1
|
Pulvirenti J, Reina RD, Chiaradia A. Exploring subcolony differences in foraging and reproductive success: the influence of environmental conditions on a central place foraging seabird. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220362. [PMID: 37388318 PMCID: PMC10300673 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
While differences in foraging and reproductive success are well studied between seabird colonies, they are less understood at a smaller subcolony scale. Working with little penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Phillip Island, Australia, we used an automated penguin monitoring system and performed regular nest checks at two subcolonies situated 2 km apart during the 2015/2016 breeding seasons. We examined whether foraging and reproductive success differed between subcolonies. We used satellite data to examine how sea surface temperature, as environmental pressure, in the foraging regions from each subcolony influenced their foraging performance. In the pre-laying and incubation breeding stages, the birds from one subcolony had a lower foraging success than birds from the other. However, this pattern was reversed between the subcolonies in the guard and post-guard stages. Breeding success data from the two subcolonies from 2004-2018 showed that reproductive success and mean egg-laying had a negative relationship with sea surface temperature. We highlighted that variation in foraging and reproductive success can arise in subcolonies, likely due to different responses to environmental conditions and prey availability. Differences at the subcolony level can help refine, develop and improve appropriate species management plans for conserving a range of colonial central place seabirds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pulvirenti
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Richard D. Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Andre Chiaradia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, PO Box 97, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gibson D, Riecke TV, Catlin DH, Hunt KL, Weithman CE, Koons DN, Karpanty SM, Fraser JD. Climate change and commercial fishing practices codetermine survival of a long-lived seabird. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:324-340. [PMID: 36229037 PMCID: PMC10092490 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the environmental mechanisms that govern population change is a fundamental objective in ecology. Although the determination of how top-down and bottom-up drivers affect demography is important, it is often equally critical to understand the extent to which, environmental conditions that underpin these drivers fluctuate across time. For example, associations between climate and both food availability and predation risk may suggest the presence of trophic interactions that may influence inferences made from patterns in ecological data. Analytical tools have been developed to account for these correlations, while providing opportunities to ask novel questions regarding how populations change across space and time. Here, we combine two modeling disciplines-path analysis and mark-recapture-recovery models-to explore whether shifts in sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) influenced top-down (entanglement in fishing equipment) or bottom-up (forage fish production) population constraints over 60 years, and the extent to which these covarying processes shaped the survival of a long-lived seabird, the Royal tern. We found that hemispheric trends in SST were associated with variation in the amount of fish harvested along the Atlantic coast of North America and in the Caribbean, whereas reductions in forage fish production were mostly driven by shifts in the amount of fish harvested by commercial fisheries throughout the North Atlantic the year prior. Although the indirect (i.e., stock depletion) and direct (i.e., entanglement) impacts of commercial fishing on Royal tern mortality has declined over the last 60 years, increased SSTs during this time period has resulted in a comparable increase in mortality risk, which disproportionately impacted the survival of the youngest age-classes of Royal terns. Given climate projections for the North Atlantic, our results indicate that threats to Royal tern population persistence in the Mid-Atlantic will most likely be driven by failures to recruit juveniles into the breeding population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gibson
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | | | - Daniel H. Catlin
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Kelsi L. Hunt
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Chelsea E. Weithman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - David N. Koons
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Sarah M. Karpanty
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - James D. Fraser
