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The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is one of the most adaptable carnivorans, thriving in cities across the globe. We used GPS-tracking of five suburban foxes across high-density residential suburbs of Perth, Western Australia to quantify (1) their habitat selection and (2) home range area. All five foxes showed statistically significant avoidance of residential locations (p c) averaging 37 ± 20 ha or 95% AKDEc averaging 208 ± 196 ha. One male had a 95 ha core home range and 349 ha 95% AKDEc but the other male covered an area ~ 20 times this: using a 371 ha core home range and 7,368 ha 95% AKDEc. The extensive movement patterns we describe are likely to be common for urban foxes, with half of published home range estimates for urban foxes (principally based on VHF data) excluding data for ‘lost’ individuals or animals that showed ‘excursions’. It is likely that the home range estimates for these urban exploiters have therefore been grossly underestimated to date. Further application of GPS trackers that allow remote download will vastly improve our understanding of habitat preference and exploitation of resources by urban foxes.

In Australia, the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) is an exotic, abundant, super-generalist species. Introduced two centuries ago, it thrives in the absence of many diseases adversely impacting honeybees elsewhere. Australia’s native bees may be vulnerable to competition with honeybees, leading to reduced abundances, reproductive output or even loss of bee species. We review the literature concerning competition between honeybees and Australian native bees in order to: (1) identify the valuence and strength of honeybee associations with native bees, and how this varies according to the response variable measured; (2) assess potential research biases; (3) use ecological theory to explain variation in results; and (4) identify key knowledge gaps. We found honeybees typically comprised the majority of individuals in surveys of Australian bee communities. Data on whether honeybees outcompete native bees is equivocal: there were no associations with native bee abundance, species richness, or reproductive output in most cases. However, there were more negative than positive associations. Data indicate effects of honeybees are species-specific, and more detailed investigations regarding how different species and life-history traits affect interactions with honeybees is needed. We propose the following investigations to address deficiencies in the current literature: greater geographic and landscape representation; trait-based investigations; quantifying resource availability and overlap; disease and predator interactions; experimental feral colony removals; and studies spanning multiple seasons and years. Identifying conditions under which honeybees have negative, neutral or positive effects on native bees, and how the ecological traits of native bees are affected by honeybee competition can guide conservation and management.

Invasive plants are a threat to natural ecosystems worldwide with urban wetlands being some of the most susceptible and highly modified environments of all. The tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) is a top predator that persists in urban wetlands in south-western Australia, many of which have been degraded by introduced kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus). To evaluate the potential impact of kikuyu grass on habitat quality for western tiger snakes we quantified the structural features of habitats within wetlands degraded by kikuyu grass and compared them to wetlands with native vegetation, examined tiger snake prey availability, assessed predation risk for juvenile snakes using clay models, and measured the thermal quality of the vegetation. Proliferation of kikuyu grass reduced habitat structural heterogeneity by reducing available bare ground and increasing vegetation density. This homogenisation of habitat structure had little effect on the predation risk for juveniles or the thermal properties of tiger snake shelter sites; however, one key snake prey species, the motorbike frog, had significantly lower abundance in the most impacted habitat. Habitat types with more structural complexity also offered tiger snakes more stable thermal regimes and lower predation risk. These findings indicate that the current extent of kikuyu grass invasion offers overall similar habitat quality for tiger snakes and may contribute to their persistence in urban wetlands, but they, along with their anuran prey, may befit from some increased habitat structural complexity in open areas.

Despite the roles they play in ecosystem function, animals have have long been neglected in the monitoring of ecological restoration. Vertebrate surveys can be time consuming and costly, often requiring multiple methodologies and taxonomic expertise, making comprehensive monitoring cost prohibitive. Here, we evaluate a new method of assessing mammal and bird diversity through the genetic identification of scat collections. Using DNA metabarcoding of scat collections from three bioregions, we generated bird and mammalian assemblage data and distinguished between sites with different restoration histories. However, scat detectability was affected by environmental conditions (e.g. rainfall and vegetative cover), suggesting that our approach is most applicable at certain times of year or in arid (or semi-arid) environments with rocky soils, where conditions are favourable for scat preservation. Taken together these data provide a pathway to: plan, monitor and establish best-practice when restoring landscapes and add to the growing body of literature on the value of DNA metabarcoding in biomonitoring applications.

