Hollow-using vertebrate fauna of Tasmania: distribution, hollow requirements and conservation status
Amelia J. Koch A B F G , Sarah A. Munks B C D and Eric J. Woehler D EA University of Tasmania, School of Geography and Environmental Studies, Private Bag 78, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
B CRC for Forestry, Private Bag 12, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
C Tasmanian Forest Practices Authority, 30 Patrick Street, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia.
D University of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Private Bag 5, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
E Birds Tasmania, GPO Box 68 Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
F Present address: Tasmanian Forest Practices Authority, 30 Patrick Street, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: amy.koch@fpa.tas.gov.au
Australian Journal of Zoology 56(5) 323-349 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO08003
Submitted: 8 January 2008 Accepted: 16 December 2008 Published: 3 March 2009
Abstract
In Tasmania, a considerable proportion of the forested landscape is available for land clearance and production forestry, which has and will continue to result in a decline in hollow availability unless managed appropriately. All hollow-using species are listed as having priority status under the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement. To ensure the habitat for hollow-using fauna is managed effectively, we first have to understand the requirements of the species involved. This paper is a review of the distribution, hollow requirements and conservation status of the five species of arboreal marsupials, eight species of bats and 29 bird species that use hollows in Tasmania. The number of species that use hollows is lower than in many other areas of Australia, but these species represent a large proportion of the vertebrate fauna of Tasmania. Three of these species and nine subspecies are endemic to Tasmania and seven are exotic. Four bird species are listed as Threatened at the state and/or national level. Twenty-five of Tasmania’s hollow-using species are capable of using small hollows, 14 can use medium-sized hollows and three bird species are limited to using large hollows. Current records indicate that the highest diversity of hollow-using species is associated with dry forest areas.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Mark Holdsworth, Don Driscoll and Jamie Kirkpatrick for reading and helping improve this manuscript. The bird distribution data used in this paper were supplied by Birds Tasmania, a regional group of Birds Australia. Thanks to Mark Holdsworth and Chris Spencer who helped check the species distribution maps. Thanks to Stewart Blackhall for checking the distribution maps and editing the text on ducks. Thanks to Raymond Brereton for discussions on Tasmanian bats and for checking the text on bats in this paper. Thanks to Nick Mooney for reading the sections on Tasmanian owls. Thanks to Matt Webb for comments on the texts for swift parrot, masked owl and yellow-tailed black cockatoo.
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