research in mulligans
The Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary seeks to be a thriving grassy woodland on the edge of Canberra: a place for nature, community, culture and learning to flourish.
This aspirational objective is achieved through integrating world-leading ecological restoration research, a high-level of community engagement, and the practice of adaptive management. Explicitly linking research and management is the founding principle of the Mulligans, and has underpinned the long-term restoration experiment, species reintroduction research, and the decision-making processes for triggering management actions.
With over 50 papers published, the research conducted in Mulligans - an outdoor laboratory - continues to teach us more about this critically endangered ecosystem and how best to protect it. Below is a current list of our published, peer-reviewed papers:
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Ecosystem research.
Evans, M.J., Batson, W.G., Gordon, I.J., Belton, E., Chaseling, T., Fletcher, D., Harrison, M., McElroy, T., Mungoven, A., Newport, J., Pierson, J., Portas, T., Swain, S., Wimpenny, C., Manning, A.D. (2021) The ‘Goldilocks Zone’ of predation: the level of fox control needed to select predator resistance in a reintroduced mammal in Australia. Biodiversity and Conservation, 30(6), pp. 1731-1752. DOI: 10.1007/s10531-021-02166-y
Stojanovic, D., Rayner, L., Cobden, M., Davey, C., Harris, S., Heinsohn, R., Owens, G., Manning, A.D. (2021) Suitable nesting sites for specialized cavity dependent wildlife are rare in woodlands. Forest Ecology and Management, 483, art. no. 118718. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118718
Evans, M.J., Scheele, B.C., Westgate, M.J., Yebra, M., Newport, J.S., Manning, A.D. (2020) Beyond the pond: Terrestrial habitat use by frogs in a changing climate. Biological Conservation, 249, art. no. 108712. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108712
Evans, M.J., Newport, J.S., Manning, A.D. (2019) A long-term experiment reveals strategies for the ecological restoration of reptiles in scattered tree landscapes. Biodiversity and Conservation 28(11) pp. 2825-2843. DOI: 10.1007/s10531-019-01798-5
Evans, M. J., S. A. Cunningham, H. Gibb, A. D. Manning, and P. S. Barton. (2019) Beetle ecological indicators–A comparison of cost vs reward to understand functional changes in response to restoration actions. Ecological Indicators 104 pp. 209-218. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.05.005
Ross, C.E., Barton, P.S., McIntyre, S., Cunningham, S.A., Manning, A.D. (2017) Fine-scale drivers of beetle diversity are affected by vegetation context and agricultural history Austral Ecology, 42(7) pp. 831-843. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12506
McIntyre, S., Nicholls, A.O., Manning, A.D. (2017) Trajectories of floristic change in grassland: landscape, land use legacy and seasonal conditions overshadow restoration actions. Vegetation Science 20(4) pp. 582-593. DOI: 10.1111/avsc.12321
Hamonts, K., Bissett, A., Macdonald, B.C.T., Barton, P.S., Manning, A.D., Young, A. (2017) Effects of ecological restoration on soil microbial diversity in a temperate grassy woodland Applied Soil Ecology, 117-118 pp. 117-128. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.04.005
Barton, P.S., Evans, M.J., Foster, C.N., Cunningham, S.A., and Manning, A.D. (2017) Environmental and spatial drivers of spider diversity at contrasting microhabitats Austral Ecology. 42 (6) pp. 700-710. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12488
Barton, P. S., S. McIntyre, M. J. Evans, J. K. Bump, S. A. Cunningham, and A. D. Manning. (2016). Substantial long-term effects of carcass addition on soil and plants in a grassy eucalypt woodland. Ecosphere 7(10) art. no. e01537. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1537
Howland, B.W.A., Stojanovic, D., Gordon, I.J., Radford, J., Manning, A.D., Lindenmayer, D.B. (2016) Birds of a feather flock together: Using trait-groups to understand the effect of macropod grazing on birds in grassy habitats. Biological Conservation, 194, pp. 89-99. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2015.11.033
Goldin, S. R., and M. T. Brookhouse. 2015. Effects of coarse woody debris on understorey plants in a temperate A ustralian woodland. Applied Vegetation Science 18:134-142.
Goldin, S. R., and M. F. Hutchinson. 2015. Thermal refugia in cleared temperate Australian woodlands: coarse woody debris moderate extreme surface soil temperatures. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 214:39-47.