Although urbanisation can result in habitat loss, some species persist within urban vegetation remnants. Due to urban development, these species are often the targets of mitigation translocation; for example, the Quenda (Isoodon fusciventer, Marsupialia, Peramelidae), native to southwestern Australia. We assessed the foraging patterns and habitat preferences of a population of Quenda recently introduced by unknown agents to Kings Park, a large urban bushland remnant. Quenda foraged actively throughout our study area, but foraged most intensively in dense, low vegetation, with a significant preference for communities dominated by Banksia sessilis. This study joins other literature indicating that Quenda are able to persist in modified urban vegetation remnants despite the presence of predators, and human activity. Given the Quenda’s clear adaptability to introduction into this urban remnant, we suggest that the greatest threat to continued persistence of urban populations of this species within remnants is likely to relate to difficulties in dispersing through surrounding urban areas. Nevertheless, the successful return of Quenda to a site that has traditionally been discounted from translocation programs suggests that other reserves in the region could also host introductions. Further research is required to determine whether Quenda can disperse through the surrounding suburbs, and whether it is possible to modify novel habitats to support Quenda populations within urban areas. Additionally, further research on facilitating dispersal through managing meta-populations in urban areas is required. Nevertheless, Quenda have successfully established at Kings Park, surrounded by dense urban areas. With ongoing management, urban remnants may be useful in Australia’s protected area network.

European honey bees have been introduced across the globe and may compete with native bees for floral resources. Compounding effects of urbanization and introduced species on native bees are, however, unclear. Here, we investigated how honey bee abundance and foraging patterns related to those of native bee abundance and diversity in residential gardens and native vegetation remnants for 2 years in urbanized areas of the Southwest Australian biodiversity hotspot and assessed how niche overlap influenced these relationships. Honey bees did not overtly suppress native bee abundance; however, complex relationships emerged when analysing these relationships according to body size, time of day and floral resource levels. Native bee richness was positively correlated with overall honeybee abundance in the first year, but negatively correlated in the second year, and varied with body size. Native bees that had higher resource overlap with honey bees were negatively associated with honey bee abundance, and resource overlap between honey bees and native bees was higher in residential gardens. Relationships with honey bees varied between native bee taxa, reflecting adaptations to different flora, plus specialization. Thus, competition with introduced bees varies by species and location, mediated by dietary breadth and overlap and by other life-history traits of individual bee species.

Abnormal caudal regeneration, the production of additional tails through regeneration events, occurs in lepidosaurs as a result of incomplete autotomy or sufficient caudal wound. Despite being widely known to occur, documented events generally are limited to opportunistic single observations - hindering the understanding of the ecological importance of caudal regeneration. Here we compiled and reviewed a robust global database of both peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed records of abnormal regeneration events in lepidosaurs published over the last 400 years. Using this database, we qualitatively and quantitatively assessed the occurrence and characteristics of abnormal tail regeneration among individuals, among species, and among populations. We identified 425 observations from 366 records pertaining to 175 species of lepidosaurs across 22 families from 63 different countries. At an individual level, regenerations ranged from bifurcations to hexafurcations; from normal regeneration from the original tail to multiple regenerations arising from a single point; and from growth from the distal third to the proximal third of the tail. Species showing abnormal regenerations included those with intra-vertebral, inter-vertebral or no autotomy planes, indicating that abnormal regenerations evidently occur across lepidosaurs regardless of whether the species demonstrates caudal autotomy or not. Within populations, abnormal regenerations were estimated at a mean ± SD of 2.75 ± 3.41% (range 0.1-16.7%). There is a significant lack of experimental studies to understand the potential ecological impacts of regeneration on the fitness and life history of individuals and populations. We hypothesised that abnormal regeneration may affect lepidosaurs via influencing kinematics of locomotion, restrictions in escape mechanisms, anti-predation tactics, and intra- and inter-specific signalling. Behaviourally testing these hypotheses would be an important future research direction.

