Eastern quoll den use

Here we describe the analyses conducted for the conducted for the article Macpherson et al. (in prep) Down the rabbit hole: den use by a reintroduced mesopredator reveals how invasive species structures can facilitate establishment.

Abstract

Recovery efforts for threatened species are increasingly using reintroduction as a tool to reverse biodiversity loss, with habitat suitability being a crucial driver in their outcomes. Where suitable habitat is not known - which is often the case when species are extirpated from their former range - post-release movement and habitat selection by founders can be used to identify important habitat features and thereby inform future reintroductions. Microhabitat features used for sheltering, such as dens, can be critical for survival post-release.

We conducted habitat assessments on diurnal dens used by reintroduced eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) at a conservation-fenced haven to identify habitat features that might be important to their establishment. Interestingly, the majority of founders denned in abandoned rabbit warrens, suggesting the importance of such refugia for shelter and rearing offspring. Further, nearly half of these dens were being actively used by eastern quolls when assessed 5–7 years after they initially used them, demonstrating the longevity of warrens in the landscape.

Status-quo ecosystem restoration includes the destruction of warrens because they were created by exotic species, and therefore not part of the reference-state ecosystem. Rather than being destroyed, once rabbits are controlled, such legacy structures can be used to facilitate native species’ recovery due to the value of shelter features for establishment.

Repository structure

This repository follows an organised structure for clarity and reproducibility:

• input folder: contains datasets required for analyses (e.g., raw data tables, geospatial data files, etc.).
• output folder: contains datasets generated from these analyses (e.g., processed data tables, maps, plots, etc.).
• .gitattributes: manages repository-specific configurations.
• .gitignore: specifies intentionally untracked files to be ignored by Git (e.g., large files or sensitive information).
• analyses.Rmd: R markdown containing the workflow for the project's analyses, including narrative text, code, and results.
• project.Rproj: RStudio Project file for managing the R environment to ensure consistent working directories and settings.
• README.md: provides an overview of the repository and instructions for usage (i.e., what you're reading right now).
• tutorial.html: rendered HTML output of the analyses.Rmd markdown, serving as a shareable tutorial that summarises the project's analyses and results.