that management of invasive predators on islands should be a global conservation priority. Understanding and mitigating the impact of invasive mammalian predators is essential for reducing the rate of global bio ersity loss.

Experimentally testing the response of feral cats and their prey to poison baiting

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 20-08-2021

DOI: 10.1071/WR21008

Abstract: Abstract Context Feral cats, Felis catus, have caused the decline and extinction of many species worldwide, particularly on islands and in Australia where native species are generally naïve to the threat of this introduced predator. Effectively reducing cat populations to protect wildlife is challenging because cats have a cryptic nature, high reproductive rate and strong reinvasion ability. Aims We experimentally tested the response of feral cats and their native prey to an Eradicat® poison baiting program at a conservation reserve. Methods Baits were distributed by hand along roads and tracks every 50 m (~10 baits km−2). We used camera traps to monitor the response of cats to baiting using a repeated before–after, control–impact design over 6 years. We also measured introduced rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, activity by using sand pads and small mammal and reptile captures by using pitfall trapping. Key results Dynamic occupancy modelling showed only modest effects of baiting on cats in 2 of 6 years, with occupancy in the baited area decreasing from 54% to 19% in 2014 (–35%) and from 89% to 63% in 2017 (–26%). Baiting effectiveness was not related to antecedent rainfall or prey availability. Bait availability was reduced by non-target interference 73% of 41 monitored baits were removed by non-target species. We found no evidence for persistent changes in small mammal or reptile capture rates in the baited area relative to the unbaited area over the life of the project. Conclusions Relatively low baiting density and non-target interference with baits are likely to have reduced baiting efficacy. Further testing and refinement of ground baiting is needed, including trialling higher baiting densities and/or frequencies. Implications We highlight key areas for future research that should benefit feral cat management not only in Australia, but also on the many islands worldwide where cats threaten native wildlife.

Response of a shrubland mammal and reptile community to a history of landscape-scale wildfire

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2015

DOI: 10.1071/WF14115

Abstract: Fire plays a strong role in structuring fauna communities and the habitat available to them in fire-prone regions. Human-mediated increases in fire frequency and intensity threaten many animal species and understanding how these species respond to fire history and its associated effect on vegetation is essential to effective bio ersity management. We used a shrubland mammal and reptile community in semiarid south-western Australia as a model to investigate interactions between fire history, habitat structure and fauna habitat use. Of the 15 species analysed, five were most abundant in recently burnt habitat (8–13 years since last fire), four were most abundant in long unburnt areas (25–50 years) and six showed no response to fire history. Fauna responses to fire history were ergent both within and across taxonomic groups. Fire management that homogenises large areas of habitat through either fire exclusion or frequent burning may threaten species due to these erse requirements, so careful management of fire may be needed to maximise habitat suitability across the landscape. When establishing fire management plans, we recommend that land managers exercise caution in adopting species-specific information from different locations and broad vegetation types. Information on animal responses to fire is best gained through experimental and adaptive management approaches at the local level.

Testing the assumptions of the pyrodiversity begets biodiversity hypothesis for termites in semi-arid Australia

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 04-2018

DOI: 10.1098/RSOS.172055

Abstract: Fire shapes the composition and functioning of ecosystems globally. In many regions, fire is actively managed to create erse patch mosaics of fire-ages under the assumption that a ersity of post-fire-age classes will provide a greater variety of habitats, thereby enabling species with differing habitat requirements to coexist, and enhancing species ersity (the pyro ersity begets bio ersity hypothesis). However, studies provide mixed support for this hypothesis. Here, using termite communities in a semi-arid region of southeast Australia, we test four key assumptions of the pyro ersity begets bio ersity hypothesis (i) that fire shapes vegetation structure over sufficient time frames to influence species' occurrence, (ii) that animal species are linked to resources that are themselves shaped by fire and that peak at different times since fire, (iii) that species’ probability of occurrence or abundance peaks at varying times since fire and (iv) that providing a ersity of fire-ages increases species ersity at the landscape scale. Termite species and habitat elements were s led in 100 sites across a range of fire-ages, nested within 20 landscapes chosen to represent a gradient of low to high pyro ersity. We used regression modelling to explore relationships between termites, habitat and fire. Fire affected two habitat elements (coarse woody debris and the cover of woody vegetation) that were associated with the probability of occurrence of three termite species and overall species richness, thus supporting the first two assumptions of the pyro ersity hypothesis. However, this did not result in those species or species richness being affected by fire history per se. Consequently, landscapes with a low ersity of fire histories had similar numbers of termite species as landscapes with high pyro ersity. Our work suggests that encouraging a ersity of fire-ages for enhancing termite species richness in this study region is not necessary.

Meta‐analysis reveals impacts of disturbance on reptile and amphibian body condition

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 04-07-2023

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.16852

Abstract: Ecosystem disturbance is increasing in extent, severity and frequency across the globe. To date, research has largely focussed on the impacts of disturbance on animal population size, extinction risk and species richness. However, in idual responses, such as changes in body condition, can act as more sensitive metrics and may provide early warning signs of reduced fitness and population declines. We conducted the first global systematic review and meta‐analysis investigating the impacts of ecosystem disturbance on reptile and hibian body condition. We collated 384 effect sizes representing 137 species from 133 studies. We tested how disturbance type, species traits, biome and taxon moderate the impacts of disturbance on body condition. We found an overall negative effect of disturbance on herpetofauna body condition (Hedges' g = −0.37, 95% CI: −0.57, −0.18). Disturbance type was an influential predictor of body condition response and all disturbance types had a negative mean effect. Drought, invasive species and agriculture had the largest effects. The impact of disturbance varied in strength and direction across biomes, with the largest negative effects found within Mediterranean and temperate biomes. In contrast, taxon, body size, habitat specialisation and conservation status were not influential predictors of disturbance effects. Our findings reveal the widespread effects of disturbance on herpetofauna body condition and highlight the potential role of in idual‐level response metrics in enhancing wildlife monitoring. The use of in idual response metrics alongside population and community metrics would deepen our understanding of disturbance impacts by revealing both early impacts and chronic effects within affected populations. This could enable early and more informed conservation management.

