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142220 - Introduced species and extreme weather as key drivers of reproductive.pdf (1.69 MB)

Introduced species and extreme weather as key drivers of reproductive output in three sympatric albatrosses

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posted on 2023-05-20, 20:00 authored by Jaimie CleelandJaimie Cleeland, Pardo, D, Ben Raymond, Terauds, A, Alderman, R, Clive McMahonClive McMahon, Phillips, RA, Mary-Anne LeaMary-Anne Lea, Mark HindellMark Hindell

Invasive species present a major conservation threat globally and nowhere are their affects more pronounced than in island ecosystems. Determining how native island populations respond demographically to invasive species can provide information to mitigate the negative effects of invasive species. Using 20 years of mark-recapture data from three sympatric species of albatrosses (black-browed Thalassarche melanophris, grey-headed T. chrysostoma, and light-mantled albatrosses Phoebetria palpebrata), we quantified the influence of invasive European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus and extreme weather patterns on breeding probability and success. Temporal variability in rabbit density explained 33–76% of the variability in breeding probability for all three species, with severe decreases in breeding probability observed after a lag period following highest rabbit numbers. For black-browed albatrosses, the combination of extreme rainfall and high rabbit density explained 33% of total trait variability and dramatically reduced breeding success. We showed that invasive rabbits and extreme weather events reduce reproductive output in albatrosses and that eliminating rabbits had a positive effect on albatross reproduction. This illustrates how active animal management at a local breeding site can result in positive population outcomes even for wide ranging animals like albatrosses where influencing vital rates during their at-sea migrations is more challenging.

History

Publication title

Scientific Reports

Volume

10

Article number

8199

Number

8199

Pagination

1-11

ISSN

2045-2322

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2020 The Authors. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Assessment and management of coastal and estuarine ecosystems; Antarctic and Southern Ocean ice dynamics

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