Abstract. Senescence is a decline in reproduction and survival rate with advancing age resulting from deterioration of somatic tissues and systems throughout the body. Age-related somatic changes (somatic ageing) have been studied extensively in vertebrates but are less well known in other animals, including insects. Since adult insects have very limited ability to repair their exoskeleton, somatic ageing could involve deterioration and discolouration of the cuticle. We investigated age-related changes in wing pigmentation and abdominal cuticle necrosis in females of the Australian leaf insect Phyllium monteithi. Adult females varied markedly in the extent and pattern of pigmentation on their bodies, and we found that pigment spots on the forewings increased in size with age in most individuals. As females aged, most individuals also exhibited increasing levels of abdominal cuticle necrosis, resulting in the loss of abdominal cuticle along the margin of the abdomen. Neither the extent of pigmentation nor cuticle loss were clearly associated with reduced fecundity or longevity in the protected laboratory environment, but it remains unknown whether these age-related changes have functional implications in the wild. Our results show that the P. monteithi exoskeleton undergoes complex changes with age, with potential implications for functional traits and fitness.
{"title":"Exoskeleton ageing and its relation to longevity and fecundity in female Australian leaf insects (Phyllium monteithi)","authors":"R. Bonduriansky, Caitlin Creak","doi":"10.1071/ZO21052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21052","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Senescence is a decline in reproduction and survival rate with advancing age resulting from deterioration of somatic tissues and systems throughout the body. Age-related somatic changes (somatic ageing) have been studied extensively in vertebrates but are less well known in other animals, including insects. Since adult insects have very limited ability to repair their exoskeleton, somatic ageing could involve deterioration and discolouration of the cuticle. We investigated age-related changes in wing pigmentation and abdominal cuticle necrosis in females of the Australian leaf insect Phyllium monteithi. Adult females varied markedly in the extent and pattern of pigmentation on their bodies, and we found that pigment spots on the forewings increased in size with age in most individuals. As females aged, most individuals also exhibited increasing levels of abdominal cuticle necrosis, resulting in the loss of abdominal cuticle along the margin of the abdomen. Neither the extent of pigmentation nor cuticle loss were clearly associated with reduced fecundity or longevity in the protected laboratory environment, but it remains unknown whether these age-related changes have functional implications in the wild. Our results show that the P. monteithi exoskeleton undergoes complex changes with age, with potential implications for functional traits and fitness.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90220469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lauren H. Thornton, T. Dick, M. Bennett, C. Clemente
Abstract. Kangaroos and other macropodoids stand out among mammals for their unusual hopping locomotion and body shape. This review examines the scaling of hind- and forelimb bones, and the primary ankle extensor muscles and tendons. We find that the scaling of the musculoskeletal system is sensitive to the phylogenetic context. Tibia length increases with positive allometry among most macropodoids, but negative allometry in eastern grey kangaroos and isometry in red kangaroos. Femur length decreases with stronger negative allometry in eastern grey and red kangaroos than among other macropodoids. Muscle masses scale with negative allometry in western grey kangaroos and with isometry in red kangaroos, compared to positive allometry in other macropodoids. We further summarise the work on the hopping gait, energetics in macropodoids, and stresses in the musculoskeletal system in an evolutionary context, to determine what trade-offs may limit locomotor performance in macropodoids. When large kangaroos hop, they do not increase oxygen consumption with speed, unlike most mammals, including small hopping species. We conclude that there is not enough information to isolate the biomechanical factors that make large kangaroos so energy efficient. We identify key areas for further research to fill these gaps.
