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A national framework for research on trophic regulation by the Dingo in Australia

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 07:33 authored by Visser, RL, Watson, JEM, Dickman, CR, Southgate, R, Jenkins, D, Christopher JohnsonChristopher Johnson
There is increasing evidence that the Dingo Canis lupus dingo plays an important ecological role as a trophic regulator in Australian ecosystems. However, there is sufficient remaining uncertainty about the nature of this role as to hinder the development of effective management policies. This review defines strategic directions for future research on the trophic role of Dingoes by developing a national Dingo research framework. The framework aims to increase our knowledge of the influence that Dingoes have on the maintenance of biodiversity, thereby encouraging Dingo conservation and the refinement of current land-use practices. The framework begins by identifying four major bioclimatic zones across Australia that pose different questions and challenges for Dingo research. For each zone we construct a model that identifies major interactions between Dingoes and key prey or competitor species, and then used the models to identify key research needs, the possible advantages of maintaining Dingo populations within each zone, and ways to tease out unstudied interactions. Important questions identified in the review include the effects of Dingoes on native marsupial populations, vegetation communities, herbivore diets, the use of structural refugia by mesopredators, predator and prey behaviour, and the effect of habitat modification on these interactions. We briefly review legislative constraints and other factors, such as the ongoing hybridization of Dingo populations with domestic dog breeds, that may impede future studies. If research activities follow this framework, we believe that policy and management will be better informed, benefiting both the Dingo and the natural ecosystems and production systems where it occurs.

History

Publication title

Pacific Conservation Biology

Volume

15

Pagination

209-216

ISSN

1038-2097

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Surrey Beatty & Sons

Place of publication

Australia

Rights statement

Copyright © 2009 Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Ltd

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Terrestrial biodiversity

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