Effects of habitat fragmentation on the demography, movements and social organisation of the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) in northern New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. V. Bladon ◽  
C. R. Dickman ◽  
I. D. Hume
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Minimum Size ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus ◽  
Capture Rates

A population of eastern pygmy-possums (Cercartetus nanus) was studied in northern New South Wales for almost 3 years. A total of 98 pygmy-possums was captured, of which 52 were captured only once. The sex ratio of the population did not differ significantly from parity. Mid-way through the study, 1.4 ha of the 4.0-ha study site was cleared. Pre-clearing capture rates in nest boxes averaged 33.5 ± 5.8 captures per 100 box checks per month, and the population was estimated by three methods to be at least 15–20 animals. There was no significant difference in body mass between adult males (23.7 ± 6.3 g) and adult females (27.1 ± 7.7 g). Males had significantly larger short-term home ranges (0.35 ± 0.14 ha) than females (0.14 ± 0.06 ha) and tended to move over greater distances each night. Breeding occurred from summer to early winter, and juveniles and sub-adults entered the population in autumn and winter. The mean number of pouch young was 3.9. The most likely minimum size at which juveniles left their mother was 9–11 g. Adult body mass and condition were highly variable over time, and did not appear to be related to either the breeding season or Banksia flowering. Fourteen pygmy-possums were found torpid during the study. Population troughs occurred in late winter and spring and were associated with low survival and/or seasonal migration, possibly linked to the cessation of Banksia flowering in July and the lack of alternative food sources at this time and/or increased use of nest boxes by Antechinus stuartii during late winter. Post-clearing, capture rates fell to 7.8 ± 1.6 captures per 100 box checks per month, the estimated population size fell to 5–8 animals, and there was an almost total lack of juvenile/sub-adult recruitment into the population. The results support concerns that the long-term survival of the eastern pygmy-possum in New South Wales is threatened by continued land clearing throughout much of its present range.

Detection of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus (Marsupialia: Burramyidae) at Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, New South Wales.

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Harris ◽  
RL Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus

THE eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) has an extensive distribution, from south-eastern Queensland to south-eastern South Australia, and also into Tasmania (Strahan 1995). Despite this it is rarely detected in fauna surveys (Bowen and Goldingay 2000). This rarity in detection suggested that the species may be characterised by small and isolated populations, and therefore vulnerable to extinction. Consequently, it became listed as a 'Vulnerable' species in New South Wales (NSW) in 2001. Unless resolved, the low rate of detection of C. nanus will continue to hinder the acquisition of basic ecological information that is needed to more clearly define its conservation status and that is fundamental to the development of a recovery plan. An extensive body of survey data for NSW involving C. nanus has been reviewed by Bowen and Goldingay (2000). Among a range of survey methods aimed at detecting this species, trapping within flowering banksias and checking installed nest-boxes had the highest rates of detection. Indeed, one study in northern NSW captured 98 individuals over a 3- year period from within nest-boxes (Bladon et al. 2002). All other studies detected fewer than 15 C. nanus. It is clear that further research is required to investigate the effectiveness of a range of detection methods.

Effects of logging and fire on small mammals in Mumbulla State Forest, near Bega, New South Wales

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Lunney ◽  
B. Cullis ◽  
P. Eby
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
First Year ◽  
Severe Effect ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes

This study of the effects of logging on small mammals in Mumbulla State Forest on the south coast of New South Wales included the effects of a fire in November 1980 and a drought throughout the study period from June 1980 to June 1983. Rattus fuscipes was sensitive to change: logging had a significant impact on its numbers, response to ground cover, and recapture rate; fire had a more severe effect, and drought retarded the post-fire recovery of the population. The three species of dasyurid marsupials differed markedly in their response to ground cover, canopy cover, logging and fire. Antechinus stuartii was distributed evenly through all habitats and was not affected by logging, but fire had an immediate and adverse effect which was sustained by the intense drought. A. swainsonii markedly preferred the regenerating forest, and was not seen again after the fire, the failure of the population being attributed to its dependence on dense ground cover. Sminthopsis leucopus was found in low numbers, appeared to prefer forest with sparse ground cover, and showed no immediate response to logging or fire; its disappearance by the third year post-fire suggests that regenerating forest is inimical to the survival of this species. Mus musculus showed no response to logging. In the first year following the fire its numbers were still very low, but in the next year there was a short-lived plague which coincided with the only respite in the 3-year drought and, importantly, occurred in the intensely burnt parts of the forest. The options for managing this forest for the conservation of small mammals include minimising fire, retaining unlogged forest, extending the time over which alternate coupes are logged and minimising disturbance from heavy machinery.

Distributions of species of the Antechinus stuartii-A. flavipes complex as predicted by bioclimatic modelling

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Crowther
Keyword(s):  
High Temperatures ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Climatic Indices ◽  
Far North ◽  
South West ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Bioclimatic Modelling ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii

Previous work on bioclimatic mapping of species within the Antechinus stuartii–A. flavipes complex has been carried out, but this was before A. subtropicus was recognised and a complete taxonomic revision of the complex had been completed. This revised study of bioclimatic modelling of species within the A. stuartii–A. flavipes complex indicates substantial differences between the four species (A. stuartii, A. agilis, A. subtropicus and A. flavipes) in 35 climatic indices. A. stuartii is predicted to have a near-coastal distribution in northern and central New South Wales stretching as far south as Kioloa and as far north as south-eastern Queensland, avoiding the far coastal strip. A. agilis is predicted to have an extensive distribution in Victoria and southern New South Wales as far north as western Sydney; it is also predicted to occur in Tasmania, even though there is no evidence of it ever occurring there. A. flavipes is predicted to have an extensive inland and coastal distribution much larger than its recorded distribution. A. subtropicus is predicted to have a very narrow distribution in areas with high seasonal rainfall and high temperatures with low seasonality. All species are predicted to occur sympatrically, with A. stuartii and A. agilis predicted to have extensive overlap on the coast near Kioloa and to the immediate west and south-west of Sydney.

Establishment of Warm- and Cool-Season Native Perennial Grasses on the North-West Slopes of New South Wales. Ii. Establishment and Seedling Survival in the Field

1981 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Lodge
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Cool Season ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Native Pastures

Emergence and survival of the seedlings of warm-season native perennial grasses Aristida ramosa R.Br., Bothriochloa macra (Steud.) S . T. Blake, Dichanthium sericeum (R.Br.) Camus, Sporobolus elongatus R.Br., Eragvostis leptostachya Steud. and Chloris truncata R.Br. and the cool-season species Stipa variabilis Hughes and Danthonia linkii Kunth were studied in both native pastures and sown monospecific plots on the north- west slopes of New South Wales. The most favourable period for the successful emergence and establishment of warm-season grasses was from mid summer to early autumn. Cool-season native perennial grasses established best from seedlings that appeared from mid autumn to late winter. Few seedlings were observed to germinate in spring, probably as a result of large variations in temperature, low minimum temperatures or intra and interspecific competition. Seedlings growing in native pasture spent long periods in the vegetative phase compared to the early flowering of seedlings in the sown plots. In the pasture studied only two seedlings flowered over 700 days after emergence, and many others after persisting for up to 2 years died without producing seed. These findings indicate that the seedlings in these native pastures were under considerable stress and that the adult populations of the species examined were relatively stable and little recruitment occurred.

Novel field observations of eucalypt sap feeding behaviour in the Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-255
Author(s):  
Renae Hockey ◽  
Lachlan Wilmott ◽  
Lachlan Hall ◽  
George Madani
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Family ◽  
Tree Sap ◽  
Sap Feeding ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus

The Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanu s is a small arboreal marsupial in the family Burramyidae that is threatened in parts of its range. Considered a generalist omnivore, its diet is known to include invertebrates, seeds, nectar and pollen. Tree sap has never before been recorded as a part of the diet of C. nanus . Here, we report on two observations of C. nanus feeding on eucalypt sap in south-eastern New South Wales.

