The influence of snow cover on home range and activity of the bush-rat (Rattus fuscipes) and the dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii)

Abstract

Radio-telemetry was used to investigate changes in home-range sizes and activity patterns of Rattus fuscipes and Antechinus swainsonii in a subalpine heathland at Perisher Creek, Kosciuszko National Park, southern New South Wales, in response to the accumulation of snow during the winter. We estimated home-range area for each animal during the autumn and winter using two methods, minimum convex polygon and 95% and 50% utilisation contours using the kernel method. With both methods, the home ranges of R. fuscipes and A. swainsonii were significantly smaller (P < 0.001) during the winter than in the autumn. In winter, both species were restricted to areas of dense wet heath close to the main drainage line. R. fuscipes showed signs of social interaction during both seasons, as indicated by location fixes and gnawing damage to radio-collars, in contrast to A. swainsonii, which appeared to remain solitary. In winter, R. fuscipes apparently nested at a single location, whereas during autumn it appeared to use several nest sites. There was no significant change in daily activity patterns between autumn and winter in either species. R. fuscipes remained primarily nocturnal during both prenival and nival periods whereas A. swainsonii continued to be active throughout the diel cycle, although there was a slight shift in its peak activity time from around sunset in autumn to early morning in winter.

Comparative genetic structure reflects underlying life histories of three sympatric small mammal species in continuous forest of south‐eastern Australia

“…Thus, animals tolerate individuals in their close proximity, even when these individuals are not closely related (Lazenby‐Cohen and Cockburn 1991, Banks et al 2005c). Rattus fuscipes also appears to be social, and may even exhibit paternal care behaviour (Horner and Taylor 1969, Sanecki et al 2006). Female bush rat home‐ranges never overlap, but during the mating season, males overlap territories both with each other and with females (Robinson 1987).…”

Seasonal and altitudinal influences on the home range and movements of common wombats in the Australian Snowy Mountains

“…If winter snow is limiting the range of wombats, then the presence of snow should influence their movement patterns. In seasonally snow-covered environments, winter home ranges are often smaller than in summer because animals reduce their activity to conserve energy, or because snow restricts their mobility or access to particular habitats (Krasiń ska, Krasiń ski & Bunevich, 2000;Luccarini et al, 2006;Sanecki et al, 2006). Furthermore, the winter home range depends on the severity of the winter, with deeper snow constraining animals to smaller home ranges (Grignolio et al, 2004;Poole, Stuart-Smith & Teske, 2009).…”

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“…Four small mammal species are common in the mainland alpine region: the mountain pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus), bush rat (Rattus fuscipes), broad-toothed rat (Mustacomys fuscus), and dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii) (Broome 2001). In winter, these animals rely on cavities in rocks and insulated space formed by heathland shrubs, underneath the snow pack (subnivean space) (Sanecki et al 2006a;Sanecki et al 2006b). Reduced snow cover (both in area and depth) will therefore impact directly on these species by reducing the availability of subnivean habitat.…”