Fine-scale changes in spatial habitat use by a low-density koala population in an isolated periurban forest remnant
Gregory W. Lollback A B , J. Guy Castley A , Alexa C. Mossaz A and Jean-Marc Hero A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld 4222, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: g.lollback@griffith.edu.au
Australian Mammalogy 40(1) 84-92 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM16036
Submitted: 1 August 2016 Accepted: 17 April 2017 Published: 13 July 2017
Abstract
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in south-east Queensland are in decline. Although various studies have looked at broad-scale tree preference and habitat quality, there has been little attempt to quantify fine-scale activity shifts from one year to the next or examination of activity at the mesoscale. This study quantified koala activity levels in a 909-ha forest patch at Karawatha Forest Park, in south Brisbane. The Spot Assessment Technique was used to quantify activity and tree selection on 33 long-term monitoring plots in 2009 and 2010. In total, 843 trees were searched and koala pellets were found underneath 34 and 47 trees in 2009 and 2010, respectively. A higher proportion of pellets was found underneath Eucalyptus tindaliae and E. fibrosa and there was weak selection for larger trees. A low occurrence of revisits and a minor shift in activity distribution from 2009 to 2010 indicate that the koala population exists at a low density. Rapid declines in koala populations are occurring in primary habitats. Hence, stable low-density koala populations are important for maintaining genetic diversity and connectivity in fragmented urban landscapes.
Additional keywords: interpolation, PPBio, SAT, TERN Supersite.
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