The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate
The koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>) is recognised as threatened across two thirds of its distribution and identified as particularly susceptible to climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the spatio-temporal variation in microclimate across koala home ranges and determi...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Dalene Adam Carla L. Archibald Benjamin J. Barth Sean I. FitzGibbon Alistair Melzer Amber K. Gillett Stephen D. Johnston Lyn Beard William A. Ellis |
| author_facet | Dalene Adam Carla L. Archibald Benjamin J. Barth Sean I. FitzGibbon Alistair Melzer Amber K. Gillett Stephen D. Johnston Lyn Beard William A. Ellis |
| author_sort | Dalene Adam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>) is recognised as threatened across two thirds of its distribution and identified as particularly susceptible to climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the spatio-temporal variation in microclimate across koala home ranges and determine any tendency for koalas to exploit this variability. Temperature data loggers were set out in a grid pattern across the study site on St Bees Island, Queensland. Resident koalas were collared with GPS units recording location at night or during the day. Our results revealed that temperature variation across the landscape was greatest on the hottest days (~10 °C). During the day, koalas were found in areas of the landscape that recorded lower daytime temperatures, and during the night, they were found in areas that recorded the highest daytime temperatures. We postulate that koalas avoided the hottest areas of their range during summer days and were more likely to use cooler non-fodder trees but utilised them at night because these areas corresponded with the location of fodder trees. From our results, we suggest that the microclimate of non-fodder trees both (a) explains their selection by koalas during the day and (b) highlights their importance to koala persistence, in addition to the known fodder species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9b2149053f043dd8588713d20a31402 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj-art-b9b2149053f043dd8588713d20a314022025-08-20T03:35:57ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-07-011515219810.3390/ani15152198The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and MicroclimateDalene Adam0Carla L. Archibald1Benjamin J. Barth2Sean I. FitzGibbon3Alistair Melzer4Amber K. Gillett5Stephen D. Johnston6Lyn Beard7William A. Ellis8Wildlife Science Unit, School of Agriculture & Food Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaCentre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Burwood, VIC 3125, AustraliaKoala Ecology Group, School of Agriculture & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaKoala Ecology Group, School of Agriculture & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaKoala Research Centre, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaKoala Ecology Group, School of Agriculture & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaWildlife Science Unit, School of Agriculture & Food Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaKoala Ecology Group, School of Agriculture & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaThe koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>) is recognised as threatened across two thirds of its distribution and identified as particularly susceptible to climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the spatio-temporal variation in microclimate across koala home ranges and determine any tendency for koalas to exploit this variability. Temperature data loggers were set out in a grid pattern across the study site on St Bees Island, Queensland. Resident koalas were collared with GPS units recording location at night or during the day. Our results revealed that temperature variation across the landscape was greatest on the hottest days (~10 °C). During the day, koalas were found in areas of the landscape that recorded lower daytime temperatures, and during the night, they were found in areas that recorded the highest daytime temperatures. We postulate that koalas avoided the hottest areas of their range during summer days and were more likely to use cooler non-fodder trees but utilised them at night because these areas corresponded with the location of fodder trees. From our results, we suggest that the microclimate of non-fodder trees both (a) explains their selection by koalas during the day and (b) highlights their importance to koala persistence, in addition to the known fodder species.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2198climate changehabitat selectionshelter treesclimate refugiabehaviourecology |
| spellingShingle | Dalene Adam Carla L. Archibald Benjamin J. Barth Sean I. FitzGibbon Alistair Melzer Amber K. Gillett Stephen D. Johnston Lyn Beard William A. Ellis The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate Animals climate change habitat selection shelter trees climate refugia behaviour ecology |
| title | The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate |
| title_full | The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate |
| title_fullStr | The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate |
| title_short | The Thermal Niche of the Koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>): Spatial Dynamics of Home Range and Microclimate |
| title_sort | thermal niche of the koala i phascolarctos cinereus i spatial dynamics of home range and microclimate |
| topic | climate change habitat selection shelter trees climate refugia behaviour ecology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2198 |
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