The lesser hairy­footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni, Dasyuridae</i>) is a generalist marsupial insectivore in arid Australia, but consumes wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp., Lycosidae</i>) disproportionately often relative to their availability. Here, we tested whether lycosids have relatively high energy or nutrient contents compared to other invertebrates, and hence whether these aspects of food quality can explain selective predation of lycosids by <i>S.youngsoni</i>. Energy, lipid and protein composition of representatives of 10 arthropod families that are eaten by <i>S. youngsoni</i> in the Simpson Desert were ascertained using microbomb calorimetry, chloroform-methanol extraction and Dumas combustion. Differences between invertebrate groups were assessed using separate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and appropriate post-hoc tests. These analyses were performed using this data.

Predation by feral cats <i>Felis sylvestris catus</i> is currently one hypothesized cause for the recent dramatic small mammal declines across northern Australia. We conducted a field experiment to measure the effect of predation by for this areas typically low-density cat populations on the demography of a native small mammal which due to the now natural scarce abundance of small mammals in the wild had to be reintroduced. We established two 12.5-ha enclosures in tropical savanna woodland on Wongalara Sanctuary, south of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Each enclosure was divided in half, with cats allowed access to one half but not the other. We introduced about 20 individuals of <i>Rattus villosissimus</i>, a native rodent, into each of the four compartments (two enclosures x two predator-access treatments) and monitored rat demography by mark-recapture analysis and radio-tracking, and predator incursions by camera surveillance and track and scat searches. The data can be used for the mark-recapture analysis. The radio-tracking data and predator incursions data will be uploaded separately. The Cat and Dingoes camera trap dataset was produced using a heat-in-motion cameras (Reconyx PC800 Hyperfire, Holmen, Wisconsin, USA) around the outside of the perimeter fences to detect predators. At least four (but up to six and always the same number of cameras at a time) cameras were placed as one camera installed at each side on the outside of the fences of each enclosure. Cameras were un-baited, to avoid attracting predators. This one file dataset contains the information on the presence/absence data of cats and dingoes on each day. 'Site' indicates the enclosure the camera was attached to ('Enclosure_I' or Enclosure_II'), 'Camera number' indicates which site the camera was on. Note that between October 2011 and April 2012, Enclosure II had two additional cameras (one facing the front gate and one additional monitoring the lower half of the back fence of the enclosure) which resulted in a total of six cameras for during that time. 'Date' indicates the date the photo(s) was/were taken, 'Photos_recorded' whether the camera was operational or photos were retained (e.g. one SD-cards was lost). And columns 'Dingo' and 'Cat' indicate whether these animals were present that day or not (na = no photos recorded, 0 = not present that day, 1 = present that day).

The lesser hairy-footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni, Dasyuridae</i>) is a generalist marsupial insectivore in arid Australia, but consumes wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp., Lycosidae</i>) disproportionately often relative to their availability. This project tested the hypothesis that this disproportionate predation is a product of frequent encounter rates between the interactants due to high overlap in their diets and use of space and time. This data set focuses on dietary overlap, with diet and predatory behaviour of wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp.</i>), the lesser hairy-footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni</i>) and prowling spiders (<i>Miturga spp.</i>, which represent other common invertebrate predators) were determined by tracking individuals and directly observing prey captures. Seventeen wolf spiders, 10 prowling spiders and 5 dunnarts were captured from Main Camp site in the Simpson Desert, south-western Queensland during 2016 with 30, 13 and 13 direct prey captures witnessed for each species respectively. This data is used for calculating overlap between prey taxa and prey size between these predators using the symmetrical version of MacArthur and Levin's and Pianka's overlap equation. However, it can also be used as a case study for calculating overlap between other species-groups.

The lesser hairy-footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni, Dasyuridae</i>) is a generalist marsupial insectivore in arid Australia, but consumes wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp., Lycosidae</i>) disproportionately often relative to their availability. This project tested the hypothesis that this disproportionate predation is a product of frequent encounter rates between the interactants due to high overlap in their diets and use of space and time. This data set focuses on the dietary aspect. Specifically, invertebrate pitfall trapping was employed to quantify food availability and selectivity for both wolf spiders and <i>S.youngsoni</i>. Pitfall traps were deployed along trails left by tracked individuals, as well as control trails, of both species groups in the north-western Simpson Desert, Queensland. In total, invertebrate pitfall traps were deployed along 11 <i>S.youngsoni</i> and 8 <i>lycosa</i> trails in October 2016. Invertebrates were identified to the level of "Order", except for spiders (Order: Arachnida) and bees, wasps and ants (Order: Hymenoptera) which were identified to the "Family" level using identification keys and were also counted and grouped into seven size classes. This data was used for the following analyses: [1] a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test whether total numbers of arthropods differed between trail type and species, [2] non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and [3] permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) to test whether assemblages of arthropod prey and prey sizes differed between the two trail types for each species and between each species.

