Journal article
Optimising Camera Trap Surveys for the Rocky Landform Specialists of the Mount Isa Inlier, Queensland, Australia
Ecology and Evolution, Vol.15(10), pp.1-25
2025
PMID: 41019390
Abstract
Australia's rocky landforms provide critical habitats for a diverse fauna, yet many regions remain underrepresented in ecological research. The Mount Isa Inlier IBRA bioregion, characterised by extensive rocky landscapes, hosts a community of specialist fauna, yet knowledge gaps hinder conservation and management efforts. Building upon previous research on one rock-dwelling species from the bioregion, the Carpentarian Pseudantechinus (Pseudantechinus mimulus), the aim of this study was to determine the optimum camera trap timing and duration for a further 11 species and provide a framework for conducting targeted research on this community. Field surveys were conducted at 60 camera stations across nine sampling periods over a total survey effort of 21,965 camera-days. We investigated all 11 specialists within single-species, multi-season occupancy models to assess species-specific changes in detection probability in response to sampling period and days since baiting and assessed additional detectability parameters including days since baiting, detection rate, diel activity patterns and lunar illumination. Our results highlight temporal variations in detectability, with the optimum timing and duration of surveys differing between specialists and showcasing varying activity patterns and responses to lunar illumination. While camera traps were effective for most specialists, alternative methods may be required for some species with low detectability. We ultimately summarise our findings into a handy, user-friendly summary table outlining the optimum time of year, survey duration, camera type, hours of operation, lunar illumination scenario and bait type to provide a comprehensive reference to conducting camera trap surveys targeting the community. This paper reflects a growing need for species-specific survey methodologies to enhance efficiency in remote, data-deficient regions such as the Mount Isa Inlier and should be particularly relevant to practitioners seeking to assess population trends and inform long-term conservation efforts.
Details
- Title
- Optimising Camera Trap Surveys for the Rocky Landform Specialists of the Mount Isa Inlier, Queensland, Australia
- Authors
- Jarrad C Barnes (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringElizabeth A Brunton - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringMark G Sanders - EcoSmart EcologyChristofer J Clemente - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Publication details
- Ecology and Evolution, Vol.15(10), pp.1-25
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1002/ece3.72170
- ISSN
- 2045-7758
- PMID
- 41019390
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by British Ecological Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Data Availability
- The data that support the findings of this study are openly available on the University of the Sunshine Coast Research Bank at https://doi.org/10.25907/00914.
- Grant note
- This work was supported by EcoSmart Ecology, Chinova Resources Pty. Ltd. and MMG Australia Ltd.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991166402602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Web Of Science research areas
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology