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Active species reintroduction is an important conservation tool when aiming for the restoration of biological communities and ecosystems. The effective monitoring of reintroduction success is a crucial factor in this process. Here, we used a combination of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques and species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate the success of recent reintroductions of the freshwater fish Alburnoides bipunctatus in central Germany. We built SDMs without and with eDNA presence data to locate further suitable reintroduction sites and potentially overlooked populations of the species. We successfully detected eDNA of A. bipunctatus at all reintroduction sites, as well as several adjacent sites mostly in downstream direction, which supports the success of reintroduction efforts. eDNA‐based species detection considerably improved SDMs for A. bipunctatus, which allowed to identify species presence in previously unknown localities. Our results confirm the usefulness of eDNA techniques as standard tool to monitor reintroduced fish populations. We propose that combining eDNA with SDMs is a highly effective approach for long‐term monitoring of reintroduction success in aquatic species.
High grazing pressure from over-abundant macropods (kangaroos) is perceived to have a detrimental impact on biodiversity. Studies have shown potential changes in state and retardation of degraded vegetation recovery while other investigations have shown correlations with increased floristic diversity. The responses of grasslands to high impact macropod grazing may not be universal. Endangered Themeda triandra-dominated grasslands, on coastal headlands of New South Wales (NSW) and the associated threatened flora are thought to be negatively affected by high macropod grazing. We assess these assumptions via a comparative investigation across 46 headlands (467 plots) on the North Coast of NSW, and a BACI (Before and After Control Incident) design grazing exclusion experiment at a particularly significant site. We compare floristic richness, species density, evenness, Shannon H, Whittaker Beta Diversity, occurrence of listed threatened flora, average sward height and macropod density. Look At Me Now Headland (LAMN), between Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga has one of the highest recorded population densities of macropods. Here 16 permanent plots were placed with grazing exclusion cages erected around half. Sampling occurred annually (October-November) for four consecutive years (2015-2018). Under high macropod grazing pressure LAMN Headland was found to have the highest scores for total richness, species density, species diversity and moderate to high values for species evenness and beta diversity. Within grazing exclusion plots the sward height increased significantly and was associated with a significant decrease in species density, beta and alpha diversity. Our results indicate that macropod grazing, even at the highest intensities, may be beneficial to floristic species diversity within the endangered Themeda-grasslands of coastal headlands and seacliffs within the North Coast Bioregion of NSW; our broader comparative study would suggest that this may also be the case on other headlands.