Do bird species richness and community structure vary with mistletoe flowering and fruiting in Western Australia?
Kathryn R. Napier A D , Suzanne H. Mather B , Todd J. McWhorter C and Patricia A. Fleming A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
B 3 Hardy Road, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
C School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, SA 5371, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: k.napier@murdoch.edu.au
Emu 114(1) 13-22 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU12098
Submitted: 3 November 2011 Accepted: 25 March 2013 Published: 25 June 2013
Abstract
Worldwide, mistletoes act as a keystone resource, providing food (nectar, fruit and foliage) and structural (nesting sites) resources to hundreds of fauna species. In Australia, loranthaceous mistletoes depend on birds for pollination and dispersal, and provide important nectar and fruit resources to a large number of nectarivorous and frugivorous species of bird. We investigated whether avian species richness and community structure varies with flowering and fruiting of two common mistletoe species (Loranthaceae : Wireleaf Mistletoe, Amyema preissii; and Box Mistletoe, A. miquelii), conducting monthly surveys of both birds and mistletoes over 1 year at five sites in south-western Western Australia (WA). Flowering and fruiting periods were distinct and differed both among sites and between mistletoe species. Nectar and ripe fruit were available for up to 5 months (Box Mistletoe) or 6–7 months (Wireleaf Mistletoe) at individual sites, but were available every month of the year across all sites. The presence of fruiting, but not flowering, mistletoe was associated with changes in bird community structure. Mistletoebirds (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) were significantly more likely to be recorded during months when ripe mistletoe fruit was present and the overall bird species richness was higher for these survey months. Mistletoes provide important resources, but further investigation is required to assess whether they act as a keystone resource in south-western WA.
References
Baker, H. G., Baker, I., and Hodges, S. A. (1998). Sugar compositions of nectars and fruits consumed by birds and bats in the tropics and subtropics. Biotropica 30, 559–586.| Sugar compositions of nectars and fruits consumed by birds and bats in the tropics and subtropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Barea, L. P. (2008). Interactions between frugivores and their resources: case studies with the Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta. Ph.D. Thesis, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW.
Barea, L. P., and Watson, D. (2007). Temporal variation in food resources determines onset of breeding in an Australian mistletoe specialist. Emu 107, 203–209.
| Temporal variation in food resources determines onset of breeding in an Australian mistletoe specialist.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Barlow, B. A. (1984). Loranthaceae. In ‘Flora of Australia. Vol. 22’. (Ed. A. S. George.) pp. 68–131. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.)
Barlow, B. A. (1992). Conspectus of the genus Amyema Tieghem (Loranthaceae). Blumea 36, 293–381.
Barrett, G. W., Silcocks, A., Barry, S., Cunningham, R., and Poulter, R. (2003). ‘The New Atlas of Australian Birds.’ (Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union: Melbourne.)
Bennetts, R. E., White, G. C., Hawksworth, F. G., and Severs, S. E. (1996). The influence of dwarf mistletoe on bird communities in Colorado ponderosa pine forests. Ecological Applications 6, 899–909.
| The influence of dwarf mistletoe on bird communities in Colorado ponderosa pine forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
BirdLife International (2012). Grantiella picta. In ‘IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2’. Available at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/106005373/0 [Verified 14 May 2013].
Brown, E. M., Burbidge, A. H., Dell, J., Edinger, D., Hopper, S. D., and Wills, R. T. (1997). ‘Pollination in Western Australia: A Database of Animals Visiting Flowers.’ (Western Australian Naturalists Club: Perth.)
Bureau of Meteorology (2011). Climate statistics for Australian locations. (Bureau of Meteorology: Melbourne.) Available at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/index.shtml [Verified 5 May 2013].
Burns, A. E., Cunningham, S. A., and Watson, D. M. (2011). Arthropod assemblages in tree canopies: a comparison of orders on box mistletoe (Amyema miquelii) and its host eucalypts. Australian Journal of Entomology 50, 221–230.
Calder, D. M. (1983). Mistletoes in focus: an introduction. In ‘The Biology of Mistletoes’. (Eds. D. M. Calder and P. Bernhardt.) pp. 1–18. (Academic Press: Sydney.)
