ORCID Profile
0000-0003-2969-1530
Current Organisation
Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-11-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S13364-022-00660-4
Abstract: The spotted-tailed quoll ( Dasyurus maculatus ) is an endangered mesopredator endemic to Australia. It is generally considered a forest-dependent species associated with large, intact forested habitats. In Australia’s mainland, quoll research has typically been conducted in contiguous forest, and consequently, the species’ presumed forest-dependency might reflect s ling bias rather than preferred habitat niche. Recent studies have revealed that quolls also persist in fragmented agricultural landscapes, raising questions about their true habitat requirements and preferences. In this study, we investigated quoll habitat use within a fragmented agricultural landscape in mainland Australia. We deployed 42 lured camera traps to determine quoll habitat preferences across four broad vegetation types (open grassland, grassy woodland, dry sclerophyll forest, and wet sclerophyll forest) based on quoll activity and occupancy. Quolls were detected in all vegetation types, and quoll activity indicated a preference for dry sclerophyll forest and grassy woodlands, although this preference varied depending on the time of year. Our results suggest that quoll habitat use in mainland Australia is more flexible than previously assumed, and we recommend further research on factors that may influence habitat preference such as prey availability and seasonal behavior. Understanding the factors that drive habitat use by quolls outside of contiguous forested landscapes will inform and improve conservation and management strategies to ensure critical habitat for the species is protected and retained in an increasingly fragmented landscape.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1071/AM14004
Abstract: An abrupt decline in the number of Tasmanian bettongs (Bettongia gaimardi) was observed as part of a study investigating population declines in the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus). Seven remote camera surveys were undertaken at a monitoring site between February 2012 and October 2013. An 11% reduction in bettong detections was observed immediately following the first appearance of feral cats (Felis catus) (at least three in iduals) at the site. Within four months, bettong detections had fallen by 58% and by 100% within six months. No bettongs were detected in subsequent surveys undertaken 10, 12 and 16 months after cats were first observed. Cat predation and toxoplasmosis are discussed as mechanisms possibly responsible for the local disappearance of bettongs from this site, together with implications for the future management and conservation of the species.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 12-2015
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/AM14044
Abstract: Feral cats (Felis catus) have contributed to the extinction of numerous Australian mammals and are a major threat to many species of conservation significance. Small mammals are considered to be those at greatest risk of cat predation, with risk typically inferred from dietary studies. However, dietary studies may provide only weak inference as to the risk of cat predation for some species. The most compelling evidence of predation risk comes from direct observation of killing events however, such observations are rare and photographic evidence is even rarer. I present photographic evidence of a feral cat killing and consuming an adult female Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii). This observation provides direct evidence that feral cats can kill prey up to 4 kg in body mass, with potential implications for the conservation of medium-sized mammals.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 17-05-2022
DOI: 10.1071/AM21039
Abstract: The spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) is an endangered marsupial carnivore that is often surveyed using camera traps. Camera trap surveys targeting quolls typically use meat-based lures and specific camera setups tailored to increase the probability of quoll detection. However, where quolls occur, they can also be incidentally detected as non-target species in camera surveys targeting small to medium-sized herbivorous or omnivorous mammals (‘prey’ surveys). We investigated whether quoll detectability using traditional ‘prey’ camera surveys could sufficiently approximate quoll detectability using targeted ‘quoll’ surveys, potentially enabling quoll data from prey surveys to be used in lieu of undertaking additional quoll-specific surveys. We used 50 Reconyx HC600 cameras to quantify and compare quoll detectability between prey and quoll surveys at each of two different sites. The number of quoll detections, number of in idual quolls detected and the probability of quoll detection at both sites were significantly higher in quoll surveys than in prey surveys. Our findings suggest that prey surveys substantially underestimate quoll detectability, resulting in incomplete datasets. We therefore caution against using quoll detection data from prey camera trap surveys for anything other than incidental presence observations, to avoid misleading survey and management outcomes.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-07-2021
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12919
