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Wetland herpetofauna of Kakadu National Park, Australia: seasonal richness trends, habitat preferences and the effects of feral ungulates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Gordon R. Friend  and
Kevyn M. Cellier
Gordon R. Friend
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Rangelands Research, PMB 44, Winnellie, Northern Territory 5789, Australia
Kevyn M. Cellier
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Private Bag, PO, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia
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Abstract

The abundance and distribution of reptiles and amphibians inhabiting tropical monsoonal wetlands in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia, were monitored between late 1979 and 1982. Seasonal trends in species richness, and the influence of various environmental attributes (including those caused by feral ungulates) on species distribution patterns were also examined.

These wetlands support a high proportion of the amphibian species known from the Park, but are of less importance to reptiles. Within the wetlands, the structurally more complex forested ‘margins’ support many more species than the treeless floodplains. Amphibian species distributions seem to be influenced primarily by elevation, through its effects on soil moisture and flooding levels, while reptile distribution patterns reflect a more complex set of environmental factors, with structural attributes (e.g. vegetation height structure and cover, refuge abundance, leaf litter cover and depth, extent of flooding) being of prime importance.

Feral buffalo and pigs, through their grazing, trampling and wallowing, may considerably influence such structural attributes and change the duration and extent of water lie, and thus indirectly affect species distribution patterns. Current buffalo culling programmes provide an opportunity to monitor vegetation and faunal changes, and quantify feral animal impact post facto.

Keywords

amphibiaAustraliaferal ungulateshabitat preferencesKakadu National Parkmonsoonal tropicsreptilesspecies richness
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , May 1990 , pp. 131 - 152
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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