Article
Ecology
Mollie H. Ogaz, Andrew L. Rypel, Robert A. Lusardi, Peter B. Moyle, Carson A. Jeffres
Summary: Floodplains provide important habitat for native fishes, but stranding can be a potential negative outcome in restored ecosystems. Understanding the outmigration cues of native and non-native fishes can potentially help to rehabilitate degraded river ecosystems and benefit native fishes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
K. Baranowski, C. L. Faust, P. Eby, N. Bharti
Summary: Climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires globally. The study focuses on the impact of changing fire regimes on vegetation recovery and ecosystem distribution, particularly in the context of the severe 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season. Remote sensing data is used to analyze differences between annual fire seasons and assess the unique characteristics of the 2019-2020 fires, with a specific focus on the vulnerable gray-headed flying fox and its habitat. This research highlights the importance of understanding and conserving habitats critical for the survival of at-risk wildlife populations in the face of increasing fire risks due to climate change.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Thorbjoern Sievert, Kerstin Bouma, Marko Haapakoski, Kevin D. Matson, Hannu Yloenen
Summary: This study found that exposure to odors associated with predation risk can impact offspring behavior, regardless of the timing of exposure. Different odor treatments resulted in different behavioral changes, with attraction to conspecific alarm cues and avoidance of predator odor. Additionally, pup growth was influenced by an interaction between litter size and maternal treatment, showing that rodents' growth and behavior are influenced differently by the type of predation risk perceived by their mothers.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Sean Beckmann, Paloma Avila, Terence Farrell
Summary: Rodents use direct and indirect cues of predators to assess predation risk. While the responses to mammalian predators are well-studied, the understanding of responses to reptilian predators is limited. This study explores the responses of rodents to scent cues of snake predators in tropical and subtropical regions and finds that different species utilize different cues to evaluate predation risk.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carmen K. Blubaugh, Anne E. McElvenny, Ivy V. Widick
Summary: Red imported fire ants dominate certain food webs in North America due to their omnivorous and aggressive feeding behavior. Structural complexity of the habitat can mediate the effects of fire ants on native insects, increasing their activity and seed removal while reducing that of native seed predators.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexis J. Beckermann, Kim A. Medley, Solny A. Adalsteinsson, Katie M. Westby
Summary: The study conducted two experiments to assess the impact of habitat attributes on Tx. rutilus predation on Ae. triseriatus and Ae. japonicus. The results showed that Ae. japonicus was more vulnerable to predation than Ae. triseriatus when co-occurring in the same habitat. Additionally, both species were less likely to be consumed in the presence of predation cues.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Marco Ferrante, Gabor L. Lovei, Rui Nunes, Paulo Monjardino, Lucas Lamelas-Lopez, Daniella Moller, Antonio Onofre Soares, Paulo A. V. Borges
Summary: This study monitored the effects of habitat conversion on ecosystem services and disservices on an oceanic island, and found that the intensity of ecological processes did not significantly decrease except for vertebrate predation.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Amy Rose Coghlan, Julia L. Blanchard, Freddie J. Heather, Rick D. Stuart-Smith, Graham J. Edgar, Asta Audzijonyte
Summary: Climate change and fisheries exploitation have significant impacts on the abundances, species composition, and size spectra of fish communities. This study investigates the relationship between the abundances and the sizes of predators and their prey (predator-prey mass ratios, or PPMRs) and explores their influence on the variation in abundance size spectra. The findings reveal some patterns, including a stronger relationship between community-level PPMRs and community size spectrum slopes in tropical reefs.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Daniel J. Bradley, Jordi Boada, William Gladstone, Timothy M. Glasby, Paul E. Gribben
Summary: The study reveals that as the opportunistic macrophyte C. filiformis becomes more abundant, the distribution and life-history traits of the herbivore H. erythrogramma are negatively impacted in the surrounding areas, potentially leading to further spread of C. filiformis.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
G. D. Linley, Y. Pauligk, C. Marneweck, E. G. Ritchie
Summary: The study shows that moon phase and cloud cover can influence the behavior of native mammals in Australia, with prey species being more active during periods of increasing cloud cover, and predators and medium-sized herbivores being more active during times of low illumination. The findings suggest that there may be trade-offs between predation risk and foraging for prey species, and have implications for ecological survey design, understanding predator-prey interactions, and potential nocturnal niche partitioning of species in natural and artificial lighting ecosystems.
AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Gavin J. Trewella, Teigan Cremona, Harry Nevard, Brett P. Murphy
Summary: This study compares the habitat use of feral cats and endangered northern quolls in Australia and finds that feral cats are more likely to inhabit areas with high fire frequencies and low tree basal area, while northern quolls prefer areas with high basal area, low fire frequency and dense vegetation. The study highlights the importance of maintaining structurally complex habitats for threatened mammals to coexist with introduced predators in tropical savanna.