Human-wildlife conflicts are influenced by the public’s ability to identify dangerous species. We determined the snakes most commonly involved in conflicts by comparing types of “problem snakes” by...

Sacrificing body parts is one of many behaviors that animals use to escape predation. This trait, termed autotomy, is classically associated with lizards. However, several other taxa also autotomize, and this trait has independently evolved multiple times throughout Animalia. Despite having multiple origins and being an iconic antipredatory trait, much remains unknown about the evolution of autotomy. Here, we combine morphological, behavioral, and genomic data to investigate the evolution of autotomy within leaf‐footed bugs and allies (Insecta: Hemiptera: Coreidae + Alydidae). We found that the ancestor of leaf‐footed bugs autotomized and did so slowly; rapid autotomy (

International audience; Wetlands and their biodiversity are constantly threatened by contaminant pollution from urbanisation. Despite evidence suggesting that snakes are good bioindicators of environmental health, the bioaccumulation of contaminants in reptiles is poorly researched in Australia. We conducted the first broad-scale analysis of 17 metals and trace elements, 21 organochlorine pesticides, and 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments (4 samples per site, December 2018) from four wetlands along an urban gradient in Perth, Western Australia, and from the livers (5 livers per site, February-April 2019) of western tiger snakes Notechis scutatus occidentalis captured at those sites. All 17 metals and trace elements were detected in the sediments of wetlands as well as 16 in the livers of tiger snakes. Arsenic, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, and Zn were at concentrations exceeding government trigger values in at least one sediment sample. Two organochlorine pesticides and six of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected in the sediments of a single wetland, all exceeding government trigger values, but were not detected in tiger snakes. Metals and trace elements were generally in higher concentration in sediments and snake livers from more heavily urbanised wetlands. The least urbanised site had some higher concentrations of metals and trace elements, possibly due to agriculture contaminated groundwater. Concentrations of nine metals and trace elements in snake livers were statistically different between sites. Arsenic, Cd, Co, Hg, Mo, Sb, and Se near paralleled the pattern of contamination measured in the wetland sediments; this supports the use of high trophic wetland snakes, such as tiger snakes, as bioindicators of wetland contamination. Contamination sources and impacts on these wetland ecosystems and tiger snakes are discussed herein.

Global food production, food supply chains and food security are increasingly stressed by human population growth and loss of arable land, becoming more vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental perturbations. Numerous mutualistic and antagonistic species are interconnected with the cultivation of crops and livestock and these can be challenging to identify on the large scales of food production systems. Accurate identifications to capture this diversity and rapid scalable monitoring are necessary to identify emerging threats (i.e. pests and pathogens), inform on ecosystem health (i.e. soil and pollinator diversity), and provide evidence for new management practices (i.e. fertiliser and pesticide applications). Increasingly, environmental DNA (eDNA) is providing rapid and accurate classifications for specific organisms and entire species assemblages in substrates ranging from soil to air. Here, we aim to discuss how eDNA is being used for monitoring of agricultural ecosystems, what current limitations exist, and how these could be managed to expand applications into the future. In a systematic review we identify that eDNA-based monitoring in food production systems accounts for only 4 % of all eDNA studies. We found that the majority of these eDNA studies target soil and plant substrates (60 %), predominantly to identify microbes and insects (60 %) and are biased towards Europe (42 %). While eDNA-based monitoring studies are uncommon in many of the world's food production systems, the trend is most pronounced in emerging economies often where food security is most at risk. We suggest that the biggest limitations to eDNA for agriculture are false negatives resulting from DNA degradation and assay biases, as well as incomplete databases and the interpretation of abundance data. These require in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches to carefully design, test and apply eDNA monitoring for reliable and accurate taxonomic identifications. We explore future opportunities for eDNA research which could further develop this useful tool for food production system monitoring in both emerging and developed economies, hopefully improving monitoring, and ultimately food security.

