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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.
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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
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2
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Saraux C, Chiaradia A. Age‐related breeding success in little penguins: a result of selection and ontogenetic changes in foraging and phenology. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Saraux
- DEPE UMR7178 IPHC CNRS‐Université de Strasbourg 23 rue du Loess 67037 Strasbourg France
| | - Andre Chiaradia
- Conservation Department Phillip Island Nature Parks PO Box 97 Cowes Victoria 3922 Australia
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3
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Lundbäck IC, McDougall FK, Dann P, Slip DJ, Gray R, Power ML. Into the sea: Antimicrobial resistance determinants in the microbiota of little penguins (Eudyptula minor). INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 88:104697. [PMID: 33370595 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Terrestrial and aquatic birds have been proposed as sentinels for the spread of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, but few species have been investigated specifically in the context of AMR in the marine ecosystem. This study contrasts the occurrence of class 1 integrons and associated antimicrobial resistance genes in wild and captive little penguins (Eudyptula minor), an Australian seabird with local population declines. PCR screening of faecal samples (n = 448) revealed a significant difference in the prevalence of class 1 integrons in wild and captive groups, 3.2% and 44.7% respectively, with genes that confer resistance to streptomycin, spectinomycin, trimethoprim and multidrug efflux pumps detected. Class 1 integrons were not detected in two clinically relevant bacterial species, Klebsiella pneumoniae or Escherichia coli, isolated from penguin faeces. The presence of class 1 integrons in the little penguin supports the use of marine birds as sentinels of AMR in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida C Lundbäck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fiona K McDougall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Peter Dann
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Victoria, Australia
| | - David J Slip
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Taronga Conservation Society, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rachael Gray
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Michelle L Power
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
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4
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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.
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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
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5
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Meyer X, MacIntosh AJJ, Chiaradia A, Kato A, Ramírez F, Sueur C, Ropert‐Coudert Y. Oceanic thermal structure mediates dive sequences in a foraging seabird. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6610-6622. [PMID: 32724536 PMCID: PMC7381582 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in marine ecosystems are easier to detect in upper-level predators, like seabirds, which integrate trophic interactions throughout the food web.Here, we examined whether diving parameters and complexity in the temporal organization of diving behavior of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) are influenced by sea surface temperature (SST), water stratification, and wind speed-three oceanographic features influencing prey abundance and distribution in the water column.Using fractal time series analysis, we found that foraging complexity, expressed as the degree of long-range correlations or memory in the dive series, was associated with SST and water stratification throughout the breeding season, but not with wind speed. Little penguins foraging in warmer/more-stratified waters exhibited greater determinism (memory) in foraging sequences, likely as a response to prey aggregations near the thermocline. They also showed higher foraging efficiency, performed more dives and dove to shallower depths than those foraging in colder/less-stratified waters.Reductions in the long-term memory of dive sequences, or in other words increases in behavioral stochasticity, may suggest different strategies concerning the exploration-exploitation trade-off under contrasting environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Meyer
- CNRSIPHC UMR7178Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance
- Kyoto University Primate Research InstituteInuyamaJapan
| | | | - Andre Chiaradia
- Conservation DepartmentPhillip Island Nature ParksCowesVicAustralia
| | - Akiko Kato
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéCNRS UMR 7372Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
| | - Francisco Ramírez
- Departament de Biologia EvolutivaEcologia i Ciènces AmbientalsUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Cédric Sueur
- CNRSIPHC UMR7178Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance
| | - Yan Ropert‐Coudert
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéCNRS UMR 7372Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
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6
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Fromant A, Schumann N, Dann P, Cherel Y, Arnould JP. Trophic niches of a seabird assemblage in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8700. [PMID: 32201643 PMCID: PMC7071825 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aymeric Fromant
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
- Centre d’Edutes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS—La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-bois, France
| | - Nicole Schumann
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter Dann
- Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, VIC, Australia
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d’Edutes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS—La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-bois, France
| | - John P.Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
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7
