Simpson Desert Small Mammal Trapping Data

This dataset contains information about mammals captured in live traps at multiple sites in the Simpson Desert, since 1990. Mammals were captured in pitfall traps (16 cm in diameter, 60 cm deep). To increase trap success a drift fence of aluminium wire screening (flywire) was set around the top of each trap. The fence was 30 cm high and ran for 2.5 m on each side of the pitfall opening to intercept and guide surface-active animals into the trap. The bottom ends of the pits were provided with a floor of wire screening to prevent captured animals from digging their way out, and all pits were capped with metal lids when not in use. Pitfall traps were arrayed in grids covering 1 ha, with each grid comprising 6 lines of 6 traps spaced 20 m apart. The top line of traps was established on the dune crest and the bottom line 100 m distant in the dune valley.
Traps were opened for 1–6 nights on each grid at sampling intervals of usually 2–3 months and checked in the mornings and sometimes afternoons. Captured animals were identified, weighed, inspected for reproductive condition, and marked uniquely by toe clipping (until 1993) or by ear notching (from 1994) before release.
This dataset contains the Species, Family and Common names for mammals trapped. The date, grid, sex, reproductive condition, new/recapture and reproductive notes are also recorded for each trapping.
The mammals recorded include:
Mulgara (Dasycercus cisticauda), Wongai Ningaui (Ningaui ridei), Giles’ Planigale (Planigale gilesi), Narrow-nosed Planigale (Planigale tenuirostris), Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus (Pseudantechinus macdonellensis), Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata), Hairy-footed Dunnart (Sminthopsis hirptipes), Strip-faced Dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura), Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart (Sminthopsis youngsoni), Forrest’s Mouse (Leggadina forresti), Spinifex Hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis),, Desert Mouse (Pseudomys desertor), Sandy Inland Mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis), Long Haired Rat (Rattus villosissimus, and House Mouse (Mus musculus).
The research data is stored with a Microsoft Access database and is approximately 50MB and growing