Reptiles as food: predation of Australian reptiles by introduced red foxes compounds and complements predation by cats

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 14-07-2021

DOI: 10.1071/WR20194

Abstract: Context Invasive species are a major cause of bio ersity loss across much of the world, and a key threat to Australia’s erse reptile fauna. There has been no previous comprehensive analysis of the potential impact of the introduced European red fox, Vulpes vulpes, on Australian reptiles. Aims We seek to provide an inventory of all Australian reptile species known to be consumed by the fox, and identify characteristics of squamate species associated with such predation. We also compare these tallies and characteristics with reptile species known to be consumed by the domestic cat, Felis catus, to examine whether predation by these two introduced species is compounded (i.e. affecting much the same set of species) or complementary (affecting different groups of species). Methods We collated records of Australian reptiles consumed by foxes in Australia, with most records deriving from fox dietary studies (tallying 000 s les). We modelled presence or absence of fox predation records against a set of biological and other traits, and population trends, for squamate species. Key results In total, 108 reptile species (~11% of Australia’s terrestrial reptile fauna) have been recorded as consumed by foxes, fewer than that reported for cats (263 species). Eighty-six species have been reported to be eaten by both predators. More Australian turtle species have been reported as consumed by foxes than by cats, including many that suffer high levels of predation on egg clutches. Twenty threatened reptile species have been reported as consumed by foxes, and 15 by cats. Squamate species consumed by foxes are more likely to be undergoing population decline than those not known to be consumed by foxes. The likelihood of predation by foxes increased with squamate species’ adult body mass, in contrast to the relationship for predation by cats, which peaked at ~217 g. Foxes, but not cats, were also less likely to consume venomous snakes. Conclusions The two introduced, and now widespread, predators have both compounding and complementary impacts on the Australian reptile fauna. Implications Enhanced and integrated management of the two introduced predators is likely to provide substantial conservation benefits to much of the Australian reptile fauna.

Predator responses to fire: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 28-01-2020

DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13153

Abstract: Knowledge of how disturbances such as fire shape habitat structure and composition, and affect animal interactions, is fundamental to ecology and ecosystem management. Predators also exert strong effects on ecological communities, through top-down regulation of prey and competitors, which can result in trophic cascades. Despite their ubiquity, ecological importance and potential to interact with fire, our general understanding of how predators respond to fire remains poor, h ering ecosystem management. To address this important knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of fire on terrestrial, vertebrate predators world-wide. We found 160 studies spanning 1978-2018. There were 36 studies with sufficient information for meta-analysis, from which we extracted 96 effect sizes (Hedges' g) for 67 predator species relating to changes in abundance indices, occupancy or resource selection in burned and unburned areas, or before and after fire. Studies spanned geographic locations, taxonomic families and study designs, but most were located in North America and Oceania (59% and 24%, respectively), and largely focussed on felids (24%) and canids (25%). Half (50%) of the studies reported responses to wildfire, and nearly one third concerned prescribed (management) fires. There were no clear, general responses of predators to fire, nor relationships with geographic area, biome or life-history traits (e.g. body mass, hunting strategy and diet). Responses varied considerably between species. Analysis of species for which at least three effect sizes had been reported in the literature revealed that red foxes Vulpes vulpes mostly responded positively to fire (e.g. higher abundance in burned compared to unburned areas) and eastern racers Coluber constrictor negatively, with variances overlapping zero only slightly for both species. Our systematic review and meta-analysis revealed strong variation in predator responses to fire, and major geographic and taxonomic knowledge gaps. Varied responses of predator species to fire likely depend on ecosystem context. Consistent reporting of ongoing monitoring and management experiments is required to improve understanding of the mechanisms driving predator responses to fire, and any broader effects (e.g. trophic interactions). The ergent responses of species in our study suggest that adaptive, context-specific management of predator-fire relationships is required.

Living with the enemy: a threatened prey species coexisting with feral cats on a fox-free island

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/WR19202

Abstract: Abstract ContextFeral domestic cats (Felis catus) have contributed to substantial loss of Australian wildlife, particularly small- and medium-sized terrestrial mammals. However, mitigating cat impacts remains challenging. Understanding the factors that facilitate coexistence between native prey and their alien predators could aid better pest management and conservation actions. AimsWe estimated feral cat density, examined the impact of habitat cover on long-nosed potoroos (Potorous tridactylus tridactylus), and assessed the spatial and temporal interactions between cats and potoroos in the ‘Bluegums’ area of French Island, south-eastern Australia. Materials and methodsWe operated 31 camera stations across Bluegums for 99 consecutive nights in each of winter 2018 and summer 2018/19. We used a spatially explicit capture–recapture model to estimate cat density, and two-species single-season occupancy models to assess spatial co-occurrence of cats and potoroos. We assessed the influence of vegetation cover and cat activity on potoroo activity by using a dynamic occupancy model. We also used image timest s to describe and compare the temporal activities of the two species. Key resultsBluegums had a density of 0.77 cats per km2 across both seasons, although this is a conservative estimate because of the presence of unidentified cats. Cats and long-nosed potoroos were detected at 94% and 77% of camera stations, respectively. Long-nosed potoroo detectability was higher in denser vegetation and this pattern was stronger at sites with high cat activity. Cats and potoroos overlapped in their temporal activity, but their peak activity times differed. Conclusions Feral cat density at Bluegums, French Island, is higher than has been reported for mainland Australian sites, but generally lower than in other islands. Long-nosed potoroos were positively associated with cats, potentially indicating cats tracking potoroos as prey or other prey species that co-occur with potoroos. Temporal activity of each species differed, and potoroos sought more complex habitat, highlighting possible mechanisms potoroos may use to reduce their predation risk when co-occurring with cats. ImplicationsOur study highlighted how predator and prey spatial and temporal interactions, and habitat cover and complexity (ecological refuges), may influence the ability for native prey to coexist with invasive predators. We encourage more consideration and investigation of these factors, with the aim of facilitating more native species to persist with invasive predators or be reintroduced outside of predator-free sanctuaries, exclosures and island safe havens.

