Files and links (2)
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Supplementary Material (supplemental)Koala greater glider detection histories: Richmond Range NPCC0 V1.0, Open
Journal article
Multiyear monitoring of threatened iconic arboreal mammals in a mid‐elevation conservation reserve in eastern Australia
Ecology and Evolution, Vol.12(5), p.e8935
24/05/2022
Metrics
21 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
Multiyear investigations of population dynamics are fundamental to threatened species conservation. We used multiseason occupancy based on spotlight surveys to investigate dynamic occupancy of the koala and the greater glider over an 8‐year period that encompassed a severe drought in year 6. We combined our occupancy estimates with literature estimates of density to estimate the population sizes of these species within the focal conservation reserve. Both species showed substantial yearly variation in the probability of detection (koala: 0.13–0.24; greater glider: 0.12–0.36). Detection of the koala did not follow any obvious pattern. Low detection of the greater glider coincided with the drought and two subsequent years. We suggest the low detection reflected a decline in abundance. The probability of occupancy of the koala was estimated to be 0.88 (95% CI: 0.75–1.0) in year 8. Autonomous recording units were also used in year 8, enabling an independent occupancy estimate of 0.80 (0.64–0.90). We found no evidence of a drought‐induced decline in the koala. Habitat variables had a weak influence on koala occupancy probabilities. The probability of occupancy of the greater glider changed little over time, from 0.52 (95% CI: 0.24–0.81) to 0.63 (0.42–0.85) in year 8. Modeling suggested that the probability of colonization was positively influenced by the percentage cover of rainforest. Increased cover of these nonbrowse trees may reflect thermal buffering, site productivity, or soil moisture. We estimate that our study reserve is likely to contain >900 adult koalas and >2400 adult greater gliders. These are among some of the first reserve‐wide estimates for these species. Our study reserve can play an important role in the conservation of both species.
We investigated dynamic occupancy in two iconic arboreal marsupials over an 8‐year period that encompassed a severe drought in year 6. We found no evidence of a drought‐induced decline in the koala population. In contrast, a substantial decline in the detection of the greater glider in the drought year and the two following years suggested a large decline in abundance had occurred.
Details
- Title
- Multiyear monitoring of threatened iconic arboreal mammals in a mid‐elevation conservation reserve in eastern Australia
- Creators
- Ross L. Goldingay - Southern Cross UniversityDarren McHugh - Southern Cross UniversityJonathan L. Parkyn - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Ecology and Evolution, Vol.12(5), p.e8935
- Comment
- We thank the local NPWS officers, Matt Wiseman, Allan Goodwin, Jenny Atkins, and Amanda Dudgeon, for assistance over the course of this study. This study did not receive any specific funding. This research was conducted with approval of the Southern Cross University animal ethics committee. We thank two anonymous reviewers and the handling editor for comments that greatly improved this paper.
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Number of pages
- 14
- Identifiers
- 991013024032902368
- Copyright
- © 2022 The Authors
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article