Use of anthropogenic linear features by two medium-sized carnivores in reserved and agricultural landscapes

Georgina E Andersen,Christopher N Johnson,Menna E Jones,Leon A Barmuta

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-11454-z

Georgina E Andersen, Christopher N Johnson + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11454-z

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Abstract

Many carnivores are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. These changes create linear features and habitat edges that can facilitate foraging and/or travel. To understand the significance of anthropogenic linear features in the ecology of carnivores, fine-scaled studies are needed. We studied two medium-sized carnivores: the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) and the near threatened spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), in a mixed landscape of conservation and agricultural land. Using GPS tracking, we investigated their use of intact habitat versus linear features such as roads, fences and the pasture/cover interface. Both species showed a positive selection for anthropogenic linear features, using the pasture/cover interface for foraging and roads for movement and foraging. Devils travelled along fence lines, while quolls showed little preference for them. Otherwise, both species foraged in forest and travelled through pasture. While devils and quolls can utilise anthropogenic linear features, we suggest that their continued survival in these habitats may depend on the intensity of other threats, e.g. persecution, and providing that sufficient intact habitat remains to sustain their ecological needs. We suggest that the management of both species and probably many other species of carnivores should focus on controlling mortality factors associated with human use of landscapes.

Highlights

Carnivores are vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation because they typically have low population densities, large area requirements, and are often persecuted by humans[1, 2]
In Tasmania, the north western part of the state is the stronghold for the spotted-tailed quoll, which is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN red list[20]
Our results provide a clear example of medium-sized carnivores favouring certain landscape features created by humans

Summary

Introduction

Carnivores are vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation because they typically have low population densities, large area requirements, and are often persecuted by humans[1, 2]. Anthropogenic landscape alteration creates linear features which can have complex effects on carnivores, such as the ecotone between native vegetation and livestock pasture, roads, fences, and power lines. We examined the habitat use and fine-scaled movement within home ranges (i.e. third-order resource selection)[15] of two medium-sized carnivores in a mixed conservation and agricultural landscape in Tasmania, Australia. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a hypercarnivorous pounce-pursuit predator and specialist scavenger with morphological specialisations for eating bone[16] It weighs 5–14 kg and has a large home range The spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) is a hypercarnivorous pounce or ambush predator[16], that has specialised morphological adaptions to utilise arboreal habitats It weighs 0.9–5 kg and has a smaller home range than devils We asked the following questions: (1) how do these species utilise landscapes modified by agricultural land use? (2) to what extent do they use edges between pasture and natural vegetation? And, (3) how do roads and tracks affect movement?

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