Abstract: Habitat fragmentation can have detrimental impacts on native predators globally through the loss of habitat and associated impacts from introduced predators. The endangered spotted‐tailed quoll ( Dasyurus maculatus ) is the largest marsupial carnivore on mainland Australia and is sympatric with an introduced predator, the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ). Spotted‐tailed quolls are considered a forest‐dependent species and are often associated with large, intact forested habitats where abundance of prey is high and competition with foxes is low. Spotted‐tailed quolls are known to persist in some fragmented habitats in sympatry with foxes however, the mechanisms facilitating this coexistence are unclear. For 15 months in 2018–19, we used camera traps to investigate whether coexistence between quolls and foxes in a fragmented landscape was facilitated by spatial and/or temporal separation of activity. We found no evidence of spatial separation, with quolls detected on the majority of cameras where foxes were detected. There was considerable temporal overlap between quolls and foxes (Δ 1 = 0.71–0.81) and no evidence that fox presence influenced the temporal activity of quolls (Δ 1 = 0.76–0.80). Furthermore, there was no evidence of within‐night spatiotemporal avoidance between quolls and foxes ( R 2 0.01). Our findings suggest that quolls do not offset their spatial and temporal activity to avoid foxes in this fragmented landscape. The spatial and temporal sympatry between quolls and foxes is possibly facilitated by low fox density at this site, suggested by low fox detections. The lack of separation between quoll and fox activity could also explain why quolls become locally extinct in other fragmented landscapes because quolls may not modify their activity to avoid foxes. Future research should focus on investigating quoll and fox interactions along a gradient of fox densities and assess if higher fox densities influence spatial and temporal coexistence with quolls in fragmented landscapes.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 11-03-2015
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date: 31-01-2019
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-12-2022
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/WR19041
Abstract: Context Feral cats threaten wildlife conservation through a range of direct and indirect effects. However, most studies that have evaluated the impacts of feral cats on species of conservation significance have focussed on direct impacts such as predation few studies have considered the indirect impacts of cat-borne disease. Toxoplasma gondii, a cat-borne parasite, causes both acute and latent disease in a range of wildlife species, and macropods are particularly susceptible. Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island and supports a high density of feral cats and high seroprevalence of T. gondii in multiple species, relative to the mainland. This suggests that Kangaroo Island has a high environmental contamination with the parasite and a high risk of infection for other species. Aims We aimed to describe T. gondii seroprevalence in culled and road-killed macropods, so as to assess the effects of island versus mainland location, sex, species and behaviour. Methods Macropod sera were tested for T. gondii IgG antibodies using a commercially available modified agglutination test. Key results The seroprevalence of T. gondii in culled western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) was significantly higher on the island (20%, 11/54 positive) than on the mainland (0%, 0/61 positive). There was no difference in T. gondii seroprevalence between culled and road-killed (21%, 21/102 positive) kangaroos from the island. The seroprevalence of T. gondii was significantly higher in female (32%, 12/38 positive) than in male (13%, 8/60 positive) kangaroos, but we observed no sex effect in tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii), and no effect of species. Conclusions The higher T. gondii seroprevalence in insular macropods supports previous reports of higher T. gondii exposure in other Kangaroo Island fauna. The lack of difference in T. gondii seroprevalence between culled and road-killed kangaroos suggests that T. gondii-positive animals are not more vulnerable to road mortality, in contrast to that suggested previously. Implications Our findings suggest greater potential adverse conservation impacts owing to toxoplasmosis on the island than on the mainland. In light of a recent study demonstrating higher cat abundance on the island than on the mainland, the higher observed T. gondii seroprevalence in insular macropods is likely to be a consequence of higher cat density.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1071/ZO14015
Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite of felids that also has significant implications for the health of wildlife, livestock and humans worldwide. In Australia, feral, stray and domestic cats (Felis catus) are the most important definitive host of T. gondii as they are the only species that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts that provide a major source of infection for mammals and birds. In Tasmania, the rapid decline of the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) may allow an increase in feral cat abundance, thereby increasing the risk of T. gondii infection to a range of susceptible wildlife species. At present, there is scant information on the prevalence of T. gondii infection in feral cat populations across Tasmania. We tested feral cats from 13 regions across Tasmania for the presence of T. gondii–specific IgG antibodies using a modified agglutination test. Results were combined with serosurveys from three previous studies to enable a comparison of seroprevalence among 14 regions across Tasmania. We found that 84.2% (224 of 266) of cats tested positive for T. gondii IgG antibodies. This is among the highest rates of prevalence recorded from Australia, and significantly higher than for most other countries. Adult cats had higher seroprevalence than kittens but there was no difference between sexes. In Tasmania, seroprevalence was high in 12 of 14 regions (range: 79.3–100.0%), with only two regions (Tasman Island and Southern Tasmania) recording significantly lower seroprevalence (≤50%). This suggests a high risk of infection across Tasmania, and has significant implications for wildlife conservation should feral cat abundance increase with the ongoing declines in Tasmanian devils.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-02-2019
DOI: 10.1111/VCP.12703
Abstract: The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) is an endangered carnivorous marsupial that has recently suffered significant population declines. Several small captive breeding populations have been established, with plans to translocate wild and captive in iduals to areas of their former distribution. Accordingly, hematologic and serum biochemical reference intervals (RIs) established from wild eastern quoll populations are essential for monitoring the health and disease status of both captive and wild populations, and to evaluate the health of in iduals before, during, and after translocation. We aimed to establish hematologic and serum biochemical RIs for wild eastern quolls, and examine the effects of age, sex, and season. We collected a total of 202 hematologic s les, 309 packed cell volume s les, and 335 serum biochemical s les from 168 in idual quolls between May 2011 and November 2013. Species-level RIs were established, as well as RIs of groups separated by age (juvenile, adult) and sex (adult male, adult female) using nonparametric, robust, and parametric methods. Seasonal variation in age- and sex-specific reference values was also assessed. Strong age and seasonal variation were evident in many hematologic and serum biochemical analytes, with significant variation observed in serum biochemical analytes between the sexes. The observed age, sex, and seasonal variation reflect differences in the timing of growth and reproductive stressors, which interact with seasonal energetic demands. Our findings highlight the importance of using age-, sex-, and season-specific RIs for clinical evaluation of eastern quolls, as species-level RIs will inadvertently smooth and mask important seasonal fluctuations that reflect reproductive status at different times.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/AM18056
Abstract: Camera traps are now the most commonly used technique for indexing feral cat (Felis catus) and predator populations. Camera flash-type has been suggested to influence an animal's behaviour and their redetection by similar cameras, with white-flash cameras being shown to reduce the probability of redetecting some species. We investigated the influence of camera flash-type on the behaviour of feral cats by categorising their behavioural response to white-flash and infrared-flash cameras and assessing the frequency with which in idual cats were redetected by the same white-flash camera or a different white-flash camera at the same site following their initial detection. We found no evidence that flash type had any influence on the cats’ observed behavioural responses towards cameras, or that cats captured by white-flash cameras avoided redetection. Our findings suggest that white-flash cameras are suitable for the detection and redetection of cats, and provide better-quality images from which to identify in idual cats.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/WR15188
Abstract: Diagnosing the cause of a species’ decline is one of the most challenging tasks faced by conservation practitioners. For a species approaching extinction, it is not possible to go back in time to measure the agents that operated at various stages of the decline. Accordingly, managers are often restricted to measuring factors currently affecting residual populations, which may not be related to factors that operated earlier in the decline, and inferring other mechanisms from different lines of evidence. In this review, I adopt a methodical diagnostic framework to comprehensively evaluate the potential causal factors for the decline of the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) in Tasmania, and propose a hypothesis as to the cause of decline. Potential causal agents were gleaned from two key sources: factors implicated in the eastern quoll’s historical demise on the Australian mainland, and factors that changed during the recent period of quoll decline in Tasmania. The three most likely candidate causal agents were investigated over 4 years to evaluate their likely contribution to the decline. Here, I synthesise the findings from this recent research to advance a hypothesis as to the cause of the eastern quoll decline in Tasmania. I suggest that a period of unsuitable weather reduced quoll populations to an unprecedented low abundance, and that populations are now too small to overcome established threat intensities to which they were robust when at higher densities. Residual small populations are inherently more susceptible to demographic, environmental and genetic stochasticity and are unlikely to recover without management intervention. I propose a study design to experimentally test this hypothesis, and outline priority areas for future research and actions to guide in the future management and conservation of the species. This case study illustrates an approach by which practical species conservation problems might be solved and recovery strategies may be better informed, thereby ensuring positive conservation outcomes for threatened species.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-07-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-022-16982-X
