Simpson Desert Small Mammal Trapping Data

Full description

This dataset contains information about mammals captured in live traps at multiple sites in the Simpson Desert, since 1990. Mammals were captured in pitfall traps (16 cm in diameter, 60 cm deep). To increase trap success a drift fence of aluminium wire screening (flywire) was set around the top of each trap. The fence was 30 cm high and ran for 2.5 m on each side of the pitfall opening to intercept and guide surface-active animals into the trap. The bottom ends of the pits were provided with a floor of wire screening to prevent captured animals from digging their way out, and all pits were capped with metal lids when not in use. Pitfall traps were arrayed in grids covering 1 ha, with each grid comprising 6 lines of 6 traps spaced 20 m apart. The top line of traps was established on the dune crest and the bottom line 100 m distant in the dune valley.

Traps were opened for 1–6 nights on each grid at sampling intervals of usually 2–3 months and checked in the mornings and sometimes afternoons. Captured animals were identified, weighed, inspected for reproductive condition, and marked uniquely by toe clipping (until 1993) or by ear notching (from 1994) before release.

This dataset contains the Species, Family and Common names for mammals trapped. The date, grid, sex, reproductive condition, new/recapture and reproductive notes are also recorded for each trapping.

The mammals recorded include:

Mulgara (Dasycercus cisticauda), Wongai Ningaui (Ningaui ridei), Giles’ Planigale (Planigale gilesi), Narrow-nosed Planigale (Planigale tenuirostris), Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus (Pseudantechinus macdonellensis), Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata), Hairy-footed Dunnart (Sminthopsis hirptipes), Strip-faced Dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura), Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart (Sminthopsis youngsoni), Forrest’s Mouse (Leggadina forresti), Spinifex Hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis),, Desert Mouse (Pseudomys desertor), Sandy Inland Mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis), Long Haired Rat (Rattus villosissimus, and House Mouse (Mus musculus).

The research data is stored with a Microsoft Access database and is approximately 50MB and growing

Notes

This data has received the following Australian Research Council grant funding:

• 1990 - Determinants of diversity of dasyurid marsupial communities.
• 1990 to 1992 - Habitat selection or competition? An evaluation of factors that promote diversity in dasyurid marsupial communities in Arid Australia
• 1991 to 1993 - Maintenance of high diversity in insectivorous marsupial communities in arid Australia: the role of predation.
• 1993 to 1995 - Risk of predation: the effects of habitat use and community structure of arid zone small mammals.
• 1995 to 1997 - Impact of feral predation on populations of small vertebrates in arid Australia.
• 1995 to 2000 - Determinants of local abundance and diversity of small mammals in arid Australia; the role of oases and regional processes.
• 1996 to 1998 - Determinants of abundance and diversity of marsupials in Arid Australia; role of facilitation.
• 1998 to 1999 - Diversity of lizards in arid Australia: a keystone role for termites.
• 1999 to 2001 - Morphological and functional plasticity in Australian populations of the House mouse, Mus musculus domesticus.
• 2000 - The impact of rainfall on seed abundance and diversity in arid Australia.
• 2001 to 2003 - Population dynamics of Australian desert rodents; effects of competition for food with ants.
• 2004 to 2006 - Boom and bust: the role of fire and rain in driving the dynamics of seeds and rodents in arid Australia http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0451749.
• 2004 to 2008 - Desert island biogeography: vertebrate dynamics after fire-induced fragmentation of habitat in central Australia http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0452475.
• 2006 to 2009 - Avoiding environmental bankruptcy: the grazing impacts of red kangaroos and sheep http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP0668879.
• 2007 to 2009 - Biodiversity enhancement in Arid Australia: the importance of micro-refugia and biotic interactions http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0773754.
• 2009 to 2013 - The renaissance predator: complex predator-prey interactions and vertebrate diversity in arid Australia http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0988535.
• 2010 to 2014 - Dynamic networks in a patchy landscape: will species interactions adjust to increased climatic extremes http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP1095632.