Food availability and habitat selection of Sminthopsis leucopus (Gray) (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in logged forest on the south coast of New South Wales.

Abstract

Diet was assessed using faecal pellet analysis. Food availability was measured on ridges and in gullies of logged. unlogged and regenerating forest using pitfall traps. Sminthopsis leucopus ate a wide variety of prey, including vertebrates. The observed similarity between the invertebrates in scats and pitfall traps in the preferred habitat (logged ridges) indicates that S. leucopus feeds opportunistically. Adequate food resources were available in all ridge habitats yet S. leucopus were captured predominantly in only logged ridge habitat. We conclude that food availability did not influence habitat selection.