Fanning the flames of Australian wildfires

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 30-03-2016

DOI: 10.1038/531580B

Continental patterns in the diet of a top predator: Australia's dingo

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 17-10-2018

DOI: 10.1111/MAM.12139

Dietary overlap between sympatric dingoes and feral cats at a semiarid rangeland site in Western Australia

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2015

DOI: 10.1071/AM14038

Impacts of invasive rats and tourism on a threatened island bird: The Palau Micronesian Scrubfowl

Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Date: 24-04-2020

DOI: 10.1017/S0959270920000246

Abstract: Invasive predators have decimated island bio ersity worldwide. Rats ( Rattus spp.) are perhaps the greatest conservation threat to island fauna. The ground nesting Palau Micronesian Scrubfowl Megapodius laperouse senex (Megapodiidae) inhabits many of the islands of Palau’s Rock Island Southern Lagoon Conservation Area (RISL) in the western Pacific. These islands are also heavily visited by tourists and support populations of introduced rats, both of which may act as added stressors for the scrubfowl. Using passive chew-tag and call playback surveys on five tourist-visited and five tourist-free islands, we investigated if rats and tourists negatively affect scrubfowl, and if higher rat activity is associated with tourist presence. Rat detection probability and site occupancy were significantly higher on tourist visited (89% and 99%, respectively) compared to tourist-free islands (52% and 73%). Scrubfowl were detected at significantly more stations on tourist-free (93%) than tourist visited (47%) islands and their relative abundance was higher (2.66 and 1.58 birds per station, respectively), although not statistically significantly. While rat occupancy probability likewise had a non-significant negative effect on scrubfowl numbers across islands, our results show a negative relationship between tourist presence and scrubfowl in the RISL. Our findings also suggest that rat populations may be augmented by tourist visitation in the RISL. Although this situation may not seriously affect the scrubfowl, it may be highly detrimental to populations of other threatened island landbirds.

Ecosystem Responses to Fire: Identifying Cross-taxa Contrasts and Complementarities to Inform Management Strategies

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 28-11-2017

DOI: 10.1007/S10021-016-0082-Z

Coupling movement and landscape ecology for animal conservation in production landscapes

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 08-08-2018

DOI: 10.1098/RSPB.2017.2272

Abstract: Habitat conversion in production landscapes is among the greatest threats to bio ersity, not least because it can disrupt animal movement. Using the movement ecology framework, we review animal movement in production landscapes, including areas managed for agriculture and forestry. We consider internal and external drivers of altered animal movement and how this affects navigation and motion capacities and population dynamics. Conventional management approaches in fragmented landscapes focus on promoting connectivity using structural changes in the landscape. However, a movement ecology perspective emphasizes that manipulating the internal motivations or navigation capacity of animals represents untapped opportunities to improve movement and the effectiveness of structural connectivity investments. Integrating movement and landscape ecology opens new opportunities for conservation management in production landscapes.

Long-unburnt habitat is critical for the conservation of threatened vertebrates across Australia

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 09-03-2022

DOI: 10.1007/S10980-022-01427-7

Abstract: Increases in fire frequency, intensity and extent are occurring globally. Relative to historical, Indigenous managed conditions, contemporary landscapes are often characterised by younger age classes of vegetation and a much smaller representation of long-unburnt habitat. We argue that, to conserve many threatened vertebrate species in Australia, landscape management should emphasise the protection of existing long-unburnt patches from fire, as well as facilitate the recruitment of additional long-unburnt habitat, while maintaining historically relevant age distributions of more recently burned patches. We use a range of case studies and ecosystem types to illustrate three lines of evidence: (1) that many threatened vertebrate species depend on mid- to late-successional ecosystem attributes (2) disturbance to long-unburnt habitat tends to increase risk of future disturbance and ecosystem collapse and (3) contemporary landscapes exhibit a range of characteristics that differ to historical conditions and require context-specific management. It is crucial that we adequately consider the implications of altered contemporary landscapes for management activities that aim to conserve threatened vertebrates. Contemporary landscapes often lack a range of critical structural and compositional components typical of late-successional habitat that are required for the persistence of threatened vertebrates. We need to shift towards strategic, objective-driven approaches that identify and protect long-unburnt habitats and promote their recruitment to enable recovery of many declining and threatened species.

Animal mortality during fire

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 06-01-2022

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.16044

Abstract: Earth's rapidly warming climate is propelling us towards an increasingly fire‐prone future. Currently, knowledge of the extent and characteristics of animal mortality rates during fire remains rudimentary, hindering our ability to predict how animal populations may be impacted in the future. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a global systematic review of the direct effects of fire on animal mortality rates, based on studies that unequivocally determined the fate of animals during fire. From 31 studies spanning 1984–2020, we extracted data on the direct impacts of fire on the mortality of 31 species from 23 families. From these studies, there were 43 instances where direct effects were measured by reporting animal survival from pre‐ to post‐fire. Most studies were conducted in North America (52%) and Oceania (42%), focused largely on mammals (53%) and reptiles (30%), and reported mostly on animal survival in planned (82%) and/or low severity (70%) fires. We found no studies from Asia, Europe or South America. Although there were insufficient data to conduct a formal meta‐analysis, we tested the effect of fire type, fire severity, fire regime, animal body mass, ecological attributes and class on survival. Only fire severity affected animal mortality, with a higher proportion of animals being killed by high than low severity fires. Recent catastrophic fires across the globe have drawn attention to the plight of animals exposed to wildfire. Yet, our systematic review suggests that a relatively low proportion of animals (mean predicted mortality [95% CI] = 3% [1%–9%]) are killed during fire. However, our review also underscores how little we currently know about the direct effects of fire on animal mortality, and highlights the critical need to understand the effects of high severity fire on animal populations.

Dietary flexibility in small carnivores: a case study on the endangered northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 14-03-2017

DOI: 10.1093/JMAMMAL/GYX015

Counting the bodies: estimating the numbers and spatial variation of Australian reptiles, birds and mammals killed by two invasive mesopredators

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 15-03-2022

DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13497

Abstract: Introduced predators negatively impact bio ersity globally, with insular fauna often most severely affected. Here, we assess spatial variation in the number of terrestrial vertebrates (excluding hibians) killed by two mammalian mesopredators introduced to Australia, the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) and feral cat ( Felis catus ). We aim to identify prey groups that suffer especially high rates of predation, and regions where losses to foxes and/or cats are most substantial. Australia. We draw information on the spatial variation in tallies of reptiles, birds and mammals killed by cats in Australia from published studies. We derive tallies for fox predation by (i) modelling continental‐scale spatial variation in fox density, (ii) modelling spatial variation in the frequency of occurrence of prey groups in fox diet, (iii) analysing the number of prey in iduals within dietary s les and (iv) discounting animals taken as carrion. We derive point estimates of the numbers of in iduals killed annually by foxes and by cats and map spatial variation in these tallies. Foxes kill more reptiles, birds and mammals (peaking at 1071 km −2 year −1 ) than cats (55 km −2 year −1 ) across most of the unmodified temperate and forested areas of mainland Australia, reflecting the generally higher density of foxes than cats in these environments. However, across most of the continent – mainly the arid central and tropical northern regions (and on most Australian islands) – cats kill more animals than foxes. We estimate that foxes and cats together kill 697 million reptiles annually in Australia, 510 million birds and 1435 million mammals. This continental‐scale analysis demonstrates that predation by two introduced species takes a substantial and ongoing toll on Australian reptiles, birds and mammals. Continuing population declines and potential extinctions of some of these species threatens to further compound Australia's poor contemporary conservation record.

