Habitat use and trophic structure in a microbat assemblage on the edge of the southern rangelands, Western Australia: insights from stable isotope analysis
J. N. Dunlop A C and R. D. Bullen B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Conservation Council (WA), 2 Delhi Street, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.
B 43 Murray Drive, Hillarys, WA 6025, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: nic.dunlop@conservationwa.asn.au
The Rangeland Journal 33(1) 1-7 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ10028
Submitted: 10 June 2010 Accepted: 9 November 2010 Published: 23 March 2011
Abstract
The microbat assemblage on Charles Darwin Reserve was investigated between 2007 and 2009 to provide a benchmark for monitoring long-term responses to climate change on a major bioregional boundary, the mulga–eucalypt line. Stable isotope analysis of bat fur was used to interpret the current local habitat and trophic relationships between microbat species with different biogeographical affinities. The stable isotope values of the ants inhabiting 10 broad vegetation types were used to provide an isotopic baseline of the Reserve to assist in the interpretation of the δC or δN signatures observed in the bat assemblage. The δC signatures of ants in both a Salmon Gum woodland and an arid shrubland shifted significantly after the breaking of a prolonged drought but there was no change in the bats.
The ubiquitous bat species, and those with south-western affinities, probably used most of the available vegetation types on the Reserve and displayed some significant differences in mean trophic level. Scotorepens balstoni, a species of the southern interior of Western Australia, specialised at foraging within patches of eucalypt woodland. Vespadelus baverstocki, a southern arid zone species, was evidently restricted to the proximal arid habitats with distinctively high δN signatures.
References
Barnes, C. J., Jacobsen, G., and Smith, G. D. (1992). The origin of high-nitrate ground waters in the Australian arid zone. Journal of Hydrology 137, 181–197.| The origin of high-nitrate ground waters in the Australian arid zone.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK38XlsFOiu7o%3D&md5=761b13ec0371355ef61a9987f7242e0eCAS |
Beard, J. S. (1976). ‘The Vegetation of the Perenjori Region (WA) – Maps.’ (Vegmap Publications: Perth.)
Bond, A. J., and Jones, I. L. (2010). A practical introduction to stable isotope analysis for seabird biologists: approaches, cautions and caveats. Marine Ornithology 37, 183–188.
Bullen, R. D., and McKenzie, N. L. (2001). Bat airframe design: flight performance, stability and control in relation to foraging ecology. Australian Journal of Zoology 49, 235–261.
| Bat airframe design: flight performance, stability and control in relation to foraging ecology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bullen, R. D., and McKenzie, N. L. (2005). Seasonal range variation of Tadarida australis (Chiroptera: Mollossidae) in Western Australia: the impact of enthalpy. Australian Journal of Zoology 53, 145–156.
| Seasonal range variation of Tadarida australis (Chiroptera: Mollossidae) in Western Australia: the impact of enthalpy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Churchill, S. (2008). ‘Australian Bats.’ 2nd edn. (Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest, NSW.)
Conservation Council WA (2009). ‘Citizen Science for Ecological Monitoring in Western Australia.’ (Conservation Council, WA: Perth.)
Ellis, J. C., Farina, J. M., and Witman, J. D. (2006). Nutrient transfer from the sea to the land: the case of gulls and cormorants in the Gulf of Maine. Journal of Animal Ecology 75, 565–574.
| Nutrient transfer from the sea to the land: the case of gulls and cormorants in the Gulf of Maine.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16638009PubMed |
Gaston, T. F., Kostoglidis, A., and Suthers, I. M. (2004). The 13C, 15N and 34S signatures of a rocky reef planktivorous fish indicate different coastal discharges of sewage. Marine and Freshwater Research 55, 689–699.
| The 13C, 15N and 34S signatures of a rocky reef planktivorous fish indicate different coastal discharges of sewage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXpsVKlsbw%3D&md5=7a768559b0d6d53a69b0720916ce4968CAS |
Greenslade, P. J. M. (1979). ‘A Guide to Ants of South Australia.’ Special Education Bulletin Series. (South Australian Museum: Adelaide.)
