Influences of adjacent suburbia, fire regimes, vegetation and environment on the mammals of a peri-urban reserve

Abstract Urban development is thought to negatively affect most, but not all, native mammals. Here we determine whether adjacent suburbia, fire regime, vegetation and environment affect the abundance of mammal species in a peri-urban reserve in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. We used multiple regression to analyse the effects of distance from houses, variation in fire history, vegetation structure, vegetation floristics and topography on mammal photographic observations and signs. Animal diggings, long-nosed potoroos, southern brown bandicoots and cats were preferentially found close to houses, while macropods, brushtail possums and short-beaked echidnas appeared indifferent to the location of housing but responded to environmental variation. The structure of the vegetation, particularly related to shelter, was a strong influence in many species’ models, suggesting a need to maintain substantial areas free from fire for 15–25 years. Many models included floristic ordination axes that reflected drainage, fire regime and proximity to housing. Positive relationships between the introduced predatory cat and some of its potential native prey animals may reflect the influences of close proximity to suburbia: elevated domestic mesopredator populations; and, elevated resource availability in domestic gardens. Our results suggest that urban areas can have a valuable role in nature conservation, despite, or because of, their effects on remnant native ecosystems. Planning and management can help promote populations of many native mammals.