The Relationship Between Cinnamon Fungus (Phytophthora Cinnamomi) and the Abundance of Antechinus Stuartii (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia) in the Brisbane Ranges, Victoria.

Abstract

The Brisbane Ranges include areas of National Park, water catchment and freehold land that have a history of infection with the pathogen P. cinnamomi since the late 1960s. A systematic survey of the small-mammal fauna of the Brisbane Ranges National Park and the Geelong and District Water Board catchments in relation to the pathogen was carried out in 1987. A. stuartii was the only species trapped regularly. The volume of vegetation to a structural level of 60 cm was significantly lower at sites where P. cinnamomi was present. The abundance of A. stuartii was also significantly lower at sites infected with P. cinnamomi, and a significant relationship is shown between the capture rate of A. stuartii and the volume of vegetation present up to 40 cm above ground level. This work indicates a possible association between P. cinnamomi and populations of A. stuartii, and the relationships between the pathogen, habitat quality and small-mammal distribution are discussed. These findings have implications for public land management and management of fauna in areas prone to infection with P. cinnamomi.