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Using a recreational grade echosounder to quantify the potential prey field of coastal predators. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217013. [PMID: 31116761 PMCID: PMC6530895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the distribution of prey greatly improves models of habitat use by marine predators and can assist in determining threats to both predators and prey. Small epipelagic fishes are important prey for many predators yet their distribution is difficult to quantify due to extreme patchiness. This study explores the use of recreational grade echosounders (RGE) to quantify school characteristics of epipelagic fish and link their distribution to that of their predators at Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. The hydro-acoustic system was ground-truthed with 259 schools of epipelagic fish. During 2015 and 2016, 136 hydro-acoustic surveys were conducted with concurrent observations of Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) and little penguins (Eudyptula minor). The relative abundance of the two predator species during surveys was modelled according to the relative abundance of potential prey using generalised additive mixed models. Schools of epipelagic fish were readily detected by the RGE system and were more abundant in summer compared to winter. The models performed well, explaining 43% and 37% of the deviance in relative abundances of dolphins and penguins respectively. This is the first study to link the distribution of Hector's dolphin to that of their epipelagic prey and confirms the utility of RGE in studies of habitat use in marine predators. Limitations associated with a lack of formal acoustic calibration and data formatting can be overcome and would make RGE valuable, inexpensive tools for investigating variability in populations of small pelagic fishes.
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8
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L Kalafut K, Kinley R. Using radio frequency identification for behavioral monitoring in little blue penguins. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2019; 23:62-73. [PMID: 30724589 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2019.1571922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
A common goal of captive animal institutions is to create environments that allow for the most naturalistic behavior from their animals. Behavioral data is often used as a measure of how an animal is thriving in its current environment. Obtaining this data can be very difficult and time-consuming. New technological advances, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, may allow for data collection to be automated. RFID tags placed on the wingband of 16 little blue penguins housed at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, as well as 8 antennae placed in their habitat, continuously recorded individual penguin swimming behavior. The continuous data collected via the RFID system reveals individual patterns of swimming behavior among indoor and outdoor pool areas, as well as relationships between swimming and water temperature, and temporal factors. Additionally, the effectiveness of an enrichment item meant to increase swimming time is evaluated using the RFID system. The presence of the RFID system allows for continuous, reliable data collection that can provide valuable insight regarding the quantifiable relationship between little blue behavior, environment, and overall health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rickey Kinley
- Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati OH, USA
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9
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Rastandeh A, Pedersen Zari M, Brown DK. Land cover change and management implications for the conservation of a seabird in an urban coastal zone under climate change. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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10
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Crawford R, Ellenberg U, Frere E, Hagen C, Baird K, Brewin P, Crofts S, Glass J, Mattern T, Pompert J, Ross K, Kemper J, Ludynia K, Sherley RB, Steinfurth A, Suazo CG, Yorio P, Tamini L, Mangel JC, Bugoni L, Jiménez Uzcátegui G, Simeone A, Luna-Jorquera G, Gandini P, Woehler EJ, Pütz K, Dann P, Chiaradia A, Small C. Tangled and drowned: a global review of penguin bycatch in fisheries. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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11
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Chilvers BL. Comparison of New Zealand’s little blue penguins, Eudyptula minor, diving behaviour. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2112-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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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
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13
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Colombelli‐Négrel D. Both natural selection and isolation by distance explain phenotypic divergence in bill size and body mass between South Australian little penguin colonies. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7965-7975. [PMID: 27878069 PMCID: PMC5108249 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 08/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological variation between populations of the same species can arise as a response to genetic variation, local environmental conditions, or a combination of both. In this study, I examined small‐scale geographic variation in bill size and body mass in little penguins (Eudyptula minor) across five breeding colonies in South Australia separated by <150 km. To help understand patterns driving the differences, I investigated these variations in relation to environmental parameters (air temperature, sea surface temperature, and water depth) and geographic distances between the colonies. I found substantial morphological variation among the colonies for body mass and bill measurements (except bill length). Colonies further located from each other showed greater morphological divergence overall than adjacent colonies. In addition, phenotypic traits were somewhat correlated to environmental parameters. Birds at colonies surrounded by hotter sea surface temperatures were heavier with longer and larger bills. Birds with larger and longer bills were also found at colonies surrounded by shallower waters. Overall, the results suggest that both environmental factors (natural selection) and interpopulation distances (isolation by distance) are causes of phenotypic differentiation between South Australian little penguin colonies.
