The influence of snow cover on home range and activity of the bush-rat (Rattus fuscipes) and the dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii)

dc.contributor.authorSanecki, Glennen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGreen, Kenen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWood, Helenen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSanecki-Jones, Karenen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLindenmayer, David Ben_AU
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-07T22:46:39Z
dc.date.issued2006
dc.date.updated2015-12-07T11:44:05Z
dc.description.abstractRadio-telemetry was used to investigate changes in home-range sizes and activity patterns of Rattus fuscipes and Antechinus swainsonii in a subalpine heathland at Perisher Creek, Kosciuszko National Park, southern New South Wales, in response to the accumulation of snow during the winter. We estimated home-range area for each animal during the autumn and winter using two methods, minimum convex polygon and 95% and 50% utilisation contours using the kernel method. With both methods, the home ranges of R. fuscipes and A. swainsonii were significantly smaller (P < 0.001) during the winter than in the autumn. In winter, both species were restricted to areas of dense wet heath close to the main drainage line. R. fuscipes showed signs of social interaction during both seasons, as indicated by location fixes and gnawing damage to radio-collars, in contrast to A. swainsonii, which appeared to remain solitary. In winter, R. fuscipes apparently nested at a single location, whereas during autumn it appeared to use several nest sites. There was no significant change in daily activity patterns between autumn and winter in either species. R. fuscipes remained primarily nocturnal during both prenival and nival periods whereas A. swainsonii continued to be active throughout the diel cycle, although there was a slight shift in its peak activity time from around sunset in autumn to early morning in winter.
dc.identifier.issn1035-3712
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/25865
dc.language.isoen_AUen_AU
dc.publisherCSIRO Publishing
dc.sourceWildlife Research
dc.subjectKeywords: activity pattern; diel variation; heathland; home range; mammal; radiotelemetry; seasonal variation; snow cover; Australasia; Australia; Kosciuszko National Park; New South Wales; Perisher Creek; Animalia; Antechinus swainsonii; Rattus fuscipes
dc.titleThe influence of snow cover on home range and activity of the bush-rat (Rattus fuscipes) and the dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii)
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage496
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage489
local.contributor.affiliationSanecki, Glenn, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationGreen, Ken, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
local.contributor.affiliationWood, Helen, Charles Sturt University
local.contributor.affiliationLindenmayer, David, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationSanecki-Jones, Karen, Administrative Division, ANU
local.contributor.authoremailfses-cle-admin@anu.edu.auen_AU
local.contributor.authoruidSanecki, Glenn, u4004026
local.contributor.authoruidLindenmayer, David, u8808483
local.contributor.authoruidSanecki-Jones, Karen, u4002960
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor050104 - Landscape Ecology
local.identifier.ariespublicationU3923986xPUB41
local.identifier.citationvolume33
local.identifier.doi10.1071/WR05012
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-33749383246
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByU3923986
local.type.statusPublished Versionen_AU

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