{"title":"Understanding Australia’s unique hopping species: a comparative review of the musculoskeletal system and locomotor biomechanics in Macropodoidea","authors":"Lauren H. Thornton, T. Dick, M. Bennett, C. Clemente","doi":"10.1071/ZO21048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21048","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Kangaroos and other macropodoids stand out among mammals for their unusual hopping locomotion and body shape. This review examines the scaling of hind- and forelimb bones, and the primary ankle extensor muscles and tendons. We find that the scaling of the musculoskeletal system is sensitive to the phylogenetic context. Tibia length increases with positive allometry among most macropodoids, but negative allometry in eastern grey kangaroos and isometry in red kangaroos. Femur length decreases with stronger negative allometry in eastern grey and red kangaroos than among other macropodoids. Muscle masses scale with negative allometry in western grey kangaroos and with isometry in red kangaroos, compared to positive allometry in other macropodoids. We further summarise the work on the hopping gait, energetics in macropodoids, and stresses in the musculoskeletal system in an evolutionary context, to determine what trade-offs may limit locomotor performance in macropodoids. When large kangaroos hop, they do not increase oxygen consumption with speed, unlike most mammals, including small hopping species. We conclude that there is not enough information to isolate the biomechanical factors that make large kangaroos so energy efficient. We identify key areas for further research to fill these gaps.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72473085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. Arboreal lizards, especially species that inhabit flood-prone environments, have been poorly surveyed worldwide. We examined spatiotemporal patterns in arboreal lizard abundance and factors driving detection rates in floodplain environments using artificial bark covers, a non-destructive and cost-effective survey method. In total, 112 flexible, closed-cell foam bark covers were installed on eucalypt trees in 13 wetlands in the Murrumbidgee River floodplain of southern New South Wales, Australia, stratified by two inundation frequency treatments. Of four arboreal lizard species detected, the southern marbled gecko (Christinus marmoratus) (n = 41) and the tree dtella (Gehyra versicolor) (n = 8) were restricted to the mid-Murrumbidgee region, whereas the crevice skink (Egernia striolata) (n = 19) was restricted to the lower-Murrumbidgee region and did not co-occur with either gecko species. Mean detection rates of lizard species did not differ between frequently and infrequently inundated treatments but their abundance beneath covers varied significantly by month. For all detected lizard species, the presence/absence of the arachnid Holconia murrayensis represented a significant variable in explaining lizard occurrence patterns, particularly that of C. marmoratus. Artificial bark covers are a useful survey method for collecting distribution, abundance, and occupancy data on floodplain reptiles, although detection rates can be affected by the month, predator–prey interactions, and survey effort. Adopting passive, non-destructive reptile survey methods would greatly improve our knowledge of species’ distributions and abundance patterns in vegetation communities subject to disturbance events.
{"title":"Use of artificial bark covers to investigate the distribution and abundance of arboreal lizards in a floodplain environment","authors":"Evan D. Moore, D. Nimmo, S. Wassens, D. Michael","doi":"10.1071/ZO21036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21036","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Arboreal lizards, especially species that inhabit flood-prone environments, have been poorly surveyed worldwide. We examined spatiotemporal patterns in arboreal lizard abundance and factors driving detection rates in floodplain environments using artificial bark covers, a non-destructive and cost-effective survey method. In total, 112 flexible, closed-cell foam bark covers were installed on eucalypt trees in 13 wetlands in the Murrumbidgee River floodplain of southern New South Wales, Australia, stratified by two inundation frequency treatments. Of four arboreal lizard species detected, the southern marbled gecko (Christinus marmoratus) (n = 41) and the tree dtella (Gehyra versicolor) (n = 8) were restricted to the mid-Murrumbidgee region, whereas the crevice skink (Egernia striolata) (n = 19) was restricted to the lower-Murrumbidgee region and did not co-occur with either gecko species. Mean detection rates of lizard species did not differ between frequently and infrequently inundated treatments but their abundance beneath covers varied significantly by month. For all detected lizard species, the presence/absence of the arachnid Holconia murrayensis represented a significant variable in explaining lizard occurrence patterns, particularly that of C. marmoratus. Artificial bark covers are a useful survey method for collecting distribution, abundance, and occupancy data on floodplain reptiles, although detection rates can be affected by the month, predator–prey interactions, and survey effort. Adopting passive, non-destructive reptile survey methods would greatly improve our knowledge of species’ distributions and abundance patterns in vegetation communities subject to disturbance events.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91284008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. Raine Island, located in the northern Great Barrier Reef, hosts the largest green turtle nesting aggregation in the world, but typically experiences low hatching success (20–60%, depending on the number of females visiting the island to nest). To determine whether the low hatching success of green turtle eggs at Raine Island might be explained by local sand characteristics, we investigated the physical properties of Raine Island sand and compared it to sand from other eastern coast Australian sea turtle nesting beaches that have high hatching success (>80%). We also measured the water, salt and organic material content of sand within nests at Raine Island to see whether any of these variables were correlated with the proportion of early embryo death or hatching success. The physical characteristics of Raine Island sand were similar to those of other eastern coast Australian nesting beaches, so it seems unlikely that inherent physical sand properties, water content, salt or organic matter explain the relatively low hatching success observed on Raine Island compared to other Australian green turtle nesting beaches. However, we found that nests that were inundated twice with seawater during spring high tides at the end of their first week of incubation experienced greater early development mortality and lower hatching success than did non-inundated nests, suggesting that embryos drowned during the inundation. Last, we found that hatching success declined towards the end of the nesting season, suggesting that the beach sand in the nesting areas of Raine Island changes in some way, and/or that egg quality decreases as the nesting season progresses.
