Skip to main content

Resilience at the level of the individual animal

  • Chapter
Resilience in mediterranean-type ecosystems

Part of the book series: Tasks for vegetation science ((TAVS,volume 16))

Abstract

Following an outline of the general ways in which animals may respond to perturbations in mediterranean environments, the ruminantlike macropod marsupials of S.W. Australia are used to illustrate how animals respond to the seasonal perturbations to which resilience may be demonstrated. Similar responses which might occur in ungulate ruminants of South Africa are then mentioned.

The conclusions are summarised in a schema classifying resilience responses in such a way that changes in behaviour and diet can be interpreted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Astley-Maberly, C.T. 1963. The Game Animals of Southern Africa. Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, H., S.D. Bradshaw, and A.R. Main. 1982. Water and electrolyte metabolism of the tammar wallaby Macro pus eugenii. Physiol. Zool. 55: 209–219.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, H. and A.R. Main. 1980. Condition, body composition and total body water estimation in the quokka Setonix brachyurus(Macropodidae). Aust. J. Zool. 28: 395–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bentley, P.J. 1960. Evaporative water loss and temperature regulation in the marsupial Setonix brachyurus. Aust. J. Exp. Biol. 38: 301–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bigalke, R.C. 1979. Aspects of vertebrate life in Fynbos, South Africa. Ch. 3 in: Heathland and Related Shrublands. Ecosystems of the World, 9 (ed. R.L. Specht). Elsevier. Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G.D. 1964. The nitrogen reguirements of macropod marsupials. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G.D. and A.R. Main. 1967. Studies on Marsupial Nutri¬tion. V. The nitrogen requirements of the euro Macropus robustus. Aust. J. Zool. 15: 7–27.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, P.E.S. 1977. The biology of Bettongia penicillataGray, 1837, and Macropus eugeniiDesmarest, 1817, in relation to fire. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, P.E.S. 1980. The biology of Bettongia penicillataGray, 1837, and Macropus eugenii(Desmarest 1817) in rela¬tion to fire. Forests Dept. of Western Australia Bull. 91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorst, J. and P. Dandelot. 1972. A field guide to the larger mammals of Africa. Collins. London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Groves, R.H., J.S. Beard, H.J. Deacon, J.J.N. Lambrechts, A. Rabinovitch-Vin, R.L. Specht, and W.D. Stock. 1983. Introduction: the origins and characteristics of mediterranean ecosystems. In: Mineral Nutrients in Mediterranean Ecosystems (ed. J. A. Day ). Sout African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, R.R. 1973. The Ruminant Stomach. East African Monographs in Biology Vol. 2. East African Literature Bureau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelsall, J.P. 1965. Insular variability in the tammar. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinnear, J.E. 1970; Nitrogen metabolism of macropods. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinnear, J.E., A. Cockson, P. Christensen, and A.R. Main. 1979. The nutritional biology of the ruminants and ruminant like mammals — a new approach. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 64A: 357–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinnear, J.E. and A.R. Main. 1975. The recycling of urea nitrogen by the wild tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) — a ruminant-like marsupial. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 51A: 793–810.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitchener, D.J. 1970. Aspects of the response of the quokka to environmental stress. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitchener, D.J. 1972. The importance of shelter to the quokka Setonix brachyurus(Marsupialia) on Rottnest Island. Aust. J. Zool. 20: 281–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Main, A.R. 1971. Measures of well-being in populations of herbivorous macropod marsupials. In: Dynamics of Populations (ed. P.J. den Boer and G.R. Gradwell), pp. 159–173. Proc. Adv. Study Inst. Dynamics Numbers Populations ( Oosterbeek 1970 ). Centre for Agricultural Publishing. Wageningen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maloiy, G.M.D. and D. Hopcraft.. 1971. Thermoregulation and water relations of two East African antelopes, the hartebeest and impala. Comp. Biochem. and Physiol. 38: 525–534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mentis, M.T. 1977. Stocking rates and carrying capacities for ungulates on African rangelands. S. Afr. J. Wildl. Res. 7: 89–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mentis, M.T. and D.T. Rowe-Rowe, 1979. Fire and faunal abundance and diversity in the Natal Drakensberg. Proc. Grassld Soc. Sth Afr. 14: 75–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T. and S.D. Bradshaw. 1979. Adrenocortical function in a field population of a macropod marsupial (Setonix brachyurus Quoy and Gaimard). J. Endocr. 82: 159–170.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moir, R.J., M. Somers, and H. Waring. 1956. Studies in marsupial nutrition: ruminant-like digestion of the herbivorous marsupial (Setonix brachyurus Quoy and Gaimard). Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 9: 293–304.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, M.D.M., N.R.M. Short, and J. Hanks. 1978. Population ecology of oribi, grey rhebuck and mountain reedbuck in Highmoor State Forest Land, Natal. S. Afr. J. Wildl. Res. 8 (3): 95–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, R.I.T. 1976. Comparative studies of aspects of nutritional and related physiology in macropod marsupials. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Recher, H.F. and P.E. Christensen. 1981. Fire and evolution of the Australian biota. In: Ecological Biogeography of Aus¬tralia (ed. Recher, H.F. and P.E. Christensen ), pp. 137–162. Junk. The Hague.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ride, W.D.L. 1970. A guide to the native mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, C.R. 1968. The minimum water requirement of some East African Bovids. Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond. 21: 195–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, C.R., and C.P. Lyman. 1967. A comparative study of the environmental physiology of an East African antelope, the eland, and the Hereford steer. Physiol. Zool. 40: 280–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wake, J.A. 1980. The field nutrition of the Rottnest Island quokka. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

B. Dell A. J. M. Hopkins B. B. Lamont

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1986 Dr. W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Main, A.R. (1986). Resilience at the level of the individual animal. In: Dell, B., Hopkins, A.J.M., Lamont, B.B. (eds) Resilience in mediterranean-type ecosystems. Tasks for vegetation science, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4822-8_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4822-8_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8637-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4822-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics