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https://theconversation.com/how-this-little-marsupials-poo-nurtures-urban-gardens-and-bushland-and-how-you-can-help-protect-them-175064>
"Wildlife encounters can be few and far between in cities but, if you’re lucky,
you might catch sight of a small Aussie marsupial in Perth that’s helping keep
urban bushland healthy.
Quenda, a rabbit-sized digging mammal native to southwestern Australia, are
found in patches of bushland, parkland and even backyard gardens. And our
latest research shows just how important these unassuming marsupials are to
Australian ecosystems.
We found quenda eat a huge variety of specialised fungi called mycorrhiza,
which play a key role in helping native vegetation, including eucalyptus trees,
absorb water and nutrients. The fungal spores survive in quenda droppings,
which can then colonise eucalypt roots. In fact, we found one little scat with
over 100 types of fungi in it – that’s some very efficient fungal dispersal!
Quenda are considered rare or near threatened due to habitat clearing and
predation by introduced predators – cats, dogs and foxes. It’s crucial we
manage and maintain their population in and around cities to ensure they have a
positive influence on urban ecosystems."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