Article
Zoology
Isabella C. Richmond, Juliana Balluffi-Fry, Eric Vander Wal, Shawn J. Leroux, Matteo Rizzuto, Travis R. Heckford, Joanie L. Kennah, Gabrielle R. Riefesel, Yolanda F. Wiersma, Jonathan Pauli
Summary: This study examines the trade-off between perceived predation risk and forage quality in snowshoe hares using ecological stoichiometry framework. The individual-level responses to forage quality and perceived predation risk vary, indicating fine-scale decision-making by hares.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Joshua L. Gaschk, Christofer J. Clemente
Summary: Australia was isolated for approximately 40 million years from eutherian predation until the introduction of invasive species which coincided with the decline and extinction of many native mammals. Locomotor performance and associated behaviors are believed to play a significant role in the overall fitness and population outcome, but their exact relationship in invasive ecology is yet to be fully understood.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Abby E. Davis, Lena A. Schmidt, Karen C. B. S. Santos, Lucie Martin, Samantha Harrington, Maurizio Rocchetti, Brad Hocking, Derek Wright, Cameron Spurr, David Cook, Romina Rader
Summary: Native insect flower visitors, such as the golden drone fly, can be effective pollinators for hybrid carrot crop plants. The habitat utilized by golden drone flies (such as discarded plants and water) is commonly found in crop agroecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Andrew H. Hunter, Nicholas M. A. Smith, Thiago Camata, Mathew S. Crowther, Andrew Mather, Nicolau Melo Souza, Luiz Fernando Ramos-Silva, Nerylson Ferraz Pazetto, Felipe A. Moura, Robbie S. Wilson
Summary: The study proposed a testing protocol and normative data to evaluate kicking performance in youth players, aiming to reduce bias caused by physically developed players outperforming smaller ones. Results showed that kicking speed and accuracy were influenced by age, height, weight, and soccer-specific motor control ability. Suggestions were made to focus on motor control in training programs to improve kicking performance.
SCIENCE AND MEDICINE IN FOOTBALL
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chris J. Jolly, Chris R. Dickman, Tim S. Doherty, Lily M. Eeden, William L. Geary, Sarah M. Legge, John C. Z. Woinarski, Dale G. Nimmo
Summary: Rapidly warming climate is leading to more fire incidents, and there is a lack of research on animal mortality rates during fire, especially regarding the impacts of high severity fires.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Andrew H. Hunter, Nicholas M. A. Smith, Thiago Camata, Mathew S. Crowther, Andrew Mather, Felipe A. Moura, Paulo Roberto Pereira Santiago, Robbie S. Wilson
Summary: Research suggests that younger athletes born later in the year may be more technically skilled than their older peers, even though older athletes are often selected for elite training academies due to their physical development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCE & COACHING
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Patrick J. Bragato, Emma E. Spencer, Chris R. Dickman, Mathew S. Crowther, Ayesha Tulloch, Thomas M. Newsome
Summary: This study assessed the collective vigilance behavior of corvids (Family: Corvidae) in a desert environment in Australia. It explored the relationship between collective vigilance levels and habitat, the time since a potential predator was present, and group size of corvids. The results showed that corvids are more vigilant in open habitat, but group size and the recent presence of a potential predator do not affect their collective vigilance behavior.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kylie M. Cairns, Mathew S. Crowther, Heidi G. Parker, Elaine A. Ostrander, Mike Letnic
Summary: Admixture between canid species is a concern in wildlife management. By genotyping 402 wild dingoes and comparing them with domestic dogs using SNP genotyping, the study reveals at least five distinct dingo populations in Australia and limited evidence of dog admixture in wild dingoes. These findings challenge previous reports and support the use of genome-wide SNP genotyping to inform dingo management policy and legislation.