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Phillips LR, Carroll G, Jonsen I, Harcourt R, Brierley AS, Wilkins A, Cox M. Variability in prey field structure drives inter-annual differences in prey encounter by a marine predator, the little penguin. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220028. [PMID: 36117863 PMCID: PMC9470263 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how marine predators encounter prey across patchy landscapes remains challenging due to difficulties in measuring the three-dimensional structure of pelagic prey fields at scales relevant to animal movement. We measured at-sea behaviour of a central-place forager, the little penguin (Eudyptula minor), over 5 years (2015-2019) using GPS and dive loggers. We made contemporaneous measurements of the prey field within the penguins' foraging range via boat-based acoustic surveys. We developed a prey encounter index by comparing estimates of acoustic prey density encountered along actual penguin tracks to those encountered along simulated penguin tracks with the same characteristics as real tracks but that moved randomly through the prey field. In most years, penguin tracks encountered prey better than simulated random movements greater than 99% of the time, and penguin dive depths matched peaks in the vertical distribution of prey. However, when prey was unusually sparse and/or deep, penguins had worse than random prey encounter indices, exhibited dives that mismatched depth of maximum prey density, and females had abnormally low body mass (5.3% lower than average). Reductions in prey encounters owing to decreases in the density or accessibility of prey may ultimately lead to reduced fitness and population declines in central-place foraging marine predators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gemma Carroll
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, WA, USA
- Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Ian Jonsen
- Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Andrew S. Brierley
- Pelagic Ecology Research Group, Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Adam Wilkins
- Field Friendly, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
| | - Martin Cox
- Pelagic Ecology Research Group, Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 8LB, UK
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Important marine areas for endangered African penguins before and after the crucial stage of moulting. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9489. [PMID: 35676286 PMCID: PMC9177839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12969-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The population of the Endangered African penguin Spheniscus demersus has decreased by > 65% in the last 20 years. A major driver of this decrease has been the reduced availability of their principal prey, sardine Sardinops sagax and anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus. To date, conservation efforts to improve prey availability have focused on spatial management strategies to reduce resource competition with purse-seine fisheries during the breeding season. However, penguins also undergo an annual catastrophic moult when they are unable to feed for several weeks. Before moulting they must accumulate sufficient energy stores to survive this critical life-history stage. Using GPS tracking data collected between 2012 and 2019, we identify important foraging areas for pre- and post-moult African penguins at three of their major colonies in South Africa: Dassen Island and Stony Point (Western Cape) and Bird Island (Eastern Cape). The foraging ranges of pre- and post-moult adult African penguins (c. 600 km from colony) was far greater than that previously observed for breeding penguins (c. 50 km from colony) and varied considerably between sites, years and pre- and post-moult stages. Despite their more extensive range during the non-breeding season, waters within 20 and 50 km of their breeding colonies were used intensively and represent important foraging areas to pre- and post-moult penguins. Furthermore, penguins in the Western Cape travelled significantly further than those in the Eastern Cape which is likely a reflection of the poor prey availability along the west coast of South Africa. Our findings identify important marine areas for pre- and post-moult African penguins and support for the expansion of fisheries-related spatio-temporal management strategies to help conserve African penguins outside the breeding season.
Collapse
|
5
|
Sheppard CE, Heaphy R, Cant MA, Marshall HH. Individual foraging specialization in group-living species. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
6
|
Speakman CN, Hoskins AJ, Hindell MA, Costa DP, Hartog JR, Hobday AJ, Arnould JPY. Influence of environmental variation on spatial distribution and habitat-use in a benthic foraging marine predator. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:211052. [PMID: 34754503 PMCID: PMC8493206 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The highly dynamic nature of the marine environment can have a substantial influence on the foraging behaviour and spatial distribution of marine predators, particularly in pelagic marine systems. However, knowledge of the susceptibility of benthic marine predators to environmental variability is limited. This study investigated the influence of local-scale environmental conditions and large-scale climate indices on the spatial distribution and habitat use in the benthic foraging Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus; AUFS). Female AUFS provisioning pups were instrumented with GPS or ARGOS platform terminal transmitter tags during the austral winters of 2001-2019 at Kanowna Island, south-eastern Australia. Individuals were most susceptible to changes in the Southern Oscillation Index that measures the strength of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, with larger foraging ranges, greater distances travelled and more dispersed movement associated with 1-yr lagged La Niña-like conditions. Additionally, the total distance travelled was negatively correlated with the current year sea surface temperature and 1-yr lagged Indian Ocean Dipole, and positively correlated with 1-yr lagged chlorophyll-a concentration. These results suggest that environmental variation may influence the spatial distribution and availability of prey, even within benthic marine systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cassie N Speakman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Mark A Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jason R Hartog
