Register      Login
Pacific Conservation Biology Pacific Conservation Biology Society
A journal dedicated to conservation and wildlife management in the Pacific region.
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > Pacific Conservation Biology

Pacific Conservation Biology

Pacific Conservation Biology

Pacific Conservation Biology provides a forum for discussion about regional conservation problems; debate about priorities and mechanisms for conservation oriented biological research; and dissemination of the results of relevant research. Read more about the journalMore

Editor-in-Chief: Mike Calver

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

Are you eligible for APC-free Open Access?

Download our Journal Metrics (PDF, 727KB)

Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Pacific Conservation Biology is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 20 February 2025

PC24061Recovery of the Southern Greater Glider (Petauroides volans) following the extreme drought, heatwaves, and mega-fires of 2019–2020 in the southern Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia

Peter Smith 0000-0002-3421-1725 and Judy Smith 0000-0002-2785-7042
 

The iconic Southern Greater Glider (Petauroides volans) is threatened by increasing frequency and severity of wildfires under climate change. Since the Australian ‘Black Summer‘ fires of 2019–2020, it has recovered well under wet conditions in lightly burnt and moderately burnt sites but not in severely burnt sites. Reducing fire severity and protecting prime habitat are critical for its conservation.

PC24061 Abstract  | PDF (4.6 MB) - $35.00   | PC24061Supplementary Material (5.1 MB)
Published online 10 February 2025

PC24056Using the prey captured by breeding Crested Terns to assess the availability of forage fish for other coastal meso-predators

J. Nic Dunlop, Erin Clitheroe 0000-0001-6431-6977 and Donna Chapman
 

Prey species carried to Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) breeding colonies on Penguin Island, Western Australia were photographed using digital telephoto cameras to monitor tern diet and fish availability for a declining population of Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) sharing the same breeding island and foraging area.

PC24056 Abstract  |  PC24056 Full Text  | PC24056PDF (1.8 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 10 February 2025

PC24051Can epigeic invertebrates escape fire?

Christopher Swinstead, Paul Nevill and Philip W. Bateman 0000-0002-3036-5479
 

Fire escape and survival is a key component of a species’ fire response and future recovery. The immediate fire escape potential of ground dwelling invertebrates is, however, poorly known, despite their importance to ecosystem services. We investigated this, and found that there is limited escape potential among this group except for a handful of taxonomic groups.

PC24051 Abstract  |  PC24051 Full Text  | PC24051PDF (725 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 10 February 2025

PC24085Fungal consumption by marsupials in southern Tasmania

Kelsey Elliott, Michael M. Driessen, Karl Vernes and Todd F. Elliott 0000-0001-9304-7040
 

This study investigates fungal taxa consumed by five native marsupial species at two sites in southern Tasmania. Many of the fungi consumed and dispersed are mycorrhizal symbionts with the associated plant communities. This study highlights the conservation and ecological importance of these mammals in functional ecosystems in Tasmania and beyond.

PC24085 Abstract  |  PC24085 Full Text  | PC24085PDF (710 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 06 February 2025

PC24041Short-term sustainable collection of eggs and nestlings of the endangered Carnaby’s cockatoo (Zanda latirostris)

Karen Meagher, Roberta Bencini and Peter R. Mawson 0000-0001-6729-2966
 

Assigning a currency value to wildlife has been advocated as a conservation action for some threatened species and taxonomic groups for several decades. This paper describes the results of a 3-year program targeting eggs and nestlings of the endangered Carnaby’s cockatoo (Zanda latirostris). Although fledgling production was not adversely affected, commercial value was reduced by 38% after 3 years, and by 61% after 22 years. This program shows that an endangered cockatoo species can be successfully collected from the wild.

PC24041 Abstract  |  PC24041 Full Text  | PC24041PDF (321 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 06 February 2025

PC24103From rediscovery towards recovery: a recent history of Australia’s most critically endangered marsupial, Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii)

J. Anthony Friend, Elizabeth A. Sinclair 0000-0002-5789-8945 and Jacqueline M. Courtenay
 

Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) is the world’s rarest marsupial. It inhabits Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in Western Australia. Little was known about this species before it was presumed extinct at the beginning of the 20th century, so we share ecological and genetic knowledge learned over the past 30 years since its rediscovery.

This article belongs to the collection: The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia.

