Using traits of species to understand responses to land use change: Birds and livestock grazing in the Australian arid zone

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dc.contributor.authorDavies, Kendi F.
dc.contributor.authorMelbourne, Brett A.
dc.contributor.authorJames, Craig D.
dc.contributor.authorCunningham, Ross
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-10T22:55:24Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.date.updated2016-02-24T10:51:38Z
dc.description.abstractThe expansion of the artificial water-point network and livestock grazing in arid and semi-arid Australia has significantly increased access to water by water limited herbivores and thus has potential to seriously negatively affect the unique endemic flora and fauna. We examined the effects of the expansion of the water-point network on the arid and semi-arid zone bird community, using data from the Atlas of Australia bird surveys of 1977-1981 and 1996-2001. We examined whether traits of species could be used to uncover the critical ecological processes altered by this land use change. We detected large scale declines in individual species. Species reliant on water for nesting and feeding declined more than other groups in the presence of high water-point density, likely through direct effects of livestock degrading habitat of both natural and artificial water points. The arid zone has no natural hoofed animals and livestock have significant impacts. Species that forage and nest on the ground also showed large declines, likely because of trampling and removal of vegetation by livestock and potentially through the indirect effect of water limited predators, dingos and foxes, expanding their ranges in response to the expanding network of water points in the landscape. This result was also apparent at large spatial scales so that these local-scale responses to water points translate into continental-scale population declines. Using traits of species to understand declines of bird species helped us to uncover which critical changes associated with the expansion of the water-point network most affected the bird community and therefore which species are most at risk.
dc.identifier.issn0006-3207
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/60099
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.sourceBiological Conservation
dc.subjectKeywords: arid environment; bird; ecological impact; habitat fragmentation; herbivore; land use change; livestock farming; population decline; ranching; spatial analysis; water availability; Australasia; Australia; Animalia; Aves; Canidae Artificial water points; Birds; Grazing; Land use change; Ranching; Traits of species
dc.titleUsing traits of species to understand responses to land use change: Birds and livestock grazing in the Australian arid zone
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage85
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage78
local.contributor.affiliationDavies, Kendi F., University of Colorado
local.contributor.affiliationMelbourne, Brett A., University of Colorado
local.contributor.affiliationJames, Craig D., CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
local.contributor.affiliationCunningham, Ross, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.authoremailu8200457@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidCunningham, Ross, u8200457
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor050211 - Wildlife and Habitat Management
local.identifier.absseo960804 - Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity
local.identifier.ariespublicationU4279067xPUB522
local.identifier.citationvolume143
local.identifier.doi10.1016/j.biocon.2009.09.006
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-71649085957
local.identifier.thomsonID000274354200013
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByU4279067
local.type.statusPublished Version

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