The desert dweller: forging a career in arid zone ecology
K. E. Moseby
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Email: k.moseby@unsw.edu.au
Pacific Conservation Biology 24(3) 230-234 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC18022
Submitted: 14 February 2018 Accepted: 9 March 2018 Published: 3 May 2018
Abstract
Australia’s deserts can appear to be desolate and harsh environments, but they are extremely dynamic places that support a range of species adapted to the boom and bust conditions. Despite the resilience of the arid zone, extinction rates in arid Australia are the highest in the country and the majority of medium-sized mammals have been lost since European settlement. Katherine Moseby is a conservation biologist who lives and works in the Australian arid zone, with a particular focus on threatened species and reintroductions. She provides a brief background on arid zone ecology in Australia and the story of how she went from city slicker to desert dweller. A discussion on what it means to be a woman in conservation science is included with some insights into juggling a career and a family in a remote location.
References
Brandle, R., and Moseby, K. E. (1999). Comparative ecology of two populations of Pseudomys australis in northern South Australia. Wildlife Research 26, 541–564.| Comparative ecology of two populations of Pseudomys australis in northern South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Burbidge, A. A., and McKenzie, N. L. (1989). Patterns in the modern decline of Western Australia’a verterbrate fauna: causes and conservation implications. Biological Conservation 50, 143–198.
| Patterns in the modern decline of Western Australia’a verterbrate fauna: causes and conservation implications.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Christensen, P., and Burrows, N. (1994). Project desert dreaming: experimental reintroduction of mammals to the Gibson Desert, Western Australia. In ‘Reintroduction Biology of Australian and New Zealand Fauna’. (Ed. M. Serena.) pp. 199–207. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)
Copley, P. (1999). Natural histories of Australia’s stick-nest rats, genus Leporillus (Rodentia:Muridae). Wildlife Research 26, 513–539.
| Natural histories of Australia’s stick-nest rats, genus Leporillus (Rodentia:Muridae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Crabb, A. (2014). ‘The Wife Drought.’ (Random House: Sydney, NSW.)
Crooks, K. R., and Soule, M. E. (1999). Mesopredator release and avifaunal extinctions in a fragmented system. Nature 400, 563–566.
| Mesopredator release and avifaunal extinctions in a fragmented system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXltFKrsrw%3D&md5=cd20b3733b6e8df30aaad660b4643552CAS |
Dickman, C. R., Mahon, P. S., Masters, P., and Gibson, D. F. (1999). Long-term dynamics of rodent populations in arid Australia: the influence of rainfall. Wildlife Research 26, 389–403.
| Long-term dynamics of rodent populations in arid Australia: the influence of rainfall.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
James, C., Landsberg, J., and Morton, S. (1999). Provision of watering points in the Australian arid zone: a review of effects on biota. Journal of Arid Environments 41, 87–121.
| Provision of watering points in the Australian arid zone: a review of effects on biota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kinnear, J. E., Onus, M. L., and Bromilow, R. N. (1988). Fox control and rock-wallaby population dynamics. Australian Wildlife Research 15, 435–450.
| Fox control and rock-wallaby population dynamics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lange, R. T. (1969). Grazing impact in relation to livestock watering points. Journal of Range Management 22, 396–400.
| Grazing impact in relation to livestock watering points.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Morris, K. (2000). Fauna translocations in Western Australia 1971–1999: an overview. In ‘Biodiversity and the Reintroduction of Native Fauna at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park’. (Eds J. S. Gillen, R. Hamilton, W. A. Low, C. Creagh.) pp. 64–74. (The Bureau of Rural Sciences: Canberra.)
Morton, S. R. (1990). The impact of European settlement on the vertebrate animals of arid Australia: a conceptual model. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 16, 201–213.
Stafford Smith, M., and Morton, S. R. (1990). A framework for the ecology of arid Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 18, 255–278.
Moseby, K. E., and Read, J. L. (2006). The efficacy of feral cat, fox and rabbit exclusion fence designs for threatened species protection. Biological Conservation 127, 429–437.
| The efficacy of feral cat, fox and rabbit exclusion fence designs for threatened species protection.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K. E., Brandle, R., and Adams, M. (1999). Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the rare dusky hopping-mouse, Notomys fuscus (Rodentia: Muridae). Wildlife Research 26, 479–494.
| Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the rare dusky hopping-mouse, Notomys fuscus (Rodentia: Muridae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K. E., Owens, H., Brandle, R., Bice, J. K., and Gates, J. (2006). Variation in population dynamics and movement patterns between two geographically isolated populations of the dusky hopping mouse (Notomys fuscus). Wildlife Research 33, 223–232.
| Variation in population dynamics and movement patterns between two geographically isolated populations of the dusky hopping mouse (Notomys fuscus).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K. E., Read, J. L., Paton, D. C., Copley, P., Hill, B. M., and Crisp, H. M. (2011). Predation determines the outcome of 11 reintroduction attempts in arid Australia. Biological Conservation 144, 2863–2872.
| Predation determines the outcome of 11 reintroduction attempts in arid Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K. E., Neilly, H., Read, J. L., and Crisp, H. A. (2012). Interactions between a top order predator and exotic mesopredators. International Journal of Ecology , .
| Interactions between a top order predator and exotic mesopredators.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Newsome, A. E., and Corbett, L. K. (1975). Outbreaks of rodents in semi-arid and arid Australia: causes, preventions, and evolutionary considerations. In ‘Rodents and Desert Environments’. (Eds I. Prakash and P. K. Ghosh.) pp. 117–153. (Springer: Dordrecht, Netherlands.)
Read, J. L. (1995). Recruitment characteristics of the white cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla) in arid South Australia. The Rangeland Journal 17, 228–240.
| Recruitment characteristics of the white cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla) in arid South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Read, J. L. (1999). Abundance and recruitment patterns of the trilling frog (Neobatrachus centralis) in the Australian arid zone. Australian Journal of Zoology 47, 393–404.
| Abundance and recruitment patterns of the trilling frog (Neobatrachus centralis) in the Australian arid zone.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Read, J. L. (2004). Catastrophic drought-induced die-off of perennial chenopod shrubs in arid Australia following intensive cattle browsing. Journal of Arid Environments 58, 535–544.
| Catastrophic drought-induced die-off of perennial chenopod shrubs in arid Australia following intensive cattle browsing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Read, J. L., and Cunningham, R. (2010). Relative impacts of cattle grazing and feral animals on an Australian arid zone reptile and small mammal assemblage. Austral Ecology 35, 314–324.
| Relative impacts of cattle grazing and feral animals on an Australian arid zone reptile and small mammal assemblage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Read, J. L., Ebdon, F. R., and Donohoe, P. (2000). The terrestrial birds of the Roxby Downs area: a ten year history. South Australian Ornithologist 33, 71–83.
Short, J., and Turner, B. (2000). Reintroduction of the burrowing bettong Bettongia lesueur (Marsupialia: Potoroidae) to mainland Australia. Biological Conservation 96, 185–196.
| Reintroduction of the burrowing bettong Bettongia lesueur (Marsupialia: Potoroidae) to mainland Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith, A. P., and Quin, D. G. (1996). Patterns and causes of extinction and decline in Australian conilurine rodents. Biological Conservation 77, 243–267.
| Patterns and causes of extinction and decline in Australian conilurine rodents.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wolf, C. M., Garland, T., and Griffith, B. (1998). Predictors of avian and mammalian translocation success: reanalysis with phylogenetically independent contrasts. Biological Conservation 86, 243–255.
| Predictors of avian and mammalian translocation success: reanalysis with phylogenetically independent contrasts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