{"title":"Sand characteristics do not influence hatching success of nests at the world’s largest green turtle rookery","authors":"D. Booth, Melissa N. Staines, R. Reina","doi":"10.1071/ZO21050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21050","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Raine Island, located in the northern Great Barrier Reef, hosts the largest green turtle nesting aggregation in the world, but typically experiences low hatching success (20–60%, depending on the number of females visiting the island to nest). To determine whether the low hatching success of green turtle eggs at Raine Island might be explained by local sand characteristics, we investigated the physical properties of Raine Island sand and compared it to sand from other eastern coast Australian sea turtle nesting beaches that have high hatching success (>80%). We also measured the water, salt and organic material content of sand within nests at Raine Island to see whether any of these variables were correlated with the proportion of early embryo death or hatching success. The physical characteristics of Raine Island sand were similar to those of other eastern coast Australian nesting beaches, so it seems unlikely that inherent physical sand properties, water content, salt or organic matter explain the relatively low hatching success observed on Raine Island compared to other Australian green turtle nesting beaches. However, we found that nests that were inundated twice with seawater during spring high tides at the end of their first week of incubation experienced greater early development mortality and lower hatching success than did non-inundated nests, suggesting that embryos drowned during the inundation. Last, we found that hatching success declined towards the end of the nesting season, suggesting that the beach sand in the nesting areas of Raine Island changes in some way, and/or that egg quality decreases as the nesting season progresses.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80438631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ABSTRACT Feral populations of Chelodina longicollis (Shaw, 1794) have established in Tasmania but many aspects of their biology in the wild remain unknown. A number of C. longicollis specimens were available for examination for parasites. Two species of digenean parasites were found in three of the 11 turtles examined: a Choanocotyle sp. and Thrinascotrema brisbanica Jue Sue & Platt, 1999. This is the first report of parasites from feral turtles in Tasmania. Due to the lack of native populations of freshwater turtles in Tasmania, these parasites must also have been introduced to Tasmania and have established life cycles in the new environments. The implications of such introductions, without suitable definitive hosts available to assist in establishing parasite infections, is discussed. An updated list of digenean parasites reported from Australian freshwater turtles is presented.
{"title":"Parasites in feral Chelodina longicollis (Shaw, 1794) (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) in Tasmania","authors":"D. Barton, S. Fearn","doi":"10.1071/ZO21044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21044","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Feral populations of Chelodina longicollis (Shaw, 1794) have established in Tasmania but many aspects of their biology in the wild remain unknown. A number of C. longicollis specimens were available for examination for parasites. Two species of digenean parasites were found in three of the 11 turtles examined: a Choanocotyle sp. and Thrinascotrema brisbanica Jue Sue & Platt, 1999. This is the first report of parasites from feral turtles in Tasmania. Due to the lack of native populations of freshwater turtles in Tasmania, these parasites must also have been introduced to Tasmania and have established life cycles in the new environments. The implications of such introductions, without suitable definitive hosts available to assist in establishing parasite infections, is discussed. An updated list of digenean parasites reported from Australian freshwater turtles is presented.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79912124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ABSTRACT Communication signals underpin the social lives of animals, from species recognition to mate selection and territory defense. Animal signals are diverse in structure between and within species, with the diversity reflecting interacting factors of shared evolutionary history, constraints imposed on senders and receivers and the ecological context in which signalling takes place. The dragon lizards of Australia (family Agamidae) are known for their movement-based visual displays and are useful models for how ecology influences behaviour. However, we know little about the communication strategies of many species. Our aim here was to provide new knowledge on some of these species, focusing on the north-west of Western Australia. We filmed within-species pairwise interactions of Diporiphora superba, D. bennetti, D. sobria and Ctenophorus isolepis isolepis. We describe and quantify for the first time push-up displays by D. superba and C. isolepis isolepis and tail waving displays of D. bennetti. Only D. sobria did not generate movement-based visual signals. We have confirmed that more species engage in such behaviour than previously reported, but further work is required to document the full repertoire of these species. The implications of our work are discussed in the context of signal structure, function and environmental context.