Urbanisation alters landscapes, introduces wildlife to novel stressors, and fragments habitats into remnant ‘islands’. Within these islands, isolated wildlife populations can experience genetic drift and subsequently suffer from inbreeding depression and reduced adaptive potential. The Western tiger snake (Notechis scutatus occidentalis) is a predator of wetlands in the Swan Coastal Plain, a unique bioregion that has suffered substantial degradation through the development of the city of Perth, Western Australia. Within the urban matrix, tiger snakes now only persist in a handful of wetlands where they are known to bioaccumulate a suite of contaminants, and have recently been suggested as a relevant bioindicator of ecosystem health. Here, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to explore the contemporary population genomics of seven tiger snake populations across the urban matrix. Specifically, we used population genomic structure and diversity, effective population sizes (Ne), and heterozygosity-fitness correlations to assess fitness of each population with respect to urbanisation. We found that population genomic structure was strongest across the northern and southern sides of a major river system, with the northern cluster of populations exhibiting lower heterozygosities than the southern cluster, likely due to a lack of historical gene flow. We also observed an increasing signal of inbreeding and genetic drift with increasing geographic isolation due to urbanisation. Effective population sizes (Ne) at most sites were small (< 100), with Ne appearing to reflect the area of available habitat rather than the degree of adjacent urbanisation. This suggests that ecosystem management and restoration may be the best method to buffer the further loss of genetic diversity in urban wetlands. If tiger snake populations continue to decline in urban areas, our results provide a baseline measure of genomic diversity, as well as highlighting which ‘islands’ of habitat are most in need of management and protection.

As snakes are limbless, gape-limited predators, their skull is the main feeding structure involved in prey handling, manipulation and feeding. Ontogenetic changes in prey type and size are likely to be associated with distinct morphological changes in the skull during growth. We investigated ontogenetic variation in diet from stomach contents of n = 161 dugite specimens (Pseudonaja affinis, Elapidae) representing the full range of body size for the species, and skull morphology of 46 specimens (range 0.25–1.64 m snout-vent-length; SVL). We hypothesised that changes in prey type throughout postnatal ontogeny would coincide with distinct changes in skull shape. Dugites demonstrate a distinct size-related shift in diet: the smallest individuals ate autotomised reptile tails, medium-sized individuals predominantly ate small reptiles (as snakes grew larger there was an increased likelihood of feeding on reptiles head-first), and the largest individuals (> 0.8 m SVL) ate mammals and large reptiles. Morphometric analysis revealed that ~ 40% of the variation in skull shape was associated with body size (SVL). Through ontogeny, skulls changed from a smooth, bulbous cranium with relatively small trophic bones (upper and lower jaws and their attachments), to more rugous bones (as an adaption for muscle attachment) and relatively longer trophic bones that would extend gape. Individual shape variation in trophic bone dimensions was greater in larger adults and this likely reflects natural plasticity of individuals feeding on different prey sizes/types. Rather than a distinct morphological shift with diet, the ontogenetic changes were consistent, but positive allometry of individual trophic bones resulted in disproportionate growth of the skull, reflected in increased gape size and mobility of jaw bones in adults to aid the ingestion of larger prey and improve manipulation and processing ability. These results indicate that allometric scaling is an important mechanism by which snakes can change their dietary niche.

Minimal annual rainfall in arid environments results in low productivity ecosystems with fluctuating food availability. Large mammalian predators that require frequent consumption of vertebrate prey tend to be less abundant in desert environments; however, such environments often support numerous large‐bodied carnivorous reptiles. Diet is a fundamental component of an animal’s ecology, and we explore the diets of three coexisting, sympatric Varanus species occurring in arid Australia: V. tristis, V. gouldii and V. panoptes. We hypothesized that the diet of varanids living in arid environments would primarily consist of relatively abundant invertebrate prey, and that vertebrate prey items would largely be limited to opportunistically consumed mammalian carrion and small reptilian species. All three Varanus species had high dietary overlap and broad, generalist diets. Invertebrate prey, particularly Orthoptera, were key to the diets of all three species. Vertebrate prey was infrequently consumed by all three Varanus species; however, when consumed, tended to comprise small reptilian species and mammalian carrion. Unlike large mammalian predators, varanids can survive on invertebrate prey and infrequent feeds and can aestivate when conditions become unfavourable, contributing to their success in arid environments.

