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A long-term experiment reveals strategies for the ecological restoration of reptiles in scattered tree landscapes

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Abstract

Long-term faunal responses to restoration efforts can be very different from those in the short term, but are often not quantified systematically to identify ways that maximise restoration outcomes. We report on a 9-year landscape-scale ecological experiment that tests the long-term responses of reptile populations to coarse woody debris (CWD) addition, reduced native macropod grazing, and prescribed fire. We found that reptile species richness was increased 9 years after CWD addition, as was the abundance of several common reptile species. Further, the more CWD was added to the system, the more benefits were afforded to reptiles. The positive effect of CWD depended on the surrounding vegetation structure and was greater in sites with low tree and shrub cover. Further, lower levels of macropod grazing appeared to lessen the effects of CWD addition in the long term. Our results show that restoration projects in open woodlands and scattered tree ecosystems should consider the addition of CWD as a fundamental element of their management actions. To maximise benefits of CWD addition for reptiles, we recommend a strategy of placing CWD in areas with low tree and shrub cover rather than areas with high tree and shrub cover. The addition of CWD in such areas would provide crucial shelter and foraging substrates for reptiles in a comparatively hostile portion of the landscape. Our study helps to establish guidelines for achieving long-lasting effects of ecosystem restoration for vertebrates and demonstrates the benefits of monitoring vertebrates over the long term.

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Data availability

The datasets analysed for this current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Helen Crisp, Daniel Iglesias, Stuart Jeffress, Margaret Kitchin, Annie Lane, Sharon Lane, John Lawler, Nicki Munro, Sarah Sharp, David Shorthouse, Peter Mills, Dave Whitfield, and Grant Woodbridge for their support and involvement with the project; Steve Holliday and the many other reptile surveyors who have assisted with surveys since 2007; Steve Holliday and Chris Davey for assistance with distributing the CWD in 2007; Sam Banks, Ross Cunningham, Saul Cunningham, Murray Evans, Don Fletcher, Iain Gordon, David Lindenmayer, Sue McIntyre, David Shorthouse and Jeff Wood for providing advice to the overall project; Wade Blanchard, Ross Cunningham, Martin Westgate and Jeff Wood for statistical advice; Ross Cunningham and Jeff Wood for collaboration on the experimental framework design; and all the ACT Government staff that have assisted in all aspects of this project. Special thanks to Peter Mills, and Grant Woodbridge for assistance in implementing all the experimental treatments. Faunal surveys were covered by ANU ethics Protocols C.RE.44.05, C.RE.59.09, F.ES.10.10, A2011/017, A2014/35 and A2017/33; and ACT project licenses LT2005201, LT2007279, LT2009347, LT2010417, LT2014769, LT2015834 and LT2016905. Funding and in-kind logistic support for this project was provided by the ACT Government as part of an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LP0561817; LP110100126, LP140100209). ADM was supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship for part of the study (FT100100358). The authors thank Philip Barton, Will Batson, Murray Evans, Sue McIntyre, Joanne McMillan and Chloe Sato and two anonymous reviewers for helpful and insightful comments on manuscript drafts.

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  1. Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia

    Maldwyn J. Evans, Jenny S. Newport & Adrian D. Manning

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  1. Maldwyn J. Evans
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  2. Jenny S. Newport
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Contributions

MJE and ADM designed the methodology, MJE performed the analysis, conceived the ideas and led the writing of the manuscript; JSN collected the data and conceived the ideas; ADM leads the Mulligans Flat—Goorooyarroo Woodland Experiment and designed the overall experimental framework in collaboration with Ross Cunningham and Jeff Wood (see Acknowledgements). He also collected the data and conceived the ideas. All authors contributed critically to the drafts and gave final approval for publication.

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Correspondence to Maldwyn J. Evans.

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Evans, M.J., Newport, J.S. & Manning, A.D. A long-term experiment reveals strategies for the ecological restoration of reptiles in scattered tree landscapes. Biodivers Conserv 28, 2825–2843 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01798-5

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