1What are Wombat characteristics?
Marsupial herbivores native to Southeast Australia and Tasmania, Live in burrows and switch every 1-9 days, Solitary creatures who only socialize to mate.
2Explain Sarcoptic mange and its history, characteristics?
Sarcoptic mange is spread via Sarcoptes Scay-bee-ei, A wombat will succumb to the infection after about 3 months, Introduced to Australia by Europeans.
3How were the surveys conducted? Methods.
Throughout the entire day at different intervals, Counted total wombats and infected wombats, Sarcoptic mange infection was determined in wombats by looking for symptoms such as hyperkeratosis and alopecia.
4What is apparent prevalence? In context of research...
Apparent prevalence is the percentage of wombats showing signs of mange.
5What is the purpose of the study?
To determine the effects of parasitic prevalence on a populations density. To determine at which threshold of parasitic prevalence will wombat populations decline.
6How did the wombat population size change over time? (graph/figure 1)
The thick bar represents the median. Wombat population size was more spread out between 2015-2018, more clustered between 2020-2022. The average wombats per survey declined about 80% (it went from 5.9 to 1.4).
7Did sarcoptic mange become more prevalent? (graph/figure 2)
2020-2022 had more variable mange prevalence, due to smaller population or survey sizes. The difference is not significant due to the p value = .122
8Mange prevalence and population trajectory (graph/figure 3)
The chart shows that percent mange prevalence under 24.9 has a stable population trajectory while above 26.9 has a decline in population trajectory. Useful to know for wildlife conservationist regarding a population suffering from mange prevalence.
9Explain the results...
Sarcoptic mange prevalence was found to not be related to population density, the sarcoptic mange prevalence had a reduction in range of about 54.9% (so there is no relationship between sarcoptic mange prevalence and population density).
10End presentation with what does this mean for wombats?
Sarcoptic mange prevalence is unaffected by host density populations, The chart showed us wombats approaching about 25% mange prevalence could be in danger of decline population trajectory. Sarcoptic mange is transmitted environmentally, most likely via burrows.