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - John P Y Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ramírez F, Chiaradia A, O'Leary DA, Reina RD. Making the most of the old age: Autumn breeding as an extra reproductive investment in older seabirds. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5393-5401. [PMID: 34026015 PMCID: PMC8131812 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting differing reproductive strategies among populations are central to understanding population and evolutionary ecology. To evaluate whether individual reproductive strategies responded to annual patterns in marine productivity and age-related processes in a seabird we used a long term (2003-2013), a continuous dataset on nest occupancy and attendance at the colony by little penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Phillip Island (Victoria, Australia). We found that concurrent with a secondary annual peak of marine productivity, a secondary peak in colony attendance and nest occupancy was observed in Autumn (out of the regular breeding season in spring/summer) with individuals showing mating-like behavior. Individuals attending this autumn peak averaged 2.5 years older than those individuals that exclusively bred during spring/summer. Rather than being a naïve response by younger and inexperienced birds misreading environmental cues, our data indicate that the autumn peak attendance is an earlier attempt to breed by older and more experienced penguins. Therefore, we provide strong support for the fundamental prediction of the life-history theory of increasing investment in reproduction with age to maximize lifetime fitness as future survival prospects diminish and experience increases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ramírez
- Department of Renewable Marine ResourcesInstitut de Ciències del Mar (ICM‐CSIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Andre Chiaradia
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVICAustralia
- Conservation DepartmentPhillip Island Nature ParksCowesVICAustralia
| | | | - Richard D. Reina
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVICAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Reduced seasonal sea ice and increased sea surface temperature change prey and foraging behaviour in an ice-obligate Arctic seabird, Mandt’s black guillemot (Cepphus grylle mandtii). Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02826-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
9
|
Jagielski PM, Dey CJ, Gilchrist HG, Richardson ES, Semeniuk CA. Polar bear foraging on common eider eggs: estimating the energetic consequences of a climate-mediated behavioural shift. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
10
|
Environmental influences on foraging effort, success and efficiency in female Australian fur seals. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17710. [PMID: 33077806 PMCID: PMC7572486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73579-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the factors which influence foraging behaviour and success in marine mammals is crucial to predicting how their populations may respond to environmental change. The Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus, AUFS) is a predominantly benthic forager on the shallow continental shelf of Bass Strait, and represents the greatest biomass of marine predators in south-eastern Australia. The south-east Australian region is experiencing rapid oceanic warming, predicted to lead to substantial alterations in prey diversity, distribution and abundance. In the present study, foraging effort and indices of foraging success and efficiency were investigated in 138 adult female AUFS (970 foraging trips) during the winters of 1998–2019. Large scale climate conditions had a strong influence on foraging effort, foraging success and efficiency. Foraging effort and foraging success were also strongly influenced by winter chlorophyll-a concentrations and sea-surface height anomalies in Bass Strait. The results suggest increasing foraging effort and decreasing foraging success and efficiency under anticipated environmental conditions, which may have population-level impacts.
Collapse
|
11
|
Lewis PJ, McGrath TJ, Chiaradia A, McMahon CR, Emmerson L, Allinson G, Shimeta J. A baseline for POPs contamination in Australian seabirds: little penguins vs. short-tailed shearwaters. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 159:111488. [PMID: 32738640 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While globally distributed throughout the world's ecosystems, there is little baseline information on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine environments in Australia and, more broadly, the Southern Hemisphere. To fill this knowledge gap, we collected baseline information on POPs in migratory short-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) from Fisher Island, Tasmania, and resident little penguins (Eudyptula minor) from Phillip Island, Victoria. Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) were determined from blood samples, with total contamination ranging 7.6-47.7 ng/g ww for short-tailed shearwaters and 0.12-46.9 ng/g ww for little penguins. In both species contamination followed the same pattern where PCBs>OCPs>BFRs. BFR levels included the presence of the novel flame retardant hexabromobenzene (HBB). These novel results of POPs in seabirds in southeast Australia provide important information on the local (penguins) and global (shearwaters) distribution of POPs in the marine environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe J Lewis
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia; Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia.
