Ecological roles of rabbit, bettong and bilby warrens in arid Australia

Read, John; Carter, J.; Moseby, Katherine E.; Greenville, Aaron C.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2008.06.018

Cited by 56 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similarly, large communal mound structures built by hairy-nosed wombats, bilbies and the European rabbit ) provide habitat for a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrates (e.g. Read et al, 2008). Changes in soil chemistry in these structures, particularly increases in the C:N ratio, a consequence of the translocation of N-poor subsoil to the surface, may be a mechanism to allow the reestablishment of indigenous plant species at the expense of nitrophilous exotic species ).…”

Section: Effects Of Animal Disturbances and Digging On Soil Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal foraging as a mechanism for sediment movement and soil nutrient development: Evidence from the semi-arid Australian woodlands and the Chihuahuan Desert

Eldridge¹,

Koen²,

Killgore

et al. 2012

Geomorphology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An emerging area of interest in geomorphology over the past two decades has been the effects of biota on ecosystem processes. We examined the roles of a range of vertebrates on soil disturbance in two markedly different environments, the semi-arid woodland of eastern Australia and a Chihuahuan Desert grassland-shrubland in the south-western United States. Foraging pits of soil-disturbing vertebrates varied markedly from small scratchings of heteromyid (mainly Dipodomys spp.) rodents (1.8× 10 − 4 m 3 ) to deep (1.0 ×10 − 2 m 3 ) excavations of the burrowing bettong (Bettongia leuseur) and greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis). Vertebrates moved substantial volumes of soil in both environments, and activity was highly temporally and spatially variable. At large spatial scales, soil disturbance by echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and Gould's sand goannas (Varanus gouldii) was substantially greater in communities dominated by shrubs, and where domestic livestock had been excluded. Heteromyid rodents tended to excavate more foraging pits in coarse-textured vegetation communities (both grasslands and shrublands). In both environments, foraging was concentrated close to perennial plants such as grass tussocks and tree canopies rather than in the interspaces. Foraging pits of Chihuahuan desert animals tended to be higher in labile carbon and support greater levels of infiltration, though this was plant community-dependent. Overall our results indicate that animal foraging is an important geomorphic mechanism capable of mobilizing substantial volumes of soil in arid and semi-arid environments and with potential effects on soil function.

show abstract

Section: Effects Of Animal Disturbances and Digging On Soil Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal foraging as a mechanism for sediment movement and soil nutrient development: Evidence from the semi-arid Australian woodlands and the Chihuahuan Desert

Eldridge¹,

Koen²,

Killgore

et al. 2012

Geomorphology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…from rabbit, sheep, goat, although not yet tested) can be envisaged to help population maintenance and reintroduction programs. Such techniques should not divert managers and scientists from the main target: stopping the decline of the common rabbit and of the assortment of species that depend on these ecosystem engineers (Delibes-Mateos et al 2008;Read et al 2008;Gálvez Bravo et al 2009). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is little doubt that in the absence of appropriate cavities, dens, or burrows, the survival of a vast array of small animals would be compromised (Anderson 1986;Sih 1997;Berryman and Hawkins 2006). A broad dichotomy can be proposed between the species that dig their own burrows (Kotler et al 2004) versus those that exploit pre-existing refuges (Williams et al 1999;Goldsbrough et al 2004;Read et al 2008). Within such a context, the first category of animal species is relatively less dependent on characteristics of the environment (but see Bonnet et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The parallel decline in rabbit and ocellated lizard abundance suggests that the maintenance of lizard populations may be dependant on the burrows dug by the rabbits, and possibly on the insects that develop on the open areas grazed by the rabbits (especially coprophagous beetles; Castilla et al 1991;Hódar et al 1996;Cheylan and Grillet 2004;Grillet et al 2008). Although evidence suggests that such an association between a reptile and a mammal could be of prime importance for conservation management, this issue remains insufficiently explored (Souter et al 2004;Read et al 2008;Gálvez Bravo et al 2009). In the current paper, we first analysed long term data of ocellated lizard densities in relation with the availability of rabbit burrows.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Rabbit burrows or artificial refuges are a critical habitat component for the threatened lizard, Timon lepidus (Sauria, Lacertidae)

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Colonial, burrowing mammal herbivores (e.g. rabbits, ground-squirrels) create a fine vegetation mosaic with bare-soil patches (Thomas and Jones 1993;Winter et al 2002;Davies et al 2005;Brereton et al 2008;Read et al 2008); their support is thus a highly efficient management tool. Compared to other measures, prescribed burning is highly effective tool in suppressing woody plants; it is costefficient and suitable if there is no immediate threat of invasion by fire-tolerant plants (Borkowski 2004;Möllenbeck et al 2009).…”

Section: Management Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting needs of grassland dwellers: habitat preferences of endangered steppe beetles (Coleoptera)

2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Temperate grasslands are local biodiversity hotspots. In Europe, their extent was mostly reduced to isolated habitat patches, whose biota is subject to extinction debt. Knowledge on requirements of dry-grassland inhabitants is thus vital to slow down decline of grassland biodiversity. We studied habitat requirements of eight flightless steppe beetles, including some of the most endangered dry-grassland specialists of the continent. The beetles were sampled using 167 pitfall traps at a pannonian dry-grassland fragment, the Pouzdrany steppe, SE Czech Republic, from March to November 2006. The number of each species captures in each trap was related to vegetation and abiotic habitat characteristics; captures of all beetles were related to each other. Two of the studied species required relatively humid microhabitats, including tallgrass steppe with litter (Carabus hungaricus, Carabidae) and grassland of high herb cover (Meloe proscarabaeus, Meloidae). Others were associated with xeric habitats (e.g. Meloe scabriusculus) and their early-successional stages, including short-turf vegetation (Dorcadion fulvum, D. pedestre, Cerambycidae) and/or bare-ground patches (Blaps lethifera, Tenebrionidae; Meloe decorus, M. uralensis). Our findings point to key importance of early-successional vegetation for grassland biodiversity, and to the fact that locally co-occurring and closely related grassland specialists may exhibit contrasting habitat needs. Spatially and temporarily highly diversified patch management creating a fine scale mosaic of various seral stages from bare soil to tall-grass steppe is therefore the most appropriate approach for managing isolated grasslands. Prescribed burning and support of burrowing herbivores are recommended and discussed together with other measures for restoration of habitat diversity in dry-grassland fragments.

show abstract

Ecological roles of rabbit, bettong and bilby warrens in arid Australia

Cited by 56 publications

References 28 publications

Animal foraging as a mechanism for sediment movement and soil nutrient development: Evidence from the semi-arid Australian woodlands and the Chihuahuan Desert

Animal foraging as a mechanism for sediment movement and soil nutrient development: Evidence from the semi-arid Australian woodlands and the Chihuahuan Desert

Rabbit burrows or artificial refuges are a critical habitat component for the threatened lizard, Timon lepidus (Sauria, Lacertidae)

Contrasting needs of grassland dwellers: habitat preferences of endangered steppe beetles (Coleoptera)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About