The utility to birds and mammals of remnant riparian vegetation and associated windbreaks in the tropical Queensland uplands

Abstract

Birds and mammals were censused in a ribbon of remnant vegetation along a stream connecting two rainforest fragments on a farm on the Atherton Tablelands of North Queensland. The vegetation consisted of two larger (6.5 and 19.6 ha) and one smaller forest remnant (1.1 ha) and numerous tiny disconnected patches scattered across the property and along the creek. These were classified into five types ? "Forest", "Regeneration", "Copse", "Lantana" and "Tobacco Bush". Censuses were also done in four windbreak plantings. Sixty-four species of birds were recorded in systematic censuses in the patches along the creek and in the windbreaks. Along the creek, "Forest" patches had the most species and the most rainforest species followed by "Copse" and "Regeneration" sites. "Lantana" patches were surprisingly rich in species; a total of 32 were recorded including nine rainforest species. The fewest bird species were recorded in the windbreaks which were particularly poor in rainforest species. Small mammals were live trapped in the three larger patches, in the ribbon and in one windbreak. Eleven species were captured ? six rainforest, three grassland and two introduced. The grassland species were not caught in the larger forest patches and two rainforest rodents were not caught along the creek. Nothing was caught in the windbreak but grassland species were caught in an adjoining abandoned orchard. Three species of arboreal mammals were recorded by spotlighting ? Lumholtz' Tree-kangaroo Dendrolagus lumholtzi, Coppery Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula johnstonii and Green Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus archeri. All occurred in the stream vegetation as well as the larger forest patches. None were seen in any of the four windbreaks. It is concluded that the creek vegetation is valuable wildlife habitat. The windbreaks were less so but were still useful to the fauna on the study area.