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

PLoS ONE ◽  
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.

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

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonina H Eizenberg ◽  
Aymeric Fromant ◽  
Arnaud Lec'hvien ◽  
John P Y Arnould
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Breeding Biology ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diving Petrel ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Trophic niches of a seabird assemblage in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aymeric Fromant ◽  
Nicole Schumann ◽  
Peter Dann ◽  
Yves Cherel ◽  
John P.Y. Arnould
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Breeding Phenology ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Prey Remains ◽  
Trophic Niches ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The foraging niches of seabirds are driven by a variety of factors, including competition for prey that promotes divergence in trophic niches. Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia, is a key region for seabirds, with little penguins Eudyptula minor, short-tailed shearwaters Ardenna tenuirostris, fairy prions Pachyptila turtur and common diving-petrels Pelecanoides urinatrix being particularly abundant in the region. The trophic niches of these species were investigated using isotopic values in whole blood and by identifying prey remains in stomach contents. The four species occupied different isotopic niches that varied among years, seasons and regions. Little penguins consumed mainly fish whereas the three procellariforms primarily consumed coastal krill Nyctiphanes australis. The dietary similarities between the procellariforms suggest that food resources are segregated in other ways, with interspecific differences in isotope niches possibly reflecting differential consumption of key prey, divergent foraging locations and depth, and differences in breeding phenology. Because oceanographic changes predicted to occur due to climate change may result in reduced coastal krill availability, adversely affecting these seabird predators, further information on foraging zones and feeding behaviour of small procellariform species is needed to elucidate more fully the segregation of foraging niches, the capacity of seabirds to adapt to climate change and the potential for interspecific competition in the region.

The Crinia laevis complex (Anura : Leptodactylidae) in south-eastern Australia

1964 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Littlejohn ◽  
AA Martin
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Breeding Biology ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

On the basis of the presence of a call distinct from that of Crinia laevis (Gunther) and the absence of hybrids in sympatry, the species C. victoriana Boulenger is reestablished. A detailed account of the morphology, breeding biology, life history, and geographical distribution of these species is given. Their zoogeographical position in relation to the Bassian subregion is considered and a possible pattern of speciation advanced.

scholarly journals Aves, Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay territory, south-eastern Australia

Check List ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Lindenmayer ◽  
Christopher MacGregor ◽  
Darren Brown ◽  
Rebecca Montague-Drake ◽  
Mason Crane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Term Study ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

A large-scale, long-term study is being conducted to describe the bird assemblages inhabiting a 6500 ha area at Booderee National Park, south-eastern Australia. In this paper, we provide a list of birds recorded within rainforest, forest, woodland, shrubland, heathland and sedgeland during surveys conducted each spring between 2003 and 2007. Of particular interest was the contrast between the birds of sites burned in a wildfire in 2003 and sites that remained unburned. We recorded a total of 103 species from 35 families. We found that after the major fire, the vast majority of individual species and the bird assemblage per se in most vegetation types recovered within two years. Exceptions occurred in structurally simple vegetation types such as sedgeland and wet heathland in which reduced levels of species had not returned to pre-fire (2003) levels by 2007.

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