Linking fuel, habitat and ground-dwelling mammals in flammable landscapes

Rochelmeyer, Ellen; Stefano, Julian Di; Dorph, Annalie; Swan, Matthew

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2019.03.021

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 36 publications

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“…These trends reflect the increased ability of mice to avoid predators in more complex habitats—trends that are well known for the species (Arthur et al, 2004; Quillfeldt et al, 2008; Rendall et al, 2014). Widespread weed control may therefore limit the abundance of house mouse within the ecosystem; however, should native small mammals be reintroduced or recolonize, these species also often select for more structurally complex, vegetated areas of ecosystems (Rochelmeyer et al, 2019). The re‐establishment of a diverse small mammal community could be pursued through a patchwork approach to weed management, where native vegetation is re‐established in a mosaic interspersed throughout an infestation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive African boneseed and a native shrub support similar faunal assemblages in a heavily infested landscape

et al. 2023

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Invasive weeds may provide habitat for wildlife in altered landscapes. We compare fauna within three types of sites in You Yangs Regional Park in central Victoria, Australia, that is, sites with an invasive shrub understory (African boneseed, Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera (DC.) T. Norl.), native shrub understory (snowy mintbush Prostanthera nivea), and sites without an understory (open sites).Sites with an understory dominated by boneseed provided habitat for avian species and an introduced small mammal, comparable with sites with mintbush as the understory. Species-specific models of common species suggest vegetation structure, rather than composition, drove this effect. Open sites differed in terms of avifaunal assemblage, and the abundance of three common native birds and one common invasive small mammal. Boneseed additionally showed phenological differences in fruiting and flowering and differences in flowering abundance when compared with mintbush, comparably offering resources to wildlife. Transitioning vegetation communities to more natural states should consider wildlife already depending on weeds, a dependency likely driven by a paucity of alternative native vegetation.

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