Journal article
Influences on koala habitat selection across four local government areas on the far north coast of NSW
Austral ecology, Vol.48(5), pp.928-951
08/2023
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Abstract
Conserving habitats crucial for threatened koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations requires rating habitat quality from a fine spatial scale to patches, landscapes and then regions. The koala has a specialized diet focused on the leaves of a suite of Eucalyptus species. We asked: what are the key regional influences on habitat selection by koalas in the far north coast of New South Wales? We addressed this question by investigating the multi-scale factors, and within-scale and cross-scale interactions, that influence koala habitat selection and distribution across four local government areas on the far north coast of New South Wales. We assembled and analysed a large data set of tree selection, identified by the presence of scats, in a wide range of randomly selected 5 x 5 km grids across the region. This resulted in more than 9000 trees surveyed for evidence of koala use from 302 field sites, together with associated biophysical site features. The dominant factor influencing habitat use and koala occurrence was the distribution of five Eucalyptus species. Koalas were more likely to use medium-sized trees of these species where they occurred on soils with high levels of Colwell phosphorous. We also identified new interactions among the distribution of preferred tree species and soil phosphorous, and their distribution with the amount of suitable habitat in the surrounding landscape. Our study confirmed that non-preferred species of eucalypts and non-eucalypts are extensively used by koalas and form important components of koala habitat. This finding lends support to restoring a mosaic of koala-preferred tree species and other species recognized for their value as shelter. Our study has provided the ecological foundation for developing a novel regional-scale approach to the conservation of koalas, with adaptability to other wildlife species.
Details
- Title
- Influences on koala habitat selection across four local government areas on the far north coast of NSW
- Creators
- Clive A. McAlpine - University of QueenslandJohn Callaghan - Southern Cross UniversityDaniel Lunney - University of SydneyJonathan R. Rhodes - University of QueenslandRoss Goldingay - Southern Cross UniversityWill Goulding - University of QueenslandChristine Adams-Hosking - University of QueenslandKelly Fielding - University of QueenslandScott Benitez Hetherington - Tweed Shire CouncilAngie Brace - Lismore City CouncilMarama Hopkins - Tweed Shire CouncilLiz Caddick - Byron Shire CouncilElisha Taylor - Ballina Shire CouncilLorraine Vass - Friends of the KoalaLinda Swankie - Friends of the Koala
- Publication Details
- Austral ecology, Vol.48(5), pp.928-951
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 24
- Grant note
- LP160100486; FT200100096 / Australian Research Council
- Identifiers
- 991013103290702368
- Copyright
- © 2023 The Authors. Austral Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Ecological Society of Australia. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article