Tests of predictions associated with temporal changes in Australian bird populations
- Authors: Lindenmayer, David , Lane, Peter , Westgate, Martin , Scheele, Ben , Barton, Philip
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Biological Conservation Vol. 222, no. (2018), p. 212-221
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- Description: Global biodiversity loss is the cumulative result of local species declines. To combat biodiversity loss, detailed information on the temporal trends of at-risk species at local scales is needed. Here we report the results of a 13-year study of temporal change in bird occupancy in one of the most heavily modified biomes worldwide; the temperate woodlands of south-eastern Australia. We sought to determine if temporal changes in bird species were different between three broad native vegetation types (old-growth woodland, regrowth woodland and restoration plantings) and between species traits (body size, migratory status, rarity, woodland dependency, or diet). We found evidence of decline for over a quarter of all bird species for which we had sufficient data for detailed analysis (30 out of 108 species). In contrast, only 14 species increased significantly. Temporal change of birds was linked to life-history attributes, with patterns often being habitat-dependent. Nectarivores and large-bodied birds declined across all vegetation types, whereas small-bodied species increased, particularly in restoration plantings. Contrasting with patterns documented elsewhere, resident but not migratory species declined, with this trend strongest in restoration plantings. Finally, our analyses showed that, as a group, common birds tended to decline whereas rare birds tended to increase, with effects for both most pronounced in restoration plantings. Our results highlight the benefit of targeted restoration planting for some species, but also demonstrate that many common species that have long-persisted in human-dominated landscapes are experiencing severe declines. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Philip Barton” is provided in this record**
Animal population decline and recovery after severe fire: Relating ecological and life history traits with expert estimates of population impacts from the Australian 2019-20 megafires
- Authors: Ensbey, Michelle , Legge, Sarah , Jolly, Chris , Garnett, Stephen , Gallagher, Rachael , Lintermans, Mark , Nimmo, Dale , Rumpff, Libby , Scheele, Ben , Whiterod, Nick , Woinarski, John , Ahyong, Shane , Blackmore, Caroline , Bower, Deborah , Burbidge, Allan , Burns, Phoebe , Butler, Gavin , Catullo, Renee , Chapple, David , Dickman, Christopher , Doyle, Katie , Ferris, Jason , Fisher, Diana , Geyle, Hayley , Gillespie, Graeme , Greenlees, Matt , Hohnen, Rosemary , Hoskin, Conrad , Kennard, Mark , King, Alison , Kuchinke, Diana , Law, Brad , Lawler, Ivan , Lawler, Susan , Loyn, Richard , Lunney, Daniel , Lyon, Jarod , MacHunter, Josephine , Mahony, Michael , Mahony, Stephen , McCormack, Rob , Melville, Jane , Menkhorst, Peter , Michael, Damian , Mitchell, Nicola , Mulder, Eridani , Newell, David , Pearce, Luke , Raadik, Tarmo , Rowley, Jodi , Sitters, Holly , Southwell, Darren , Spencer, Ricky , West, Matt , Zukowski, Sylvia
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Biological conservation Vol. 283, no. (2023), p. 110021
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- Description: Catastrophic megafires can increase extinction risks identifying species priorities for management and policy support is critical for preparing and responding to future fires. However, empirical data on population loss and recovery post-fire, especially megafire, are limited and taxonomically biased. These gaps could be bridged if species' morphological, behavioural, ecological and life history traits indicated their fire responses. Using expert elicitation that estimated population changes following the 2019–20 Australian megafires for 142 terrestrial and aquatic animal species (from every vertebrate class, one invertebrate group), we examined whether expert estimates of fire-related mortality, mortality in the year post-fire, and recovery trajectories over 10 years/three generations post-fire, were related to species traits. Expert estimates for fire-related mortality were lower for species that could potentially flee or shelter from fire, and that associated with fire-prone habitats. Post-fire mortality estimates were linked to diet, diet specialisation, home range size, and susceptibility to introduced herbivores that damage or compete for resources. Longer-term population recovery estimates were linked to diet/habitat specialisation, susceptibility to introduced species species with slower life histories and shorter subadult dispersal distances also had lower recovery estimates. Across animal groups, experts estimated that recovery was poorest for species with pre-fire population decline and more threatened conservation status. Sustained management is likely needed to recover species with habitat and diet specialisations, slower life histories, pre-existing declines and threatened conservation statuses. This study shows that traits could help inform management priorities before and after future megafires, but further empirical data on animal fire response is essential.