Population dynamics of desert mammals: similarities and contrasts within a multispecies assemblage

摘要: Understanding the temporal and spatial dynamics of species populations remains a key focus population biology, providing vital insight into drivers that influence demography sub-populations are vulnerable to extinction. Across regional landscapes, spatially separated may fluctuate in synchrony, or exhibit sub-structuring due subtle differences local intrinsic extrinsic factors. Using long-term data set (17–22 yr) obtained from large (8000 km2) study region arid central Australia, we tested firstly for synchrony annual rainfall five small mammal across nine widely sites. Moran's theorem, predicted correlation between these would equal density-independent conditions (annual rainfall). For showed synchronous dynamics, then used multivariate state-space (MARSS) models predict be positively associated with their populations, whereas asynchronous influenced largely by other latter species, MARSS test four hypotheses. These were sub-population structures: (1) governed site-specific factors, (2) differed oasis non-oasis sites, (3) burnt unburnt (4) three sub-regions different gradients. We found our mammals within families. Two insectivorous dasyurid marsupials which most likely tracked conditions, larger carnivorous marsupial two rodents had strongly dynamics. exhibited similar correlations events, evidence Moran effect operates some, but not all, this system. Our results suggest do respond ways shared environmental regions, hence will vary responses climate change. As lands globally face climatic shifts exacerbate rainfall-drought cycles, future work focuses on exploring at scales multiple dryland taxa.