Home-range and den use of the mahogany glider, Petaurus gracilis

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Jackson

The home-range of the mahogany glider was estimated, and its social behaviour examined, by following radio-collared animals over a two-year period within an area of continuous habitat and an adjacent area of fragmented habitat. The average home range within the continuous habitat was 19.25 ha for males and 20.34 ha for females, with male and female pairs occupying a combined area of 23.15 ha. In contrast, the average home range in the fragmented habitat was 11.05 ha for males and 6.80 ha for females, with a combined home-range of male and female pairs being 11.60 ha. The average overlap of the home ranges of paired males and females was 85.9%, compared with approximately 11% for non-paired individuals, which suggests that mahogany gliders are socially monogamous. For a total of 46 nights on which gliders were considered to behave normally for the entire night, the average foraging distance was 1506 m (range 590–3420 m) with no significant difference between males and females in either the continuous or fragmented habitat. There was, however, a significant difference in the distance individuals travelled during different times of the year, with longer distances being travelled during late dry season/wet season and shorter distances during the early to mid dry season. Mahogany gliders also travelled further when there was a high availability of nectar and pollen than when there was lower availability. A total of 83 dens (tree hollows) were recorded for the mahogany glider, with the poplar gum, Eucalyptus platyphylla, forest red gum, Eucalyptus tereticornis, and Clarkson's bloodwood, Corymbia clarksoniana, being most used.

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon C. Stirrat

Radio-tagged male and female agile wallabies were tracked in the wet and dry seasons at a site in Darwin, Northern Territory, and home ranges estimated using a kernel-based estimator. Home-range size (95% contour) was larger in the dry season, when food quality was poorer, and males had larger home ranges than females. Core range size (55% contour) did not differ between seasons or sexes. Average male and female home-range sizes in the wet season were 16.6 ha and 11.3 ha respectively. Wet-season core range sizes were 4.8 ha and 3.2 ha respectively. Average male and female home-range sizes in the dry season were 24.6 ha and 15.3 ha respectively, and dry-season core range sizes were 5.1 ha and 4.0 ha respectively. Home-range size for both sexes varied in the two seasons; the smallest and largest female home ranges were 6.3 ha and 24.0 ha respectively, while male home-range size varied from 7.6 ha to 38.2 ha. Seasonal differences in home-range size can be attributed to expansion of night-time foraging areas in the dry season when good-quality food resources were in short supply. Habitat use also differed between seasons. In the dry season more fixes were located in forest areas, particularly in the evening, when wallabies foraged in forest areas for alternate food resources including browse, leaf litter, flowers and fruits of rainforest tree and shrub species. In the wet season, wallabies emerged from day-time resting areas earlier in the afternoon and therefore more wallabies were located in open areas grazing on high-quality herbage in the evening.


2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Mitchell ◽  
W. Dorney ◽  
R. Mayer ◽  
J. McIlroy

The Wet Tropics bioregion of north Queensland has been identified as an area of global significance. The world-heritage-listed rainforests have been invaded by feral pigs (Sus scrofa) that are perceived to cause substantial environmental damage. A community perception exists of an annual altitudinal migration of the feral-pig population. The present study describes the movements of 29 feral pigs in relation to altitudinal migration (highland, transitional and lowland areas). Feral pigs were sedentary and stayed within their home range throughout a 4-year study period. No altitudinal migration was detected; pigs moved no more than a mean distance of 1.0 km from the centre of their calculated home ranges. There was no significant difference between the mean (±95% confidence interval) aggregate home ranges for males (8.7 ± 4.3 km2, n = 15) and females (7.2 ± 1.8 km2, n = 14). No difference in home range was detected among the three altitudinal areas: 7.2 ± 2.4 km2 for highland, 6.2 ± 3.9 km2 for transitional and 9.9 ± 5.3 km2 for lowland areas. The aggregate mean home range for all pigs in the present study was 8.0 ± 2.4 km2. The study also assessed the influence seasons had on the home range of eight feral pigs on the rainforest boundary; home ranges did not significantly vary in size between the tropical wet and dry seasons, although the mean home range in the dry season (7.7 ± 6.9 km2) was more than twice the home range in the wet season (2.9 ± 0.8 km2). Heavier pigs tended to have larger home ranges. The results of the present study suggest that feral pigs are sedentary throughout the year so broad-scale control techniques need to be applied over sufficient areas to encompass individual home ranges. Control strategies need a coordinated approach if a long-term reduction in the pig population is to be achieved.


2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Brien ◽  
Mark A. Read ◽  
Hamish I. McCallum ◽  
Gordon C. Grigg

We radio-tracked five male and eight female estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in a non-tidal waterhole in Lakefield National Park in northern Queensland during the late dry/mid-wet season (2003–04) and the following dry season (2004). Individual crocodiles occupied larger home ranges (River Channel Areas (RCA) during the late dry/mid-wet season (10.64 ± 2.86 ha) than in the dry season (3.20 ± 1.02 ha), and males occupied larger home ranges (23.89 ± 2.36 ha) than females (5.94 ± 1.34 ha) during the late dry/mid-wet season. There were no obvious differences in home range between sexes during the dry season. During the late dry/mid-wet season, adult males often travelled long distances along the waterhole while females moved less. During the dry season, movement patterns were quite variable, with no clear difference between sexes. All crocodiles were most active from late afternoon (1500–1800 hours) until midnight. Individual home ranges (RCA) overlapped considerably during the late dry/mid-wet season. The extent of home-range overlap between three adult males and the number of times they either passed each other or were located near each other was particularly striking. Previous research has come to conflicting conclusions about the extent of territoriality in wild estuarine crocodiles, although it has been widely believed that males are highly territorial. The findings imply that large adult male estuarine crocodiles are not highly territorial in non-tidal freshwater systems that are geographically confined.


1983 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Jachmann

Using a recognition file that was compiled during the study, information on movements of individually known elephants was collected over two periods, one of three and one of eight months, in 1978 and 1981/82, respectively. There appeared to be a relationship between the number of animals in the family unit and the size of the home range/activity area, probably as a result of food competition between the members of a unit. Since 1978 the size of the home range/activity area had decreased in general, as a result of compression by illegal activity. Dry-season home ranges of family units appeared to be rather stable over longer periods and larger than the wet-season home ranges that were situated along the river Lingadzi. Dry-season home ranges of bulls only lasted throughout a single dry season. During the wet season bulls ranged over an extended area. In the later part of the dry season, elephant movements were determined by salt licks and the remaining water holes with a relatively high conductivity, at a distance of the river Lingadzi. The social structure of the family units that made up a kin-group determined the time spent with each other and also appeared to influence the actual size of the home range.


Author(s):  
Max I. Phukan ◽  
Rohit K. Thapa ◽  
Gopal Kumar ◽  
Chris Bishop ◽  
Helmi Chaabene ◽  
...  

This study aimed to examine inter-limb jump asymmetries and their association with sport-specific performance in young swimmers. Thirty-eight (male, n = 19; female, n = 19) regional/national level young swimmers (age: 12.3 ± 1.2 years; height: 159.6 ± 8.2 cm; body mass: 52.5 ± 9.2 kg) participated in this study. Inter-limb asymmetries were assessed for single-leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) and single-leg standing long jump (SLSLJ). Sport-specific performance was evaluated using front crawl (i.e., 50 m and 25 m) and front crawl kick (i.e., 50 m and 25 m). The kappa coefficient revealed a “slight” level of agreement (Κ = 0.156, 0.184, and 0.197 for female, male, and all, respectively) between the direction of asymmetry for SLCMJ and SLSLJ, indicating that asymmetries rarely favored the same limb during both tests. A paired sample t-test showed a significant difference (p = 0.025) between asymmetry scores obtained in SLCMJ and SLSLJ. No significant difference was found in asymmetry scores between males and females (p = 0.099 to 0.977). Additionally, no association between asymmetry scores and sport-specific performance was observed (p > 0.05). Our findings highlight the independent nature of inter-limb asymmetries derived from SLCMJ and SLSLJ among young male and female swimmers. Further, our results suggest no association between jumping asymmetries and sport-specific performance.


Biologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Javanbakht ◽  
Pavel Široký ◽  
Peter Mikulíček ◽  
Mozafar Sharifi

AbstractDistribution pattern, prevalence and intensity of parasitaemia of heteroxenous apicomplexan blood parasite Hemolivia mauritanica and its vector tick Hyalomma aegyptium have been studied in 264 tortoises (212 Testudo graeca and 52 T. horsfieldii) throughout the Iranian territory. In T. graeca the highest prevalence and intensity of parasitaemia for H. mauritanica were recorded in the temperate mid and northern parts of the Iranian plateau, while the lowest values were found in the arid central part of Iran. No Hemolivia-positive samples were found in T. horsfieldii. Hyalomma aegyptium ticks were diagnosed in both tortoise species. The highest prevalence and intensity of infestation with H. aegyptium were recorded in western part of Iran, where climatic conditions are not so arid compared to central and eastern parts. No significant differences were found in intensity of parasitaemia of H. mauritanica between males and females. Similarly, no differences in intensity of parasitaemia were detected between different age groups (adults; more than 10 years, young; 5-10 years and juveniles; less that 5 years). Prevalence of H. mauritanica and H. aegyptium in adults was higher than in young and in juveniles. While intensity of infestation with H. aegyptium was significantly higher in adult tortoises compare to juveniles, no significant difference were found between intensity of H. aegyptium infestation in male and female tortoises.


