Variables Examined for Study

Appendix 1

Variables Examined for Study

Variable / Code / Description of Method / Minimum Value / Maximum Value / Mean ± S.E. /
Patch Content Variables
Annual grasses (%) / % Annual Grasses / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0 / 85 / 26.9 ± 1.8
Broad leaf weeds (%) / %_broad_leaf_weeds / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0.0 / 36.7 / 4.2
Leaf litter (%) / %_leaf_litter / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0.0 / 81.7 / 30.5
Mosses/lichens (%) / %_mosses_lichens / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0.0 / 26.3 / 4.1
Bare earth (%) / %_Bare Earth / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0.0 / 71.3 / 14.6
Native tussock (%) / %_native_tussock / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0.0 / 34.2 / 8.5 ± 0.7
Exotic tussock (%) / %_exotic tussock / average of 12 1×1 m squares, 4 m from the 0, 100, 200 m point / 0.0 / 45.0 / 2.38 ± 0.55
Understorey Cover / US_%_cover / % cover of 20x20m area of understorey - average of 3 samples (1 from each plot) / 0.0 / 53.3 / 2.42 ± 0.53
Midstorey Cover / MS_%_cover / % cover of 20x20m area of midstorey – average of 3 samples (1 from each plot) / 0.0 / 65.0 / 5.88 ± 0.91
Overstorey Cover / OS_%_cover / % cover of 20x20m area of overstorey - average of 3 samples (1 from each plot) / 0.0 / 73.3 / 36.67 ± 1.21
Understorey Acacia / % Acacia in Understorey / % cover of this species of total understorey cover / 0.0 / 100.00 / 5.52 ± 1.52
Remnant size (ha) / Patch_Size / measured using a GIS program or from aerial photos / 0.8 / 53.8 / 9.3 ± 0.9
Canopy height / canopy_height / the average height of canopy of the highest tree in each of the 3 plots (0, 100, 200 m) / 6.2 / 32.3 / 17.68 ± 0.33
Canopy connectivity / canopy_connect / average of 12 scores, 4 from each plot taken randomly within the plot, looking directly above - scores are 1 = branches overlapping, 2 = touching, 3 = <5 m apart, 4 = 5-10 m apart, 5 = >10 m apart / 1.8 / 5.0 / 32.1 ± 0.06
Dead shrubs/ha / dead_shrubs_ha / number of dead shrubs within 20×20 m area - average of 3 samples (1 from each plot), then adjusted to ha / 0 / 116.7 / 2.17 ± 0.97
Dead trees/ha / dead_trees_ha / number of dead trees within 20×20 m area - average of 3 samples (1 from each plot), then adjusted to ha / 0 / 183.3 / 21.77 ± 2.62
Dieback score / dieback_score / average of scores from the 3 plots - scores are 0 = no dieback, 1 = branch tips dead, 2 = extensive defoliation, 3 = epicormic growth, 4 = tree death / 0 / 3.7 / 1.3 ± 0.08
Hollow trees/ha / hollow_trees_ha / average number of hollow-bearing trees in/overhanging the 3 0.04ha plots at the 0, 100 & 200m posts then adjusted to 1 ha / 0.0 / 108.3 / 27.1 ± 2.0
Logs/ha / logs_ha / the average of the 3 samples taken (1 from each of the 3 plots) of number of logs in a 20×20 m square in each of the 3 plots, then adjusted to ha / 0.0 / 500.0 / 179.2 ± 9.7
Mistletoe/ha / Mistletoe_ha / number of mistletoes within 20×20 m area - average of 3 samples (1 from each plot), then adjusted to ha / 0.0 / 358.3 / 19.1 ± 4.9
Stems with dbh<15cm / stems_with_dbh_15cm / the average of the 3 samples taken (1 from each of the 3 plots) of number of trees with dbh < 15cm in a 20×20 m square in each of the 3 plots, then adjusted to ha / 0.0 / 174.7 / 7.76 ± 1.66
Stems with dbh15-30cm / stems_with_dbh15_30cm / the average of the 3 samples taken (1 from each of the 3 plots) of number of trees with dbh15 < 30cm in a 20×20 m square in each of the 3 plots, then adjusted to ha / 0.0 / 18.0 / 2.9 ± 0.3
Stems with dbh>30cm / stems_with_dbh_30cm / the average of the 3 samples taken (1 from each of the 3 plots) of number of trees with dbh > 30cm in a 20×20 m square in each of the 3 plots, then adjusted to ha / 0.0 / 19.0 / 3.33 ± 0.22
Total stems / total_stems / the average of the 3 samples taken (1 from each of the 3 plots) of total of all stems in a 20×20 m square in each of the 3 plots, then adjusted to ha / 1.00 / 174.7 / 13.62 ± 1.67
Trees >50 cm/ha / trees_50cm_ha / number of trees with dbh >50 cm per hectare / 0.0 / 100.0 / 17.5 ± 1.32
Strata count / strata_count / the number of strata from all 3 plots / 2.0 / 11.7 / 2.90 ± 0.09
Landscape Context Variables
Cleared area 500 m radius / Clear_500 / total area (ha) of cleared land within a 500 m of the centre of site / 15.61 / 78.12 / 62.2 ± 1.0
Native veg area 500 m radius / Rem_500 / total area (ha) of native vegetation within a 500 m radius of the centre of the site / 0.42 / 62.9 / 16.0 ± 1.0
Plantation area 500 m radius / Plant_500 / total area (ha) of revegetation within a 500 m radius of the centre of the site / 0.0 / 9.03 / 0.35 ± 0.10
Paddock trees 500 m radius / PT_500 / all native trees within outside remnants and plantations within a 500 m radius in trees per hectare / 0.0 / 1.51 / 0.5 ± 0.03
Productivity Variables
Altitude / Elevation / Determined using Geographical Positioning System / 168.8 / 500.5 / 288.6 ± 5.4
Terrain Wetness Index / TWI_Middle / As described in Methods. / -1.660 / 5.696 / 0.682 ± 0.133

