Habitat islands in a sea of urbanisation

Bryant, G.; Kobryn, H.; Hardy, G.; Fleming, Patricia A.

doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2017.10.016

Cited by 25 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Distance to housing Distance to housing was prominent in the models for the long-nosed potoroo, the southern brown bandicoot and the cat, with all three species more active at stations closer to dense housing. For the southern brown bandicoot, this is consistent with previous studies that have shown that bandicoot diggings and activity are common in urban and exurban areas (Daniels and Kirkpatrick 2012;Bryant et al 2017). The relationships between long-nosed potoroos and urban environments are not well-studied, although Daniels and Kirkpatrick (2012) reported them from some exurban environments.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Daniels and Kirkpatrick (2012) found that exurban areas lacked mammal species found in equivalent wildlands but had higher frequencies of the endangered eastern barred bandicoot. Bryant et al (2017) reported that the presence of quenda (Isoodon fusciventer) diggings in 106 reserves managed by the City of Mandurah, Western Australia was positively correlated with vegetation extent and negatively correlated with access to reserves by domestic dogs. A questionnaire survey of urban residents of southwestern Australia by Van Helden et al (2020) reported that residential gardens offer a valuable habitat for mammals, and that garden features such as vegetation cover could be manipulated to promote the use of gardens by species such as brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) and the quenda .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influences of adjacent suburbia, fire regimes, vegetation and environment on the mammals of a peri-urban reserve

Kirkpatrick

Driessen

Jarman

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Urban development is thought to negatively affect most, but not all, native mammals. Here we determine whether adjacent suburbia, fire regime, vegetation and environment affect the abundance of mammal species in a peri-urban reserve in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. We used multiple regression to analyse the effects of distance from houses, variation in fire history, vegetation structure, vegetation floristics and topography on mammal photographic observations and signs. Animal diggings, long-nosed potoroos, southern brown bandicoots and cats were preferentially found close to houses, while macropods, brushtail possums and short-beaked echidnas appeared indifferent to the location of housing but responded to environmental variation. The structure of the vegetation, particularly related to shelter, was a strong influence in many species’ models, suggesting a need to maintain substantial areas free from fire for 15–25 years. Many models included floristic ordination axes that reflected drainage, fire regime and proximity to housing. Positive relationships between the introduced predatory cat and some of its potential native prey animals may reflect the influences of close proximity to suburbia: elevated domestic mesopredator populations; and, elevated resource availability in domestic gardens. Our results suggest that urban areas can have a valuable role in nature conservation, despite, or because of, their effects on remnant native ecosystems. Planning and management can help promote populations of many native mammals.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of adjacent suburbia, fire regimes, vegetation and environment on the mammals of a peri-urban reserve

Kirkpatrick

Driessen

Jarman

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…A total of 106 reserves within the City of Mandurah, Western Australia, were surveyed for quenda activity in 2014 (Bryant et al . ) and reserves with the highest levels of activity were subsequently surveyed for quenda scats over winter (May‐June 2015). Six of these sites were determined to have sustained and reliable quenda activity during the 2015 scat collection and were chosen for this study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The tripartite relationship between a bioturbator, mycorrhizal fungi, and a key Mediterranean forest tree

et al. 2018

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Mycorrhizal fungi serve important functions in Australian ecosystems by forming mutualistic symbioses with plants that facilitate water and nutrient uptake. Scat analyses have shown that southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer; 'Quenda') regularly feed on fungi, including ectomycorrhizal (ECM) species. Many of these ECM species are hypogeous and rely on mycophagous animals such as quenda to disperse their spores. We explored the tripartite relationship between a keystone Mediterranean tree, its associated mycorrhizal fungi, and a mammalian disperser. Wild-collected quenda scats were used as a mycorrhizal inoculum to grow Eucalyptus gomphocephala from seeds under glasshouse conditions. Autoclaved scats were used as a negative-control and sporocarp tissue from Pisolithus and Scleroderma ectomycorrhizal species were mixed together as a positive-control inoculum. Seedlings were harvested at 10 weeks to assess seedling growth and early mycorrhizal colonization of roots by high-throughput DNA sequencing. Quenda scat successfully introduced fungi to seedlings, shown by a 56% overlap of fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected in the scats and roots grown in fresh scat inoculum. Scat-inoculated seedlings had richer root mycorrhiza fungal assemblages and a higher proportion of mycorrhizal taxa compared to negative-and positive-controls. However, no difference in shoot or root mass in these young seedlings could be attributed to root fungi assemblages at this early growth stage, possibly reflecting that the role of mycorrhizae in these early seedlings was parasitic, rather than facilitatory. Our study has shown that spores of mycorrhizal fungi from the quenda scat inoculum can successfully germinate and colonize seedling roots after passage through the quenda gut.

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“…Australian cities contain more threatened animal species per unit area than non-urban areas [220]. For example, Bryant et al [221] documented the persistence of native quenda ( Isoodon fusciventer , an endemic species of bandicoot) living in Mandurah, Western Australia; however, roaming cats stalk and kill quenda ([190,218] Figure 4). Another study showed that a single, well-fed pet cat drove the local extirpation of a Ctenotus sp.…”

Section: Can Tnr Programs Improve Stray Cat Welfare In Australia?mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case of Letting the Cat out of The Bag—Why Trap-Neuter-Return Is Not an Ethical Solution for Stray Cat (Felis catus) Management

Crawford

Calver

Fleming

2019

Animals

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Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, in which stray cats are captured, neutered and returned to the environment are advocated as a humane, ethical alternative to euthanasia. We review the TNR literature in light of current debate over whether or not there should be further TNR trials in Australia. We revisit the problems arising from stray cats living in association with human habitation and estimate how many stray cats would have to be processed through a scientifically-guided TNR program to avoid high euthanasia rates. We also identify 10 ethical and welfare challenges that have to be addressed: we consider the quality of life for stray cats, where they would live, whether the TNR process itself is stressful, whether TNR cats are vulnerable to injury, parasites and disease, can be medically treated, stray cats’ body condition and diet, and their impacts on people, pet cats, and urban wildlife, especially endemic fauna. We conclude that TNR is unsuitable for Australia in almost all situations because it is unlikely to resolve problems caused by stray cats or meet ethical and welfare challenges. Targeted adoption, early-age desexing, community education initiatives and responsible pet ownership have greater promise to minimize euthanasia, reduce numbers rapidly, and address the identified issues.

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Habitat islands in a sea of urbanisation

Cited by 25 publications

References 31 publications

Influences of adjacent suburbia, fire regimes, vegetation and environment on the mammals of a peri-urban reserve

Influences of adjacent suburbia, fire regimes, vegetation and environment on the mammals of a peri-urban reserve

The tripartite relationship between a bioturbator, mycorrhizal fungi, and a key Mediterranean forest tree

A Case of Letting the Cat out of The Bag—Why Trap-Neuter-Return Is Not an Ethical Solution for Stray Cat (Felis catus) Management

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