Applied Research.
Enhancing conservation efforts at Calperum and Taylorville Stations to preserve unique biodiversity.
Our Current Research Projects.
Long-term responses of small mammals and reptiles to grazing removal and fire.
Grazing and fire are disturbances that shape landscapes, particularly the structure and composition of vegetation communities, which in turn affect how animals survive in these habitats. Domestic livestock grazing was removed from Calperum in 1993, and more recently from Taylorville in 2004. Both properties have experienced several large bushfires over the past 100 years. We measure the impact of these disturbances on small mammal and reptile populations through annual pitfall trapping surveys, largely driven by our dedicated volunteers.
If you would like to participate in these annual surveys, please contact the North Calperum Volunteer Group.
(Please email admin@alt.org.au for a copy)
Malleefowl as ecosystem engineers
Malleefowl build large mounds of decomposing leaf litter in which they lay and incubate their eggs. These mounds are not only essential for Malleefowl breeding but also create nutrient-rich, fertile “islands” in the dry mallee woodland. The mounds provide habitat for other birds, reptiles, and mammals. Through their mound-building activity, Malleefowl act as “ecosystem engineers,” enhancing the productivity of mallee woodlands and contributing to restoration efforts. Malleefowl are listed as Vulnerable (EPBC Act 1999), as their populations are declining. Not only are they important to conserve due to their intrinsic value, but their presence also greatly benefits other mallee fauna and the overall health of the ecosystem.
Discover our malleefowl research: (Please email admin@alt.org.au for a copy)
- Incubation mound building by the Australian megapode (malleefowl, Leipoa ocellata) creates novel, resource-rich patches in a semi-arid woodland
- Malleefowl ‘Leipoa ocellata’ breeding behaviour: Insights from citizen science camera surveillance
- Malleefowl ‘Leipoa ocellata’ incubation mounds as habitat for other vertebrates
- G’day mate! Aussie bush birds’ spectacular greeting
Branching as a multipurpose restoration tool
Areas of the Calperum floodplain have been stripped of vegetation and topsoil due to decades of heavy livestock grazing. Restoring these erosion scalds can be challenging and requires active intervention by land managers. One method we are trialling at Calperum is the addition of woody debris, or “branching.” By scattering woody debris over erosion scalds, we predict that branching will:
- Increase windblown topsoil and seed accumulation
- Improve soil moisture retention
- Support the germination and establishment of plants
- Reduce herbivory by kangaroos (which can often prevent seedlings from establishing)
- Provide habitat for small reptiles and mammals
To test these predictions, we established a landscape-scale branching experiment across the Calperum floodplain in 2018. Each year, we measure how branching affects vegetation, soil, and small reptile and mammal populations.
(Please email admin@alt.org.au for a copy)
Current student projects
(Co-supervised by Dr. Heather Neilly, ALT)
Brushtail Possum Population Dynamics in the Riverland – Tara McKenzie, University of Adelaide
Tara is a PhD student from the School of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Adelaide, studying the Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) community at Calperum Station and the surrounding region. Although common in urban areas, possums are listed as ‘Rare’ in the Riverland. After possums nearly disappeared from Calperum in 2018, Tara’s research will monitor the health of possum populations across the floodplains and uncover the factors driving these changes. Using methods such as spotlighting, GPS tracking, vegetation surveys, possum health assessments, and investigating feral predator behavior, Tara’s work will help guide the development of conservation and management strategies to protect this at-risk species.
Partner Organisations: University of Adelaide (Dr. Anne-Lise Chaber, A/Prof Phill Cassey), SA Department of Environment and Water (Chowilla and Katarapko)
The Impact of Fire and Grazing on Thermal Refuges for Fauna in Mallee Woodlands – Max Tibby, University of New England
Max is a PhD student with the Reptile Ecology and Environmental Disturbance Lab at the University of New England, researching the conservation of reptile and small mammal communities in the Murray Mallee at Calperum and Taylorville Stations. Max’s research examines the vulnerability of these communities to worsening heatwaves and fire regimes under climate change, with a particular focus on spinifex grass (Triodia) and the animals that rely on it for shelter. Using a variety of methods, including fauna surveys, habitat assessments, thermal studies, and radio telemetry, Max aims to understand how climate change will impact these communities and develop conservation strategies for best-practice management in the region.
Partner Organisations: University of New England (Dr. Eric Nordberg)