
%0 Journal Article
%A Fox, B. J. 
%T Small mammal communities in Australian temperate heathlands and forests.
%J Australian Mammalogy
%D 1985/07/01
%V 8
%N 3
%P 153-158
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/AM85015
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AM85015 
%X Temperate heathlands and forests in Australia are largely restricted to the eastern, southern and south-western coastal margins. Although a small macropodid may be included in some forests the small-mammal assemblages are commonly species from only two metatherian families, bandicoots and dasyurids, and one eutherian family, murid rodents. These native rodents divide into &apos;old endemics&apos; (Pseudomys, Mastacomys and Melomys) and &apos;new endemics&apos; (Rattus). Introduced species fill the niches of absent natives rather than &apos;new&apos; niches, implying few unused resources in these communities. The basic community has one species of Rattus, one dasyurid and one bandicoot and usually one &apos;old endemic&apos;; additional species from each group are added when greater resources are available. Abundance is low overall, and may reflect reduced productivity; species richness and diversity are usually greater in heathland, but densities are greater in forests and may result from the lower nutrient levels in heathlands. There is a negative correlation between species diversity and latitude, although species diversity depends more on local variables such as habitat diversity. Tasmania has a less diverse fauna, but this may be an island effect as the abundance is generally increased. 
