Breeding and feeding habitat selection by an island endemic bird may increase its vulnerability to climate change [dataset]

Author(s)

Paul Radley, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Eddie van Etten, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
David Blake, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Robert Davis, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Author Identifiers

Eddie van Etten

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7311-1794

David Blake

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3747-2960

Robert Davis

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9062-5754

Publication Date

2021

Document Type

Dataset

Publisher

Dryad

School or Research Centre

School of Science

Description

Characterising patterns of habitat use is an important first step for effective conservation planning. Species restricted to low-lying islands are at greatest risk from climate change-related sea level rise, and requirements for breeding and foraging habitat may determine their risk from tidal inundation. The endangered Micronesian Scrubfowl (Megapodius laperouse senex) is a model species for understanding these impacts. This species faces the cumulative challenges of tourist visitation, invasive species, and rising sea levels, yet little is understood about its habitat use in the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon Conservation Area (RISL) of Palau. We studied the habitat requirements of this mound-nesting scrubfowl as a representative of a group of birds considered highly vulnerable to climate change. Analysis of 15 habitat variables at 24 incubation mounds and 26 randomly chosen sites indicated that scrubfowl selected incubation sites that were close to shore, contained large trees, and exhibited greater canopy heights than the surrounding forest. Birds preferentially built mounds at the base of large ironwood trees (Casuarina equisetifolia) but selected sites with significantly more breadfruit trees (Artocarpus mariannensis) than random. Scrubfowl foraged in a non-preferential manner, making use of all littoral strand forest habitat. Direct anthropogenic habitat loss is not a major threat to scrubfowl in the RISL but their breeding habitat is highly vulnerable to climate change-driven sea level rise.

DOI

10.5061/dryad.p8cz8w9np

Start of data collection time period

2017

End of data collection time period

2017

Related Publications

Radley, P. M., van Etten, E. J. B., Blake, D., & Davis, R. A. (2021). Breeding and feeding habitat selection by an island endemic bird may increase its vulnerability to climate change. Biotropica, 53(2), 422-432. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/9662/

Language

Eng

File Format(s)

.xlsx

File Size

38 kB, 37 kB

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 License.

Citation

Radley, P., van Etten, E., Blake, D., & Davis, R. (2021). Breeding and feeding habitat selection by an island endemic bird may increase its vulnerability to climate change [dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.p8cz8w9np