Jacobs, S. W. L. (2001). Review of leaf anatomy and ultrastructure in the Chenopodiaceae (Caryophyllales). The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 128, 236–253.
| Review of leaf anatomy and ultrastructure in the Chenopodiaceae (Caryophyllales).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnson, B. J., Miller, G. H., Magee, J. W., Gagan, M. K., Fogel, M. L., and Quay, P. (2005). Carbon isotope evidence for an abrupt reduction in grasses coincident with European settlement of Lake Eyre, South Australia. The Holocene 15, 888–896.
| Carbon isotope evidence for an abrupt reduction in grasses coincident with European settlement of Lake Eyre, South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kelly, J. F. (2000). Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the study of avian and mammalian trophic ecology. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78, 1–27.
| Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the study of avian and mammalian trophic ecology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Owens, N. J. P. (1988). Natural variations in 15N in the marine environment. Advances in Marine Biology 24, 389–451.
| Natural variations in 15N in the marine environment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Painter, M. L., Chambers, C. L., Siders, M., Doucett, R. R., Whitaker, J. O., and Phillips, D. L. (2009). Diet of Spotted Bats (Euderma maculatum) in Arizona as indicated by fecal analysis and stable isotopes. Canadian Journal of Zoology 87, 865–875.
| Diet of Spotted Bats (Euderma maculatum) in Arizona as indicated by fecal analysis and stable isotopes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhsFWls7nO&md5=b2513cd408c61e4ee6e2aa2500417fcdCAS |
Panek, J. A. (1996). Correlations between stable carbon-isotope abundance and hydraulic conductivity in Douglas-fir across a climate gradient in Oregon, USA. Tree Physiology 16, 747–755.
| 1:CAS:528:DyaK28XlvVKru7g%3D&md5=5c3219d9d2dbbbb477399db1aa9bd24dCAS | 14871681PubMed |
Parnaby, H. E. (2009). A taxonomic review of the Australian Greater Long-eared Bats previously known as Nyctophilus timoriensis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) and some associated taxa. Australian Zoologist 35, 39–81.
Pate, J. S., Unkovich, M. J., Erskine, P. D., and Stewart, G. R. (1998). Australian mulga ecosystems: 13C and 15N natural abundances of biotic components and their ecophysiological significance. Plant, Cell & Environment 21, 1231–1242.
| Australian mulga ecosystems: 13C and 15N natural abundances of biotic components and their ecophysiological significance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXht1Wmtrc%3D&md5=cb80a9c896ab9c86a71b783eaae3fc82CAS |
Shattock, S. O. (1999). ‘Australian Ants: Their Biology and Identification.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Tillberg, C. V., McCarthy, D. P., Dolezal, A. G., and Suarez, A. V. (2006). Measuring the trophic ecology of ants using stable isotopes. Insectes Sociaux 53, 65–69.
| Measuring the trophic ecology of ants using stable isotopes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Van Dyck, S., and Strahan, R. (Eds) (2008). ‘Mammals of Australia.’ 3rd edn. (Reed New Holland: Sydney.)
Ward, D. F., New, T. R., and Yen, A. L. (2002). The beetle fauna of remnant eucalypt woodlands from the Northern Plains, Victoria Australia. Journal of Insect Conservation 6, 39–45.
| The beetle fauna of remnant eucalypt woodlands from the Northern Plains, Victoria Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M. J. (1992). ‘The Grass Genera of the World: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval; Including Synonyms, Morphology, Anatomy, Physiology, Phytochemistry, Cytology, Classification, Pathogens, World and Local Distribution, and References. Version 25. November 2008.’ Available at: http://delta-intkey.com
West, J. B., Bowen, G. T., Dawson, T. E., and Tu, K. P. (Eds) (2010). ‘Isoscapes: Understanding Movement, Pattern and Process on Earth through Isotope Mapping.’ (Springer: New York.)
Zborowski, P., and Edwards, T. (2007). ‘A Guide to Australian Moths.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