Autotomy, the self-induced loss of a body part, occurs throughout Animalia. A lizard dropping its tail to escape predation is an iconic example, however, autotomy occurs in a diversity of other organisms. Octopuses can release their arms, crabs can drop their claws, and bugs can amputate their legs. The diversity of organisms that can autotomize body parts has led to a wealth of research and several taxonomically focused reviews. These reviews have played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of autotomy within their respective groups. However, because of their taxonomic focus, these reviews are constrained in their ability to enhance our understanding of autotomy. Here, we aim to synthesize research on the ecology and evolution of autotomy throughout Animalia, building a unified framework on which future studies can expand. We found that the ability to drop an appendage has evolved multiple times throughout Animalia and that once autotomy has evolved, selection appears to act on the removable appendage to increase the efficacy and/or efficiency of autotomy. This could explain why some autotomizable body parts are so elaborate (e.g. brightly coloured). We also show that there are multiple benefits, and variable costs, associated with autotomy. Given this variation, we generate an economic theory of autotomy (modified from the economic theory of escape) which makes predictions about when an individual should resort to autotomy. Finally, we show that the loss of an autotomizable appendage can have numerous consequences on population and community dynamics. By taking this broad taxonomic approach, we identified patterns of autotomy that transcend specific lineages and highlight clear directions for future research.

Roads pose significant threats to reptiles, and understanding the varying perceptual biases of motorists to different taxa may help determine management strategies for urban roads around important ...

Ecosystem engineers are species that have a role in creating and maintaining certain habitat traits that are important for other species. Burrowing species do this by creating subterranean refugia from predation and thermal extremes, but also providing foraging opportunities through soil movement and by increasing local landscape heterogeneity. In this study, we used camera traps to monitor the burrows of greater bilbies (Macrotis lagotis), a vulnerable Australian marsupial, in an area subject to frequent disturbance by fire. We tested the hypothesis that bilby burrows provide refuge for other species and therefore their presence increases biodiversity. In total, 45 taxa – 22 bird, 16 reptile and 7 mammal taxa – were recorded interacting with 127 burrows across 7 sites. Species richness was greater at burrows compared with vegetation away from burrows, while abundance was no different. There was no difference in species assemblage for bilby burrows that were actively maintained by bilbies compared with abandoned burrows, although there was more activity at bilby maintained burrows. A wildfire allowed us to test the ad hoc hypothesis that the use of bilby burrows was greater when vegetation cover was removed by fire. We recorded significant differences in species assemblage interacting with burrows after fire, although overall species richness and abundance did not change. The response of individual species was variable; for example, burrows provide a refuge for smaller species (such as mice and small reptiles), and may therefore protect them from the effects of fire. Where they persist, bilbies provide an important ecosystem engineering service, as their burrows support a broad range of species. Further reduction in the distribution of the bilby is therefore likely to have a flow-on effect on biodiversity, impacting species that use their burrows for refuge.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is one of the most adaptable carnivorans, thriving in cities across the globe. Understanding movement patterns and habitat use by urban foxes will assist with their management to address wildlife conservation and public health concerns. Here we tracked five foxes across the suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. Three females had a core home range (50% kernel density estimate; KDE) averaging 37 ± 20 ha (range 22–60 ha) or a 95% KDE averaging 174 ± 130 ha (range 92–324 ha). One male had a core home range of 95 ha or a 95% KDE covering 352 ha. The other male covered an area of ~ 4 or ~ 6 times this: having a core home range of 371 ha or 95% KDE of 2,062 ha. All five foxes showed statistically significant avoidance of residential locations and significant preference for parkland. Bushland reserves, golf courses, and water reserves were especially preferred locations. Foxes moved quickest (i.e. commuting) when they were in close proximity to roads and slowest (i.e. foraging) when they were further from roads. We compare these findings with a review of the literature for urban fox home ranges. The movement patterns we describe are likely to be common for urban foxes, with half of the published home range estimates for urban foxes (principally based on VHF data) excluding data for ‘lost’ individuals or animals that showed ‘excursions’. It is likely that the home range estimates for these urban exploiters have therefore been grossly underestimated to date. Further application of GPS trackers that allow remote download will vastly improve our understanding of the space use of urban foxes.

