A5049904631- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Marine animal studies overview
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Plant and animal studies
- UAV Applications and Optimization
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Livestock and Poultry Management
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Catalysis and Oxidation Reactions
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies
University of Cape Town
2015-2025
Island Conservation Society
2024
Nelson Mandela University
2023
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
2019-2022
Abstract Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, highly threatened, cover vast distances during foraging migration. However, spatial overlap between petrels plastics poorly understood. Here we combine...
ABSTRACT Aim To identify the broad‐scale oceanic migration routes (‘marine flyways’) used by multiple pelagic, long‐distance migratory seabirds based on a global compilation of tracking data. Location Global. Time Period 1989–2023. Major Taxa Studied Seabirds (Families: Phaethontidae, Hydrobatidae, Diomedeidae, Procellariidae, Laridae and Stercorariidae). Methods We collated comprehensive dataset that included 48 pelagic migrating seabird species across Atlantic, Indian, Pacific Southern...
Abstract Invasive species are one of the greatest drivers biodiversity loss worldwide, and eradication invasive from islands is a highly efficient management strategy. Because operations require large financial investments, uncertainty over magnitude impacts both their removal can impede willingness decision makers to invest in eradication. Such prevalent for long‐lived that display an inherent lag between life stages affected by those used population status assessments. Albatrosses amongst...
AbstractThe Blue Petrel Halobaena caerulea breeds at five subantarctic island groups and islands off southern Chile in a narrow latitudinal band from 47° to 56° S on either side of the Antarctic Polar Front. We found colony Gough Island (40° S, 10° W), central South Atlantic Ocean, more than 700 km north its known breeding range. Breeding appears take place later colonies farther south. Although is fairly frequently visited part island, it might have been overlooked rather representing...
The use of miniaturized video cameras to study the at-sea behavior flying seabirds has increased in recent years. These allow researchers record several behaviors that were not previously possible observe. However, recorders produce large amounts data and videos can often be time-consuming analyze. We present a new technique using open-source software extract bank angles from bird-borne footage. Bank angle is key facet dynamic soaring, which allows albatrosses petrels efficiently search vast...
Abstract Petrels (Procellariidae) are a highly diverse family of seabirds, many which globally threatened due to the impact invasive species on breeding populations. While predation by cats and rats has led extinction petrel populations, house mice Mus musculus is slower less well documented. However, small burrow‐nesting such as MacGillivray’s prion Pachyptila macgillivrayi , classified endangered because it been extirpated islands in Indian Ocean introduced rodents. We use historic...
Abstract Invasive rodents threaten native species in numerous ecosystems, especially oceanic islands. The House Mouse Mus musculus is the only introduced mammal on sub-Antarctic Gough and Marion Islands. Ample evidence exists of mice preying upon seabird chicks these two islands, but there have been a few reports attacks adult seabirds, none which has fatal. We report first deaths great albatrosses due to mouse attacks. On Island, three Tristan Albatrosses Diomedea dabbenena (Critically...
Abstract A vagrant black-browed albatross Thalassarche melanophris bred with a grey-headed T. chrysostoma on Marion Island at least four times between 2000 and 2009 (and continued to return the colony until 2019). The eggs failed hatch in three breeding attempts, but pair fledged chick 2006/07 season. Genetic sexing identified as female she shared all eight sampled microsatellite alleles chick, whereas social parent did not match chick. fledgling was banded re-sighted its natal 2016 2018,...
Using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen turtle tissues putative prey items, we investigated the diet immature green turtles hawksbill foraging in lagoon Aldabra Atoll, a relatively undisturbed atoll southern Seychelles. offers unique environment for understanding sea ecology. Green mostly consumed seagrass brown algae while mainly mangroves invertebrates. showed dietary shift with size (a proxy age). There was minimal niche overlap between species evidence small-scale site...
Abstract Sea turtles spend the majority of their lives at foraging grounds. These areas are important for population persistence but generally occur in coastal habitats, which under increasing human pressure. Identifying key is therefore an step to understanding critical sea turtle and threats. Isotope ratios ( δ 15 N, 13 C) from skin tissues 90 green Chelonia mydas ) nesting regionally rookery Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, were analyzed with samples collected during two periods: 51 March...
Eradicating introduced rodents from islands restores these communities, but operations must mitigate bait uptake by non-target species to ensure adequate coverage, and minimize mortality of species. Ingestion toxic is a recognised risk for scavenging birds, also concern generalist feeders. Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha, in the South Atlantic Ocean, has house mice ( Mus musculus ) that negatively affect island ecosystem. It home endemic globally threatened bunting Rowettia goughensis ), may...
Eradicating introduced rodents from islands restores these communities, but operations must mitigate bait uptake by non-target species to ensure adequate coverage, and minimize mortality of species. Ingestion toxic is a recognised risk for scavenging birds, also concern generalist feeders. Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha, in the South Atlantic Ocean, has house mice ( Mus musculus ) that negatively affect island ecosystem. It home endemic globally threatened bunting Rowettia goughensis ), may...
Pelagic seabirds often nest on islands that are far from productive foraging areas. The Procellariiformes (petrels, shearwaters and albatrosses) among the longest-ranging seabirds; they have several adaptations permit them to efficiently utilize distant areas fast for long periods during incubation (Phillips & Hamer 1999). Giant petrels ( Macronectes spp.) large surface-nesting procellariiforms. They feed both by direct predation scavenging carrion, largest avian predator-scavengers in...
Most albatrosses have well defined breeding seasons (Tickell 2000). Fledging tends to be spread over a longer period than laying or hatching because the duration of chick-rearing stage is more variable that incubation (Warham 1990). However there are few records albatross chicks extending fledging periods by month two (but see Brown & Adams 1984). We were thus surprised juvenile Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca on nest near meteorological station Gough Island (40°20'S 9°55'W) during...
The impacts of invasive house mice Mus musculus have received increasing attention on islands where are the only rodent species. On Gough Island, impact seabirds has increased over past decade, but current population status Critically Endangered Finch Rowettia goughensis is uncertain. Based nest monitoring at high elevation sites in 2009 (n = 37) and 2018 45), we found mean survival 55% both years a fecundity 1.31 ± 0.69 fledglings per pair 2018. Density estimates from territory mapping were...