| | - Thomas J McGrath
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Andre Chiaradia
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Victoria 3925, Australia
| | - Clive R McMahon
- IMOS Animal Tagging, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, 19 Chowder Bay, Mosman 2088, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Louise Emmerson
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
| | - Graeme Allinson
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Jeff Shimeta
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Penguins are the only extant family of flightless diving birds. They currently comprise at least 18 species, distributed from polar to tropical environments in the Southern Hemisphere. The history of their diversification and adaptation to these diverse environments remains controversial. We used 22 new genomes from 18 penguin species to reconstruct the order, timing, and location of their diversification, to track changes in their thermal niches through time, and to test for associated adaptation across the genome. Our results indicate that the penguin crown-group originated during the Miocene in New Zealand and Australia, not in Antarctica as previously thought, and that Aptenodytes is the sister group to all other extant penguin species. We show that lineage diversification in penguins was largely driven by changing climatic conditions and by the opening of the Drake Passage and associated intensification of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Penguin species have introgressed throughout much of their evolutionary history, following the direction of the ACC, which might have promoted dispersal and admixture. Changes in thermal niches were accompanied by adaptations in genes that govern thermoregulation and oxygen metabolism. Estimates of ancestral effective population sizes (N e ) confirm that penguins are sensitive to climate shifts, as represented by three different demographic trajectories in deeper time, the most common (in 11 of 18 penguin species) being an increased N e between 40 and 70 kya, followed by a precipitous decline during the Last Glacial Maximum. The latter effect is most likely a consequence of the overall decline in marine productivity following the last glaciation.
Collapse
|
13
|
Pertierra LR, Segovia NI, Noll D, Martinez PA, Pliscoff P, Barbosa A, Aragón P, Raya Rey A, Pistorius P, Trathan P, Polanowski A, Bonadonna F, Le Bohec C, Bi K, Wang‐Claypool CY, González‐Acuña D, Dantas GPM, Bowie RCK, Poulin E, Vianna JA. Cryptic speciation in gentoo penguins is driven by geographic isolation and regional marine conditions: Unforeseen vulnerabilities to global change. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Luis R. Pertierra
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva Museo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSIC Madrid Spain
| | - Nicolás I. Segovia
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
- Departamento de Biología Marina Facultad de Ciencias del Mar Universidad Católica del Norte Coquimbo Chile
| | - Daly Noll
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Pablo A. Martinez
- PIBi‐Lab Departamento de Biologia Universidade Federal de Sergipe São Cristóvão Brazil
| | - Patricio Pliscoff
- Departamento de Ecología Instituto de Geografía Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Andrés Barbosa
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva Museo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSIC Madrid Spain
| | - Pedro Aragón
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva Museo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSIC Madrid Spain
- Facultad de Ciecias Biológicas Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Andrea Raya Rey
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CADIC‐CONICET) Ushuaia Argentina
- Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego Ushuaia Argentina
- Wildlife Conservation Society Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Pierre Pistorius
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology Department of Zoology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | | | | | - Francesco Bonadonna
- CEFE UMR 5175CNRSUniversité de MontpellierUniversité Paul‐Valéry MontpellierEPHE Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - Céline Le Bohec
- Universit de Strasbourg, CNRSIPHC UMR 7178F-67000 Strasbourg France
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco Département de Biologie Polaire Monaco City Monaco
| | - Ke Bi
- Department of Integrative Biology Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley CA USA
| | - Cynthia Y. Wang‐Claypool
- Department of Integrative Biology Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley CA USA
| | - Daniel González‐Acuña
- Laboratorio de Parásitos y Enfermedades de Fauna Silvestre Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Universidad de Concepción Chillán Santiago Chile
| | - Gisele P. M. Dantas
- PPG in Vertebrate Zoology Pontificia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Rauri C. K. Bowie
- Department of Integrative Biology Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley CA USA
| | - Elie Poulin
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Juliana A. Vianna
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Desprez M, Jenouvrier S, Barbraud C, Delord K, Weimerskirch H. Linking oceanographic conditions, migratory schedules and foraging behaviour during the non‐breeding season to reproductive performance in a long‐lived seabird. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marine Desprez
- Biology Department MS‐50 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole Massachusetts
