Assessing the Habitat of the parma wallaby, Macropus parma (Marsupialia : Macropodidae)

Abstract

Sites at which parma wallabies, Macropus parma, were present were compared with apparently similar sites in nearby areas from which M. parma were absent. The structure of the habitat and the availability of different grasses as potential diet items at each site were compared using both univariate and multivariate statistical techniques, including analysis of variance and factor analysis. Sites with M. parma appeared to have more Blady grass and Tussock grass and fewer Herbs and Other grass than sites without M. parma. However, it was difficult to unequivocally allocate structural parameters that determined the presence or absence of M. parma. Several reasons for this were considered, and it appears most likely that some of the sites from which M. parma were absent did indeed meet the habitat requirements of this species but remained unoccupied. This situation may result from the low population densities and relatively sparse, disjunct distribution of this rare species. However, it will not be possible to answer these questions, and to adequately determine details of the habitat requirements of M. parma, without the results from studies using radiotelemetry to assess habitat use, and microscopic techniques to assess the relative importance of items in the diet.