Advances in conservation science and practice in Oceania: Delivering on research priorities for the region

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 02-2021

DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.367

A game of cat-and-mouse: Microhabitat influences rodent foraging in recently burnt but not long unburnt shrublands

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 25-04-2015

DOI: 10.1093/JMAMMAL/GYV034

What do you mean, ‘megafire’?

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 03-05-2022

DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13499

Abstract: ‘Megafire’ is an emerging concept commonly used to describe fires that are extreme in terms of size, behaviour, and/or impacts, but the term’s meaning remains ambiguous. We sought to resolve ambiguity surrounding the meaning of ‘megafire’ by conducting a structured review of the use and definition of the term in several languages in the peer‐reviewed scientific literature. We collated definitions and descriptions of megafire and identified criteria frequently invoked to define megafire. We recorded the size and location of megafires and mapped them to reveal global variation in the size of fires described as megafires. We identified 109 studies that define the term ‘megafire’ or identify a megafire, with the term first appearing in the peer‐reviewed literature in 2005. Seventy‐one (~65%) of these studies attempted to describe or define the term. There was considerable variability in the criteria used to define megafire, although definitions of megafire based on fire size were most common. Megafire size thresholds varied geographically from 100–100,000 ha, with fires 10,000 ha the most common size threshold (41%, 18/44 studies). Definitions of megafire were most common from studies led by authors from North America (52%, 37/71). We recorded 137 instances from 84 studies where fires were reported as megafires, the vast majority (94%, 129/137) of which exceed 10,000 ha in size. Megafires occurred in a range of biomes, but were most frequently described in forested biomes (112/137, 82%), and usually described single ignition fires (59% 81/137). As Earth’s climate and ecosystems change, it is important that scientists can communicate trends in the occurrence of larger and more extreme fires with clarity. To overcome ambiguity, we suggest a definition of megafire as fires 10,000 ha arising from single or multiple related ignition events. We introduce two additional terms – gigafire ( 100,000 ha) and terafire ( 1,000,000 ha) – for fires of an even larger scale than megafires.

Compilation and traits of Australian bird species killed by cats

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 12-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2017.09.017

Cats, foxes and fire: quantitative review reveals that invasive predator activity is most likely to increase shortly after fire

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 13-04-2023

DOI: 10.1186/S42408-023-00183-6

High rates of cannibalism and food waste consumption by dingoes living at a remote mining operation in the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/AM19033

Abstract: Mining operations in remote Australia represent a unique opportunity to examine the impact of supplementary food and water provision on local wildlife. Here, we present a dietary analysis of dingoes living at a mine site in the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia. A total of 270 faeces (scats) were collected from across the mine footprint on two occasions three months apart. The most frequently consumed food resource was anthropogenic (rubbish), which was found in 218 of 270 faeces (80.7% of scats and 65.3% of scat volume). Also of note was a high proportion of dingo remains, which was found in 51 of 270 faeces (18.9% of scats and 10.4% of scat volume), suggesting the occurrence of cannibalism. These findings highlight the potential influence of human-modified areas and associated resource availability on the diet of dingoes, and have implications for the environmental management of areas surrounding mining operations.

Artificial refuges for wildlife conservation

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 16-07-2021

DOI: 10.1111/BRV.12776

Abstract: Artificial refuges are human‐made structures that aim to create safe places for animals to breed, hibernate, or take shelter in lieu of natural refuges. Artificial refuges are used across the globe to mitigate the impacts of a variety of threats on wildlife, such as habitat loss and degradation. However, there is little understanding of the science underpinning artificial refuges, and what comprises best practice for artificial refuge design and implementation for wildlife conservation. We address this gap by undertaking a systematic review of the current state of artificial refuge research for the conservation of wildlife. We identified 224 studies of artificial refuges being implemented in the field to conserve wildlife species. The current literature on artificial refuges is dominated by studies of arboreal species, primarily birds and bats. Threatening processes addressed by artificial refuges were biological resource use (26%), invasive or problematic species (20%), and agriculture (15%), yet few studies examined artificial refuges specifically for threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered) species (7%). Studies often reported the characteristics of artificial refuges (i.e. refuge size, construction materials 87%) and surrounding vegetation (35%), but fewer studies measured the thermal properties of artificial refuges (18%), predator activity (17%), or food availability (3%). Almost all studies measured occupancy of the artificial refuges by target species (98%), and over half measured breeding activity (54%), whereas fewer included more detailed measures of fitness, such as breeding productivity (34%) or animal body condition (4%). Evaluating the benefits and impacts of artificial refuges requires sound experimental design, but only 39% of studies compared artificial refuges to experimental controls, and only 10% of studies used a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) design. As a consequence, few studies of artificial refuges can determine their overall effect on in iduals or populations. We outline a series of key steps in the design, implementation, and monitoring of artificial refuges that are required to avoid perverse outcomes and maximise the chances of achieving conservation objectives. This review highlights a clear need for increased rigour in studies of artificial refuges if they are to play an important role in wildlife conservation.

Introduced cats eating a continental fauna: invertebrate consumption by feral cats (Felis catus) in Australia

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/WR19197

Abstract: Abstract ContextRecent global concern over invertebrate declines has drawn attention to the causes and consequences of this loss of bio ersity. Feral cats, Felis catus, pose a major threat to many vertebrate species in Australia, but their effect on invertebrates has not previously been assessed. AimsThe objectives of our study were to (1) assess the frequency of occurrence (FOO) of invertebrates in feral cat diets across Australia and the environmental and geographic factors associated with this variation, (2) estimate the number of invertebrates consumed by feral cats annually and the spatial variation of this consumption, and (3) interpret the conservation implications of these results. MethodsFrom 87 Australian cat-diet studies, we modelled the factors associated with variation in invertebrate FOO in feral cat-diet s les. We used these modelled relationships to predict the number of invertebrates consumed by feral cats in largely natural and highly modified environments. Key resultsIn largely natural environments, the mean invertebrate FOO in feral cat dietary s les was 39% (95% CI: 31–43.5%), with Orthoptera being the most frequently recorded order, at 30.3% (95% CI: 21.2–38.3%). The highest invertebrate FOO occurred in lower-rainfall areas with a lower mean annual temperature, and in areas of greater tree cover. Mean annual invertebrate consumption by feral cats in largely natural environments was estimated to be 769 million in iduals (95% CI: 422–1763 million) and in modified environments (with mean FOO of 27.8%) 317 million invertebrates year−1, giving a total estimate of 1086 million invertebrates year−1 consumed by feral cats across the continent. ConclusionsThe number of invertebrates consumed by feral cats in Australia is greater than estimates for vertebrate taxa, although the biomass (and, hence, importance for cat diet) of invertebrates taken would be appreciably less. The impact of predation by cats on invertebrates is difficult to assess because of the lack of invertebrate population and distribution estimates, but cats may pose a threat to some large-bodied narrowly restricted invertebrate species. ImplicationsFurther empirical studies of local and continental invertebrate ersity, distribution and population trends are required to adequately contextualise the conservation threat posed by feral cats to invertebrates across Australia.

