Stability of nest range, home range and movement of the northern bettong (Bettongia tropica) following moderate-intensity fire in a tropical woodland, north-eastern Queensland

Nest use, home-range characteristics and nightly movements by the northern bettong (Bettongia tropica) were examined before and after a low- to modera te-intensity fire in sclerophyll woodland in north-eastern Australia using radio-telemetry. In all, 23 animals were radio-tracked at three-month inter vals between February 1995 and May 1996. During November 1995 a low- intens ity experimental fire burned the entire home range of most animals. The nor thern bettong appeared fairly catholic in choice of nest site, with a varie ty of nest locations and nesting materials used. Prior to the fire, nests w ere generally located in areas of dense cover, such as the skirts of grass trees (46%) or grass close to a log (29%). After fire removed most ground c over in the nesting areas of most animals, bettongs used remaining shelter such as boulder piles (45%), recently fallen trees (8%) and patches of unbu rnt vegetation (21%). Nest areas (10.1 ha) of males were significantly larg er than those of females (5.4 ha). Home ranges of both sexes were large (59 ha) and most ranges lacked distinct core areas, suggesting that bettongs u sed all parts of their home ranges equally. High mean rates of nightly move ment by the northern bettong indicated that large distances were moved with in home ranges during nightly foraging. No significant fire-related changes were detected in home-range size, home-range location, nest-area location or mean rates of nightly movement, suggesting that the northern bettong is well adapted to the low- and medium-intensity fires that characterise its h abitat.