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Journal of BirdLife Australia
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Continental-scale decreases in shorebird populations in Australia

Robert S. Clemens A S , Danny I. Rogers B , Birgita D. Hansen C , Ken Gosbell D , Clive D. T. Minton D , Phil Straw E , Mike Bamford F , Eric J. Woehler G H , David A. Milton I J , Michael A. Weston K , Bill Venables A , Dan Weller L , Chris Hassell M , Bill Rutherford N , Kimberly Onton O P , Ashley Herrod Q , Colin E. Studds A , Chi-Yeung Choi A , Kiran L. Dhanjal-Adams A , Nicholas J. Murray R , Gregory A. Skilleter A and Richard A. Fuller A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Environmental Decisions Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

B Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, PO Box 137, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.

C Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation, Federation University Australia, PO Box 663, Ballarat, Vic. 3353, Australia.

D Victorian Wader Study Group, 165 Dalgetty Road, Beaumaris, Vic. 3193, Australia.

E Avifauna Research and Services Pty Ltd, PO Box 2006, Rockdale, NSW 2216, Australia.

F Bamford Consulting Ecologists, 23 Plover Way, Kingsley, WA 6026, Australia.

G BirdLife Tasmania, GPO Box 68, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

H Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

I Queensland Wader Study Group, 336 Prout Road, Burbank, Qld 4156, Australia.

J Present address: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, PO Box 2583, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.

K Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Vic. 3125, Australia.

L BirdLife Australia, Suite 2-05, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Vic. 3053, Australia.

M Global Flyway Network, PO Box 3089, WA 6725, Australia.

N Ornithological Technical Services, Unit 11, 15 Profit Pass, Wangara, WA 6065, Australia.

O BirdLife Western Australia, 167 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia.

P Department of Parks and Wildlife, PO Box 835, Karratha, WA 6714, Australia.

Q School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Vic. 3800, Australia.

R Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

S Corresponding author. Email: r.clemens@uq.edu.au

Emu 116(2) 119-135 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU15056
Submitted: 27 May 2015  Accepted: 18 November 2015   Published: 7 March 2016

Abstract

Decreases in shorebird populations are increasingly evident worldwide, especially in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF). To arrest these declines, it is important to understand the scale of both the problem and the solutions. We analysed an expansive Australian citizen-science dataset, spanning the period 1973 to 2014, to explore factors related to differences in trends among shorebird populations in wetlands throughout Australia. Of seven resident Australian shorebird species, the four inland species exhibited continental decreases, whereas the three coastal species did not. Decreases in inland resident shorebirds were related to changes in availability of water at non-tidal wetlands, suggesting that degradation of wetlands in Australia’s interior is playing a role in these declines. For migratory shorebirds, the analyses revealed continental decreases in abundance in 12 of 19 species, and decreases in 17 of 19 in the southern half of Australia over the past 15 years. Many trends were strongly associated with continental gradients in latitude or longitude, suggesting some large-scale patterns in the decreases, with steeper declines often evident in southern Australia. After accounting for this effect, local variables did not explain variation in migratory shorebird trends between sites. Our results are consistent with other studies indicating that decreases in migratory shorebird populations in the EAAF are most likely being driven primarily by factors outside Australia. This reinforces the need for urgent overseas conservation actions. However, substantially heterogeneous trends within Australia, combined with declines of inland resident shorebirds indicate effective management of Australian shorebird habitat remains important.


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