Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats
Human commensal species are thought to depend so closely on resources provided by humans that they are effectively ‘natives’ of urban environments. However, while their adaptations to urban existence are well understood, their ecology and habitat choices have not been closely examined. This study in...
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Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences
2022
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29677 https://doi.org/10.25910/yj8a-0124 |
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ftunivsydney:oai:ses.library.usyd.edu.au:2123/29677 |
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ftunivsydney:oai:ses.library.usyd.edu.au:2123/29677 2023-05-15T18:04:59+02:00 Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats Adams, M.W.D. Grant, L.S. Kovacs, T.G.L. Liang, S.Q.T. Norris, N. Alessi, M.M. Banks, P.B. 2022-11-03 application/octet-stream https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29677 https://doi.org/10.25910/yj8a-0124 unknown Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29677 doi:10.25910/yj8a-0124 urban-bushland interface habitat selection human commensals isodar rodent pests invasive species Dataset 2022 ftunivsydney https://doi.org/10.25910/yj8a-0124 2022-11-07T23:24:17Z Human commensal species are thought to depend so closely on resources provided by humans that they are effectively ‘natives’ of urban environments. However, while their adaptations to urban existence are well understood, their ecology and habitat choices have not been closely examined. This study investigated the habitat preferences of the archetypal commensal species, the invasive black rat Rattus rattus, at the urban-bushland interface in Sydney, Australia, and modelled the results using isodar analysis. Unexpectedly, we found evidence that rats perceived bushland as a more resource-rich habitat compared to urban areas, resulting in higher rat abundance in bushland areas. Resultant spillover of commensal species into native vegetation may pose acute ecological risks in the future, yet management of commensal pests remains focused on urban areas. Ultimately, these findings highlight the complex nature of commensal ecology, suggesting that adaptation to human coexistence does not necessarily lead to a preference for human-modified landscapes. We suggest that inter-specific interactions with competitors, or the lack thereof, likely modulates the habitat preferences of commensals. Dataset Rattus rattus The University of Sydney: Sydney eScholarship Repository |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Sydney: Sydney eScholarship Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivsydney |
language |
unknown |
topic |
urban-bushland interface habitat selection human commensals isodar rodent pests invasive species |
spellingShingle |
urban-bushland interface habitat selection human commensals isodar rodent pests invasive species Adams, M.W.D. Grant, L.S. Kovacs, T.G.L. Liang, S.Q.T. Norris, N. Alessi, M.M. Banks, P.B. Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
topic_facet |
urban-bushland interface habitat selection human commensals isodar rodent pests invasive species |
description |
Human commensal species are thought to depend so closely on resources provided by humans that they are effectively ‘natives’ of urban environments. However, while their adaptations to urban existence are well understood, their ecology and habitat choices have not been closely examined. This study investigated the habitat preferences of the archetypal commensal species, the invasive black rat Rattus rattus, at the urban-bushland interface in Sydney, Australia, and modelled the results using isodar analysis. Unexpectedly, we found evidence that rats perceived bushland as a more resource-rich habitat compared to urban areas, resulting in higher rat abundance in bushland areas. Resultant spillover of commensal species into native vegetation may pose acute ecological risks in the future, yet management of commensal pests remains focused on urban areas. Ultimately, these findings highlight the complex nature of commensal ecology, suggesting that adaptation to human coexistence does not necessarily lead to a preference for human-modified landscapes. We suggest that inter-specific interactions with competitors, or the lack thereof, likely modulates the habitat preferences of commensals. |
format |
Dataset |
author |
Adams, M.W.D. Grant, L.S. Kovacs, T.G.L. Liang, S.Q.T. Norris, N. Alessi, M.M. Banks, P.B. |
author_facet |
Adams, M.W.D. Grant, L.S. Kovacs, T.G.L. Liang, S.Q.T. Norris, N. Alessi, M.M. Banks, P.B. |
author_sort |
Adams, M.W.D. |
title |
Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
title_short |
Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
title_full |
Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
title_fullStr |
Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
title_full_unstemmed |
Dataset for Adams et al (2022). Commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
title_sort |
dataset for adams et al (2022). commensal black rats (rattus rattus) select wild vegetation over urbanised habitats |
publisher |
Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29677 https://doi.org/10.25910/yj8a-0124 |
genre |
Rattus rattus |
genre_facet |
Rattus rattus |
op_relation |
https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29677 doi:10.25910/yj8a-0124 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.25910/yj8a-0124 |
_version_ |
1766176398758641664 |