Local population structure of a naturally occurring metapopulation of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus Macropodidae: Marsupialia)

Hayward, Matt W.; Tores, Paul J. de; Dillon, Michael J.; Fox, Barry J.

doi:10.1016/s0006-3207(02)00240-9

Cited by 55 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The quokka (Setonix brachyurus) is also listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and although it has a stable population on Rottnest Island, Western Australia, the small surviving metapopulations on the mainland are subject to much greater threats (Hayward 2002;Hayward et al 2003Hayward et al , 2005Hayward et al , 2007. In a study of survivorship in the northern jarrah forests, eight of 58 radiocollared individuals died, with two of these deaths being attributed to collisions with vehicles (Hayward et al 2005).…”

Section: The Impact Of Roads On the Viability Of Macropod Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roads and macropods: interactions and implications

Bond

Jones

2014

Aust. Mammalogy

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Abstract. Understanding the impacts of roads on wildlife and the natural environment is of increasing importance. Macropods (mostly kangaroos and wallabies) are a diverse and widespread taxon in Australia that has been significantly affected by the presence of roads in various ways. We reviewed the available literature on macropods and roads, assessing 60 scientific journal articles, reports and theses. Studies on road mortalities were the most prevalent (n = 29, with 12 on macropods only), revealing both spatial and temporal patterns in occurrence. Behavioural studies in relation to the road environment are limited (n = 2) yet could help our understanding of patterns of road-kill and other impacts. Some macropod populations are critically affected by the presence of roads (e.g. brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata) due to either proportionately high road mortalities and/or population fragmentation, and may face continued decline unless effective road-mitigation measures are implemented. Investigations of various types of road mitigation focussed on wildlife-exclusion fencing and road crossing structures as the most effective option, although the high cost of these measures appears to limit their implementation. Further research into several areas was identified, particularly on species where severe road impacts are likely to result in population declines.

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Section: The Impact Of Roads On the Viability Of Macropod Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roads and macropods: interactions and implications

Bond

Jones

2014

Aust. Mammalogy

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“…The intensive monthly ground-baiting regime in the northern jarrah forest has been ongoing for 15-17 years (Hayward et al 2003). This long-term exposure to baiting practices (vehicles passing through the area, the presence of the baits themselves) could result in resident native species becoming habituated to baits, contributing to the high rate of non-target uptake.…”

Section: Non-target Bait Uptakementioning

confidence: 99%

First in, first served: uptake of 1080 poison fox baits in south-west Western Australia

Dundas¹,

Adams²,

Fleming³

2014

Wildl. Res.

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Context: In Western Australia, baits containing 1080 poison are widely used to control the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) for fauna conservation. Despite long-term (15-17 years) baiting programs, bait uptake by target and non-target species is largely unknown, but affects baiting efficacy. Aims:We examined bait uptake of 1080-poisoned fox baits laid according to current practice at seven riparian sites in the northern jarrah forest (of south-west Western Australia). There, intensive baiting regimes have been implemented for the protection of quokka (Setonix brachyurus) populations.Methods: Over 9 months, 299 Probait ® baits were monitored regularly to determine their persistence, and, at 142 of these, Reconyx HC500 remote cameras were used to identify the species taking baits.To compare bait uptake with species presence at these sites, we calculated an activity index for each species from the number of passes of animals in front of the cameras.Key results: The species taking baits was identified for 100 of the baits monitored with cameras, and, because of multiple species taking baits, 130 bait take incidents were recorded in total. The fate of 40 of the baits was not discernible and two baits were not removed. In all, 99% of baits monitored by cameras were taken by non-target species and quokkas took 48% of them. The majority of baits (62% of the total 299 monitored) were taken before or on the first night of deployment, and 95% of baits had been taken within 7 days. With the exception of feral pigs, which took more baits than predicted from their activity index at these sites, baits were taken in proportion to the activity index of species.Foxes were present at four of the seven sites, but only one fox was observed taking a bait. Conclusions:The high level of uptake of baits by non-target animals reflects their diversity and abundance at these sites, but also significantly reduces the availability of baits to control foxes.Implications: Strategies to reduce non-target bait uptake and increase bait availability for foxes are required.

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“…Quokkas in the northern jarrah forest are considered trap shy (Hayward et al 2003) and it was expected that the same would apply in the southern forests. Southern populations are also likely to move between suitable habitat patches and abundance estimates may be confounded by immigration and dispersal, particularly at extremely low densities and with sparse data.…”

Section: Mark-recapturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Transect establishment and counts would be expected to take approximately 8 h per site. Fresh faecal-pellet groups identified by their soft exterior and green colour when broken apart (Hayward et al 2003) were counted and collected daily to avoid repeat counting on subsequent days along each transect. All fresh pellets were also removed on the day before counts commenced, to ensure that only fresh pellets were counted on the first day of survey.…”

Section: Sign and Sighting Surveysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indirect methods of surveying population size are often considered a more cost effective and practical alternative to mark-recapture studies, despite weaknesses documented in the literature relating to known biases, inconsistent detection and an inability to meet model assumptions (Nichols and Pollock 1983;Montgomery 1987;Slade and Blair 2000;McKelvey and Pearson 2001;Hopkins and Kennedy 2004). Indirect monitoring techniques such as the use of photographic captures (Karanth and Nichols 1998), driving transects (Caro 1999;Olson et al 2005), walked line transects (Short and Turner 1991;le Mar et al 2001;Poole et al 2003;Wayne et al 2005) and dung-pellet counts (Johnson and Jarman 1987;Allen et al 1996;Buckland et al 2001;Hayward et al 2003) have been widely used to provide a quantitative estimate of population size for small and mediumsized mammals. More recently, these have been coupled with sophisticated models that can actively account for changing detection probabilities (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Overcoming the challenges of measuring the abundance of a cryptic macropod: is a qualitative approach good enough?

2014

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Context. An understanding of population size and status is necessary for the implementation of appropriate conservation measures to recover threatened taxa. Mark-recapture studies at large spatial scales are impractical and expensive and a rapid survey technique is an attractive option to provide a measure of relative abundance for cryptic species, using indicators of activity.Aims. The aim of our study was to use conventional methods for population estimation to calibrate a rapid survey technique for the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) in the southern forests of Western Australia, with a view to providing quantitative outcomes from this widely adopted monitoring approach.Methods. We evaluated the accuracy of relative abundances obtained from the rapid survey technique by comparing them with abundance estimates obtained through established methods for the estimation of populations, including web-based mark-recapture and transect-based counts of activity indicators and sightings.Key results. The rapid survey technique was effective at determining presence of quokkas but resulted in an overestimation of population size because of inaccurate assumptions about occupancy and relative abundance of animals. An alternative survey method based on counts of fresh faecal-pellet groups was found to provide a more reliable and practical estimation of population abundance (R 2 = 0.97). Conclusions. Activity indices can be used to quantify population abundance, but only for indicators of activity that can be detected readily and for which freshness of activity can be determined.Implications. Our findings suggest that a rapid survey based on activity indices can be used to evaluate quantitatively the population size of a species that is rare and potentially mobile at a landscape scale. The attraction of these techniques is that they provide a rapid and inexpensive survey option that is potentially applicable to any cryptic and/or threatened species and is practical for resource-constrained land managers.

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Local population structure of a naturally occurring metapopulation of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus Macropodidae: Marsupialia)

Cited by 55 publications

References 57 publications

Roads and macropods: interactions and implications

Roads and macropods: interactions and implications

First in, first served: uptake of 1080 poison fox baits in south-west Western Australia

Overcoming the challenges of measuring the abundance of a cryptic macropod: is a qualitative approach good enough?

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