Wiildlife in dry lake and associated habitats in western New South Wales

Intermittently and occasionally flooded lakes are common in arid and semi-a rid Australia The wet/dry nature of these lakes means that they provide hab itat for terrestrial fauna when dry and aquatic fauna when flooded. The fau na of dry lakes in western New South Wales is largely unknown. This study r eports on species of small mammals and reptiles trapped in a dry lake in so uth-western New South Wales, and contrasts them with species trapped in sur rounding woodland and shrubland habitats. Information on bird species in th ese habitats was also drawn on. Small mammals, reptiles and birds showed co nsiderable partitioning between the habitats in the study area. The dry lak e provided the main habitat for the two small mammals Sminthopsis crassican data and Planigale gilesi. Reptiles were most speciose and most abundant in the blue bush (Maireana spp.) shrubland, but some reptile species were mai nly or entirely confined to the dry lake habitats, or to black box (Eucalyp tus largiflorens) woodland. Birds in the study region were most abundant an d most speciose in the black bos woodland, with some species confined to bl ue bush shrubland. The study showed that conservation of ail the habitats i nvestigated is necessary to retain the suite of vertebrate species that occ upy these landscapes.