2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Henrique de Freitas ◽  
Eleonore Z. F. Setz ◽  
Alba R. B. Araújo ◽  
Nivar Gobbi

Capuchin monkeys occupy a wide range of habitats where they feed on fruits, arthropods, and vertebrates. Their large home ranges (80-900 ha) suggest that living in forest fragments may challenge their adaptability. We identified and quantified the main food items of Cebus libidinosus Spix, 1823 in forests fragments (100 ha) in southeastern Brazil. We recorded the feeding activities of two groups using scan sampling over a 13-month period. The diet was composed of fruits, crops, animal prey, seeds, plant matter and undetermined. Fruit was eaten more in the wet season than in the dry season, and maize and sugar cane consumption peaked in the early dry season. The proportion of fruit in the diet was positively correlated with fruiting intensity of zoochorous trees. The plant diet included 54 species, with maize, Rhamnidium elaeocarpus, Acrocomia aculeata, Guazuma ulmifolia and Cariniana, being most important. Although dietary composition and diversity were similar to capuchins in larger forest fragments, feeding on crops attained higher percentages at times when zoochorous fruit production was low in fragments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Yeon Kim ◽  
Gyu-Hong Shim ◽  
Megan O'Reilly ◽  
Po-Yin Cheung ◽  
Tze-Fun Lee ◽  
...  

Background: Male newborns have a greater risk of poor cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes compared to females. The mechanisms associated with the “male disadvantage” remains unclear. We have previously shown no difference between male and female newborn piglets during hypoxia, asphyxia, resuscitation, and post-resuscitation recovery. However, it is unknown if there are differences in resuscitation outcomes between males and females during different cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques.Intervention and Measurements: Secondary analysis of 184 term newborn mixed breed duroc piglets (1–3 days of age, weighing 2.0 (0.2) kg) from seven different studies, which were exposed to 30–50 min of normocapnic hypoxia followed by asphyxia until asystole. This was followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation. For the analysis, piglets were divided into male and female groups, as well as resuscitation technique groups (sustained inflation, 3:1 compression-to-ventilation ratio, or asynchronous ventilations during chest compressions). Cardiac function, carotid blood flow, and cerebral oxygenation were continuously recorded throughout the experiment.Main results: Regardless of resuscitation technique, there was no significant difference between males and females in the number achieving return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) [95/123 (77%) vs. 48/61 (79%)], the time to achieve ROSC [112 (80–185) s vs. 110 (77–186) s], and the 4-h survival rate [81/95 (85%) vs. 40/48 (83%)]. Levels of the injury markers interleukin (IL)−1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α in frontoparietal cortex tissue homogenates were similar between males and females.Conclusions: Regardless of resuscitation technique, there was no significant effect of sex on resuscitation outcome, survival, and hemodynamic recovery in asphyxiated newborn piglets.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederico Alves D'Avila ◽  
Almério de Castro Gomes

A two and a half year survey was conducted at a dam in southeastern Brazil. Shannon Traps were used for sampling. Kruskal-Wallis test showed little relation between rainfall and abundance. The data clearly show three abundance peaks, all of them in the end of the dry season, in consonance with the scarce literature existent. Although Kruskal-Wallis Test did not find a clear preference for the dry season, Pairwise Wilcoxon Rank Test revealed a significant difference between Fall and Spring samples. Ma. titillans population had a peak on late winter/early spring, close to the begin of wet season.


1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Horsup

The home range and movements of the allied rock wallaby, Petrogale assimilis, a small macropod of the seasonally wet-dry tropics of Queensland, were studied over a 22-month period. There was no significant difference in the size of home ranges (95% isopleth) or core areas (65% isopleth) of males and females. Home ranges were generally elliptical with a mean size of 11.9 ha. Season had a major effect on home ranges. The following measures were all significantly greater in the dry seasons than in the wet seasons: home-range size (larger), home-range shape (more elongate), distance moved by females when feeding (longer), distance between shelter site and home-range centre of activity (longer). Feeding movements of males did not vary seasonally and were as long as dry-season movements of females, suggesting that movements of males are primarily determined by behavioural rather than physiological considerations. The overlap of rock-wallaby home ranges varied little between the sexes or seasons and averaged 38%. Core areas overlapped by an average of 22%; however, feeding adult rock-wallabies rarely met other conspecifics, except their partners. A comparison of the fixes of unpaired wallabies that had overlapping home ranges showed that temporal separation was occurring. In contrast, the home ranges of consort pairs showed extremely high temporal and spatial overlap. Rock-wallabies exhibited strong fidelity to their home ranges. The overlap of the seasonal home ranges and core areas of each individual rock wallaby averaged 68% and 52%, respectively. However, the seasonal home range of a socially immature adult male altered in location and size as he matured socially until it stabilised when he obtained a permanent consort.


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