Abstract: Native predators are increasingly exposed to habitat loss and fragmentation globally. When developing conservation and management strategies, it is important to determine whether fragmented landscapes can still support similar predator densities to intact areas, and thereby constitute important habitat for these species. The spotted-tailed quoll ( Dasyurus maculatus ) is an endangered Australian mesopredator that is often considered to be forest-dependent. While quolls are known to occur in some fragmented forest landscapes, it is unclear whether these areas represent sub-optimal habitat where quolls merely persist, or whether quolls can still occur at densities similar to those observed in intact forest landscapes. We used camera traps to detect quolls in both a fragmented and intact forested site, over three years. We used each quoll’s unique pelage pattern to identify in idual quolls and estimate population density at each site. We were able to assign more than 94% of quoll image sequences across both sites to identify 173 in iduals during the study. Density estimates of 0.13–0.66 quolls per km 2 at the fragmented site were comparable to estimates of 0.28–0.48 quolls per km 2 at the intact site. Our results highlight the importance of retaining and protecting forest fragments for the conservation of endangered quoll populations.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/AM17004
Abstract: Camera traps are being used increasingly for wildlife management and research. When choosing camera models, practitioners often consider camera trigger speed to be one of the most important factors to maximise species detections. However, factors such as detection zone will also influence detection probability. As part of a rabbit eradication program, we performed a pilot study to compare rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) detections using the Reconyx PC900 (faster trigger speed, narrower detection zone) and the Ltl Acorn Ltl-5310A (slower trigger speed, wider detection zone). Contrary to our predictions, the slower-trigger-speed cameras detected rabbits more than twice as often as the faster-trigger-speed cameras, suggesting that the wider detection zone more than compensated for the relatively slower trigger time. We recommend context-specific field trials to ensure cameras are appropriate for the required purpose. Missed detections could lead to incorrect inferences and potentially misdirected management actions.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-06-2022
DOI: 10.1002/IEAM.4445
Abstract: Feral cats ( Felis catus ) pose a significant threat to wildlife, agriculture, and human health through predation, disease transmission, and competition with native animals. Controlling feral cats and their impacts, however, is challenging. New and emerging 1080‐based feral cat baits have shown promising results in western and central Australia however, the safety of these new baits for nontarget species in eastern Australia, where many native animals are more sensitive to compound 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) than their western conspecifics, has not been assessed. We investigated the uptake of 499 toxic Eradicat ® baits by nontarget animals across five different eastern Australian environs and the uptake of nontoxic Eradicat and Hisstory ® baits at an additional two sites. Using field‐based observations of species eating or removing baits, we determined that 13 nontarget species (eight mammals, four birds, and one reptile) were at high risk of in idual mortality, with in iduals of 11 of those 13 species (seven mammals, four birds) observed consuming enough toxic Eradicat in a single visit to ingest a lethal dose of 1080. Feral cats (the target species) consumed only 3.1% of monitored baits, which was only 52% of the 31 baits they encountered. We recommend undertaking targeted population monitoring of species identified at high risk of in idual mortality, to determine whether Eradicat baits present a population‐level risk to these species. Our findings suggest that the small‐sized Eradicat baits present a greater risk to nontarget species in eastern Australia than the larger traditional 1080‐based meat baits used for the control of wild dogs and foxes. Our study highlights the importance of performing risk assessments for different bait types, even when the same toxin is used, and of performing site‐specific nontarget risk assessments of new baits such as Eradicat to assist developing guidelines for their safe and effective use in different environs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022 :224–244. © 2021 State of Queensland. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management © 2021 SETAC.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1071/WR18118