Macdonald, B. C. T., J. Gillen, S. Tuomi, J. Newport, P. S. Barton, and A. D. Manning. (2015) Can Coarse Woody Debris Be Used for Carbon Storage in Open Grazed Woodlands? Journal Environmental Quality 44 pp.1210-1215. DOI:10.2134/jeq2014.10.0445
Rayner, L., Ikin, K., Evans, M.J., Gibbons, P., Lindenmayer, D.B., Manning, A.D. (2015) Avifauna and urban encroachment in time and space. Diversity and Distributions, 21 (4), pp. 428-440. DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12293
Howland, B., Stojanovic, D., Gordon, I.J., Manning, A.D., Fletcher, D., Lindenmayer, D.B. (2014) Eaten out of house and home: Impacts of grazing on ground-dwelling reptiles in Australian grasslands and grassy woodlands. PLoS ONE, 9 (12), art. no. e105966. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105966
Rayner, L., Lindenmayer, D.B., Gibbons, P., Manning, A.D. (2014) Evaluating empirical evidence for decline in temperate woodland birds: A nationally threatened assemblage of species. Biological Conservation, 171, pp. 145-155. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.01.029
Newport, J., Shorthouse, D.J., Manning, A.D. (2014) The effects of light and noise from urban development on biodiversity: Implications for protected areas in Australia. Ecological Management and Restoration, 15 (3), pp. 204-214. DOI: 10.1111/emr.12120
McIntyre, S., Cunningham, R.B., Donnelly, C.F., Manning, A.D. (2014) Restoration of eucalypt grassy woodland: Effects of experimental interventions on ground-layer vegetation. Australian Journal of Botany, 62 (7), pp. 570-579. DOI: 10.1071/BT14246
Barton, P.S., Weaver, H.J., and Manning, A.D. (2014) Contrasting diversity dynamics of phoretic mites and beetles associated with vertebrate carrion. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 63 (1), pp. 1-13. DOI: 10.1007/s10493-013-9758-7
Goldin, S. R., and M. F. Hutchinson. (2014) Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands. Soil Research 52:637-644.
Macdonald, B. C. T., M. Farrell, S. Tuomi, P. S. Barton, S. A. Cunningham, and A. D. Manning. (2014). Carrion decomposition causes large and lasting effects on soil amino acid and peptide flux. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 69 pp. 132-140. DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.10.042
Rayner, L., Lindenmayer, D.B., Wood, J.T., Gibbons, P., Manning, A.D. (2014) Are protected areas maintaining bird diversity? Ecography, 37 (1), pp. 43-53. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0587.2013.00388.x
Barton PS, Cunningham SA, Lindenmayer DB, and Manning AD. (2013). The role of carrion in maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes in terrestrial ecosystems. Oecologia, 171, pp. 761-772.
DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2460-3
Bennett, V.A., Doerr, E.D., Manning, A.D., Lindenmayer, D.B., Yoon, H.J. (2013) Habitat Selection and Behaviour of a Reintroduced Passerine: Linking Experimental Restoration, Behaviour and Habitat Ecology, PLOS ONE, 8 (1) art. no. e54539
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054539
Barton, P.S., Cunningham, S.A., Macdonald, B.C.T., McIntyre, S., Lindenmayer, D.B., and Manning, A.D. (2013). Species traits predict biodiversity dynamics at ephemeral resource patches created by carrion. PLOS ONE. 8(1) e53961. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053961
Goldin, S. R., and M. F. Hutchinson. 2013. Coarse woody debris modifies surface soils of degraded temperate eucalypt woodlands. Plant and Soil 370:461-469.
Farine, D.R., Milburn, P.J. (2013) Social organisation of thornbill-dominated mixed species flocks using social network analysis. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 67, 321–330. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1452-y
Manning, A. D., Lindenmayer, D. B., and Cunningham, R. B., (2013) Bring forward the benefits of coarse woody debris in the ecosystem recovery under different levels of grazing and vegetation densities. Biological Conservation 157, pp. 204-214. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.06.028
Shorthouse, D.J., Iglesias, D., Jeffress, S., Lane, S., Mills, P., Woodbridge, G., McIntyre, S., and Manning, A.D., (2012). The ‘making of’ the Mulligans Flat – Goorooyarroo experimental restoration project. Ecological Management Restoration, 13, 112–125. DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2012.00654.x
Barton, P.S., Manning, A.D., Gibb, H., Wood, J.T., Lindenmayer, D.B. and Cunningham, S.A. (2011) Experimental reduction of native vertebrate grazing and addition of logs benefits beetle diversity at multiple scales. Journal of Applied Ecology. 48(4) pp. 943-951 DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.01994.x
Barton, P.S., Gibb, H., Manning, A.D., Lindenmayer, D.B. and Cunningham, S.A. (2011) Morphological traits as predictors of diet and microhabitat use in a diverse beetle assemblage. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 102(2) pp.301-310.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01580.x
Manning, A. D., Wood, J. T., Cunningham, R. B., McIntyre, S., Shorthouse, D. J., Gordon, I. J. and Lindenmayer, D. B. (2011) Integrating research and restoration: the establishment of a long-term woodland experiment in south-eastern Australia. Australian Zoologist 35(3): 633-648.