BioTIME: A database of biodiversity time series for the Anthropocene

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 07-2018

DOI: 10.1111/GEB.12729

Fire as a driver and mediator of predator–prey interactions

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 23-03-2022

DOI: 10.1111/BRV.12853

Stop Jumping the Gun: A Call for Evidence‐Based Invasive Predator Management

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 16-05-2016

DOI: 10.1111/CONL.12251

The threats to Australia's imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2018

DOI: 10.1071/PC18024

Abstract: Since European occupation of Australia, human activities have caused the dramatic decline and sometimes extinction of many of the continent’s unique species. Here we provide a comprehensive review of threats to species listed as threatened under Australia’s Environment Protection and Bio ersity Conservation Act 1999. Following accepted global categories of threat, we find that invasive species affect the largest number of listed species (1257 species, or 82% of all threatened species) ecosystem modifications (e.g. fire) (74% of listed species) and agricultural activity (57%) are also important. The ranking of threats was largely consistent across taxonomic groups and the degree of species’ endangerment. These results were significantly different (P& .01) from recent analyses of threats to threatened species globally, which highlighted overexploitation, agriculture and urban development as major causes of decline. Australia is distinct not only in the bio ersity it contains but also in the extent and mixture of processes that threaten the survival of these species. Notably, the IUCN threat classification scheme separates the numerous threats (e.g. urban development, agriculture, mining) that cause habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, hence further research is required to quantify the net impact of these types of habitat change. We provide feasible suggestions for a more coordinated national approach to threatened species conservation, which could provide decision makers and managers at all levels with improved resources and information on threats and management. Adequate policy, legislative support and funding are critical for ensuring that on-ground management is successful in halting the decline of Australia’s threatened species.

Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 19-08-2019

DOI: 10.1111/MAM.12167

Distinctive diets of eutherian predators in Australia

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 10-2022

DOI: 10.1098/RSOS.220792

Abstract: Introduction of the domestic cat and red fox has devastated Australian native fauna. We synthesized Australian diet analyses to identify traits of prey species in cat, fox and dingo diets, which prey were more frequent or distinctive to the diet of each predator, and quantified dietary overlap. Nearly half (45%) of all Australian terrestrial mammal, bird and reptile species occurred in the diets of one or more predators. Cat and dingo diets overlapped least (0.64 ± 0.27, n = 24 location/time points) and cat diet changed little over 55 years of study. Cats were more likely to have eaten birds, reptiles and small mammals than foxes or dingoes. Dingo diet remained constant over 53 years and constituted the largest mammal, bird and reptile prey species, including more macropods otoroids, wombats, monotremes and bandicoots/bilbies than cats or foxes. Fox diet had greater overlap with both cats (0.79 ± 0.20, n = 37) and dingoes (0.73 ± 0.21, n = 42), fewer distinctive items (plant material, possums/gliders) and significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity over 69 years, suggesting the opportunity for prey switching (especially of mammal prey) to mitigate competition. Our study reinforced concerns about mesopredator impacts upon scarce/threatened species and the need to control foxes and cats for fauna conservation. However, extensive dietary overlap and opportunism, as well as low incidence of mesopredators in dingo diets, precluded resolution of the debate about possible dingo suppression of foxes and cats.

Threat webs: Reframing the co-occurrence and interactions of threats to biodiversity

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 14-06-2019

DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13427

Experimentally testing the response of feral cats and their prey to poison baiting

Publisher: California Digital Library (CDL)

Date: 04-12-2020

DOI: 10.32942/OSF.IO/NYGU7

Expanding the Role of Targets in Conservation Policy

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.TREE.2018.08.014

Abstract: Conservation targets perform beneficial auxiliary functions that are rarely acknowledged, including raising awareness, building partnerships, promoting investment, and developing new knowledge. Building on these auxiliary functions could enable more rapid progress towards current targets and inform the design of future targets.

Fox and cat responses to fox baiting intensity, rainfall and prey abundance in the Upper Warren, Western Australia

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 24-10-2022

DOI: 10.1071/WR21184

Abstract: Context Invasive predators are major drivers of global bio ersity loss. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats (Felis catus) have contributed to the decline and extinction of many native species in Australia. The deployment of poison baits to control fox populations is a widespread conservation tool, but the effects of baiting intensity, rainfall and prey abundance on baiting effectiveness remain poorly understood. Aims We aimed to understand what influences the association between fox baiting intensity, red fox activity and feral cat activity, to provide inferences about what might affect the effectiveness of fox baiting in reducing fox activity. Methods We used generalised linear models to assess how fox and cat activity changes in relation to fox baiting intensity, rainfall, native prey availability and distance to agricultural land over a 6-year period (2006–13) in the forest ecosystems of the Upper Warren region of south-western Australia. Key results We found that fox activity was negatively associated with rainfall in the previous 12 months and positively associated with prey abundance and fox baiting intensity. We also found an interaction between fox baiting and prey abundance, with fox activity increasing with prey activity in areas of low and moderate baiting intensity, but remaining constant in areas of high baiting intensity. Feral cat activity was positively associated with prey abundance and fox baiting intensity. We found no clear relationship between fox and cat activity. Conclusions The drivers of the association between fox baiting and fox activity are unclear because intense fox baiting was targeted at areas of known high fox abundance. However, our results indicate that intense fox baiting may be effective at decoupling the positive association between fox activity and prey abundance. Our results also suggest a positive association between fox baiting intensity and feral cat activity, thus supporting the case for integrated fox and cat management. Implications We caution interpretation of our results, but note that management of invasive predators could be improved by adjusting the intensity of management in response to changes in environmental conditions and local context (e.g. strategically conducting intense predator management where prey abundance is highest). Improved understanding of these associations requires a monitoring program with sufficient replication and statistical power to detect any treatment effects.

