The impact of Tropical Cyclone Larry on bird communities in fragments of the endangered rainforest Type 5b

Abstract

Bird surveys were conducted to assess the impact of a severe cyclone on bird communities in three fragments of the endangered rainforest Type 5b on the Atherton Tablelands of far north Queensland. Bird communities were surveyed using timed area searches in three sites in each of the three fragments and were undertaken prior to and following Tropical Cyclone Larry. Cyclone Larry caused short-term changes in the abundance of some species of birds in Type 5b rainforest fragments. Two weeks after the storm, in two of three fragments surveyed, abundance of the frugivorous wompoo fruit-dove (Ptilinopus magnificus) and figbird (Sphecotheres viridis) had decreased while the omnivorous Macleay's honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayana) and Lewin's honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii) decreased in abundance in all three locations. Most insectivorous species increased in some sites and decreased in others following Cyclone Larry. Rapid recovery of bird communities to approximately their pre-cyclone state after only 7 months appeared to reflect the capacity of species to either modify their foraging behaviour, switch foods, or to move within or between fragments or to other food sources in the landscape.

Conservation implications of ecological responses to extreme weather and climate events

“…These responses serve as a reminder that natural disturbances from extreme events often play a critical role in maintaining the structure and function of many ecosystems and life history strategies (Attiwill, ; McMahon et al, ; Whittaker, Willis, & Field, ). Some positive responses that were common yet temporary included cyclone events leading to increased abundances of bird species that prefer regenerating habitat (e.g., Brown, Sherry, & Harris, ; Freeman et al, ), and cyclones and floods leading to increased richness of fish and invertebrate species (e.g., Gerisch, Dziock, Schanowski, Ilg, & Henle, ; Horrocks, Cunningham, O'Dowd, Thomson, & Mac Nally, ; Kano et al, ). Increases in fish and invertebrate richness were typically due to higher food availability in disturbed areas, or flooding events facilitating colonization by species downstream.…”

Reef‐to‐ridge ecological perspectives of high‐energy storm events in northeast Australia

“…Likewise, numbers of frugivorous birds were much reduced two weeks after TC Larry in severely affected forest fragments but were at pre‐cyclone levels by seven months after the TC (Freeman et al. ). Before TC Larry, the regional population of the Spectacled Flying Fox ( Pteropus conspicillatus ) roosted in large camps but afterward altered its roosting behavior so that there were many small camps, presumably in response to food limitation (Shilton et al.…”

Cascading effects of climate extremes on vertebrate fauna through changes to low‐latitude tree flowering and fruiting phenology

“…Nonclimatic pressures, such as habitat fragmentation or degradation, can also combine with extreme weather events and result in cascading impacts on food availability. Frugivorous birds such as the wompoo fruit‐dove Ptilinopus magnificu s and figbird Sphecotheres viridis decreased in abundance in rainforest fragments after Cyclone Larry (Freeman et al ., ).…”