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Accepted Manuscript
Research Article
Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates
Christofer J. Clemente, Taylor J. M. Dick, Rebecca Wheatley, Joshua Gaschk, Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul Nasir, Skye F. Cameron, Robbie S. Wilson
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019 : jeb.189654 doi: 10.1242/jeb.189654 Published 27 February 2019
Christofer J. Clemente
School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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  • ORCID record for Christofer J. Clemente
  • For correspondence: cclement@usc.edu.au
Taylor J. M. Dick
School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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Rebecca Wheatley
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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Joshua Gaschk
School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
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Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul Nasir
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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Skye F. Cameron
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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Robbie S. Wilson
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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Abstract

Characterisation of an organism's performance in different habitats provides insight into the conditions that allow it to survive and reproduce. In recent years, Northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus)—a medium-sized semi-arboreal marsupial native to northern Australia—have undergone significant population declines within open forest, woodland and riparian habitats, but less so in rocky areas. To help understand this decline, we quantified the biomechanical performance of wild Northern quolls as they ran up inclined narrow (13 mm pole) and inclined wide (90 mm platform) substrates. We predicted that quolls may possess biomechanical adaptations to increase stability on narrow surfaces, which are more common in rocky habitats. Our results display that quolls have some biomechanical characteristics consistent with a stability advantage on narrow surfaces. This includes the coupled use of limb pairs, as indicated via a decrease in footfall time, and an ability to produce corrective torques to counteract the toppling moments commonly encountered during gait on narrow surfaces. However, speed was constrained on narrow surfaces, and quolls did not adopt diagonal sequence gaits unlike true arboreal specialists such as primates. In comparison with key predators, such as cats and dogs, Northern quolls appear inferior in terrestrial environments but have a stability advantage at higher speeds on narrow supports. This may partially explain the heterogenous declines in Northern quoll populations among various habitats on mainland Australia.

  • Received July 31, 2018.
  • Accepted February 14, 2019.
  • © 2019. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
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Keywords

  • Performance
  • Northern quoll
  • Torque
  • Ground reaction force
  • Kinematics
  • Kinetics

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Accepted Manuscript
Research Article
Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates
Christofer J. Clemente, Taylor J. M. Dick, Rebecca Wheatley, Joshua Gaschk, Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul Nasir, Skye F. Cameron, Robbie S. Wilson
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019 : jeb.189654 doi: 10.1242/jeb.189654 Published 27 February 2019
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Accepted Manuscript
Research Article
Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates
Christofer J. Clemente, Taylor J. M. Dick, Rebecca Wheatley, Joshua Gaschk, Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul Nasir, Skye F. Cameron, Robbie S. Wilson
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019 : jeb.189654 doi: 10.1242/jeb.189654 Published 27 February 2019

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