Wetland snakes, as top predators, are becoming globally recognised as bioindicators of wetland contamination. Livers are the traditional test organ for contaminant exposure in organisms, but research is moving towards a preference for non-lethal tissue sampling. Snake scales can be used as an indicator of exposure, as many metals bind to the keratin. We used laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to quantify the concentrations of 19 metals and metalloids (collectively referred to 'metals' hereafter) in Western tiger snake (Notechis scutatus occidentalis) scales from four wetlands along an urban gradient, and compared them to concentrations measured in captive tiger snake scales. We conducted repeat measures to determine the concentration accuracy of each metal using LA-ICP-MS. Concentrations in wild Western tiger snake scales were significantly higher than in reference tiger snake scales for most metals analysed, suggesting accumulation from environmental exposure. We compared the scale concentrations to sediment concentrations of sampled wetlands, and found inter-site differences between mean concentrations of metals in scales parallel patterns recorded from sediment. Four metals (Mn, As, Se, Sb) had strong positive correlations with liver tissue contents suggesting scale concentrations can be used to infer internal concentrations. By screening for a larger suite of metals than we could using traditional digestive methods, we identified additional metals (Ti, V, Sr, Cs, Tl, Th, U) that may be accumulating to levels of concern in tiger snakes in Perth, Western Australia. This research has progressed the use of LA-ICP-MS for quantifying a suite of metals available in snake scales, and highlights the significance of using wetland snake scales as a non-lethal indicator of environmental contamination.

Urban wildlife often suffer poorer health than their counterparts living in more pristine environments due to exposure to anthropogenic stressors such as habitat degradation and environmental contamination. As a result, the health of urban versus nonurban snakes might be assessed by differences in their plasma biochemistries. We compared the plasma profiles of western tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus occidentalis) from a heavily urbanized wetland and a natural, nonurbanized wetland. Despite the urbanized snakes having lower body mass index, we found no significant difference between the plasma profiles of the two populations. We collected snakes from each population and kept them in captivity for 6 mo, providing them with stable conditions, uncontaminated (exempt from heavy metals and pesticides) food and water, and lowered parasite intensity in an attempt to promote better health through depuration. After captivity, snakes experienced a significant improvement in body mass index and significant changes in their plasma profiles. Snakes from the natural wetland initially had more variation of DNA damage; mean concentration of DNA damage in all snakes slightly decreased, but not significantly, after captivity. We present the plasma biochemistry profiles from western tiger snakes both before and after captivity and suggest a period of removal from natural stressors via captivity may offer a more reliable result of how plasma profiles of healthy animals might appear.