PC24103 Abstract  |  PC24103 Full Text  | PC24103PDF (8.9 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 30 January 2025

PC24067Traditional Ecological Knowledge and practices associated with the Vanate (Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea raggiana) along the Kokoda Track in Central Province, Papua New Guinea

Challis Pulotu 0000-0002-8129-4762, Eric Katovai 0000-0002-8389-2272 and Patrick Pikacha
 

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is lost rapidly on a global scale. We investigated the Koiari Indigenous People’s TEK of the Vanate (Paradisaea raggiana), which is the national bird of Papua New Guinea (PNG), along the Kokoda Track in PNG. High linguistic variation in bird names was found with Koiari Indigenous People needing to conserve this bird.

PC24067 Abstract  |  PC24067 Full Text  | PC24067PDF (1.6 MB)  | PC24067Supplementary Material (318 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 23 January 2025

PC24078The aquatic plant communities of the Pilbara region of Western Australia: a region of arid zone wetland diversity

Michael N. Lyons 0009-0007-0898-1156, David A. Mickle and Michelle T. Casanova
 

The Pilbara region of Western Australia has a diverse array of wetlands. Wetlands and rivers in the region were surveyed for vascular and non-vascular aquatic plants. The region has a rich aquatic flora particularly for charophytes. Floristic composition was strongly related to wetland type and water permanence with permanent sites showing higher richness. Wetland plant communities are a significant element of the region’s biodiversity and need careful management in the context of extensive mining and pastoral land uses.

PC24078 Abstract  |  PC24078 Full Text  | PC24078PDF (1.4 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 16 January 2025

PC24072Evaluating the utility of environmental DNA for detecting a large Critically Endangered lizard in tropical northern Australia

Emily P. Hoffmann 0000-0002-8195-6519, Chris J. Jolly, Kathryn L. Dawkins, Kelly M. Dixon, Luke D. Einoder, Graeme R. Gillespie, Brett P. Murphy and Brenton von Takach
 

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging tool for detecting species. Here, we trialled eDNA metabarcoding to detect the Critically Endangered and little-known Arnhem rock skink (Bellatorias obiri), but were unsuccessful. Whilst eDNA metabarcoding is an emerging and powerful tool in ecology and conservation, our pilot study highlights that challenges remain in its application to for detecting rare or cryptic terrestrial reptiles.

PC24072 Abstract  |  PC24072 Full Text  | PC24072PDF (510 KB)  | PC24072Supplementary Material (578 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 13 January 2025

PC24057Decision-science navigates trade-offs between environmental and socio-economic objectives for marine debris mitigation

Jutta Beher 0000-0003-2119-0440, Brendan Wintle and Eric Treml
 

Plastic debris in the ocean adversely impacts human societies as well as many species and habitats, with an estimated value of USD500–2500 billion in lost ecosystem services per year. Current clean-ups often focus on volume of pollution removed, without considering the big differences in specific benefits linked to different possible sites of action. Our novel framework calculates different metrics for ‘turning off the tap’ at different river mouths by following trajectories of drifting debris through the ocean currents.

PC24057 Abstract  |  PC24057 Full Text  | PC24057PDF (2.2 MB)  | PC24057Supplementary Material (923 KB)   Open Access Article

Published online 13 January 2025

PC24009The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a potential invasive predator in a Critically Endangered sawfish nursery

David L. Morgan 0000-0003-1948-1484, Karissa O. Lear, Jack Ingelbrecht, Travis Fazeldean and Patricia A. Fleming 0000-0002-0626-3851
 

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is one of the most adaptive invasive carnivorous mammals that consumes a wide variety of taxa, yet there are surprisingly few reports of red foxes hunting fish. We report an attempted predation event by an introduced red fox on a neonate green sawfish (Pristis zijsron) within a remote desert river estuarine system of Western Australia, the first known attempt by this mesocarnivore on an elasmobranch.

PC24009 Abstract  |  PC24009 Full Text  | PC24009PDF (1.4 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 09 January 2025

PC24014Hostile environments, terminal habitat, and tomb trees: the impact of systemic failures to survey for mature-forest dependent species in the State forests of New South Wales

Grant W. Wardell-Johnson 0000-0002-6751-9224 and Todd P. Robinson 0000-0003-3314-3748
 

Systemic failures to survey for mature-forest dependent species in the State forests of New South Wales, Australia has irreversible consequences for biodiversity and places forest communities at risk.