Effect of timing of pasture grass removal on subsequent take-all incidence and yield in wheat in southern New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Kidd ◽  
G. M. Murray ◽  
J. E. Pratley ◽  
A. R. Leys
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
Gaeumannomyces Graminis ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Pasture Grass ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Take All

Winter cleaning is the removal of grasses from pasture using selective herbicides applied during winter. We compared the effectiveness of an early (June) and late (July) winter cleaning with an early spring herbicide fallow (September), spring (October) herbicide and no disturbance of the pasture on development of the root disease take-all in the subsequent wheat crop. Experiments were done at 5 sites in the eastern Riverina of New South Wales in 1990 and 1991. The winter clean treatments reduced soil inoculum of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) compared with the other treatments at all sites as measured by a bioassay, with reductions from the undisturbed treatments of 52–79% over 5 sites. The winter clean treatments also significantly reduced the amount of take-all that developed in the subsequent wheat crop by between 52 and 83%. The early and late winter clean treatments increased the number of heads/m2 at 3 and 1 sites, respectively. Dry matter at anthesis was increased by the winter clean treatments at 3 sites. Grain yield was increased by the winter cleaning treatments over the other treatments at the 4 sites harvested, with yield increases of the early winter clean over the undisturbed treatment from 13 to 56%. The autumn bioassay of Ggt was positively correlated with spring take-all and negatively correlated with grain yield of the subsequent wheat crop at each site. However, there was a significant site and site × bioassay interaction so that the autumn bioassay could not be used to predict the amount of take-all that would develop.

Population ecology of the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) in a montane woodland in southern New South Wales

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie M. Harris ◽  
Ross L. Goldingay ◽  
Lyndon O. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Population Ecology ◽  
New South ◽  
Local Population ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Body ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Nectar Feeding ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus

The population dynamics of nectar-feeding non-flying mammals are poorly documented. We investigated aspects of the population ecology of the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) in southern New South Wales. We captured 65 individuals over a 4-year period during 5045 trap-nights and 1179 nest-box checks. The body mass of adult males (mean ± s.e. = 24.6 ± 1.0 g) was marginally not significantly different (P = 0.08) from that of non-parous adult females (28.2 ± 1.9 g). Females gave birth to a single litter each year of 3–4 young during February–May. No juveniles were detected in spring of any year. Mark–recapture modelling suggested that survival probability was constant over time (0.78) while recapture probability (0.04–0.81) varied with season and trap effort. The local population (estimated at ~20–25 individuals) underwent a regular seasonal variation in abundance, with a decline in spring coinciding with the cessation of flowering by Banksia. A population trough in spring has been observed elsewhere. This appears to represent some local migration from the study area, suggesting a strategy of high mobility to track floral resources. Conservation of this species will depend on a more detailed understanding of how flowering drives population dynamics.

scholarly journals Post-weaning growth of cattle in northern New South Wales. 2. Growth pathways of steers

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 971 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Dicker ◽  
J. F. Ayres ◽  
M. J. McPhee ◽  
D. L. Robinson ◽  
A. D. Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bos Taurus ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Export Market ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
South Wales

This paper describes the post-weaning growth of Bos taurus and Bos taurus x Bos indicus-derived steers grazing temperate perennial pasture in northern New South Wales. These cattle were either autumn weaners from spring-calving herds in summer rainfall environments, or summer weaners from autumn-calving herds in winter rainfall environments. Autumn weaners were grown out on 3 pasture systems: (i) pasture only (P1), (ii) pasture supplemented in late winter–early spring with formulated pellets of high protein content (P2), or (iii) pasture supplemented with a nitrogen-fertilised forage crop (P3) to provide different growth pathways towards entry to the finishing phase. Over the 3-year study, seasonal liveweight gain on P1 varied between –0.21 and 1.05 kg/head.day; liveweight gain was generally low (about 0.5 kg/head.day) in winter and high (about 0.8 kg/head.day) in spring. Bos taurus autumn weaners achieved feedlot entry specifications for the domestic market (300 kg liveweight) in 6–8 weeks by the end of winter, and feedlot entry specifications for the export market (400 kg liveweight) in 17–27 weeks by the end of summer. For B. taurus x B. indicus-derived autumn weaners, the period to feedlot entry was 19 and 33 weeks for domestic and export feedlot entry specifications, respectively. Supplementary feeding generally increased post-weaning growth in late winter–early spring and reduced the period to feedlot entry for export steers. Summer weaners were grown out on pasture in P1, P2 or P3 pasture systems, met domestic feedlot entry specifications on arrival, but did not reach export feedlot entry specifications before the onset of winter imposed liveweight stasis. The most effective grow-out system was based on Bos taurus autumn weaners with supplementary feeding in winter–spring to overcome the limitations of the winter feed gap.

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