Summer and autumn activity patterns of the eastern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis) at a large maternity site in southern New South Wales1

Author(s):  
Doug Mills
Keyword(s):  

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Drury ◽  
Fritz Geiser

We quantified activity patterns, foraging times and roost selection in the eastern blossom-bat (Syconycteris australis) (body mass 17.6 g) in coastal northern New South Wales in winter using radio-telemetry. Bats roosted either in rainforest near their foraging site of flowering coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia) and commuted only 0.3 ± 0.1 km (n = 8), whereas others roosted 2.0 ± 0.2 km (n = 4) away in wet sclerophyll forest. Most bats roosted in rainforest foliage, but in the wet sclerophyll forest cabbage palm leaves (Livistonia australis) were preferred roosts, which likely reflects behavioural thermoregulation by bats. Foraging commenced 44 ± 22 min after sunset in rainforest-roosting bats, whereas bats that roosted further away and likely flew over canopies/open ground to reach their foraging site left later, especially a female roosting with her likely young (~4 h after sunset). Bats returned to their roosts 64 ± 12 min before sunrise. Our study shows that S. australis is capable of commuting considerable distances between appropriate roost and foraging sites when nectar is abundant. Bats appear to vary foraging times appropriately to minimise exposure to predators and to undertake parental care.



2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Meek ◽  
Frances Zewe ◽  
Greg Falzon

The activity patterns and partitioning of time by four small mammal species, with a focus on the swamp rat (Rattus lutreolus) in north-eastern New South Wales, was investigated using camera trap data from two studies. Analysis was carried out on 1079 camera trap events over 1530 camera trap–nights or 36 720 h of camera trap deployment in the field. The activity patterns of Rattus lutreolus were distinctly diurnal with crepuscular peaks of activity but this differed between sites and when in the presence of competitors. The Hastings River mouse (Pseudomys oralis) and the bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) displayed typical bimodal patterns of nocturnal activity. Antechinus were mostly nocturnal but were occasionally active during the day. These data indicate that where species of Muridae co-occur, diurnal time partitioning by R. lutreolus may reduce competition for food resources. It also confirms the speculation that R. lutreolus displays diurnal behaviour, albeit dependent on the presence of other murids.





2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie K. Courtney Jones ◽  
Katarina M. Mikac

Activity levels of spotted-tailed quolls were investigated using camera traps over 12 months. There were 33 independent camera trap photos with 17 individual quolls identified. Latency to initial detection was 40 days. Quolls were nocturnal/crepuscular, spending 35% of the day they were detected active. Highest activity levels were recorded in summer.



1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 308
Author(s):  
M. Mcleod ◽  
D. Goldney

Platypuses, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, have been studied on the Duckmaloi River, New South Wales, in a long term mark-release-recapture project from 1986 to 1996. Some animals are recaptured regularly, while others are trapped only once. A high percentage of juveniles are never retrapped. New animals continue to be captured each year. Hence radio-tracking was employed to examine the movements of animals within the river system including their spatial utilisation of the Duckmaloi Weir. Concurrent studies on activity patterns and burrow usage were undertaken. Seventeen animals (I 0 juveniles, 2 subadults and 5 adults) were radio-tracked for various lengths of time between January and October 1993. Telemetric data revealed that radio-tagged animals were not recaptured on all possible occasions. Home ranges (length of river) varied from 0.5 km to 3.5 km. Home ranges of all animals, overlapped extensively, while core area overlap also occurred in the pool behind the Duckmaloi weir. One juvenile male dispersed 8.5 km upstream from the weir. Platypuses typically utilised areas when feeding with water depth between I to 2.5 m, rarely using areas less than 0.5 m deep. Juvenile platypuses were crepuscular and nocturnal, while adults, although mainly nocturnal also exhibited individual variations in diurnality. Although some individuals remained active throughout the night, others returned to burrows before re-entering the water. Animals commonly returned to certain burrow complexes with some exhibiting a higher degree of burrow site specificity than others. Certain burrows were used by nearly all radio-tagged animals over time while others were used by only a select number of individuals. Some animals tracked in the weir pool were found to share burrows.