This dataset contains radio-tracking information on the long-haired rats (<i>Rattus villosissimus</i>). Data was collected between October 2011 and December 2012. It contains the data from enclosure in which a radio-collared rat was released and tracked (Enclosure = 1 or 2), the treatment (Cats = yes or no), the exact date (Date) for when a rat was released with a collar (collared_released), the last time it was recorded (last-time-rec), the time period in months over which the collar frequency was detected (time-collar-detected), the fate of the animal (Fate = unknown, dead or alive), the last location change detected (last_loc_change), based on the latter, the estimated time a rat was assumed alive (estimated_time_alive), the last time a signal was detected from the collar (last_signal detected), the date of the last time an animal was trapped (last_trapped), whether dead remains were found (dead_remains_found = na, yes, or no) and whether the collar was found (collar_found = na, yes, or no).

The lesser hairy-footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni, Dasyuridae</i>) is a generalist marsupial insectivore in arid Australia, but consumes wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp., Lycosidae</i>) disproportionately often relative to their availability. This project tested the hypothesis that this disproportionate predation is a product of frequent encounter rates between the interactants due to high overlap in their diets and use of space and time. This data set focuses on overlap in the diel acttivity patterns wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp.</i>) and the lesser hairy-footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni</i>) in the Simpson Desert, south-western Queensland Australia. To quantify the temporal activity of lycosids, spotlight surveys were conducted in October 2016 every hour between dusk (19:30 h) and dawn (05:30 h) over three nights. Additionally, remote camera traps were deployed to further quantify patterns in the activity of lycosids and S. youngsoni. Twenty-four Reconyx PC800 HyperfireTM cameras were deployed on 7th July 2016 at Main Camp and left until 12th October 2016 (98 days, or 2352 h of deployment). Images were tagged with camera location, position, angle, camera ID number, species and confidence and date and time data were extracted from each image. This data was used to identify mean activity times for each species (with confidence intervals) and to assess overlap in nocturnal activity patterns between lycosids and S. youngsoni, and thus the potential for competition and predation using the Overlap v 0.2.7 package in R. This data presents a useful example for investigating how the 'Overlap' package works and the benefits it provides.

The lesser hairy­footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni, Dasyuridae</i>) is a generalist marsupial insectivore in arid Australia, but consumes wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp., Lycosidae</i>) disproportionately often relative to their availability. This project tested the hypothesis that this disproportionate predation is a product of frequent encounter rates between the interactants due to high overlap in their diets and use of space and time. This data set focuses on overlap in the use of different microhabitats of wolf spiders (<i>Lycosa spp.</i>) and the lesser hairy­footed dunnart (<i>Sminthopsis youngsoni</i>) in the Simpson Desert, south­western Queensland Australia. Microhabitat use was determined by estimating the percentage cover of seven microhabitat variables and distance to nearest cover along trails left by individuals of each species­ group and a randomly orientated (control) trail for each actual trail as a measure of the availability of each microhabitat within the local environment. Trail length was also recorded and data was collected across 16 trapping grids at Main Camp during July and October (winter and Spring) in 2017. Differences in microhabitat use between trail types (actual vs control) and species (lycosids vs dunnarts) were assessed using non­metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and permutational analyses of variance (PERMANOVA). These analyses were performed using this data.

This one file dataset contains the information on the Long-haired rats (<i>Rattus villosissimus</i>) used in this study, i.e. data that was collected between October 2011 and May 2013. It contains the exact date (Date) for when a rat was released (Trip_type Release, Trip_number 0) or trapped (Trip_type = Seasonal Trapping, Trip >/= 1) in each of the two enclosures (Enclosure = Enclosure I or Enclosure II), as well as the treatments (Treatment regarding the access of cats into the enclosure: high_fence (no access for cats) or low_fence (access for cats), including information on a rats gender (Sex = M (for male) or F (for female), a rats weight (Animal_weight measured in g), body condition (Body_condition theoretically ranging from 1 (emaciated) to 5 (obese), but only categories 2 (underconditioned), 3 (well-conditioned) and 4 (overconditioned) were scored) and individual identification (PIT.ID) as well as whether they had been recaptured (New_firsttripcap_recap indicating whether the animal was new= released/ caught the very first time, was a firsttripcap = captured before, but first captured during a trapping session, or a recap = recaptured during the same trip).

A fox control program has been in place in Booderee National Park since 1999 with baiting occurring twice a year. From 2003 onwards baiting has been intensified, with baiting occurring once a month. Since 2003 monitoring has been undertaken to track trends in distribution and abundance of small-medium sized mammal species, in response to fox control. The dataset contains data on mammal species and numbers trapped in Booderee National Park, as well as a record of sex, weight, pes length, and presence of pouch young.

The dataset contains passive activity index data used to monitor the distribution and activity of introduced carnivores in the habitat of endangered species within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.