Habitat preference of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) in a coastal wetland and stream, Two Peoples Bay, south-western Australia
Peter C. Speldewinde A D , Paul Close A , Melissa Weybury B and Sarah Comer C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management, The University of Western Australia, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.
B The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
C Department of Environment and Conservation, Albany, WA 633, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: peter.speldewinde@uwa.edu.au
Australian Mammalogy 35(2) 188-194 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM12001
Submitted: 6 January 2012 Accepted: 30 April 2013 Published: 14 June 2013
Abstract
This study provides a preliminary investigation of the home range and habitat selection of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve near Albany, Western Australia. Six individuals were captured (trap success 1.9%) from 810 trap-nights. This low number suggests that the water rat population in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve is much smaller than anecdotal evidence would suggest. Home-range size (neighbour-linkage method) averaged 18.9 ha (±11.6). Individuals preferentially utilised wetland habitats characterised by dense, low-lying vegetation (0–30 cm from ground), low-density canopy cover and shallow, narrow water bodies.
Additional keywords: water rat, radio tracking, habitat use, home range.
References
Atkinson, C. A., Lund, M. A., and Morris, K. D. (2008). BiblioRakali: the Australian water rat, Hydromys chrysogaster Geoffroy, 1804 (Muridae: Hydromyinae), a subject-specific bibliography. Conservation Science Western Australia 7, 65–71.Barbosa, A. M., Real, R., Marquez, A. L., and Rendon, M. A. (2001). Spatial, environmental and human influences on the distribution of otter (Lutra lutra) in the Spanish provinces. Diversity & Distributions 7, 137–144.
| Spatial, environmental and human influences on the distribution of otter (Lutra lutra) in the Spanish provinces.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chapman, A., and Chuwen, B. M. (2010). An extension of the range of water rat Hydromys chrysogaster (Muridae) in Western Australia with implications for range and distribution. The Western Australian Naturalist 27, 99–102.
Clarke, K. R., and Warwick, R. M. (1994). ‘Changes in Marine Communities: an Approach to Statistical Analysis and Interpretation.’ (Plymouth Marine Laboratory: Plymouth, UK.)
DEWHA (2009). EPBC Act of Threatened Fauna. Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Available at: www.environment.gov.au [accessed 1 October 2010].
Dodd, C. K., and Seigel, R. A. (1991). Relocation, repatriation and translocation of amphibians and reptiles: are they conservation strategies that work? Herpetologica 47, 336–350.
Ford, F., Cockburn, A., and Broome, L. (2003). Habitat preference, diet and demography of the smokey mouse, Pseudomys fumeus (Rodentia: Muridae), in south-eastern New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 30, 89–101.
| Habitat preference, diet and demography of the smokey mouse, Pseudomys fumeus (Rodentia: Muridae), in south-eastern New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grant, T. R., and Temple-Smith, P. D. (2003). Conservation of the platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus: threats and challenges. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 6, 5–18.
| Conservation of the platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus: threats and challenges.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hancock, C. N., Ladd, P. G., and Froend, R. H. (1996). Biodiversity and management of riparian vegetation in Western Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 85, 239–250.
| Biodiversity and management of riparian vegetation in Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harris, W. F. (1978). An ecological study of the Australian water-rat (Hydromys chrysogaster: Geoffroy) in southeast Queensland. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Queensland.
Kenward, R. E., and Hodder, K. H. (1996). ‘RANGES V: an Analysis System for Biological Location Data.’ (Natural Environment Research Council: Swindon, UK.)
Kenward, R. E., Clarke, R. T., Hodder, K. H., and Walls, S. S. (2001). Density and linkage estimators of home range: nearest-neighbour clustering defines multinuclear cores. Ecology 82, 1905–1920.
| Density and linkage estimators of home range: nearest-neighbour clustering defines multinuclear cores.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lee, A. K. (1995). ‘The Action Plan for Australian Rodents.’ (Australian Nature Conservation Agency: Canberra.)