| | - Stéphanie Jenouvrier
- Biology Department MS‐50 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole Massachusetts
| | - Christophe Barbraud
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372 CNRS/Université La Rochelle Villiers en Bois France
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372 CNRS/Université La Rochelle Villiers en Bois France
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372 CNRS/Université La Rochelle Villiers en Bois France
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Morris G, Conner LM. Assessment of accuracy, fix success rate, and use of estimated horizontal position error (EHPE) to filter inaccurate data collected by a common commercially available GPS logger. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189020. [PMID: 29190686 PMCID: PMC5708763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Global positioning system (GPS) technologies have improved the ability of researchers to monitor wildlife; however, use of these technologies is often limited by monetary costs. Some researchers have begun to use commercially available GPS loggers as a less expensive means of tracking wildlife, but data regarding performance of these devices are limited. We tested a commercially available GPS logger (i-gotU GT-120) by placing loggers at ground control points with locations known to < 30 cm. In a preliminary investigation, we collected locations every 15 minutes for several days to estimate location error (LE) and circular error probable (CEP). Using similar methods, we then investigated the influence of cover on LE, CEP, and fix success rate (FSR) by constructing cover over ground control points. We found mean LE was < 10 m and mean 50% CEP was < 7 m. FSR was not significantly influenced by cover and in all treatments remained near 100%. Cover had a minor but significant effect on LE. Denser cover was associated with higher mean LE, but the difference in LE between the no cover and highest cover treatments was only 2.2 m. Finally, the most commonly used commercially available devices provide a measure of estimated horizontal position error (EHPE) which potentially may be used to filter inaccurate locations. Using data combined from the preliminary and cover investigations, we modeled LE as a function of EHPE and number of satellites. We found support for use of both EHPE and number of satellites in predicting LE; however, use of EHPE to filter inaccurate locations resulted in the loss of many locations with low error in return for only modest improvements in LE. Even without filtering, the accuracy of the logger was likely sufficient for studies which can accept average location errors of approximately 10 m.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gail Morris
- Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Jones Center Dr., Newton, Georgia, United States of America
| | - L. Mike Conner
- Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Jones Center Dr., Newton, Georgia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Poupart TA, Waugh SM, Bost C, Bost CA, Dennis T, Lane R, Rogers K, Sugishita J, Taylor GA, Wilson KJ, Zhang J, Arnould JPY. Variability in the foraging range of Eudyptula minor across breeding sites in central New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2017.1302970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothée A. Poupart
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
| | - Susan M. Waugh
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Caroline Bost
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Charles-Andre Bost
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre d’Etudes Biologique de Chizé, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Todd Dennis
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Reuben Lane
- West Coast Penguin Trust, Hokitika, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | - Jingjing Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Thornett E, Ostendorf B, Taggart DA. Interspecies co-use of southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) burrows. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/am15052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Burrows can provide refuge for both burrowing and non-burrowing species within harsh environments through protection from climatic extremes, water loss and predation. In Australia, however, despite having a rich diversity of burrowing mammals, little is known about the use of burrows by non-burrowing species. This study aimed to identify the extent of co-use of southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) burrows on Wedge Island off the coast of South Australia. Burrow use was monitored using 34 motion-activated cameras placed outside wombat burrows between March and September 2015. Eleven species were found to use burrows, with six commensal species observed using burrows on numerous occasions. These included two mammal species (black-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis pearsoni; brush-tailed bettong, Bettongia penicillata), three reptile species (peninsula dragon, Ctenophorus fionni; southern sand-skink, Liopholis multiscutata; White’s skink, Liopholis whitii), and one avian species (little penguin, Eudyptula minor). The most common species observed using burrows was the black-footed rock-wallaby, which was recorded using burrows 1795 times. Observations of wombats using burrows were made 1674 times. The prevalent use of burrows on Wedge Island by species other than wombats is an observation with potentially important and broad ecological, conservation, and management implications across Australia’s arid and semiarid zones.
