The Small Mammals of Little Nourlangie Rock, NT. V. The Effects of Fire

Abstract

Following a capture-mark-release program (February 1977-June 1979) on Dasyurus hallucatus, Antechinus bilarni, Zyzomys argurus and Zyzomys woodwardi, the study area was burnt to determine the effects of fire on these species. The area was described in terms of fuel characteristics and details of the fire were recorded. Post-fire trapping began July 1979 and continued until July 1980 (15,600 trap-nights). A. bilarni was the only species to suffer an increased mortality immediately after the fire, but the number of animals known to be alive declined over the year following the fire, for all species except D. hallucatus. The fire affected reproduction in all four species, but in different ways. Breeding in D. hallucatus was delayed by 1 month, and the mean number of young leaving the pouch per female was lower than before the fire. A higher number of resident females kept recruitment up. Litter size in A. bilarni was not affected, but a reduced number of resident females meant that recruitment was halved. Zyzomys argurus and Z. woodwardi showed few lactating and pregnant females in July-August following the fire, and the numbers of juveniles were lower than in the previous two years. Following the fire, no detectable differences in body weight were recorded, but all species except D. hallucatus changed their preferred habitat, moving to the Scree Slope. Z. woodwardi was most affected, and moved from the Closed Forest.