Lee, S. Y., Dunn, R. J. K., Young, R. A., Connolly, R. M., Dale, P. E. R., Dehayr, R., Lemckert, C. J., McKinnon, S., Powell, B., Teasdale, P. R., and Welsh, D. T. (2006). Impact of urbanization on coastal wetland structure and function. Austral Ecology 31, 149–163.
| Impact of urbanization on coastal wetland structure and function.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lichtenberger, M., and Ko, J. (2007). Anesthesia and analgesia for small mammals and birds. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Exotic Animal Practice 10, 293–315.
| Anesthesia and analgesia for small mammals and birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17577554PubMed |
Lindenmayer, D. B., Manning, A. D., Smith, P. L., Possingham, H. P., Fischer, J., Oliver, I., and McCarthy, M. A. (2002). The focal species approach and landscape restoration: a critique. Conservation Biology 16, 338–345.
| The focal species approach and landscape restoration: a critique.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lunney, D., and Ashbey, E. (1987). Population changes in Sminthopsis leucopus (Gray) (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae), and other small mammal species in forest regenerating from logging and fire near Bega, New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 14, 275–284.
| Population changes in Sminthopsis leucopus (Gray) (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae), and other small mammal species in forest regenerating from logging and fire near Bega, New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Margules, C. R., and Pressey, R. L. (2000). Systematic conservation planning. Nature 405, 243–253.
| Systematic conservation planning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXjsFyjsLg%3D&md5=c4bf4b20fbfb88be65365d9969215447CAS | 10821285PubMed |
McNally, J. (1960). The biology of the water rat Hydromys chrysogaster Geoffroy (Muridae: Hydromyinae) in Victoria. Australian Journal of Zoology 8, 170–180.
| The biology of the water rat Hydromys chrysogaster Geoffroy (Muridae: Hydromyinae) in Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Neubaum, D. J., Neubaum, M. A., Ellison, L. A., O’Shea, T. J., and Gannon, W. L. (2005). Survival and conditions of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) after radio tagging. Journal of Mammalogy 86, 95–98.
| Survival and conditions of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) after radio tagging.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Scott, A., and Grant, T. (1997). Impacts of water management in the Murray–Darling Basin on the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and the water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster). CSIRO Technical Report.
Serena, M., and Gardner, J. L. (1995). Observations on activity patterns, population and den characteristics of the water rat Hydromys chrysogaster along Badger Creek, Victoria. Australian Mammalogy 18, 71–75.
Smart, C. (2009). An ecological study of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) in the greater Perth region, Western Australia: environmental and biological factors influencing distribution. B.Sc.(Honours) Thesis, University of Western Australia.
Smart, C., Speldewinde, P. C., and Mills, H. (2011). Influence of habitat characteristics on the distribution of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) in the greater Perth region, Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 94, 533–539.
Stewart, A. P. (1979). Trapping success in relation to trap placement with three species of small mammals, Rattus fuscipes, Antechinus swainsonii and A.stuartii. Australian Wildlife Research 6, 165–172.
| Trapping success in relation to trap placement with three species of small mammals, Rattus fuscipes, Antechinus swainsonii and A.stuartii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Valentine, L., Wilson, B., Reaveley, A. Huang, N., Johnson, B., and Brown, P. (2009). Patterns of ground-dwelling vertebrate biodiversity in the Gnangara Sustainability Strategy study area. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia, Perth.
Vernes, K (1998). Observation of long-range overland movement event by an adult common water rat, Hydromys chrysogaster. Australian Mammalogy 20, 409–410.
Wentworth, C. K. (1922). A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. The Journal of Geology 30, 377–392.
| A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Woollard, P., Vestjens, W. J. M., and Maclean, L. (1978). The ecology of the eastern water rat Hydromys chrysogaster at Griffith, NSW: food and feeding habits. Australian Wildlife Research 5, 59–73.
| The ecology of the eastern water rat Hydromys chrysogaster at Griffith, NSW: food and feeding habits.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