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14
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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.
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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
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15
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Chiaradia A, Ramírez F, Forero MG, Hobson KA. Stable Isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) Combined with Conventional Dietary Approaches Reveal Plasticity in Central-Place Foraging Behavior of Little Penguins Eudyptula minor. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Moon KL, Banks SC, Fraser CI. Phylogeographic Structure in Penguin Ticks across an Ocean Basin Indicates Allopatric Divergence and Rare Trans-Oceanic Dispersal. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128514. [PMID: 26083353 PMCID: PMC4471196 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The association of ticks (Acarina) and seabirds provides an intriguing system for assessing the influence of long-distance dispersal on the evolution of parasitic species. Recent research has focused on host-parasite evolutionary relationships and dispersal capacity of ticks parasitising flighted seabirds. Evolutionary research on the ticks of non-flighted seabirds is, in contrast, scarce. We conducted the first phylogeographic investigation of a hard tick species (Ixodes eudyptidis) that parasitises the Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor). Using one nuclear (28S) and two mitochondrial (COI and 16S) markers, we assessed genetic diversity among several populations in Australia and a single population on the South Island of New Zealand. Our results reveal two deeply divergent lineages, possibly representing different species: one comprising all New Zealand samples and some from Australia, and the other representing all other samples from Australian sites. No significant population differentiation was observed among any Australian sites from within each major clade, even those separated by hundreds of kilometres of coastline. In contrast, the New Zealand population was significantly different to all samples from Australia. Our phylogenetic results suggest that the New Zealand and Australian populations are effectively isolated from each other; although rare long-distance dispersal events must occur, these are insufficient to maintain trans-Tasman gene flow. Despite the evidence for limited dispersal of penguin ticks between Australia and New Zealand, we found no evidence to suggest that ticks are unable to disperse shorter distances at sea with their hosts, with no pattern of population differentiation found among Australian sites. Our results suggest that terrestrial seabird parasites may be quite capable of short-distance movements, but only sporadic longer-distance (trans-oceanic) dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Moon
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Sam C Banks
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ceridwen I Fraser
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
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17
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Environmental variability drives shifts in the foraging behaviour and reproductive success of an inshore seabird. Oecologia 2015; 178:967-79. [PMID: 25894092 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3294-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Marine animals forage in areas that aggregate prey to maximize their energy intake. However, these foraging 'hot spots' experience environmental variability, which can substantially alter prey availability. To survive and reproduce animals need to modify their foraging in response to these prey shifts. By monitoring their inter-annual foraging behaviours, we can understand which environmental variables affect their foraging efficiency, and can assess how they respond to environmental variability. Here, we monitored the foraging behaviour and isotopic niche of little penguins (Eudyptula minor), over 3 years (2008, 2011, and 2012) of climatic and prey variability within Port Phillip Bay, Australia. During drought (2008), penguins foraged in close proximity to the Yarra River outlet on a predominantly anchovy-based diet. In periods of heavy rainfall, when water depth in the largest tributary into the bay (Yarra River) was high, the total distance travelled, maximum distance travelled, distance to core-range, and size of core- and home-ranges of penguins increased significantly. This larger foraging range was associated with broad dietary diversity and high reproductive success. These results suggest the increased foraging range and dietary diversity of penguins were a means to maximize resource acquisition rather than a strategy to overcome local depletions in prey. Our results demonstrate the significance of the Yarra River in structuring predator-prey interactions in this enclosed bay, as well as the flexible foraging strategies of penguins in response to environmental variability. This plasticity is central to the survival of this small-ranging, resident seabird species.
