Decadal abundance patterns in an isolated urban reptile assemblage: Monitoring under a changing climate.

Determine seasonal, annual, and decadal patterns of abundance in reptile species and assemblages occupying central Bold Park (~338 ha), an isolated urban bushland remnant in Perth, Southwestern Australia. Fenced pitfall trapping in four sampling sites, representing different habitats and fire history, over the primary reptile activity period for 35 consecutive years with over 17,000 individuals captured during 3300 days of sampling; the trapping regime was modified for the last 28 years. Sampling occurred in one of 35 global biodiversity hotspots that has a Mediterranean climate experiencing a 15% decline from the century average rainfall over the last 50 years. Twenty-nine species were recorded, with 16 captured in 32 or more years and accounting for nearly 97% of all captures; the six most common for 81%. Three taxa became locally extinct. Activity predominates in warmer and dryer months (October to April), peaking in November-December. Species richness remained relatively constant between years with around 73% of known taxa captured annually. Assemblages did not change when analyzing the presence/absence data but moved through five statistically significant assemblages analyzing relative abundance data. Over the last 28 years, relative abundance was significantly and positively correlated with annual rainfall residuals, uniquely for the 4 years preceding annual sampling, resulting in significant changes in total assemblages and significantly similar patterns in four sample sites; the presence/absence data indicated only minor assemblage changes across sites. The number of species recorded annually remained relatively constant, but relative abundance illustrated significant temporal changes in assemblages over decades. The modeled relationship between relative abundance and annual rainfall residuals for 4 years preceding annual sampling is supported by known ecological responses and reptile demographics within this Mediterranean climate. Maintenance of urban biodiversity should consider impacts of a significantly drying climate exacerbating the extinction debt already inherent in isolated bushland populations experiencing limited immigration.

SMART Drumlines Ineffective in Catching White Sharks in the High Energy Capes Region of Western Australia: Acoustic Detections Confirm That Sharks Are Not Always Amenable to Capture.

The management of human-shark interactions can benefit from the implementation of effective shark hazard mitigation measures. A Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time (SMART) drumline trial in the Capes region of Western Australia was instigated after several serious incidents involving surfers and white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). The project aimed to determine whether white sharks (target species), which were relocated after capture, remained offshore using satellite and acoustic tagging. Over a 27-month period, 352 fish were caught, 55% of which comprised tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier). Ninety-one percent of animals were released alive in good condition. Only two white sharks were caught; both were relocated ≥ 1 km offshore before release and moved immediately further offshore after capture, remaining predominately in offshore waters for the duration of their 54-day and 186-day tag deployments. Our results confirm that desirable animal welfare outcomes can be achieved using SMART drumlines when response times are minimised. The low target catches and the detection of 24 other tagged white sharks within the study area supported the decision to cease the trial. Our results reiterate there is no simple remedy for dealing with the complexities of shark hazards and reinforce the importance of trialing mitigation measures under local conditions.

New insights into prime Southern Ocean forage grounds for thriving Western Australian humpback whales.

Humpback whale populations migrate extensively between winter breeding grounds and summer feeding grounds, however known links to remote Antarctic feeding grounds remain limited in many cases. New satellite tracks detail humpback whale migration pathways from Western Australia into the Southern Ocean. These highlight a focal feeding area during austral spring and early summer at the southern Kerguelen plateau, in a western boundary current where a sharp northward turn and retroflection of ocean fronts occurs along the eastern plateau edge. The topographic steering of oceanographic features here likely supports a predictable, productive and persistent forage ground. The spatial distribution of whaling catches and Discovery era mark-recaptures confirms the importance of this region to Western Australian humpback whales since at least historical times. Movement modelling discriminates sex-related behaviours, with females moving faster during both transit and resident periods, which may be a consequence of size or indicate differential energetic requirements. Relatively short and directed migratory pathways overall, together with high-quality, reliable forage resources may provide a partial explanation for the ongoing strong recovery demonstrated by this population. The combination of new oceanographic information and movement data provides enhanced understanding of important biological processes, which are relevant within the context of the current spatial management and conservation efforts in the Southern Ocean.

High levels of polyandry, but limited evidence for multiple paternity, in wild populations of the western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus).

Polyandry, where multiple mating by females results in the temporal and spatial overlap of ejaculates from two or more males, is taxonomically widespread and occurs in varying frequencies within and among species. In decapods (crabs, lobsters, crayfish, and prawns), rates of polyandry are likely to be variable, but the extent to which patterns of multiple paternity reflect multiple mating, and thus are shaped by postmating processes that bias fertilization toward one or a subset of mated males, is unclear. Here, we use microsatellite markers to examine the frequency of multiple mating (the presence of spermatophores from two or more males) and patterns of paternity in wild populations of western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus). Our data confirm that >45% of females had attached spermatophores arising from at least two males (i.e., confirming polyandry), but we found very limited evidence for multiple paternity; among 24 clutches sampled in this study, only two arose from fertilizations by two or more males. Single inferred paternal genotypes accounted for all remaining progeny genotypes in each clutch, including several instances when the mother had been shown to mate with two or more males. These findings highlight the need for further work to understand whether polyandry is adaptive and to uncover the mechanisms underlying postmating paternity biases in this system.

Export of detached macroalgae from reefs to adjacent seagrass beds.

Trophic linkages across habitats are thought to be strong when areas of different productivity are juxtaposed. Reefs dominated by macroalgae are commonly juxtaposed to less productive seagrass beds. We tested if macroalgae detached from 12 rocky reefs in south-western Australia were exported to adjacent seagrass beds and consumed by seagrass-associated fauna. We also assessed the extent of linkages by testing for patterns in biomass and consumption of reef algae, and density of herbivorous fish with increasing distance away from reefs. Detached reef algae were found in seagrass beds adjacent to all reefs. The biomass varied among reefs and with distance from reef, but detached reef algae within the seagrass beds comprised up to 23% (mean 3.6% +/- 0.7 SE) of attached algae growing on an equivalent area of reef. Maximum accumulations were found immediately adjacent to reefs (0 m) and at the furthest distance away (>300 m). Kelp (Ecklonia radiata) dominated the attached and detached algae, and up to 77% of the biomass of E. radiata tethered in seagrass beds were consumed over 5 days (mean 11.7% +/- 0.5 SE). There were more herbivorous fish at 0 m than at >300 m away from reefs, and consumption of tethered kelp was typically highest at 0 m, but was in some cases highest at >300 m.Our study documents that, over hundreds of kilometres of coastline, macroalgae are exported from reefs to adjacent seagrass beds where they are consumed by seagrass-associated fauna. While reef algae in seagrass beds may be a patchy resource at a single time, at landscape scales and over longer time periods, the supply will be relatively predictable. We therefore suggest that detached reef algae form a significant trophic link between reefs and seagrass beds, and that this trophic link extends to distances of at least hundreds of metres away from individual reefs.