PC24014 Abstract  |  PC24014 Full Text  | PC24014PDF (2.7 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 06 January 2025

PC24094Inland aquatic systems and their fauna at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia, with emphasis on microinvertebrates

Stuart A. Halse and Andrew W. Storey 0009-0009-5804-7091
 

The fauna in wetlands of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, especially the aquatic invertebrates, have conservation value equivalent to the better-known terrestrial fauna of the Reserve. Microinvertebrate diversity and endemism are high and further studies have shown this to be typical of many crustacean groups in Western Australia. Rotifers and cladocerans are especially rich in the Reserve’s lakes.

This article belongs to the collection: The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia.

PC24094 Abstract  |  PC24094 Full Text  | PC24094PDF (9.9 MB)   Open Access Article

Published online 06 January 2025

PC24091Macrofungi of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia

K. Syme, T. Lebel 0000-0002-8592-1102 and R. N. Hilton
 

Rotters, helpers, symbiotes and pathogens, macrofungi are an integral part of the Australian environment. Yet, in compiling a list of 196 formally named species, representing 144 genera from 58 families from the Two Peoples Bay Reserve, we barely scratch the surface of the diversity and habitat associations in the region.

This article belongs to the collection: The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia.

PC24091 Abstract  |  PC24091 Full Text  | PC24091PDF (15.7 MB)

Just Accepted

These articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. They are still in production and have not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Most Read

The Most Read ranking is based on the number of downloads in the last 60 days from papers published on the CSIRO PUBLISHING website within the last 12 months. Usage statistics are updated daily.

Collections

Collections are a curation of articles relevant to a topical research area

The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia

Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve is one of the most important nature conservation areas along the south coast of Western Australia. This Collection of Pacific Conservation Biology papers about the natural history of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, provides past and current knowledge of this significant nature reserve.

Collection Editors
A. J. M. Hopkins, G. T. Smith and D. A. Saunders

Last Updated: 06 Jan 2025

Publishing Science 101: advice on submitting and promoting your research paper

This Collection offers an overview of the publishing process from start to finish, and is designed to provide information and support to researchers looking to publish academic articles. Topics include common mistakes authors make in presentation or in misunderstanding what happens in production, the importance of accurate referencing and proofing, navigating problems with authorship, making decisions about Open Access, and promoting work once it is accepted.

Collection Editor
Mike Calver (Editor-in-Chief, Pacific Conservation Biology)

Last Updated: 12 Dec 2024

Marine Mammals in the Pacific

This collection of Pacific Conservation Biology papers will enable a synthesis of the challenges which face marine mammal populations and research in the Pacific and the actions and agreements to address some of the challenges, facilitate the publication of important knowledge from research poor areas, and highlight the importance of crowd-sourced data across geographically complex regions.

Collection Editors
Rochelle Constantine (University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau)
Claire Garrigue (Institute for Research and Development)

Last Updated: 07 Oct 2024

Conservation Highlights in the Americas

This Collection focuses on contributions from researchers studying conservation problems and solutions along the eastern Pacific coast and Hawaii. The papers from the eastern Pacific coast include island and mainland examples, confirming that both are considered within the journal’s scope. They illustrate the range and quality of the work published by Pacific Conservation Biology, as well as the journal’s service to the scientific communities of the eastern Pacific coast.

Last Updated: 22 Mar 2024

Coral Reefs in the Pacific: Values, Threats and Solutions

The challenges for conservation in the Pacific are sharpest in managing coral reefs. The effects of anthropogenic climate change are already evident, as well as unregulated exploitation, land clearing or agricultural production on adjoining lands. In 2018, Pacific Conservation Biology celebrated 25 years of publication. It was also International Year of the Reef. In this Collection, we have collated key papers to aid the understanding of the value of, and threats to, coral reefs and their ecosystems, with hope that this research will contribute to a brighter future for our reefs.

Collection Editors
Mike Van Keulen and Mike Calver

Last Updated: 18 May 2018

Pacific Biodiversity: Values, Threats and Solutions

Pacific Conservation Biology is dedicated to conservation in the Pacific region, which is defined broadly as the western Pacific (East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania), the north Pacific (including Russia), and the islands of the central Pacific across to countries on the North American and South American continents bordering on the eastern Pacific. In this Collection, Pacific Conservation Biology addresses the ‘big questions’ in conservation, providing a forum for conservation scientists, natural resource managers and science communicators to explore the answers in a Pacific context.

Last Updated: 27 Jun 2017

Committee on Publication Ethics

Submit Article

Visit the journal’s submission site

Ivor Beatty Award

Kit Prendergast has been awarded the Ivor Beatty Award for 2023.

Advertisement