Differential passage rates of prey components through the gut of serval<i> Felis serval </i>and black-backed jackal <i>Canis mesomelas</i>

Feeding trials conducted on Felis serval and Canis mesomelas showed that the same prey item may appear in up to seven scats (mean=2.8, n=7). The basic assumption that prey remains of the same species in different scats represent different individuals is invalid. Therefore over-estimation of some prey species relative to others in the diet of carnivores studied can occur

Central Australian waterbodies: The importance of permanence in a desert landscape

Central Australia (CA) has an arid environment characterised by low and unpredictable rainfall, high temperatures and high evaporation rates. Within this desert context reliable water features, sustained mainly by natural groundwater discharge, provide distinct and isolated habitats for both aquatic and terrestrial species, even where these features are only minimally inundated. CA water features are varied, and include springs, waterholes and seepages that provide refuge for relict, endemic, and widely dispersed species confined to discontiguous habitats. They have been well known to Aboriginal people for thousands of years, and are often sites of great cultural significance. In spite of their biological, cultural and economic importance, the physical and ecological characters of many waterbodies are not well known. CA has experienced some of the most rapid rates of warming observed on the Australian continent. Successfully managing the consequences of climate change in CA will depend, in part, on developing a better understanding of the factors that influence long-term biodiversity in these aquatic systems. Because isolated CA waterbodies are at the forefront of continental warming, they could provide insights into how climate change will potentially impact other arid zone aquatic ecosystems

The Influence of Fire on Rodent Abundance at the N'washitshumbe Enclosure Site, Kruger National Park, South Africa †

The relative population numbers of rodents were studied in nine habitats in and outside the N’washitshumbe enclosure site, Kruger National Park, before and after burning the firebreaks that surround the enclosure. Trap success was exceptionally high, and the field work is suspected to have coincided with a Mastomys population explosion. This genus dominated the small mammal communities before and after the burn, and never disappeared from the burnt patches. Its numbers also did not crash directly after the burn, as have been reported in most other studies. Movement from the burnt areas was observed, which may have had a significant impact on the numbers of rodents caught both inside the enclosure and in the more natural areas outside. Our study suggests that fire can be investigated as a tool to keep rodent densities down in areas where they are nuisance animals, especially when used in conjunction with models that forecast outbreaks of Mastomys. It also emphasizes the value of long-term studies informing management strategies for animal damage control and biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.http://www.bioone.org/loi/afzoab201