{"title":"Movement-based signalling by four species of dragon lizard (family Agamidae) from the Kimberley region of Western Australia","authors":"R. Peters, Jordan De Jong, J. Ramos","doi":"10.1071/ZO21047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21047","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Communication signals underpin the social lives of animals, from species recognition to mate selection and territory defense. Animal signals are diverse in structure between and within species, with the diversity reflecting interacting factors of shared evolutionary history, constraints imposed on senders and receivers and the ecological context in which signalling takes place. The dragon lizards of Australia (family Agamidae) are known for their movement-based visual displays and are useful models for how ecology influences behaviour. However, we know little about the communication strategies of many species. Our aim here was to provide new knowledge on some of these species, focusing on the north-west of Western Australia. We filmed within-species pairwise interactions of Diporiphora superba, D. bennetti, D. sobria and Ctenophorus isolepis isolepis. We describe and quantify for the first time push-up displays by D. superba and C. isolepis isolepis and tail waving displays of D. bennetti. Only D. sobria did not generate movement-based visual signals. We have confirmed that more species engage in such behaviour than previously reported, but further work is required to document the full repertoire of these species. The implications of our work are discussed in the context of signal structure, function and environmental context.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76956083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ABSTRACT Deriving estimates of demographic parameters and the processes driving them is crucial for identifying wildlife management options. The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is the most widely distributed native Australian mammal, yet little is known of its population dynamics due to its cryptic nature. Consequently, assessment of the impacts of climate and threats on echidna populations has been difficult. We analyse 19 years (1996–2014) of mark–recapture data to estimate survival and reproductive rates of a Tasmanian population of short-beaked echidna, and to evaluate the influence of regional weather patterns on its demographics. Population size showed high year-to-year variation, ranging from 1 to 40 echidnas km2 across the study area. Known-fate modelling of radio-tracked individuals suggested that climatic conditions impacted survival; average longevity was estimated at 16.7 years but only 4.8 years when the total spring/summer rainfall was below 125 mm, and 6.25 in years when temperatures more frequently exceeded 32°C. Recruitment, estimated from Pradel analyses, was low in the population (β = 0.08) and not significantly affected by climate. These results are the first quantitative estimates of climate effects, survival, and recruitment for this species, and suggest that climate-enhanced drying and temperature increase would pose a threat to echidna populations in Tasmania.
{"title":"Population demography of the Tasmanian short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)","authors":"Tamika J. Lunn, S. Nicol, J. Buettel, B. Brook","doi":"10.1071/ZO21037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21037","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Deriving estimates of demographic parameters and the processes driving them is crucial for identifying wildlife management options. The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is the most widely distributed native Australian mammal, yet little is known of its population dynamics due to its cryptic nature. Consequently, assessment of the impacts of climate and threats on echidna populations has been difficult. We analyse 19 years (1996–2014) of mark–recapture data to estimate survival and reproductive rates of a Tasmanian population of short-beaked echidna, and to evaluate the influence of regional weather patterns on its demographics. Population size showed high year-to-year variation, ranging from 1 to 40 echidnas km2 across the study area. Known-fate modelling of radio-tracked individuals suggested that climatic conditions impacted survival; average longevity was estimated at 16.7 years but only 4.8 years when the total spring/summer rainfall was below 125 mm, and 6.25 in years when temperatures more frequently exceeded 32°C. Recruitment, estimated from Pradel analyses, was low in the population (β = 0.08) and not significantly affected by climate. These results are the first quantitative estimates of climate effects, survival, and recruitment for this species, and suggest that climate-enhanced drying and temperature increase would pose a threat to echidna populations in Tasmania.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73356046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dylan M. Lees, D. Watchorn, D. Driscoll, T. Doherty
ABSTRACT Understanding how fire influences animal behaviour, such as movement and resource selection, is important for ecosystem management because it can improve our capacity to predict how species will respond. We assessed microhabitat selection by two small mammals, the bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) and agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), in response to a low intensity prescribed fire. We used spool and line tracking and touch pole vegetation surveys to quantify microhabitat selection along 21 trails for bush rats and 22 for antechinuses before and after fire. In unburnt areas, bush rats showed positive selection for sedges, logs, and habitat complexity, with selection further increasing in burnt areas for sedges, ferns, shrubs, habitat complexity and unburnt patches. Agile antechinuses showed no significant microhabitat selection in unburnt or burnt areas and no change in response to fire. Their lack of response to ground fires may be due, partially, to their scansorial behaviour and use of tree hollows as refuge sites. Strong selection by bush rats for small unburnt patches suggests that even low intensity, patchy fires such as planned burns can impact bush rats and that high burn patchiness may help bush rats persist in recently burnt areas. Future fire planning should consider both behavioural and population responses of animals to fire.
