Bandicoots, rats/mice & dingos | living-growing-data

Changes over time in the number of

Long-nosed bandicoots & rats/mice

in relation to the abundance of Dingoes:

Note the vertical yellow bars are the summer months (blue boxes = winter months).

Key findings (Dec'16):

Long-nosed bandicoot:

Bandicoot numbers usually peak in late spring to summer with the size of the peak varying greatly from year to year.
The smallest peak occurred in 2014-15 when dingoes were particularly abundant within and about that summer.
Interestingly, the largest peak occurred in the following spring-to-summer after the abundance of dingoes had reduced greatly.
It is clear from the two plots that there is a negative relationship between numbers of bandicoots and dingoes.
Accordingly, there is strong evidence that pulses in the abundance of dingoes negatively affect bandicoot numbers. However, the information gathered so far indicates that these negative consequences are soon overridden once dingo numbers reduce.

Rats and mice:

Rats and mice peak in the numbers in any season and the size of the peak varies greatly between years.
Like the pattern for the bandicoots, the largest peak occurred following the major pulse in the abundance of dingoes through and about the 2014-15 summer.
This suggests a strong positive response once the 'dingo pressure' was reduced.
Accordingly, there is some evidence that pulses in the abundance of dingoes negatively affect rat/mice numbers. However, it appears these negative consequences are soon overridden once dingo numbers reduce.