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18
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Burridge CP, Peucker AJ, Valautham SK, Styan CA, Dann P. Nonequilibrium Conditions Explain Spatial Variability in Genetic Structuring of Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor). J Hered 2015; 106:228-37. [PMID: 25833231 PMCID: PMC4406270 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Factors responsible for spatial structuring of population genetic variation are varied, and in many instances there may be no obvious explanations for genetic structuring observed, or those invoked may reflect spurious correlations. A study of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) in southeast Australia documented low spatial structuring of genetic variation with the exception of colonies at the western limit of sampling, and this distinction was attributed to an intervening oceanographic feature (Bonney Upwelling), differences in breeding phenology, or sea level change. Here, we conducted sampling across the entire Australian range, employing additional markers (12 microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA, 697 individuals, 17 colonies). The zone of elevated genetic structuring previously observed actually represents the eastern half of a genetic cline, within which structuring exists over much shorter spatial scales than elsewhere. Colonies separated by as little as 27 km in the zone are genetically distinguishable, while outside the zone, homogeneity cannot be rejected at scales of up to 1400 km. Given a lack of additional physical or environmental barriers to gene flow, the zone of elevated genetic structuring may reflect secondary contact of lineages (with or without selection against interbreeding), or recent colonization and expansion from this region. This study highlights the importance of sampling scale to reveal the cause of genetic structuring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Burridge
- From the School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia (Burridge and Valautham); the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia (Peucker and Styan); the School of Energy and Resources, UCL Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia (Styan); and the Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia (Dann).
| | - Amanda J Peucker
- From the School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia (Burridge and Valautham); the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia (Peucker and Styan); the School of Energy and Resources, UCL Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia (Styan); and the Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia (Dann)
| | - Sureen K Valautham
- From the School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia (Burridge and Valautham); the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia (Peucker and Styan); the School of Energy and Resources, UCL Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia (Styan); and the Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia (Dann)
| | - Craig A Styan
- From the School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia (Burridge and Valautham); the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia (Peucker and Styan); the School of Energy and Resources, UCL Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia (Styan); and the Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia (Dann)
| | - Peter Dann
- From the School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia (Burridge and Valautham); the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia (Peucker and Styan); the School of Energy and Resources, UCL Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia (Styan); and the Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia (Dann)
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Berlincourt M, Arnould JPY. Breeding short-tailed shearwaters buffer local environmental variability in south-eastern Australia by foraging in Antarctic waters. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2015; 3:16. [PMID: 26236479 PMCID: PMC4522076 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0044-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Establishing patterns of movements of free-ranging animals in marine ecosystems is crucial for a better understanding of their feeding ecology, life history traits and conservation. As central place foragers, the habitat use of nesting seabirds is heavily influenced by the resources available within their foraging range. We tested the prediction that during years with lower resource availability, short-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) provisioning chicks should increase their foraging effort, by extending their foraging range and/or duration, both when foraging in neritic (short trips) and distant oceanic waters (long trips). Using both GPS and geolocation data-loggers, at-sea movements and habitat use were investigated over three breeding seasons (2012-14) at two colonies in southeastern Australia. RESULTS Most individuals performed daily short foraging trips over the study period and inter-annual variations observed in foraging parameters where mainly due to few individuals from Griffith Island, performing 2-day trips in 2014. When performing long foraging trips, this study showed that individuals from both colonies exploited similar zones in the Southern Ocean. The results of this study suggest that individuals could increase their foraging range while exploiting distant feeding zones, which could indicate that short-tailed shearwaters forage in Antarctic waters not only to maintain their body condition but may also do so to buffer against local environmental stochasticity. Lower breeding performances were associated with longer foraging trips to distant oceanic waters in 2013 and 2014 indicating they could mediate reductions in food availability around the breeding colonies by extending their foraging range in the Southern Ocean. