![]() Identifying which ecological and life history traits influence a species’ tolerance to urbanization is critical to understanding the trajectory of biodiversity in an increasingly urbanizing world. gondii seropositivity in a wild predatory bird in Australia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published detection of T. Only season showed significant correlations with observed seropositivity. We also examined correlations and interactions with owl age, season, injury status and exposure to an anticoagulant rodenticide. Moderately low levels of seropositivity were detected and non-significant landscape-related patterns of seroprevalence were observed. gondii seropositivity in serum and meat juice samples taken from boobooks. We used modified agglutination tests to determine T. gondii infection would be more prevalent in urban and agricultural landscapes than intact bushland and sought to use samples from the Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) as an indicator of ecosystem-wide T. Since cat abundance varies with landscape composition, we hypothesised that T. gondii infection rates in Australian wildlife. ![]() House cats (Felis catus) are one of its definitive hosts. In Australia, Toxoplasma gondii is an introduced parasite with a wide host range. When studying fragmentation impacts in habitat generalists. I recommend greater consideration of the concept of “usable space” This research also raises questions about how habitat fragmentation isĭiscussed and studied in the context of species which are capable of making extensive use Taken together, this body of research demonstrates variation in relationshipsīetween different types of habitat fragmentation and threatening processes related toįragmentation. Offset by creation of environmental conditions less favourable to the survival of T. Of exposure due to greater cat abundance in urban and agricultural landscapes may be Type but was more prevalent in individuals sampled during cooler wetter times of year. Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in boobooks did not vary significantly by landscape Nest boxes may be a useful management tool in highly-altered areas where However, in one instance, boobooks successfully used a nest box located in an urbanīushland. Of the study in remnants provided with artificial nest boxes in either landscape type. Occupancy did not change significantly over the duration The apparent permeability of anthropogenically altered landscapes probablyĮxplains the lack of spatial genetic structure and is likely related to the observed ability ofīoobooks to use resources in both urban and agricultural matrices.īoobooks did not appear to be limited by the availability of suitable nesting sites in Observed one individual dispersing at least 26km from its natal home range across urban No spatial genetic structure was evident in boobooks across habitat types. ARs originating in urban habitat probably pose a substantial threat toīoobooks and other predatory wildlife species. TotalĪR concentration correlated positively with the proportion of urban land use within an areaĪpproximately the size of a boobook’s home range centred on the point where the sample Generation anticoagulant rodenticides were detected in 72.6% of individuals sampled. I analysed AR residues in boobook livers across multiple habitat types. Where reptiles are more abundant than in cooler regions where AR exposure has been This relative resistance may create unevaluated risks for wildlife and humans in Australia Reptiles suggests that they may be less susceptible to AR poisoning than birds and mammals. World literature relating to AR exposure in ![]() The review revealed records of confirmed or suspected poisoningĪcross 37 vertebrate species in Australia. Published accounts of non-target impacts in order to contextualise exposure patterns I also conducted a literature review on the use and regulation of ARs in Australia and On spatial genetic structure breeding site availability and infection by the parasite Poisoning by anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) limitation of juvenile dispersal and impacts I usedĪustralian boobooks (Ninox boobook) in Western Australia to investigate interactionsīetween matrix type and four different potential threatening processes: secondary Type of land use occurring in the matrix between remaining habitat fragments. The effects of habitat fragmentation on native wildlife can vary depending on the
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