Author(s):  
B. P. Parolin

One aspect of rationalization of rural passenger services in the state of New South Wales, Australia is examined: the travel and activity consequences for rural consumers of the substitution of longer-haul bus services for rail passenger services. Interview surveys of bus passengers in selected communities and town residents who previously used train services or presently use bus services were used to develop travel-activity profiles in the pre- and postrationalization period. The extent and nature of reorientation of travel-activity patterns were assessed to determine the effects of service substitution. Results indicate that most respondents were able to adjust their travel-activity patterns and benefit from the service substitution's greater number of travel choices, despite relatively low levels of mobility. The new bus services provide a higher level of service and are well patronized by respondents. Rural public transportation patronage in the study communities is now higher compared with that in the prerationalization period. Furthermore, no evidence was found of a link between rationalization and decline in services provision. The conclusion is drawn that new rural bus services have been overwhelmingly accepted and are well patronized in the study communities. They have also attracted many car users. Longer-haul bus services are now an integral part of the network of rural passenger services and of travel-activity patterns.



2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Meek ◽  
Glen Saunders

Data on the home range and activity of 14 foxes was collected from coastal habitat in Jervis Bay, New South Wales during 1993–95. Radio-collared foxes had a mean home range of 135 ha and core activity areas of 23 ha (determined by the Minimum Convex Polygon method). There were no significant differences in the home ranges of male and female foxes. The home ranges of some foxes shifted throughout the study. Some animals went on long forays beyond their normal range. All animals displayed nocturnal activity patterns except during the breeding season or after long spells of wet weather when some foraging occurred during daylight hours. The information collected in this study is discussed in the context of fox control.



2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leroy Gonsalves ◽  
Bradley Law

Behavioural and physiological traits of bats may influence seasonal bat activity in urban areas. To examine this, we used acoustic surveys to monitor insectivorous bat activity in urban bushland and at two day-roosts of Miniopterus orianae oceanensis between September 2013 and August 2014. Day-roosts were also assessed for potential as swarming sites and monthly estimates of colony size were made at one of these, while radio-tracking was used to identify additional roosts. Acoustic surveys identified seven species, with Mi. o. oceanensis and Chalinolobus gouldii most commonly recorded. Nightly species richness was lower in winter than in other seasons, while total bat activity was greatest in autumn, reflecting increased activity by C. gouldii and Mi. o. oceanensis in this season. One Mi. o. oceanensis day-roost was used from autumn to early spring, with numbers of bats increasing from ~50 to 300 and high fidelity shown to this site by radio-tagged bats in autumn, while nightly activity at another day-roost was suggestive of swarming. Seasonal differences in bat activity were species-specific and, for Mi. o. oceanensis, corresponded to changes in population size as bats migrated to and from Sydney to meet reproductive and overwintering requirements. We recommend urban bat monitoring programs sample multiple seasons to adequately document trends in activity for all bat species.



Author(s):  
G. Jacobs ◽  
F. Theunissen

In order to understand how the algorithms underlying neural computation are implemented within any neural system, it is necessary to understand details of the anatomy, physiology and global organization of the neurons from which the system is constructed. Information is represented in neural systems by patterns of activity that vary in both their spatial extent and in the time domain. One of the great challenges to microscopists is to devise methods for imaging these patterns of activity and to correlate them with the underlying neuroanatomy and physiology. We have addressed this problem by using a combination of three dimensional reconstruction techniques, quantitative analysis and computer visualization techniques to build a probabilistic atlas of a neural map in an insect sensory system. The principal goal of this study was to derive a quantitative representation of the map, based on a uniform sample of afferents that was of sufficient size to allow statistically meaningful analyses of the relationships between structure and function.



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