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of foraging flexibility as a fundamental aspect of life history in coastal/pelagic marine central place foragers living in highly variable environments and how these foraging strategies are use to buffer this variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Berlincourt
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia
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Stoklosa J, Dann P, Huggins R. Semivarying coefficient models for capture–recapture data: Colony size estimation for the little penguin Eudyptula minor. Math Biosci 2014; 255:43-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2014.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Fine-scale spatial age segregation in the limited foraging area of an inshore seabird species, the little penguin. Oecologia 2014; 176:399-408. [PMID: 25038901 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3018-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Competition for food resources can result in spatial and dietary segregation among individuals from the same species. Few studies have looked at such segregations with the combined effect of sex and age in species with short foraging ranges. In this study we examined the 3D spatial use of the environment in a species with a limited foraging area. We equipped 26 little penguins (Eudyptula minor) of known age, sex, and breeding output with GPS (location) and accelerometer (body acceleration and dive depth) loggers. We obtained dietary niche information from the isotopic analysis of blood tissue. We controlled for confounding factors of foraging trip length and food availability by sampling adults at guard stage when parents usually make one-day trips. We observed a spatial segregation between old (>11 years old) and middle-aged penguins (between 5 and 11 years old) in the foraging area. Old penguins foraged closer to the shore, in shallower water. Despite observing age-specific spatial segregation, we found no differences in the diving effort and foraging efficiency between age classes and sexes. Birds appeared to target similar prey types, but showed age-specific variation in their isotopic niche width. We hypothesize that this age-specific segregation was primarily determined by a "cohort effect" that would lead individuals sharing a common life history (i.e. having fledged and dispersed around the same age) to forage preferentially together or to share similar foraging limitations.
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Flemming SA, van Heezik Y. Stable isotope analysis as a tool to monitor dietary trends in little penguinsEudyptula minor. AUSTRAL ECOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Kowalczyk ND, Chiaradia A, Preston TJ, Reina RD. Linking dietary shifts and reproductive failure in seabirds: a stable isotope approach. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole D. Kowalczyk
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria3800 Australia
| | - Andre Chiaradia
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria3800 Australia
- Research Department Phillip Island Nature Parks PO Box 97Cowes Victoria3922 Australia
| | - Tiana J. Preston
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria3800 Australia
| | - Richard D. Reina
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria3800 Australia
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Huggins R, Stoklosa J. Semiparametric inference for open populations using the Jolly–Seber model: a penalized spline approach. J STAT COMPUT SIM 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/00949655.2012.668908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Stoklosa J, Huggins RM. Cormack-Jolly-Seber model with environmental covariates: a P-spline approach. Biom J 2012; 54:861-74. [PMID: 23027314 DOI: 10.1002/bimj.201100215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2011] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In capture-recapture models, survival and capture probabilities can be modelled as functions of time-varying covariates, such as temperature or rainfall. The Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) model allows for flexible modelling of these covariates; however, the functional relationship may not be linear. We extend the CJS model by semi-parametrically modelling capture and survival probabilities using a frequentist approach via P-splines techniques. We investigate the performance of the estimators by conducting simulation studies. We also apply and compare these models with known semi-parametric Bayesian approaches on simulated and real data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Stoklosa
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.