How many reptiles are killed by cats in Australia?

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2018

DOI: 10.1071/WR17160

Abstract: Context Feral cats (Felis catus) are a threat to bio ersity globally, but their impacts upon continental reptile faunas have been poorly resolved. Aims To estimate the number of reptiles killed annually in Australia by cats and to list Australian reptile species known to be killed by cats. Methods We used (1) data from Australian studies of cat diet (collectively 000 s les), and (2) estimates of the feral cat population size, to model and map the number of reptiles killed by feral cats. Key results Feral cats in Australia’s natural environments kill 466 million reptiles yr–1 (95% CI 271–1006 million). The tally varies substantially among years, depending on changes in the cat population driven by rainfall in inland Australia. The number of reptiles killed by cats is highest in arid regions. On average, feral cats kill 61 reptiles km–2 year–1, and an in idual feral cat kills 225 reptiles year–1. The take of reptiles per cat is higher than reported for other continents. Reptiles occur at a higher incidence in cat diet than in the diet of Australia’s other main introduced predator, the European red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Based on a smaller s le size, we estimate 130 million reptiles year–1 are killed by feral cats in highly modified landscapes, and 53 million reptiles year–1 by pet cats, summing to 649 million reptiles year–1 killed by all cats. Predation by cats is reported for 258 Australian reptile species (about one-quarter of described species), including 11 threatened species. Conclusions Cat predation exerts a considerable ongoing toll on Australian reptiles. However, it remains challenging to interpret the impact of this predation in terms of population viability or conservation concern for Australian reptiles, because population size is unknown for most Australian reptile species, mortality rates due to cats will vary across reptile species and because there is likely to be marked variation among reptile species in their capability to sustain any particular predation rate. Implications This study provides a well grounded estimate of the numbers of reptiles killed by cats, but intensive studies of in idual reptile species are required to contextualise the conservation consequences of such predation.

Predation by introduced cats Felis catus on Australian frogs: compilation of species records and estimation of numbers killed

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/WR19182

Abstract: Abstract ContextWe recently estimated the numbers of reptiles, birds and mammals killed by cats (Felis catus) in Australia, with these assessments providing further evidence that cats have significant impacts on Australian wildlife. No previous studies have estimated the numbers of frogs killed by cats in Australia and there is limited comparable information from elsewhere in the world. AimsWe sought to (1) estimate the numbers of frogs killed by cats in Australia and (2) compile a list of Australian frog species known to be killed by cats. MethodsFor feral cats, we estimated the number of frogs killed from information on their frequency of occurrence in 53 cat dietary studies (that examined stomach contents), the mean number of frogs in dietary s les that contained frogs, and the numbers of cats in Australia. We collated comparable information for take of frogs by pet cats, but the information base was far sparser. Key resultsFrogs were far more likely to be reported in studies that s led cat stomachs than cat scats. The mean frequency of occurrence of frogs in cat stomachs was 1.5%. The estimated annual per capita consumption by feral cats in Australia’s natural environments is 44 frogs, and, hence, the annual total take is estimated at 92 million frogs. The estimated annual per capita consumption by pet cats is 0.26 frogs, for a total annual kill of one million frogs by pet cats. Thirty native frog species (13% of the Australian frog fauna) are known to be killed by cats: this tally does not include any of the 51 threatened frog species, but this may simply be because no cat dietary studies have occurred within the small ranges typical of threatened frog species. ConclusionsThe present study indicated that cats in Australia kill nearly 100 million frogs annually, but further research is required to understand the conservation significance of such predation rates. ImplicationsThe present study completed a set of reviews of the impacts of cats on Australian terrestrial vertebrates. Cat predation on Australian frogs is substantial, but is likely to be markedly less than that on Australian reptiles, birds and mammals.

Animal movement varies with resource availability, landscape configuration and body size: a conceptual model and empirical example

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 15-03-2019

DOI: 10.1007/S10980-019-00795-X

Animal movements in fire-prone landscapes

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 18-12-2019

DOI: 10.1111/BRV.12486

Abstract: Movement is a trait of fundamental importance in ecosystems subject to frequent disturbances, such as fire-prone ecosystems. Despite this, the role of movement in facilitating responses to fire has received little attention. Herein, we consider how animal movement interacts with fire history to shape species distributions. We consider how fire affects movement between habitat patches of differing fire histories that occur across a range of spatial and temporal scales, from daily foraging bouts to infrequent dispersal events, and annual migrations. We review animal movements in response to the immediate and abrupt impacts of fire, and the longer-term successional changes that fires set in train. We discuss how the novel threats of altered fire regimes, landscape fragmentation, and invasive species result in suboptimal movements that drive populations downwards. We then outline the types of data needed to study animal movements in relation to fire and novel threats, to hasten the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology. We conclude by outlining a research agenda for the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology by identifying key research questions that emerge from our synthesis of animal movements in fire-prone ecosystems.

Human disturbance causes widespread disruption of animal movement

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 02-2021

DOI: 10.1038/S41559-020-01380-1

Abstract: Disturbance and habitat modification by humans can alter animal movement, leading to negative impacts on fitness, survival and population viability. However, the ubiquity and nature of these impacts across erse taxa has not been quantified. We compiled 208 studies on 167 species from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems across the globe to assess how human disturbance influences animal movement. We show that disturbance by humans has widespread impacts on the movements of birds, mammals, reptiles, hibians, fish and arthropods. More than two-thirds of 719 cases represented a change in movement of 20% or more, with increases in movement averaging 70% and decreases -37%. Disturbance from human activities, such as recreation and hunting, had stronger impacts on animal movement than habitat modification, such as logging and agriculture. Our results point to a global restructuring of animal movement and emphasize the need to reduce the negative impacts of humans on animal movement.

