ABSTRACT
Artificial habitat holds broad appeal as a tangible and seemingly direct ‘fix’ for the ongoing loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat, despite a lack of sufficiently rigorous evidence demonstrating benefit for target wildlife. The common focus on replacement of hollows for hollow-dependent arboreal fauna has overlooked other potential uses of artificial habitat for ground-dwelling fauna – particularly ground-dwelling small to medium-sized mammals – based on the provision of space, structure, and refuge from predation. Here, I briefly summarize the state of the science in artificial habitat research across terrestrial and marine systems, noting that artificial marine habitat research sets good precedent for development and use of artificial habitat that provides space, structure, and refuge from predation. I encourage ecologists and conservation practitioners to collaborate closely with industrial designers, and I also make the case for species- and context-specific design and development for new artificial habitat projects. I end with a brief review of design and monitoring and evaluation principles for artificial habitat projects. I aim to encourage a broader conceptualization of potential roles for artificial habitat use in terrestrial wildlife conservation, whilst emphasizing rigorous design and evaluation practices.
