Spatially exlicit capture histories for small mammals and predators in a Tasmanian forest system
Data files
Jan 29, 2021 version files 69.81 KB
Abstract
The following data represents three years of capture-recapure records from individually marked co-occurring small mammals and predators from four spatially independent sites situated in cool temperate forests in southern Tasmania, Australia. Data for small mammals was collected for the swamp rat, Rattus lutreolus, and long-tailed mouse, Pseudomys higginsi, using Elliott small mammal live capture and release traps. Data for predators was collected for the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, and feral cat, Felis catus, using remote cameras.
Methods
The data set was collected using Elliott small mammal live capture and release traps for small mammals, and remote cameras for predators. Sixty Elliott traps and up-to 18 remote cameras were set at each of four sites two times per year for three years. The attached data is formatted for spatially explicit capture recapture analysis and as such contains capture histories for each species and survey and related trap locational files for each site. More detailed information in relation to survey methods can be found in Lazenby et al. (2021).
Usage notes
Capture histories and associated capture coordinates constituting spatially explicit capture recapture data
for the paper titled Raiders of the last ark: the impacts of feral cats on small mammals in Tasmanian forest ecosystems
All text files are formatted consistently where in capture files:
Session - represents the survey session e.g. 1
Individual no. - depicts the ear mark or number assigned to each individual capture. There are often multiple capture records i.e. rows
for each individual within and between sessions.
Trap night - The night of capture across successive 24 hr periods.
Trap no. - The number assigned to the Elliott trap or camera in which a capture was recorded.
Site_month_year - the site, month and year of survey for each capture record. Sites are abbreviated to SW for southwest, MtF for Mt Field, WR for Wellington Ranges, and TP for Tasman Peninsula.
And in trap and camera coordinate files:
Trap no. - Is the number assigned to each Elliott trap (for swamp rats and long-tailed mice) or camera (for feral cats and Tasmanian
devils). The following two columns represent an easting and northing in map datum WGS 84, with final column denoting site. IMPORTANT given Tasmanian devils are a listed threatened species, camera coordinates have been masked in order to generalize sensitive species occurence data. This masking will not affect the overall spatial scale of recapture of devils or cats. For enquiries please contact Billie Lazenby: Billie.Lazenby@dpipwe.tas.gov.au