Arboreality increases reptile community resistance to disturbance from livestock grazing
Neilly, Heather, Nordberg, Eric J., VanDerWal, Jeremy, and Schwarzkopf, Lin (2018) Arboreality increases reptile community resistance to disturbance from livestock grazing. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55 (2). pp. 786-799.
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Abstract
1. Domestic livestock grazing directly alters ground-level habitat but its effects on arboreal habitat are poorly known. Similarly, the response to grazing of ground-dwelling fauna has been examined, but there are few studies of arboreal fauna. Globally, grazing has been implicated in the decline of vertebrate fauna species, but some species appear resistant to the effects of grazing, either benefiting from the structural changes at ground level or avoiding them, as may be the case with arboreal species. Here we examine arboreal and terrestrial habitat responses and reptile community responses to grazing, to determine whether arboreal reptile species are more resistant than terrestrial reptile species.
2. We conducted arboreal and terrestrial reptile surveys on four different grazing treatments, at a 19-year experimental grazing trial in northern Australia. To compare the grazing response of arboreal and terrestrial reptile assemblages, we used community, functional group and individual species-level analyses. Species responses were modelled in relation to landscape-scale and microhabitat variables.
3. Arboreal reptile species were resistant to the impact of grazing, whereas terrestrial reptiles were negatively affected by heavy grazing. Terrestrial reptiles were positively associated with complex ground structures, which were greatly reduced in heavily grazed areas. Arboreal lizards responded positively to microhabitat features such as tree hollows.
4. Synthesis and applications. Arboreal and terrestrial reptiles have different responses to the impact of livestock grazing. This has implications for rangeland management, particularly if management objectives include goals relating to conserving certain species or functional groups. Arboreal reptiles showed resistance in a landscape that is grazed, but where trees have not been cleared. We highlight the importance of retaining trees in rangelands for both terrestrial and arboreal microhabitats.
Item ID: | 49931 |
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Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
ISSN: | 1365-2664 |
Keywords: | cattle grazing, habitat fragmentation, herpetofauna, off-reserve conservation, rangelands, reptiles, response mechanisms, agriculture, arborea |
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Additional Information: | A version of this publication was included as Chapter 3 of the following PhD thesis: Nordberg, Eric J. (2018) The impacts of cattle grazing on arboreal reptiles. PhD thesis, James Cook University, which is available Open Access in ResearchOnline@JCU. Please see the Related URLs for access. A version of this publication was included as Chapter 6 of the following PhD thesis: Balancing beef with biodiversity: faunal responses to different cattle grazing strategies, which is available Open Access in ResearchOnline@JCU. Please see the Related URLs for access. |
Funders: | Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) |
Date Deposited: | 22 Aug 2017 22:19 |
FoR Codes: | 41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4104 Environmental management > 410407 Wildlife and habitat management @ 100% |
SEO Codes: | 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960504 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Environments @ 100% |
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