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Pelletier L, Kato A, Chiaradia A, Ropert-Coudert Y. Can thermoclines be a cue to prey distribution for marine top predators? A case study with little penguins. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31768. [PMID: 22536314 PMCID: PMC3335045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2011] [Accepted: 01/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of top predators as bio-platforms is a modern approach to understanding how physical changes in the environment may influence their foraging success. This study examined if the presence of thermoclines could be a reliable signal of resource availability for a marine top predator, the little penguin (Eudyptula minor). We studied weekly foraging activity of 43 breeding individual penguins equipped with accelerometers. These loggers also recorded water temperature, which we used to detect changes in thermal characteristics of their foraging zone over 5 weeks during the penguin's guard phase. Data showed the thermocline was detected in the first 3 weeks of the study, which coincided with higher foraging efficiency. When a thermocline was not detected in the last two weeks, foraging efficiency decreased as well. We suggest that thermoclines can represent temporary markers of enhanced food availability for this top-predator to which they must optimally adjust their breeding cycle.
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Saraux C, Robinson-Laverick SM, Le Maho Y, Ropert-Coudert Y, Chiaradia A. Plasticity in foraging strategies of inshore birds: how Little Penguins maintain body reserves while feeding offspring. Ecology 2011; 92:1909-16. [PMID: 22073782 DOI: 10.1890/11-0407.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Breeding animals face important time and energy constraints when caring for themselves and their offspring. For long-lived species, life-history theory predicts that parents should favor survival over current reproductive attempts, thus investing more into their own maintenance than the provisioning of their young. In seabirds, provisioning strategies may additionally be influenced by the distance between breeding sites and foraging areas, and offshore and inshore species should thus exhibit different strategies. Here, we examine the provisioning strategies of an inshore seabird using a long-term data set on more than 200 Little Penguins, Eudyptula minor. They alternated between two consecutive long and several short foraging trips all along chick rearing, a strategy almost never observed for inshore animals. Short trips allowed for regular provisioning of the chicks (high feeding frequency and larger meals), whereas long trips were performed when parent body mass was low and enabled them to rebuild their reserves, suggesting that adult body condition may be a key factor in initiating long trips. Inshore seabirds do use dual strategies of alternating short and long trips, but from our data, on a simpler and less flexible way than for offshore birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Saraux
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 Rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France.
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CHIARADIA ANDRÉ, FORERO MANUELAG, HOBSON KEITHA, SWEARER STEPHENE, HUME FIONA, RENWICK LEANNE, DANN PETER. Diet segregation between two colonies of little penguins Eudyptula minor in southeast Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02323.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Saraux C, Chiaradia A, Le Maho Y, Ropert-Coudert Y. Everybody needs somebody: unequal parental effort in little penguins. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Ropert-Coudert Y, Kato A, Chiaradia A. Impact of small-scale environmental perturbations on local marine food resources: a case study of a predator, the little penguin. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 276:4105-9. [PMID: 19729454 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.1399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the impact of environmental changes on the demographic parameters of top predators is well established, the mechanisms by which populations are affected remain poorly understood. Here, we show that a reduction in the thermal stratification of coastal water masses between 2005 and 2006 was associated with reduced foraging and breeding success of little penguins Eudyptula minor, major bio-indicators of the Bass Strait ecosystem in southern Australia. The foraging patterns of the penguins suggest that their prey disperse widely in poorly stratified waters, leading to reduced foraging efficiency and poor breeding success. Mixed water regimes resulting from storms are currently unusual during the breeding period of these birds, but are expected to become more frequent due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ropert-Coudert
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien UMR7178 CNRS, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France.
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Green JA, Wilson RP, Boyd IL, Woakes AJ, Green CJ, Butler PJ. Tracking macaroni penguins during long foraging trips using ‘behavioural geolocation’. Polar Biol 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-008-0568-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Heber S, Wilson K, Molles L. Breeding biology and breeding success of the blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/03014220809510103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Overeem RL, Peucker (nee Mitchelson) AJ, Austin CM, Dann P, Burridge CP. Contrasting genetic structuring between colonies of the World’s smallest penguin, Eudyptula minor (Aves: Spheniscidae). CONSERV GENET 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-007-9414-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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35
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Numata M, Davis LS, Renner M. Prolonged foraging trips and egg desertion in little penguins (Eudyptula minor). NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2000. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2000.9518236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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