Overview
Topic status: We're looking for students to study this topic.
In 2011, we identified a new species of dasyurid marsupial right on our doorstep, the upper Samford Valley in north-west Brisbane. For the last 30 years, recognised coat colour differences in Buff-footed Antechinus were believed to be a variant of those found in the Yellow-footed Antechinus, which has a nationwide distribution and numerous subspecies throughout Australia.
However, both morphological (external and skull) and genetic characters indicate that Buff- and Yellow-footed Antechinus are distinct sister species, co-occurring (at least) in parts of the Samford Valley. This mark-recapture/tagging project will investigate the ecology of Buff-footed Antechinus from two locations within and adjacent to D'Aguilar National Park. This will resolve abundance and compositional changes within each Antechinus population, leading up to and during the breeding season (April to September).
The two selected locales, about 8 kilometres apart, exhibit marked habitat differences. One site will contain replicate trap lines within patchy, disturbed and partially cleared habitat in the Samford Valley; the other will have replicate trap lines within the continuous forest of D'Aguilar National Park.
This study will provide core ecological information about a native Australian mammal new to science and clearer understanding of its relative success and breeding synchrony in different habitat types within the greater Brisbane area.
- Study level
- Honours
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Keywords
- ecology
- Contact
- Please contact the supervisor.
Dr Andrew Baker