A biodiversity-crisis hierarchy to evaluate and refine conservation indicators

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 26-03-2018

DOI: 10.1038/S41559-018-0504-8

Abstract: The Convention on Biological Diversity and its Strategic Plan for Bio ersity 2011-2020 form the central pillar of the world's conservation commitment, with 196 signatory nations yet its capacity to reign in catastrophic bio ersity loss has proved inadequate. Indicators suggest that few of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi targets that aim to reduce bio ersity loss will be met by 2020. While the indicators have been criticized for only partially representing the targets, a bigger problem is that the indicators do not adequately draw attention to and measure all of the drivers of the bio ersity crisis. Here, we show that many key drivers of bio ersity loss are either poorly evaluated or entirely lacking indicators. We use a bio ersity-crisis hierarchy as a conceptual model linking drivers of change to bio ersity loss to evaluate the scope of current indicators. We find major gaps related to monitoring governments, human population size, corruption and threat-industries. We recommend the hierarchy is used to develop an expanded set of indicators that comprehensively monitor the human behaviour and institutions that drive bio ersity loss and that, so far, have impeded progress towards achieving global bio ersity targets.

How influential are squamate reptile traits in explaining population responses to environmental disturbances?

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/WR19064

Making a new dog?

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 04-2017

DOI: 10.1093/BIOSCI/BIX022

Reptile responses to anthropogenic habitat modification: A global meta-analysis

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 20-03-2020

DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13091

Restoration of a declining foundation plant species: Testing the roles of competitor suppression, fire reintroduction and herbivore exclusion

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 12-05-2022

DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14192

Abstract: Maintaining ecosystem processes within patches of remnant vegetation is critical to minimising bio ersity loss in agricultural landscapes. Foundation species—habitat‐forming organisms that interact with many other species—are therefore a priority for conservation and restoration in farming areas. Triodia spp. grasses are foundation species of arid and semi‐arid Australia that largely depend on fire for recruitment, but fire is suppressed or excluded in many agricultural areas. We tested the effectiveness of controlled burns and competitor removal (exotic and native grasses), both in isolation and combined, on recruitment rates of Triodia scariosa in remnant vegetation using a before‐after, control‐impact study across 126 plots. A subset of plots were located in an herbivore exclusion area inside a reserve. There was no recruitment of T. scariosa 1 year after burning, regardless of treatment or control, and the burns killed all existing plants. However, T. scariosa germinated by 2 years post‐burn, with the greatest recruitment in sites where both burning and grass removal were applied. Two years after burning, T. scariosa abundance (adults and recruits) remained low outside reserves, but returned to original levels in reserves and in areas where large herbivores were excluded. Synthesis and applications . Despite failing to increase overall abundance, we show that restoration of a foundation plant species in degraded, agricultural landscapes can be achieved through a combination of fire reintroduction and competitor suppression. Germination trials from soil s les suggest a depleted seed bank limited recruitment rates, and therefore emphasise the importance of carefully timing restoration actions to overcome recruitment bottlenecks.

How to work with children and animals: A guide for school-based citizen science in wildlife research

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 12-11-2020

DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12836

Conserving long unburnt vegetation is important for bird species, guilds and diversity

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 22-08-2016

DOI: 10.1007/S10531-016-1196-5

Identifying historical and future global change drivers that place species recovery at risk

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 14-03-2023

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.16661

Abstract: Ecosystem management in the face of global change requires understanding how co‐occurring threats affect species and communities. Such an understanding allows for effective management strategies to be identified and implemented. An important component of this is differentiating between factors that are within (e.g. invasive predators) or outside (e.g. drought, large wildfires) of a local manager's control. In the global bio ersity hotspot of south‐western Australia, small‐ and medium‐sized mammal species are severely affected by anthropogenic threats and environmental disturbances, including invasive predators, fire, and declining rainfall. However, the relative importance of different drivers has not been quantified. We used data from a long‐term monitoring program to fit Bayesian state‐space models that estimated spatial and temporal changes in the relative abundance of four threatened mammal species: the woylie ( Bettongia penicillata ), chuditch ( Dasyurus geoffroii ), koomal ( Trichosurus vulpecula ) and quenda ( Isoodon fusciventor ). We then use Bayesian structural equation modelling to identify the direct and indirect drivers of population changes, and scenario analysis to forecast population responses to future environmental change. We found that habitat loss or conversion and reduced primary productivity (caused by rainfall declines) had greater effects on species' spatial and temporal population change than the range of fire and invasive predator (the red fox Vulpes vulpes ) management actions observed in the study area. Scenario analysis revealed that a greater extent of severe fire and further rainfall declines predicted under climate change, operating in concert are likely to further reduce the abundance of these species, but may be mitigated partially by invasive predator control. Considering both historical and future drivers of population change is necessary to identify the factors that risk species recovery. Given that both anthropogenic pressures and environmental disturbances can undermine conservation efforts, managers must consider how the relative benefit of conservation actions will be shaped by ongoing global change.

Predators, prey or temperature? Mechanisms driving niche use of a foundation plant species by specialist lizards

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 31-03-2021

DOI: 10.1098/RSPB.2020.2633

Abstract: Foundation species interact strongly with other species to profoundly influence communities, such as by providing food, refuge from predators or beneficial microclimates. We tested relative support for these mechanisms using spinifex grass ( Triodia spp.), which is a foundation species of arid Australia that provides habitat for erse lizard communities. We first compared the attributes of live and dead spinifex, bare ground and a structurally similar plant ( Lomandra effusa ), and then tested the relative strength of association of two spinifex specialist lizard species ( Ctenophorus spinodomus and Ctenotus atlas ) with spinifex using a mesocosm experiment. Temperatures were coolest within spinifex compared to bare ground and Lomandra. Invertebrate abundance and the threat of predation were indistinguishable between treatments, suggesting temperature attenuation may be a more important driver. Overall, the dragon C. spinodomus preferred live over dead spinifex, while the skink C. atlas preferred dead spinifex, particularly at warmer air temperatures. However, both species displayed in idual variability in their use of available microhabitats, with some in iduals rarely using spinifex. Our results provide an ex le of temperature attenuation by a foundation species driving niche use by ectothermic animals.

A continental-scale analysis of feral cat diet in Australia

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 02-02-2015

DOI: 10.1111/JBI.12469

Feral horse impacts on threatened plants and animals in sub‐alpine and montane environments in Victoria, Australia

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12352

A critique of 'countryside biogeography' as a guide to research in human‐dominated landscapes

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 27-09-2019

DOI: 10.1111/JBI.13712

Conservation or politics? Australia's target to kill 2 million cats

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 19-02-2019

DOI: 10.1111/CONL.12633

Response of feral cats to a track‐based baiting programme using Eradicat^® baits

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 05-2015

DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12158

Competition in the Historical Niche: A Response to Scheele et al.