DOI: 10.7882/AZ.2011.016
Barton, P.S., Manning, A.D., Gibb, H., Lindenmayer, D.B., Cunningham, S.A. (2010) Fine-scale heterogeneity in beetle assemblages under co-occurring Eucalyptus in the same subgenus. Journal of Biogeography, 37 (10), pp. 1927-1937
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02349.x
Killey, P., C. McElhinny, I. Rayner, and J. Wood. 2010. Modelling fallen branch volumes in a temperate eucalypt woodland: implications for large senescent trees and benchmark loads of coarse woody debris. Austral Ecology 35:956-968.
McIntyre, S., Stol, J., Harvey, J., Nicholls, A. O., Campbell, M., Reid, A., Manning, A. D. and Lindenmayer, D. (2010). Biomass and floristic patterns in the ground layer vegetation of box-gum grassy eucalypt woodland in Goorooyarroo and Mulligans Flat Nature Reserves, Australian Capital Territory. Cunninghamia, 11(3) pp.287–307.
Barton, P.S., Manning, A.D., Gibb, H., Lindenmayer, D.B., Cunningham, S.A. (2009) Conserving ground-dwelling beetles in an endangered woodland community: Multi-scale habitat effects on assemblage diversity. Biological Conservation, 142 (8), pp. 1701-1709. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2009.03.005
Manning, A. D., Lindenmayer, D. B., Cunningham, R. B., (2007) A study of coarse woody debris volumes in two box-gum grassy woodland reserves in the Australian Capital Territory. Ecological Management and Restoration 8, 221-224. DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2007.00371.x
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Reintroduction research.
Brockett, B., Banks, S.C., Neaves, L.E., Pierson, J.C., Manning, A.D. (2022) Establishment, persistence, and the importance of longitudinal monitoring in multi-source reintroductions. Animal Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12764
Wilson, B.A., Evans, M.J., Gordon, I.J., Banks, S.C., Batson, W.G., Wimpenny, C., Newport, J., Manning, A.D. (2022) Personality and plasticity predict postrelease performance in a reintroduced mesopredator. Animal Behaviour 187. 177e189
Manning, A.D., Andrewartha, T.A., Blencowe, A., Brewer, K., Gordon, I.J., Evans, M.J. (2021) Bettering the devil you know: Can we drive predator adaption to restore native fauna? Conservation Science and Practice 3:e447. DOI: 10.1111/csp2.447
Portas, T.J., Evans, M.J., Spratt, D., Vaz, P.K., Devlin, J.M., Barbosa, A.D., Wilson, B.A., Rypalski, A., Wimpenny, C., Fletcher, D., Gordon, I.J., Newport, J., Manning, A.D. (2020). Baseline health and disease assessment of founder eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) during a conservation translocation to mainland Australia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 56(3), pp. 547-559. DOI: 10.7589/2019-05-120
Wilson, B.A., Evans, M.J., Evans, M.J., Batson, W.G., Banks, S.C., Gordon, I.J., Fletcher, D.B., Wimpenny, C., Newport, J., Belton, E., Rypalski, A., Portas, T., Manning, A.D. (2020) Adapting reintroduction tactics in successive trials increases the likelihood of establishment for an endangered carnivore in a fenced sanctuary. PLoS ONE, 15(6), art. no. e0234455. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234455
Abicair, K., Manning, A.D., Ford, F., Newport, J., Banks, S.C. (2020) Habitat selection and genetic diversity of a reintroduced ‘refugee species’. Animal Conservation, 23(3), pp. 330-341. DOI: 10.1111/acv.12550
Ross, C.E., McIntyre, S., Barton, P.S., Evans, M.J., Cunningham, S.A., Manning, A.D. (2020) A reintroduced ecosystem engineer provides a germination niche for native plant species. Biodiversity and Conservation 29:817-837. DOI: 10.1007/s10531-019-01911-8
Manning, A.D., Evans, M.J., Banks, S.C., Batson, W.G., Belton, E., Crisp, H.A., Fletcher, D.B., Gordon, I.J., Grarock, K., Munro, N., Newport, J., Pierson, J., Portas, T.J., Snape, M.A., Wimpenny, C. (2019). Transition to density dependence in a reintroduced ecosystem engineer. Biodiversity and Conservation 28: 3803-3830. DOI: 10.1007/s10531-019-01852-2
Ross, C., N. T. Munro, P. S. Barton, M. J. Evans, J. Gillen, B. C. T. Macdonald, S. McIntyre, S. A. Cunningham, and A. D. Manning. (2019) Effects of digging by a native and introduced ecosystem engineer on soil physical and chemical properties in temperate grassy woodland. PeerJ, 2019(8), art. no. 7506. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7506
Munro, N. T., S. McIntyre, B. Macdonald, S. A. Cunningham, I. J. Gordon, R. B. Cunningham, and A. D. Manning. (2019) Returning a lost process by reintroducing a locally extinct digging marsupial. PeerJ 2019(5), art. no. e6622. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6622
Batson, W.G., Gordon, I.J., Fletcher, D.B., Portas, T.J., Manning, A.D. (2017) The effect of pre-release captivity on the stress physiology of a reintroduced population of wild eastern bettongs. Journal of Zoology. 303(4) pp. 311-319. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12494
Portas, T. J., Cunningham, R. B., Spratt, D., Devlin, J., Holz, P., Batson, W., Owens, J. and Manning, A. D. (2016). Beyond morbidity and mortality in reintroduction programmes: changing health parameters in reintroduced eastern bettongs Bettongia gaimardi. ORYX, 50(4) pp. 674-683. DOI:10.1017/S0030605315001283.