Abstract: Context Feral cats (Felis catus) impact the health and welfare of wildlife, livestock and humans worldwide. They are particularly damaging where they have been introduced into island countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where native prey species evolved without feline predators. Kangaroo Island, in South Australia, is Australia’s third largest island and supports several threatened and endemic species. Cat densities on Kangaroo Island are thought to be greater than those on the adjacent South Australian mainland, based on one cat density estimate on the island that is higher than most estimates from the mainland. The prevalence of cat-borne disease in cats and sheep is also higher on Kangaroo Island than the mainland, suggesting higher cat densities. A recent continental-scale spatial model of cat density predicted that cat density on Kangaroo Island should be about double that of the adjacent mainland. However, although cats are believed to have severe impacts on some native species on the island, other species that are generally considered vulnerable to cat predation have relatively secure populations on the island compared with the mainland. Aims The present study aimed to compare feral cat abundance between Kangaroo Island and the adjacent South Australian mainland using simultaneous standardised methods. Based on previous findings, we predicted that the relative abundance of feral cats on Kangaroo Island would be approximately double that on the South Australian mainland. Methods Standardised camera trap surveys were used to simultaneously estimate the relative abundance of feral cats on Kangaroo Island and the adjacent South Australian mainland. Survey data were analysed using the Royle–Nichols abundance-induced heterogeneity model to estimate feral cat relative abundance at each site. Key results Cat abundance on the island was estimated to be over 10 times greater than that on the adjacent mainland. Conclusions Consistent with predictions, cat abundance on the island was greater than on the adjacent mainland. However, the magnitude of this difference was much greater than expected. Implications The findings show that the actual densities of cats at local sites can vary substantially from predictions generated by continental-scale models. The study also demonstrates the value of estimating abundance or density simultaneously across sites using standardised methods.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1071/AM09021
Abstract: An observation trial was conducted on a group of three captive sw wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) to determine the daily defaecation rate. Total number of pellets produced by wallabies was measured every 24 h, and the trial ran for four consecutive 24-h periods. Wallabies produced a mean of 73.2 ± 13.5 pellets per wallaby per day, with each wallaby producing a mean dry weight of pellets of 66.0 ± 13.9 g per wallaby per day. This is the first accurate estimate of the rate of pellet production by captive sw wallabies, and will assist future attempts at monitoring this cryptic macropod.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1071/AM13004
Abstract: Australia’s mammalian fauna has suffered unparalleled extinctions and declines in recent history. Tasmania has remained largely unaffected by these losses however, marsupial dynamics are changing rapidly and new threats are emerging. Once abundant throughout south-eastern Australia, the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) survives only in Tasmania. Until recently, it was considered widespread and common, but it may be undergoing a rapid and severe decline. The aim of this study was to quantify changes in eastern quoll populations over recent years. Data were compiled from statewide spotlight surveys, repeated historic trapping surveys and bycatch records from non-target trapping surveys. Spotlight surveys from 150 sites across Tasmania revealed a 52% reduction in the number of eastern quoll sightings over the 10 years to 2009. Declines of 61–100% were observed in trapping surveys at three study sites compared with trapping conducted 18–31 years earlier. A reduction in trap success was recorded in five of six non-target surveys, with declines of 51–100% over 1–12 years. These results suggest that the eastern quoll can no longer be presumed secure in Tasmania. Urgent management action may be needed to ensure the future conservation of the species in its last remaining stronghold.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 24-06-2015
Publisher: American Society of Parasitologists
Date: 19-08-2019
DOI: 10.1645/19-40
Abstract: Infection with the cat-borne parasite
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-10-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
Publisher: American Society of Parasitologists
Date: 16-07-2021
DOI: 10.1645/21-28
