Feit et al. (2019) Apex predators' decouple population dynamics between mesopredators and their prey. Ecosystems
Abundance data for dingoes, cats and prey along road transects on either side of the Dingo Fence in the Strzelecki Desert, Australia.
We indexed the abundance of dingoes, feral cats, rabbits, and dusky hopping mice (Notomys fuscus) by conducting spotlight surveys at night along narrow (<2 m wide) unmade roads within each of the study areas. During spotlight surveys, mammals were counted by an observer who scanned a 50 W spotlight while sitting on the roof of a 4-wheel-drive vehicle (circa 2.3 m above ground level) that was moving at approximately 15 km/h. Spotlight surveys commenced at dusk and varied in length from 10-30 km. The total length of spotlight transects conducted at each of the four sites during each sampling session was approximately 30 km. Abundance of rabbits and hopping mice is combined as prey abundance.
Abundance data for dingoes, cats and prey along road transects on either side of the Dingo Fence in the Strzelecki Desert, Australia.
We indexed the abundance of dingoes, feral cats, rabbits, and dusky hopping mice (Notomys fuscus) by conducting spotlight surveys at night along narrow (<2 m wide) unmade roads within each of the study areas. During spotlight surveys, mammals were counted by an observer who scanned a 50 W spotlight while sitting on the roof of a 4-wheel-drive vehicle (circa 2.3 m above ground level) that was moving at approximately 15 km/h. Spotlight surveys commenced at dusk and varied in length from 10-30 km. The total length of spotlight transects conducted at each of the four sites during each sampling session was approximately 30 km. Abundance of rabbits and hopping mice is combined as prey abundance.