Project Title
Landscape connectivity in fragmented habitat: lizard-eyed and roach-eyed views of remnant vegetation in Victoria
Abstract
Central and northern Victoria are characterised by a matrix of cleared agricultural land with a large portion of remnant vegetation existing in linear strips within roadside reserves (strips of uncleared land perpendicular to roads) or along creek/river beds.
Aerial photographs indicate that some of these remnant strips exist in a highly-connected network, but major roads are a prominent feature of this landscape and often bisect strips of remnant vegetation. It is unclear how these linear strips impact upon the mobility (and associated demographics) of Australian wildlife compared with large blocks of natural habitat, and whether the network of roads acts as a barrier to dispersal between remnant patches across the landscape. This study will examine the effects of different configurations of remnant habitat associated with roads and quantify the barrier effect of major roads on model lizard species (yet to be determined) and the native cockroach Laxta granicollis within this area.
In addition, this project will investigate the effectiveness of existing structures such as culverts and bridges as mitigating devices. To address these issues, both ecological and genetic techniques will be employed. In summary, this project aims to use both ecological and contemporary genetic techniques to:
- assess the effects of different configurations of the landscape associated with roads (e.g. interconnected habitat blocks and unconnected habitat blocks compared with large blocks of natural habitat) on the mobility of model lizard species and L. granicollis.
- quantify the extent to which major highways in regional Australia form a barrier to the movement of model lizard species and L. granicollis.
- assess the effectiveness of existing structures and road designs that may potentially facilitate safe crossing, by measuring their rate of use, reduction in road kill and increase in population viability (in the third year).
- obtain important data that will contribute to population viability models.
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