Abstract: Parasite infection pressure is suggested to be a strong driver of transmission within ecosystems. We tested if infection pressure drives seroprevalence in intermediate host species for Toxoplasma gondii. We defined Toxoplasma infection pressure to intermediate host species as the combined influence of cat abundance, environmental conditions, and its prevalence in the cat population. We s led and tested 2 species of rodent and collated information on Toxoplasma seroprevalence in koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, and sheep. All species were s led using equivalent methods, within a 2-yr period, and from adjacent regions of low and high Toxoplasma infection pressure. The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma in kangaroos scaled with infection pressure, but we observed no statistical difference in seroprevalence for any other species between these 2 regions. Within the region of low infection pressure, Toxoplasma seroprevalence did not differ between species. However, within the region of high Toxoplasma infection pressure, we observed large variation in seroprevalence between species. Our results demonstrate that infection pressure is not sufficient by itself, but merely necessary, to drive Toxoplasma seroprevalence in intermediate host species. Where Toxoplasma seroprevalence in an intermediate host species is already low, further reducing infection pressure will not necessarily further decrease seroprevalence in those species. This has important ramifications for the mitigation of parasite infections and suggests that reductions in Toxoplasma infection pressure, intended to reduce infections, may be most effective and applicable to species that are known to experience high rates of infection.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/WR18063
Abstract: Context Climate change is having significant impacts on species worldwide. The endangered eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) has recently undergone rapid and severe population decline, with no sign of recovery. Spatially and temporally-explicit weather modelling suggests a prolonged period of unfavourable weather conditions during 2001–03 as the proximate cause of decline. However, the mechanisms of this weather-induced decline are not currently understood. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that changing weather conditions have altered the availability of key prey species, potentially contributing to the species’ decline. Methods We analysed 229 scats collected from 125 in idual wild quolls across four sites between July 2011 and May 2012. Variation in dietary composition and niche breadth was compared across sites and seasons. We also compared contemporary dietary composition and niche breadth to historic dietary studies performed before the species’ decline, to identify any key changes in dietary composition over time. Key results Dietary composition and niche breadth were similar across sites but differed between seasons. Dietary niche contracted during winter (July) and early spring (September) when insect larvae formed the bulk of quoll diet, rendering the species vulnerable to weather-related fluctuations in food availability at that time. Large differences were also evident between current and historic dietary composition, with a marked shift from insect larvae to mammals, predominantly due to a reduction in corbie (Oncopera intricata) and southern armyworm (Persectania ewingii) moth larvae. Quoll abundance appears positively related to corbie larva abundance during winter, and both quoll and corbie larva abundance appear negatively related to winter rainfall. Conclusions The lower contribution of insects at sites with low quoll densities suggests that insects represent an important food item for eastern quolls during winter, when dietary niche is narrowest and energy demands are highest. Our findings suggest that weather-induced fluctuations in quoll abundance, including the significant statewide decline during 2001–03, are potentially driven by weather-induced fluctuations in corbie larva abundance. Implications Continued deterioration in climatic suitability with recent and predicted climate change could further threaten eastern quolls through reductions in the availability and stability of reliable food sources at critical life-history stages when dietary options are already limited.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-02-2023
DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.12900
Abstract: Expert elicitation can be valuable for informing decision‐makers on conservation and wildlife management issues. To date, studies eliciting expert opinions have primarily focused on identifying and building consensus on key issues. Nonetheless, there are drawbacks of a strict focus on consensus, and it is important to understand and emphasize dissent, too. This study adopts a dissensus‐based Delphi to understand conflict among dingo experts. Twenty‐eight experts participated in three rounds of investigation. We highlight disagreement on most of the issues explored. In particular, we find that disagreement is underpinned by what we call “conflict over values” and “conflict over evidence.” We also note the broader role played by distrust in influencing such conflicts. Understanding and recognizing the different elements shaping disagreement is critical for informing and improving decision‐making and can also enable critique of dominant paradigms in current practices. We encourage greater reflexivity and open deliberation on these aspects and hope our study will inform similar investigations in other contexts.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-06-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2014
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-04-2018
Location: Australia
Location: No location found
No related grants have been discovered for Bronwyn Fancourt.