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 03-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.TREE.2017.12.004

Variation in red fox Vulpes vulpes diet in five continents

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 27-05-2022

DOI: 10.1111/MAM.12292

Abstract: Understanding variation in the diet of widely distributed species can help us to predict how they respond to future environmental and anthropogenic changes. We studied the diet of the red fox Vulpes vulpes , one of the world's most widely distributed carnivores. We compiled dietary data from 217 studies at 276 locations in five continents to assess how fox diet composition varied according to geographic location, climate, anthropogenic impact, and s ling method. The diet of foxes showed substantial variation throughout the species' range, but with a general trend for small mammals and invertebrates to be the most frequently occurring dietary items. The incidence of small and large mammals and birds in fox diets was greater away from the equator. The incidence of invertebrates and fruits increased with mean elevation, while the occurrence of medium‐sized mammals and birds decreased. Fox diet differed according to climatic and anthropogenic variables. Diet richness decreased with increasing temperature and precipitation. The incidence of small and large mammals decreased with increasing temperature. The incidence of birds and invertebrates decreased with increasing mean annual precipitation. Higher Human Footprint Index was associated with a lower incidence of large mammals and a higher incidence of birds and fruit in fox diet. S ling method influenced fox diet estimation: estimated percentage of small and medium‐sized mammals and fruit was lower in studies based on stomach contents, while large mammals were more likely to be recorded in studies of stomach contents than in studies of scats. Our study confirms the flexible and opportunistic dietary behaviour of foxes at the global scale. This behavioural trait allows them to thrive in a range of climatic conditions, and in areas with different degrees of human‐induced habitat change. This knowledge can help us to place the results of local‐scale fox diet studies into a broader context and to predict how foxes will respond to future environmental changes.

Human impact overrides bioclimatic drivers of red fox home range size globally

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 23-06-2020

DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13115

Multiple threats, or multiplying the threats? Interactions between invasive predators and other ecological disturbances

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2015

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2015.05.013

Taxonomic status of the Australian dingo: The case for Canis dingo Meyer, 1793

Publisher: Magnolia Press

Date: 04-03-2019

DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4564.1.6

Abstract: The taxonomic status and systematic nomenclature of the Australian dingo remain contentious, resulting in decades of inconsistent applications in the scientific literature and in policy. Prompted by a recent publication calling for dingoes to be considered taxonomically as domestic dogs (Jackson et al. 2017, Zootaxa 4317, 201-224), we review the issues of the taxonomy applied to canids, and summarise the main differences between dingoes and other canids. We conclude that (1) the Australian dingo is a geographically isolated (allopatric) species from all other Canis, and is genetically, phenotypically, ecologically, and behaviourally distinct and (2) the dingo appears largely devoid of many of the signs of domestication, including surviving largely as a wild animal in Australia for millennia. The case of defining dingo taxonomy provides a quintessential ex le of the disagreements between species concepts (e.g., biological, phylogenetic, ecological, morphological). Applying the biological species concept sensu stricto to the dingo as suggested by Jackson et al. (2017) and consistently across the Canidae would lead to an aggregation of all Canis populations, implying for ex le that dogs and wolves are the same species. Such an aggregation would have substantial implications for taxonomic clarity, biological research, and wildlife conservation. Any changes to the current nomen of the dingo (currently Canis dingo Meyer, 1793), must therefore offer a strong, evidence-based argument in favour of it being recognised as a subspecies of Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758, or as Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758, and a successful application to the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature - neither of which can be adequately supported. Although there are many species concepts, the sum of the evidence presented in this paper affirms the classification of the dingo as a distinct taxon, namely Canis dingo.

Rapid recovery of an urban remnant reptile community following summer wildfire

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 20-05-2015

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0127925

A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 14-09-2020

DOI: 10.1038/S41559-020-01298-8

Effects of long-term fire exclusion and frequent fire on plant community composition: A case study from semi-arid shrublands

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 16-08-2016

DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12388

Enumerating a continental-scale threat: How many feral cats are in Australia?

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2016.11.032

Impacts of feral horses in the Australian Alps and evidence-based solutions

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12357

Successional changes in feeding activity by threatened cockatoos in revegetated mine sites

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2016

DOI: 10.1071/WR15053

Abstract: Context Provision of key habitat resources is essential for effectively managing species that have specific ecological requirements and occur in production landscapes. Threatened black cockatoos in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of Western Australia have a wide range, so their conservation requires support from all land tenures, not just reserves. Mining in the jarrah forest temporarily removes cockatoo feeding habitat, so it is important to understand how cockatoos exploit revegetated areas for food resources. Aims We aimed to determine whether there were successional patterns in cockatoo feeding activity in revegetation aged from 4 to 23 years at three mine sites in the jarrah forest in south-western Australia. Methods We surveyed 232 plots in revegetation to document (1) structural and floristic variation in vegetation across mine sites and revegetation ages, (2) differences in cockatoo feeding activity across mine sites and revegetation ages on the basis of feeding residues and (3) any edge effect reflecting preferential use of vegetation at the interior or exterior of mine pits. We also documented the frequency of occurrence of cockatoo food plants and feeding residues in 480 plots in unmined forest to compare with revegetated areas. Key results Marri (Corymbia calophylla) and jarrah were commonly consumed in unmined forest and Banksia and Hakea species were also fed on to a lesser extent. Revegetated mine pits provided food within 4 years and continued to do so up until the oldest plots studied (23 years). The relative importance of food plants shifted from proteaceous species in young revegetation to myrtaceous species in intermediate to older revegetation. However, extent of feeding on myrtaceous species in older revegetation did not equate to feeding rates in unmined forest, with lower frequencies recorded in revegetation. Conclusions Black cockatoos fed in revegetation at all three mine sites, despite variations in vegetation age, structure and floristics. Feeding on proteaceous and myrtaceous food plants occurred within 4 and 7 years of revegetation being established, respectively, indicating that some food resources are restored quickly after mining disturbance of the jarrah forest. Implications Our results emphasise the importance of monitoring fauna recolonisation over appropriate time scales, to understand how successional processes in revegetation influence fauna population persistence in production landscapes.

How many birds are killed by cats in Australia?

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2017.08.006

Introduced cats (Felis catus) eating a continental fauna: The number of mammals killed in Australia

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 09-2019

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2019.06.013

Department Of Biodiversity, Conservation And Attractions

Location: Australia

View Organisation

University Of Sydney

Location: Australia

View Organisation

Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100157

Start Date: 06-2020

End Date: 06-2023

Amount: $426,343.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP210100323

Start Date: 2021

End Date: 12-2024

Amount: $545,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council