Nest-site selection and its influence on breeding success in a poorly-known and declining seabird: The Tahiti petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata

Pagenaud, Angélique; Ravache, Andréas; Bourgeois, Karen; Mathivet, Mathieu; Bourguet, Édouard; Vidal, Éric; Thibault, Martin

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0267408

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…However, it is more likely that a combination of moisture, compaction, soil type, and density of roots or rocks contribute to ease of excavation (McLaren et al 2014, Fricke et al 2015, Charre et al 2017). Soil moisture is only one microclimate characteristic that may influence reproductive success; other factors, such as intraspecific competition and parental quality may complicate these relationships (Michielsen et al 2019, Pagenaud et al 2022). D'Entremont et al ( 2020) determined that occupied burrow density was higher in areas where fern or shrub/bramble were the dominant understory on Kent Island.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil moisture associations with burrow occupancy and reproductive success of Leach’s Storm-Petrels

Hoeg,

Shutler

2023

JFO

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Parent birds are under selection to choose nest sites that protect themselves and their nestlings from threats. Burrownesting can provide protection from predators and buffer against inclement weather. Soil characteristics within and around burrows may determine suitability of sites for burrow-nesting, and parents may choose sites based on factors such as soil compaction, composition, and moisture. Leach's Storm-Petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous) nest in burrows on islands that likely reduce predation and provide thermoregulatory and humidity benefits. We tested for associations between volumetric water content (hereafter, soil moisture) and nest site selection, burrow occupancy, and nest success. Soil moisture readings were taken from inactive and active burrow entrances and comparison points on Bon Portage Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Soil moisture was significantly higher at comparison points than at burrows in each year; however, there was no difference in soil moisture at inactive versus active burrows or between burrows that were deemed to have or not to have produced a fledgling. Lower moisture content may allow for easier excavation; however, Leach's Storm-Petrels often use the same burrow for many years, and soil moisture almost certainly changes over time, so measurements taken during our study may not be representative of conditions when sites were initially chosen. Nonetheless, burrowing will allow freer exchange of water vapor than burrow-free soil so that burrows are expected to have lower moisture than soil within the same microclimate. With climate change increasing the frequency of inclement weather, soil moisture data and use of weather stations may be useful for predicting which petrel burrows will be more susceptible to loss by flooding, thereby informing threat assessments during conservation planning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil moisture associations with burrow occupancy and reproductive success of Leach’s Storm-Petrels

Hoeg,

Shutler

2023

JFO

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“…Breeding habitat, nest type, and nest-entrance orientation are among the factors that may affect nesting in terms of heat retention, humidity insulation, and light penetration, as well as access for predators and exposure to atmospheric forces, such as strong winds and rains, and as a result, may have an impact on the breeding output of burrow-nesting seabirds [52,63,64]. It is also evident that the cavity selection of good-quality nest sites is a significant predictor of breeding success in Procellariiformes [65,66]. Our results show that shearwaters prefer to use cliff-cover nests, stone-cover nests, and burrow nests, equally classified as medium-quality (38%) and high-quality (37%) nest sites (Figure 3).…”

Section: Factors Influencing Breeding Successmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspects of Breeding Performance of Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea): The Case of the Largest Colony in Greece

Karris,

Xirouchakis,

Poirazidis

et al. 2024

Diversity

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Here we report, for the first time, aspects of the breeding performance of Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) in one of its largest colonies in Europe, i.e., in the Strofades island group. We describe the chronology of the main events in the breeding cycle of this species on Stamfani Island, the largest island of this island group, including the evaluation of breeding performance and the influence of ecological factors (nesting habitat, nest type, nest-entrance orientation, and occupation rate per nest) on breeding success. The Scopoli’s Shearwater colony of Stamfani Island exhibited a high degree of breeding synchrony and nest site tenacity. The data obtained by monitoring 472 nests during five consecutive years (2008–2012), showed a breeding success (fledging per occupied nest per year) of up to 66.6%. In addition, hatching success (chick hatched successfully per egg laid) was 76.9%, and fledging success (fledging young per chick hatched successfully) was 86.8%. We also observed annual variations in breeding performance during that period. These results seemed to be influenced positively by the breeding experience of the pair. Furthermore, the type of nest site and the nest-entrance orientation were found to have an effect on breeding success rates, whereas the nesting habitat did not, indicating low predation risk by rats.

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“…However, our findings revealed that neither burrow's orientation nor position had a significant effect on occupancy, suggesting there may be other factors playing a more important role in burrow selection by this species. For instance, vegetation type, or substrate type and quality (Stenhouse and Montevecchi 2000, Underwood and Bunce 2004, Pagenaud et al 2022. Burrows are densely packed together, which may be a defence mechanism against predation (Olivier and Wotherspoon 2006) and given the size of the available suitable nesting area on the islet is limited, it is likely that habitat space constraints are a contributing factor to the lack of choice for nesting birds.…”

Section: Breeding Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding biology and nesting ecology of the white-faced storm petrel (Pelagodroma marina eadesorum) colony in Laje Branca, Maio Island, Cabo Verde: Insights from experimental studies and medium-term field observations

Ratão,

Cardoso,

Fernandes

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Seabirds are considered key indicator species for the global health of the marine environment. However, some populations are still poorly known. Here we combine experimental studies with field observation over three years (2019-2021) to determine the breeding biology and nesting orientation preference of the white-faced storm petrel (Pelagodroma marina eadesorum) colony in Laje Branca, Maio Island, Cabo Verde. We estimated the size of this colony at 2,440 breeding individuals. White-faced storm petrels showed an even distribution throughout the sandy plateau on Laje Branca, with similar occupied burrow densities in habitats close to the sea compared to the interior of the islet. Experimental results indicate that there is no influence of burrow orientation on burrow’s selection. The breeding season started in mid-November and ended in mid-June, with most burrow occupancy occurring between early February and April. There was an average occupancy rate of 59% in artificial burrows. The mean incubation period was 47 days (±7.08 SD) and breeding success was 64%, being respectively the lower and upper limits recorded for P. marina. We estimate a total of 1,220 occupied burrows (0.36 occupied burrows/m2) out of 3,162 burrows for the islet (0.93 burrows/m2). Considering the general decline of seabird populations worldwide and in Cabo Verde in recent centuries, the fact that Laje Branca has no permanent human presence and has a relatively high breeding success means that it is considered a site of national importance for the reproduction of this species and for the global conservation of the species.

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Nest-site selection and its influence on breeding success in a poorly-known and declining seabird: The Tahiti petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata

Cited by 4 publications

References 73 publications

Soil moisture associations with burrow occupancy and reproductive success of Leach’s Storm-Petrels

Soil moisture associations with burrow occupancy and reproductive success of Leach’s Storm-Petrels

Aspects of Breeding Performance of Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea): The Case of the Largest Colony in Greece

Breeding biology and nesting ecology of the white-faced storm petrel (Pelagodroma marina eadesorum) colony in Laje Branca, Maio Island, Cabo Verde: Insights from experimental studies and medium-term field observations

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