Mitigation translocation is a subgroup of conservation translocation, categorized by a crisis-responsive time frame and the immediate goal of relocating individuals threatened with death. However, the relative successes of conservation translocations with longer time frames and broader metapopulation- and ecosystem-level considerations have been used to justify the continued implementation of mitigation translocations without adequate post hoc monitoring to confirm their effectiveness as a conservation tool. Mitigation translocations now outnumber other conservation translocations, and understanding the effectiveness of mitigation translocations is critical given limited global conservation funding especially if the mitigation translocations undermine biodiversity conservation by failing to save individuals. We assessed the effectiveness of mitigation translocations by conducting a quantitative review of the global literature. A total of 59 mitigation translocations were reviewed for their adherence to the adaptive scientific approach expected of other conservation translocations and for the testing of management options to continue improving techniques for the future. We found that mitigation translocations have not achieved their potential as an effective applied science. Most translocations focused predominantly on population establishment- and persistence-level questions, as is often seen in translocations more broadly, and less on metapopulation and ecosystem outcomes. Questions regarding the long-term impacts to the recipient ecosystem (12% of articles) and the carrying capacity of translocation sites (24% of articles) were addressed least often, despite these factors being more likely to influence ultimate success. Less than half (47%) of studies included comparison of different management techniques to facilitate practitioners selecting the most effective management actions for the future. To align mitigation translocations with the relative success of other conservation translocations, it is critical that future mitigation translocations conform to an established experimental approach to improve their effectiveness. Effective mitigation translocations will require significantly greater investment of time, expertise, and resources in the future.La Translocación para Mitigación como una Herramienta de Gestión Resumen La translocación para mitigación es un subgrupo de la translocación para la conservación, caracterizada por un marco de tiempo que responda a la crisis y la meta inmediata de reubicar a individuos amenazados de muerte. Sin embargo, el éxito relativo de las traslocaciones para conservación con marcos de tiempo mayores y consideraciones a nivel metapoblación y ecosistema más amplias han sido utilizadas para justificar la implementación de translocaciones para mitigación sin monitoreo post hoc adecuado para confirmar su efectividad como herramienta de conservación. Las translocaciones para mitigación ahora son más numerosas que otras translocaciones, por lo que es fundamental entender la efectividad de las translocaciones para mitigación debido a las limitaciones en el financiamiento para la conservación global - especialmente si las translocaciones para mitigación socavan la conservación de la biodiversidad al fallar en salvar individuos. Evaluamos la efectividad de translocaciones para mitigación mediante una revisión cuantitativa de la literatura global. Revisamos un total de 59 translocaciones para mitigación para analizar su adhesión al método científico adaptativo esperado de otras translocaciones de conservación y para probar las opciones de gestión para mejorar las técnicas en el futuro. Encontramos que las mitigaciones para translocación no han alcanzado su potencial como una ciencia aplicada efectiva. La mayoría de las translocaciones se centraron predominantemente en preguntas relacionadas con el establecimiento y nivel de persistencia de la población, como se observa en translocaciones más generales, y menos en resultados a nivel metapoblación y ecosistema. Aspectos relacionados con los impactos a largo plazo sobre el ecosistema recipiente (12% de los artículos) y la capacidad de carga de los sitios de translocación (24% de los artículos) fueron poco abordados, no obstante que es más probable que estos factores influyan en el éxito final. Menos de la mitad (47%) de los estudios incluyó la comparación de métodos de gestión diferentes para facilitar que los practicantes selecciones las acciones de gestión más efectivas para el futuro. Para alinear las translocaciones para mitigación con el éxito relativo de otras translocaciones para conservación, es crítico que las futuras translocaciones para mitigación se apeguen a un método experimental establecido para incrementar su efectividad. Para ser efectivas, las translocaciones para mitigación requerirán una inversión de tiempo, conocimientos técnicos y recursos significativamente mayores.

Islands play an important conservation role due to high rates of speciation as well as providing a predator-free refuge environment for species that are vulnerable to terrestrial predation on the mainland. Many animals show marked ‘island tameness’ on predator-free islands, reducing costly escape responses in the absence of predation threat. Island tameness also translates to altered responses toward humans, making many island species attractive for wildlife tourism. We explored temporal and spatial differences in behavioral responses in the Rottnest Island quokka Setonix brachyurus. This marsupial is an excellent species to test for the effects of ecotourism, as well as of being conservation significance (IUCN-listed as vulnerable). Comparing escape responses for n = 339 individuals in high tourism and low tourism seasons, quokkas at tourism sites allowed a person to approach closer before moving away compared with non-tourisms sites, and two-thirds of individuals around tourism sites allowed a person to approach within 1 m (compared with 14% of individuals at non-tourism sites). For n = 67 ad hoc interactions with tourists, quokkas would only move away from an interaction with a tourist when the tourist group was noisy or there was an attempt to touch the animal. Time budgets (n = 379 individuals) showed that quokkas spent more time in group behavior and locomotion, but less in vigilance and feeding for tourism sites compared with non-tourism sites. Understanding the impact of ecotourism on animal behavior will help to frame conservation management actions to ensure persistence of threatened wildlife species. We propose two models describing animal responses toward ecotourism: spatial separation according to animal temperament or temporal adjustment due to learned habituation. These models are not mutually exclusive and we suggest that both spatial separation and habitation are likely evident for Rottnest quokkas. We discuss the implications of these results for protection of animals on the island as well as for species conservation.

