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Influences on koala habitat selection across four local government areas on the far north coast of NSW |
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| Authors: | Clive A McAlpine John Callaghan Daniel Lunney Jonathan R Rhodes Ross Goldingay Will Goulding Christine Adams-Hosking Kelly Fielding Scott Benitez Hetherington Angie Brace Marama Hopkins Liz Caddick Elisha Taylor Lorraine Vass Linda Swankie |
| Institution: | 1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072 Australia
Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Methodology (equal), Project administration (equal), Supervision (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal);2. Faculty of Science & Engineering, Southern Cross University, U Block, East Lismore, New South Wales, 2480 Australia Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Data curation (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Methodology (equal);3. Department of Planning and Environment, Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta, New South Wales, 2124 Australia Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, 2006 Australia Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney, NSW, 2010 Australia Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), ?Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal);4. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072 Australia Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Methodology (equal);5. Faculty of Science & Engineering, Southern Cross University, U Block, East Lismore, New South Wales, 2480 Australia Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal);6. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072 Australia Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, P.O. Box 3300, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101 Australia Contribution: Data curation (equal), ?Investigation (equal), Software (equal);7. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072 Australia;8. School of Communication and Arts, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072 Australia Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), ?Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal);9. Tweed Shire Council, Tumbulgum Rd, Murwillumbah, New South Wales, 2484 Australia Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Data curation (equal), Funding acquisition (equal), Project administration (equal);10. Lismore City Council, 43 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah, New South Wales, 2480 Australia Friends of the Koala, Rifle Range Road, Lismore, New South Wales, 2480 Australia Contribution: Data curation (equal), ?Investigation (equal);11. Tweed Shire Council, Tumbulgum Rd, Murwillumbah, New South Wales, 2484 Australia Contribution: Data curation (equal), ?Investigation (equal);12. Byron Shire Council, 70 Station Street, Mullumbimby, New South Wales, 2482 Australia Contribution: Data curation (equal), ?Investigation (equal);13. Ballina Shire Council, 40 Cherry Street, Ballina, New South Wales, 2478 Australia Contribution: Data curation (equal), ?Investigation (equal);14. Friends of the Koala, Rifle Range Road, Lismore, New South Wales, 2480 Australia Contribution: Data curation (equal), ?Investigation (equal) |
| Abstract: | Conserving habitats crucial for threatened koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations requires rating habitat quality from a fine spatial scale to patches, landscapes and then regions. The koala has a specialized diet focused on the leaves of a suite of Eucalyptus species. We asked: what are the key regional influences on habitat selection by koalas in the far north coast of New South Wales? We addressed this question by investigating the multi-scale factors, and within-scale and cross-scale interactions, that influence koala habitat selection and distribution across four local government areas on the far north coast of New South Wales. We assembled and analysed a large data set of tree selection, identified by the presence of scats, in a wide range of randomly selected 5 × 5 km grids across the region. This resulted in more than 9000 trees surveyed for evidence of koala use from 302 field sites, together with associated biophysical site features. The dominant factor influencing habitat use and koala occurrence was the distribution of five Eucalyptus species. Koalas were more likely to use medium-sized trees of these species where they occurred on soils with high levels of Colwell phosphorous. We also identified new interactions among the distribution of preferred tree species and soil phosphorous, and their distribution with the amount of suitable habitat in the surrounding landscape. Our study confirmed that non-preferred species of eucalypts and non-eucalypts are extensively used by koalas and form important components of koala habitat. This finding lends support to restoring a mosaic of koala-preferred tree species and other species recognized for their value as shelter. Our study has provided the ecological foundation for developing a novel regional-scale approach to the conservation of koalas, with adaptability to other wildlife species. |
| Keywords: | Colwell phosphorus cross-scale interactions habitat preferences habitat quality landscape connections mixed-models private land regional conservation |