Asymmetric competition in Australian heathland rodents: a reciprocal removal experiment demonstrating the influence of size-class structure

The swamp rat (Rattus lutreolus) and the eastern chestnut mouse (Pseudomys gracilicaudatus) occupy the same coastal wet heath habitat in eastern Australia. Previous experimental removals have demonstrated asymmetric interspecific competition with the larger R. lutreolus excluding the smaller P. gracilicaudatus from preferred habitat and reducing its abundance. We report the results of a reciprocal manipulation experiment in summer with the abundance of the smaller P. gracilicaudatus being depressed by removals over a 40 d period, the abundance of the larger R. lutreolus increased more rapidly (p < 0.025) on the three experimental sites than on the three control sites

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