{"title":"Microhabitat selection by small mammals in response to fire","authors":"Dylan M. Lees, D. Watchorn, D. Driscoll, T. Doherty","doi":"10.1071/ZO21022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21022","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Understanding how fire influences animal behaviour, such as movement and resource selection, is important for ecosystem management because it can improve our capacity to predict how species will respond. We assessed microhabitat selection by two small mammals, the bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) and agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), in response to a low intensity prescribed fire. We used spool and line tracking and touch pole vegetation surveys to quantify microhabitat selection along 21 trails for bush rats and 22 for antechinuses before and after fire. In unburnt areas, bush rats showed positive selection for sedges, logs, and habitat complexity, with selection further increasing in burnt areas for sedges, ferns, shrubs, habitat complexity and unburnt patches. Agile antechinuses showed no significant microhabitat selection in unburnt or burnt areas and no change in response to fire. Their lack of response to ground fires may be due, partially, to their scansorial behaviour and use of tree hollows as refuge sites. Strong selection by bush rats for small unburnt patches suggests that even low intensity, patchy fires such as planned burns can impact bush rats and that high burn patchiness may help bush rats persist in recently burnt areas. Future fire planning should consider both behavioural and population responses of animals to fire.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89060993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Cowen, Michael J. Smith, S. McArthur, K. Rayner, Chantelle Jackson, G. Anderson, Kym M. Ottewell
Abstract. Monitoring programs for populations of small or medium-sized animals often use live-capture or photo-monitoring trapping methods to estimate population size. The banded hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus), a small macropodiform marsupial, does not readily enter traps or have individually unique distinguishing physical features and is consequently difficult to monitor using these methods. Isolating DNA from faecal material to obtain individual genotypes is a promising monitoring technique and may present an alternative approach for this species. We developed novel species-specific microsatellite markers and undertook trials to assess faecal DNA degradation in ambient environmental conditions at two locations where this species has been translocated. The quality of DNA yielded from faecal pellets was evaluated through amplification failure and genotyping error rates of microsatellite markers. Error rates were compared for different treatments and exposure duration across multiple individuals. DNA was successfully obtained from all samples and error rates increased with exposure duration, peaking after 14–30 days depending on the site and treatment. The level of solar exposure was the most significant factor affecting degradation rate but both this and exposure duration had significant effects on amplification failure. Analysing DNA obtained from faecal pellets may represent a practical non-invasive method of deriving population estimates for this species and warrants further development.
{"title":"Novel microsatellites and investigation of faecal DNA as a non-invasive population monitoring tool for the banded hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus)","authors":"S. Cowen, Michael J. Smith, S. McArthur, K. Rayner, Chantelle Jackson, G. Anderson, Kym M. Ottewell","doi":"10.1071/ZO21015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO21015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Monitoring programs for populations of small or medium-sized animals often use live-capture or photo-monitoring trapping methods to estimate population size. The banded hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus), a small macropodiform marsupial, does not readily enter traps or have individually unique distinguishing physical features and is consequently difficult to monitor using these methods. Isolating DNA from faecal material to obtain individual genotypes is a promising monitoring technique and may present an alternative approach for this species. We developed novel species-specific microsatellite markers and undertook trials to assess faecal DNA degradation in ambient environmental conditions at two locations where this species has been translocated. The quality of DNA yielded from faecal pellets was evaluated through amplification failure and genotyping error rates of microsatellite markers. Error rates were compared for different treatments and exposure duration across multiple individuals. DNA was successfully obtained from all samples and error rates increased with exposure duration, peaking after 14–30 days depending on the site and treatment. The level of solar exposure was the most significant factor affecting degradation rate but both this and exposure duration had significant effects on amplification failure. Analysing DNA obtained from faecal pellets may represent a practical non-invasive method of deriving population estimates for this species and warrants further development.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85943141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Kleemann, D. Sandow, M. Stevens, D. Schultz, D. Taggart, A. Croxford
Abstract. Thirty-nine endangered brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) were reintroduced to Grampians National Park, western Victoria, between 2008 and 2012. Subsequent high mortality, low breeding, and no recruitment were linked to fox predation and physical disturbance during monitoring. From 2014 to 2017, the colony was left undisturbed and monitored only by remote camera. Five adult animals were identified across this period (1 ♂ and 3 ♀s – all tagged; and one untagged female), and an average of 0.7 pouch young were birthed per tagged female per year. In 2019, camera-monitoring and non-invasive genetic monitoring (faecal) were used to identify colony members, genetic diversity, and breeding. Camera monitoring in 2019 identified the same five individuals, whereas genetic monitoring using 12 microsatellites identified eight individuals (two male and six female genotypes). Genetic diversity within the colony was moderate (expected heterozygosity (He) = 0.655, observed heterozygosity (Ho) = 0.854). Leaving the colony undisturbed after 2013 correlated with improved adult survival, increased breeding, and successful recruitment of young to the population. Recommendations for the Grampians colony include continuation of regular camera- and scat monitoring to improve our understanding of the reintroduction biology of P. penicillata and other marsupials in open, unfenced landscapes.
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