Habitat loss is a leading cause of biodiversity declines globally, and there has been increasing recognition in recent years of the importance of restoring degraded habitats to functional ecosystems to ameliorate this loss. Despite the critical roles animals play in ecosystems, animals are often overlooked in assessments of ecological restoration success, particularly beyond their presence or absence in these habitats. Apex predators are critical to ecosystems, regulating predator–prey dynamics, and in arid Australia, monitor lizards (Reptilia: Varanidae) often fill high‐order predatory roles. Varanids are highly diverse in size and occupy a variety of ecological niches, providing an ideal group for assessing habitat change over multiple spatial scales. Here, we assess the responses of varanids to early‐stage habitat restoration following the discontinuation of mining activities, by mapping behavioural signs of habitat usage including burrows, tracks and diggings. We recorded burrow size and track measurements to gauge the size of varanids utilising reference and restored habitats, and mapped tortuosity of tracks to assess their movement through habitats. Restored areas had significantly fewer signs of varanid presence than the reference bushland and largely appeared to be just traversed or used only by larger individuals. Restored landscapes, particularly those in early successional stages, often lack established vegetation cover and present increased metabolic costs and predation risks. Providing fauna refuges (e.g. hollow logs) to mitigate the metabolic costs and predation risks in areas undergoing restoration may aid in facilitating the return of varanids and of other animal populations, particularly during the early stages of vegetation establishment. Understanding the behavioural responses and movement ecology of animals within landscapes undergoing restoration is key to facilitating the conservation of self‐sustaining and functional ecosystems.

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are regularly used around the world to control pest mammals. Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) are highly persistent in biological tissue and have a high potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Consequently, exposure and poisoning of non-target organisms has been frequently documented, especially in countries with unregulated AR sales and usage. Most of this research has focussed on rodent-predators, usually raptors and predatory mammals, although exposure has also been documented in invertebrates and insectivorous fauna. Few studies have explored non-target exposure in reptiles, despite species sharing similar trophic positions and dietary preferences to other exposed fauna. We tested three abundant urban reptile species in Perth, Western Australia that differ in diet and trophic tiers for multiple AR exposure, the dugite Pseudonaja affinis (rodent-predator), the bobtail Tiliqua rugosa (omnivore) and the tiger snake Notechis scutatus occidentalis (frog-predator). We found frequent exposure in all three species (91% in dugites, 60% in bobtails and 45% in tiger snakes). Mean combined liver concentrations of ARs of exposed individuals were 0.178 mg/kg in dugites, 0.040 mg/kg in bobtails and 0.009 mg/kg in tiger snakes. High exposure frequency and liver concentration was expected for the dugite. Exposure in the other species is more surprising and implies widespread AR contamination of the food web. We discuss the likelihood of global AR exposure of urban reptiles, highlight the potential for reptiles to be important vectors of ARs in the food web and highlight implications for humans consuming wild reptiles.

Groundwaters host highly adapted fauna, known as stygofauna, which play a key role in maintaining the functional integrity of subterranean ecosystems. Stygofaunal niche studies provide insights into the ecological dynamics shaping the delicate balance between the hydrological conditions and community diversity patterns. This work aims to unravel the ecological trends of a calcrete stygofaunal community, with special focus on niche dynamics through the Outlying Mean Index analysis (OMI) and additional calculation of Within Outlying Mean Indexes (WitOMI), under three rainfall regimes. Temperature and pH changed significantly among different rainfall conditions (P < .001), and together with salinity were the most influential drivers in shaping stygofaunal assemblages. These environmental conditions, linked with nutrient fluctuations in the groundwater, constrained changes in niche occupation for water mites, two species of beetles and juvenile amphipods (OMI analysis, P < .05). The WitOMI analysis revealed differential subniche breadths linked with taxa‐specific adaptations after different rainfall conditions. Our results indicate that stygofaunal niches are closely linked to the hydrodynamic conditions influenced by different rainfall regimes. Further long‐term investigations, incorporating broader ecological perspectives, will help to understand the impacts associated with climate change and anthropogenic pressures on one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world.