Article
Ecology
Darcy Watchorn, Chris Dickman, Judy Dunlop, Emmalie Sanders, Molly Watchorn, Phoebe Burns
Summary: While nearly half of mammal species are rodents, albinism in free-ranging rodents is rare. This study focuses on Australian rodent species and found 23 records of albinism, representing 8 species, with a frequency generally less than 0.1%. Australian rodents now account for 42.1% of known murid rodent species with albinism. Factors contributing to the relatively high frequency of albinism on a small island population of rakali are discussed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Stephanie J. S. Yip, Christopher R. Dickman
Summary: The sandy inland mouse Pseudomys hermannsburgensis primarily feeds on seeds, but also consumes invertebrates and green plant material. During prolonged dry periods, the dietary shift towards more invertebrates suggests a scarcity of seeds. This flexibility in diet is important for the rodent’s survival in Australia’s unpredictable arid regions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Valerio Donfrancesco, Benjamin L. Allen, Rob Appleby, Linda Behrendorff, Gabriel Conroy, Mathew S. Crowther, Christopher E. Gordon, Tim Doherty, Bronwyn A. Fancourt, Christopher E. Gordon, Stephen M. Jackson, Chris N. Johnson, Malcolm S. Kennedy, Loukas Koungoulos, Mike Letnic, Luke K. -P. Leung, Kieren J. Mitchell, Bradley P. Smith, Thomas Newsome, Carlo Pacioni, Justine Phillip, Brad V. Purcell, Euan G. Ritchie, Bradley P. Smith, Danielle Stephens, Jack Tatler, Lily M. van Eeden, Kylie M. Cairns
Summary: Expert elicitation is a valuable method for informing decision-makers, with a focus on consensus. However, this study emphasizes the importance of understanding and acknowledging dissent in dingo expert opinions. The study reveals disagreement on various issues, driven by conflict over values and evidence, as well as a role played by distrust. Recognizing and analyzing the elements shaping disagreement is crucial for decision-making improvement and challenging current paradigms.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John Llewelyn, Giovanni Strona, Christopher R. Dickman, Aaron C. Greenville, Glenda M. Wardle, Michael S. Y. Lee, Seamus Doherty, Farzin Shabani, Frederik Saltre, Corey J. A. Bradshaw
Summary: Species interactions play a fundamental role in ecosystems, but the lack of complete data inhibits our understanding of these interactions. Machine learning, particularly random forest, has been increasingly used to predict interactions. However, the performance of random forest in inferring predator-prey interactions in terrestrial vertebrates and the impact of training data quality have not been examined.
Article
Ecology
Ayesha I. T. Tulloch, Al Healy, Jennifer Silcock, Glenda M. Wardle, Christopher R. Dickman, Anke S. K. Frank, Helene Aubault, Kyle Barton, Aaron C. Greenville
Summary: Evidence for large-scale biodiversity benefits from herbivore exclusion in arid ecosystems is inconsistent, thus this study examined the effects of livestock exclusion on dryland plant richness and reproductive capacity. Using data from 68 sites in arid woodlands in central Australia, the study found that non-native herbivores indirectly reduced plant richness and seeding by decreasing vegetative ground cover, while both native and non-native herbivores had small but negative direct impacts on plant richness and seeding. The study highlights the importance of considering indirect pathways and controlling introduced herbivores for biodiversity conservation in drylands.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mariana Silva Ferreira, Christopher R. R. Dickman, Diana O. O. Fisher, Marcos de Souza Lima Figueiredo, Marcus Vinicius Vieira
Summary: Previous studies have suggested that mammal life history varies along the fast-slow continuum, but marsupials have been overlooked. This study shows that marsupial life-history trade-offs are organized along reproductive output and dispersion axis, and the fast-slow continuum. Marsupials have slower life histories than eutherians, potentially due to their contrasting reproductive modes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Seth B. Magle, Mathew S. Crowther
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
James Vandersteen, Christopher Fust, Mathew S. Crowther, Matt Smith, Benjamin Viola, Philip Barton, Thomas M. Newsome
Summary: This study examined the influence of season on carcass-detection times and scavenging rates by vertebrate scavengers in the Australian Alps. The results showed significant seasonal variations in both carcass-detection times and scavenging rates. The study highlights the importance of considering seasonal effects in understanding scavenging dynamics and ecosystem processes in alpine and other seasonal environments.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah J. Simpson, Damien P. Higgins, Peter Timms, Valentina S. A. Mella, Mathew S. Crowther, Cristina M. Fernandez, Clare Mcarthur, Samuel Phillips, Mark B. Krockenberger
Summary: This study investigated the effectiveness of a synthetic peptide vaccine against chlamydiosis in a heavily affected koala population over an 18-month period. The results showed that the vaccine did not effectively manage chlamydial infection and related diseases in a population with a high prevalence of the infection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Brad Law, Leroy Gonsalves, Joanna Burgar, Traecey Brassil, Isobel Kerr, Lachlan Wilmott, Kylie Madden, Martin Smith, Valentina Mella, Mathew Crowther, Mark Krockenberger, Adrian Rus, Rod Pietsch, Anthony Truskinger, Phil Eichinski, Paul Roe
Summary: This study assessed the potential for acoustic sensors to estimate koala density without identifying individuals using spatial count models. Results showed that acoustic arrays and spatial count method provided plausible estimates of male koala density and were reliable compared to independent estimates. The greatest discrepancy occurred in high koala-density sites with extensive home range overlap.