Contrasting impacts of environmental variability on the breeding biology of two sympatric small procellariiform seabirds in south-eastern Australia

Seabirds play a vital role in marine ecosystems and are determinant sentinels of the productivity of their environments. The long-term study of their breeding biology and their responses to environmental variations can be used to monitor the effects of climate change on marine fauna. However, the ecological and physiological differences among seabirds induce a large range of responses complicating our understanding of the effects of environmental changes on marine ecosystems. The present study investigated the impact of environmental variability on breeding biology in two sympatric small Procellariiform species, the fairy prion ( Pachyptila turtur ) ) and the common diving petrel ( Pelecanoides urinatrix ), over four reproductive seasons (2017-2020) in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. Marine heatwaves had a negative effect on chick growth, breeding success, and induced a delay in laying dates in both species. While fairy prions maintained a relatively high breeding success and broadly constant breeding phenology, common diving petrels delayed the start of the breeding season by up to 50 days and experienced dramatic collapses in breeding success in years of high marine heat wave occurrence. The high wing loading and absence of stomach oils in the common diving petrel are likely to have limited the capacity of this species to increase foraging effort in years of low food availability.

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Contrasting impacts of environmental variability on the breeding biology of two sympatric small procellariiform seabirds in south-eastern Australia

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0250916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0250916

Author(s):

Yonina H. Eizenberg ◽

Aymeric Fromant ◽

Arnaud Lec’hvien ◽

John P. Y. Arnould

Keyword(s):

Breeding Success ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Breeding Biology ◽

Breeding Phenology ◽

Chick Growth ◽

Seabird Species ◽

South Eastern ◽

Long Term Study ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

South Eastern Australia

Seabirds play a vital role in marine ecosystems and the long-term study of their responses to environmental variations can be used to monitor the effects of climate change on marine fauna. However, slight differences in similar seabird species result in a range of responses which complicates our understanding of the effects of environmental changes to marine ecosystems. The present study investigated inter-annual differences in the breeding biology (breeding phenology, chick growth rates and breeding success) and environmental conditions (seasonal sea surface temperatures) of important foraging areas in two sympatric small Procellariiform species, the fairy prion (Pachyptila turtur) and the common diving petrel (Pelecanoides urinatrix), over four reproductive seasons (2017–2020) in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. Marine heatwaves occurred during the years of 2018/19 and 2019/20 and coincided with years of delayed laying dates, slower chick growth and reduced breeding success, in both species. While fairy prions maintained a relatively high breeding success and broadly constant breeding phenology, common diving petrels delayed the start of the breeding season by up to 50 days and experienced dramatic collapses in breeding success in years of high marine heat wave occurrence. The difference in foraging ecology and physiological capacity (largely in the production of stomach oils and fasting abilities of adults and chicks) between both species are likely to influence the variability and phenology in the observed breeding seasons.

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The Effect of Energy Supplementation on the Local Abundance of the Common Blossom Bat, Syconycteris australis, in South-Eastern Australia

Oikos ◽

10.2307/3546036 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 42 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Bradley S. Law

Keyword(s):

South Eastern ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

Local Abundance ◽

The Common ◽

Energy Supplementation ◽

South Eastern Australia

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The impact of fire regimes on populations of an endangered lizard in montane south-eastern Australia

Austral Ecology ◽

10.1111/aec.12190 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 170-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Sarsha Gorissen ◽

Jacqueline Mallinson ◽

Matthew Greenlees ◽

Richard Shine

Keyword(s):

Fire Regimes ◽

South Eastern ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

The Impact ◽

South Eastern Australia

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Applying seed germination studies in fire management for biodiversity conservation in south-eastern Australia

Web Ecology ◽

10.5194/we-8-47-2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 47-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

T. D. Auld ◽

M. K. J. Ooi

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Seed Dormancy ◽

Fire Regimes ◽

Functional Trait ◽

Strong Response ◽

South Eastern ◽

Germination Response ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

The Impact ◽

South Eastern Australia

Abstract. We examine the patterns of germination response to fire in the fire-prone flora of the Sydney basin, south-eastern Australia, using examples from several decades of research. The flora shows a strong response to fire-related germination cues. Most species show an interaction between heat and smoke, a number respond only to heat, whilst a few are likely to respond only to smoke. Many recruit in the first 12 months after fire and show no obvious seasonal patterns of recruitment, whilst several species have a strong seasonal germination requirement, even in this essentially aseasonal rainfall region. Key challenges remaining include designing future seed germination studies within the context of informing the germination response surface to smoke and heat interactions, and incorporation of the impact of varying soil moisture on seed germination post-fire, including its affect on resetting of seed dormancy. An understanding of the resilience of species to frequent fire also requires further work, to identify species and functional types most at risk. This work must ideally be integrated within the framework of the management of fire regimes that will change under a changing climate. We suggest that the functional classification of plant types in relation to fire could be enhanced by a consideration of both the type of germination response to fire (type of cues required) and the timing of the response (seasonally driven in response to seed dormancy characteristics, or independent of season). We provide a simplified version of such an addition to functional trait classification in relation to fire.

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Crop damage caused by residual acetolactate synthase herbicides in the soils of south-eastern Australia

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea05053 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 46 (10) ◽

pp. 1323 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

K. L. Hollaway ◽

R. S. Kookana ◽

D. M. Noy ◽

J. G. Smith ◽

N. Wilhelm

Keyword(s):

Acetolactate Synthase ◽

Clay Soils ◽

Alkaline Soil ◽

Alkaline Soils ◽

Metsulfuron Methyl ◽

Herbicide Residues ◽

South Eastern ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

The Impact ◽

South Eastern Australia

Grain growers in south-eastern Australia have reported unexpected crop failures with theoretically safe recropping periods for acetolactate synthase herbicides in alkaline soils. This experience has led to the concern that these herbicides may degrade very slowly in alkaline soils, and herbicide residues have at times been blamed for unexplained crop losses. To address this issue, we established 5 recropping trials across Victoria and South Australia with 5 acetolactate synthase herbicides (chlorsulfuron, triasulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl, imazethapyr, and flumetsulam). The herbicides were applied to separate plots in years 1, 2 or 3, and sensitive crop species were sown in year 4 to measure the impact of herbicide residues. We observed that the persistence of the sulfonylureas (chlorsulfuron, triasulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl) varied between herbicides, but all persisted longer in alkaline soils than in acid soils, and were, therefore, more likely to damage crops in alkaline soil. Imazethapyr persisted longer in clay soils than in sandy soils and was, therefore, more likely to damage crops in clay soils. All herbicides persisted longer when rainfall was below average. Canola was more sensitive to imazethapyr than either pea, lentil or medic, but was less sensitive to the sulfonylureas. In contrast, lentil and medic were the most sensitive to sulfonylureas. Despite some damage, we found that safe recropping periods could be predicted from the product labels in all but one situation. The sole exception was that metsulfuron-methyl reduced dry matter and yield of lentil and medic sown 10 months after application in a soil with pH 8.5. We hypothesise that the real cause of crop failure in many situations is not unusual herbicide persistence, but failure to take full account of soil type (pH and clay content including variation in the paddock) and rainfall when deciding to recrop after using acetolactate synthase herbicides.

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