Appendix 2

Explanation of Avifaunal Groups

Group / Description
Small Honeyeaters / Honeyeaters with body mass less than a Noisy Miner
Small ‘Competitors’ / All birds (excluding raptors, frugivores, water-associated birds and granivores) with a body mass smaller than a Noisy Miner
Large Honeyeaters / Honeyeaters with body mass greater than a Noisy Miner
Large Birds / Birds with a body mass larger than a Noisy Miner (excluding water-associated birds*)
Butcherbirds / Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) and Pied Butcherbird (C. nigrogularis)
Granivores / Species for which the principal food source is seeds
Robins / Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), Flame Robin (P. phoenicea), Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), Scarlet Robin (P. multicolor), Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) and Jacky Winter (Microeca fascinans)
Woodswallows / Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Dusky Woodswallow (A. cyanopterus), White-browed Woodswallow (A. superciliosus), Masked Woodswallow (A. personatus)
Whistlers / Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis), Rufous Whistler (P. rufiventris), Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica) and Crested Shrike-tit (Falcunculus frontatus)
Fantails / Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula), Restless Flycatcher (M. inquieta), Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa)
Pardalotidae / Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris), Southern Whiteface (Aphelocephala leucopsis), Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), Striated Thornbill (A. lineata), Buff-rumped Thornbill (A. reguloides), Yellow Thornbill (A. nana), Yellow-rumped Thornbill (A. chrysorrhoa), Speckled Warbler (Chthonicola sagittata), Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus), Striated Pardalote (P. striatus), Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca), White-throated Gerygone (G. olivacea), White-browed Scrub-wren (Sericornis frontalis)

* Water-associated birds were excluded from analysis due to likely preference for areas lower in the landscape.

Appendix 3

AIC Scores for, and Variables Included in, Models Performing as Well as the ‘Best’ Model

AIC Score / Stems < 15 cm / mistletoe_ha / canopy_height / dieback_score / Logs / Total_Stems / OS_Cover / PT_500 / Keith_Class / TWI_Middle
141.03* / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü
142.42 / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü
141.44 / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü
141.87 / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü
142.95 / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü / ü

* Best Model.

Appendix 4

Interactions between Terms in the ‘Best’ Model

Interaction between annual Noisy Miner abundance at a site, productivity (dashed line indicates more productive sites (TWI > 0), solid line indicates less productive sites (TWI < 0)) and the total number of stems (P = 0.03).

Interaction between average annual Noisy Miner abundance at a site, productivity (dashed line indicates more productive sites (TWI > 0), solid line indicates less productive sites (TWI < 0)) and mistletoe (P = 0.058).

Appendix 5

Variables Differing Significantly Between Keith Classes

Variable / Mean Deviance / P-value / Mean Values
FTW / IRF / URDSF / WSGW
Mistletoe / 3.09 / 0.03 / 4.17 / 61.30 / 28.21 / 6.17
Canopy Height / 4.53 / 0.005 / 16.85 / 21.933 / 16.932 / 18.317
TWI / 44.46 / <0.001 / 2.9450 / 1.8455 / -0.3318 / 1.1115