Collapse
|
18
|
Mott R, Herrod A, Clarke RH. Interpopulation resource partitioning of Lesser Frigatebirds and the influence of environmental context. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8583-8594. [PMID: 28031809 PMCID: PMC5167043 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Conspecific individuals inhabiting nearby breeding colonies are expected to compete strongly for food resources owing to the constraints imposed by shared morphology, physiology, and behavior on foraging strategy. Consequently, colony‐specific foraging patterns that effectively partition the available resources may be displayed. This study aimed to determine whether intraspecific resource partitioning occurs in two nearby colonies of Lesser Frigatebirds (Fregata ariel). A combination of stable isotope analysis and GPS tracking was used to assess dietary and spatial partitioning of foraging resources during the 2013 and 2014 breeding seasons. These results were compared to vessel‐derived estimates of prey availability, local primary productivity, and estimates of reproductive output to suggest potential drivers and implications of any observed partitioning. Isotopic data indicated a more neritic source of provisioned resources for near‐fledged chicks at an inshore colony, whereas their offshore counterparts were provisioned with resources with a more pelagic signal. Deep pelagic waters (>200 m) had higher availability of a preferred prey type despite a trend for lower primary productivity. Differences in foraging ecology between the two populations may have contributed to markedly different reproductive outputs. These findings suggest environmental context influences dietary and spatial aspects of foraging ecology. Furthermore, the effect of colony‐specific foraging patterns on population demography warrants further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rowan Mott
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - Ashley Herrod
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - Rohan H Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Finger A, Lavers JL, Orbell JD, Dann P, Nugegoda D, Scarpaci C. Seasonal variation and annual trends of metals and metalloids in the blood of the Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 110:261-273. [PMID: 27329818 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) are high-trophic coastal feeders and are effective indicators of bioavailable pollutants in their foraging zones. Here, we present concentrations of metals and metalloids in blood of 157 Little Penguins, collected over three years and during three distinct seasons (breeding, moulting and non-breeding) at two locations: the urban St Kilda colony and the semi-rural colony at Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. Penguin metal concentrations were foremostly influenced by location (St Kilda>Phillip Island for non-essential elements) and differed among years and seasons at both locations, reflecting differences in seasonal metal bioaccumulation or seasonal exposure through prey. Mean blood mercury concentrations showed an increasing annual trend and a negative correlation with flipper length at St Kilda. Notably, this study is the first to report on blood metal concentrations during the different stages of moult, showing the mechanism of non-essential metal mobilisation and detoxification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annett Finger
- Institute for Sustainability & Innovation, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
| | - Jennifer L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - John D Orbell
- Institute for Sustainability & Innovation, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia
| | - Peter Dann
- Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, PO Box 97, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia
| | - Dayanthi Nugegoda
- RMIT University, School of Applied Science, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carol Scarpaci
- Institute for Sustainability & Innovation, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Pistorius PA, Hindell MA, Tremblay Y, Rishworth GM. Weathering a Dynamic Seascape: Influences of Wind and Rain on a Seabird's Year-Round Activity Budgets. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142623. [PMID: 26581108 PMCID: PMC4651498 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
How animals respond to varying environmental conditions is fundamental to ecology and is a question that has gained impetus due to mounting evidence indicating negative effects of global change on biodiversity. Behavioural plasticity is one mechanism that enables individuals and species to deal with environmental changes, yet for many taxa information on behavioural parameters and their capacity to change are lacking or restricted to certain periods within the annual cycle. This is particularly true for seabirds where year-round behavioural information is intrinsically challenging to acquire due to their reliance on the marine environment where they are difficult to study. Using data from over 13,000 foraging trips throughout the annual cycle, acquired using new-generation automated VHF technology, we described sex-specific, year-round activity budgets in Cape gannets. Using these data we investigated the role of weather (wind and rain) on foraging activity and time allocated to nest attendance. Foraging activity was clearly influenced by wind speed, wind direction and rainfall during and outside the breeding season. Generally, strong wind conditions throughout the year resulted in relatively short foraging trips. Birds spent longer periods foraging when rainfall was moderate. Nest attendance, which was sex-specific outside of the breeding season, was also influenced by meteorological conditions. Large amounts of rainfall (> 2.5 mm per hour) and strong winds (> 13 m s-1) resulted in gannets spending shorter amounts of time at their nests. We discuss these findings in terms of life history strategies and implications for the use of seabirds as bio-indicators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre A. Pistorius
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand 6031, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Yann Tremblay
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR EME-212 Exploited Marine Ecosystems, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Avenue Jean Monnet BP 171, 34203 Sète cedex, France
| | - Gavin M. Rishworth
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand 6031, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|