Batson, W.G., Gordon, I.J., Fletcher, D.B., Manning, A.D. (2016) The effect of pre-release captivity on post-release performance in reintroduced eastern bettongs Bettongia gaimardi. ORYX 50 (4) pp. 664-673. DOI: 10.1017/S0030605315000496
Batson, W.G., Gordon, I.J., Fletcher, D.B., Manning, A.D. (2015) Translocation tactics: A framework to support the IUCN Guidelines for wildlife translocations and improve the quality of applied methods. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52 (6) pp. 1598-1607. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12498
Portas T., Fletcher D., Spratt D., Reiss A., Holz P., Stalder K., Devlin J., Taylor D., Dobroszczyk D. and Manning A. D. (2014) Health evaluation of free-ranging eastern bettongs (bettongia gaimardi) during translocation for reintroduction in Australia. Journal of wildlife diseases, 50 (2) pp. 210-23. DOI: 10.7589/2013-08-202
Bennett V. A., Doerr V. A. J., Doerr E. D., Manning A. D., Lindenmayer D. B. and Yoon H. J. (2013) Causes of reintroduction failure of the brown treecreeper: Implications for ecosystem restoration. Austral Ecology 38 pp. 700-712. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12017
Bennett, V.A., Doerr, E.D., Manning, A.D., Lindenmayer, D.B., Yoon, H.J. (2012) Habitat Selection and Post-Release Movement of Reintroduced Brown Treecreeper Individuals in Restored Temperate Woodland, PLOS ONE, 7 (12) art. no. e50612. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050612
Bennett, V.A., Doerr, V.A.J, Doerr, E.D., Manning, A.D. and Lindenmayer, D.B. (2012) The anatomy of a failed reintroduction: a case study with the Brown Treecreeper, Emu, 112 (4), pp. 298-312. DOI: 10.1071/MU11048
Sheean, V.A., Manning, A.D., Lindenmayer, D.B. (2012) An assessment of scientific approaches towards species relocations in Australia, Austral Ecology, 37, 204-215. DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02264.x
Book chapters
Batson, W., Abbott, R. & Richardson, K.M. (2015). Release strategies for fauna reintroductions: theory and tests. In Advances in Reintroduction Biology of Australian and New Zealand Fauna: 7-16. Armstrong, D. P., Hayward, M. W., Moro, D. & Seddon, P. J. (Eds.). Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
Batson. W., Fletcher, D., Portas, T., Crisp, H., Ryan, S., Wimpenny, C., Gordon, I. & Manning, A. (2016). Re-introduction of eastern bettong to a critically endangered woodland habitat in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. In Global Re-introduction Perspectives: 2016. Case-studies from around the globe. IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group & Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi.
Eldridge, D., Travers, S., Manning, A.D. & Barton, P. (2017). Direct and indirect effects of herbivore activity on Australian vegetation. In: Australian Vegetation. Cambridge University Press, pp. 135-155.
Manning, A. D., Eldridge, D. J., & Jones, C. G. (2015). Policy implications of ecosystem engineering for multiple ecosystem benefits. In Advances in Reintroduction Biology of Australian and New Zealand Fauna: 167-184. Armstrong, D. P., Hayward, M. W., Moro, D. & Seddon, P. J. (Eds.). Collingwood, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.
Wilson B, Evans, ME, Batson, WG, Banks SC, Gordon, IJ, Fletcher, DB, Wimpenny, C, Newport, Belton, E, Rypalski, A, Portas, T, Manning, AD. 2021. Reintroduction of the eastern quoll to Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, Australia using trials, tactics and adaptive management. In. Global conservation translocation perspectives: 2021. Case studies from around the globe: IUCN SSC Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, Environment Agency …. p. 194-199.
15-YEars of Partnership & ReseaRch
Presentation to the Ecological Society of Australia Annual Conference December 2021 - View the Abstract Here