Chan, K. (2001). Partial migration in Australian landbirds: a review. Emu 101, 281–292.
| Partial migration in Australian landbirds: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clarke, K. R. (1993). Non-parametric multivariate analysis of changes in community structure. Australian Journal of Ecology 18, 117–143.
| Non-parametric multivariate analysis of changes in community structure.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooney, S. J. N., Watson, D. M., and Young, J. (2006). Mistletoe nesting in Australian birds: a review. Emu 106, 1–12.
| Mistletoe nesting in Australian birds: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davidar, P. (1985). Ecological interactions between mistletoes and their avian pollinators in south India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 82, 45–60.
Davidson, N. J., True, K. C., and Pate, J. S. (1989). Water relations of the parasite : host relationship between the mistletoe Amyema linophyllum (Fenzl) Tieghem and Casuarina obesa Miq. Oecologia 80, 321–330.
| Water relations of the parasite : host relationship between the mistletoe Amyema linophyllum (Fenzl) Tieghem and Casuarina obesa Miq.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
DEP (1997). ‘State of the Environment Reference Group draft working papers. Section 4, Land.’ (State of the Environment Reporting Unit, Department of Environmental Protection: Perth.)
Field, S. A., Tyre, A. J., and Possingham, H. P. (2002). Estimating bird species richness: how should repeat surveys be organized in time? Austral Ecology 27, 624–629.
| Estimating bird species richness: how should repeat surveys be organized in time?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Forde, N. (1986). Relationships between birds and fruits in temperate Australia. In ‘The Dynamic Partnership: Birds and Plants in Southern Australia’. (Eds. H. A. Ford and D. C. Paton.) pp. 42–58. (Government Printer: Adelaide.)
Hammer, Ø., Harper, D. A. T., and Ryan, P. D. (2001). PAST: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontologia Electronica 4, 1–9.
Hawkeswood, T. J. (1981). Notes on the pollination of Nuytsia floribunda (Labill.) R. Br. (Loranthaceae) and some literature reviewed. Western Australian Naturalist 15, 17–21.
Hawksworth, F. G., and Wiens, D. (1996). ‘Dwarf Mistletoes: Biology, Pathology, and Systematics’, 2nd edn. (USDA Forest Service: Washington, DC.)
Higgins, P. J. (Ed.) (1999). ‘Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Vol. 4: Parrots to Dollarbird.’ (Oxford University Press: Melbourne.)
Keast, A. (1958). The influence of ecology on variation in the Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum). Emu 58, 195–206.
| The influence of ecology on variation in the Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kelly, D., Ladley, J. J., Robertson, A. W., and Norton, D. A. (2000). Limited forest fragmentation improves reproduction in the declining New Zealand mistletoe Peraxilla tetrapetala (Loranthaceae). In ‘Genetics, Demography and Viability of Fragmented Populations’. (Eds. A. Young and G. Clarke.) pp. 241–252. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK.)
Knutson, D. M. (1983). Physiology of mistletoe parasitism and disease responses in the host. In ‘The Biology of Mistletoes’. (Eds. D. M. Calder and P. Bernhardt.) pp. 295–316. (Academic Press: Sydney.)
Kotliar, N. B. (2000). Application of the new keystone-species concept to Prairie Dogs: how well does it work? Conservation Biology 14, 1715–1721.
| Application of the new keystone-species concept to Prairie Dogs: how well does it work?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kuijt, J. (1969). ‘The Biology of Parasitic Flowering Plants.’ (University of California Press: Berkeley, CA.)
Ladley, J. J., Kelly, D., and Robertson, A. W. (1997). Explosive flowering, nectar production, breeding systems, and pollinators of New Zealand mistletoes (Loranthaceae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 35, 345–360.
| Explosive flowering, nectar production, breeding systems, and pollinators of New Zealand mistletoes (Loranthaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Levey, D. J. (1988). Spatial and temporal variation in Costa Rican fruit and fruit-eating bird abundance. Ecological Monographs 58, 251–269.
| Spatial and temporal variation in Costa Rican fruit and fruit-eating bird abundance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
López de Buen, L., and Ornelas, J. F. (2001). Seed dispersal of the mistletoe Psittacanthus schiedeanus by birds in central Veracruz, Mexico. Biotropica 33, 487–494.
Malizia, L. R. (2001). Seasonal fluctuations of birds, fruits, and flowers in a subtropical forest of Argentina. Condor 103, 45–61.
| Seasonal fluctuations of birds, fruits, and flowers in a subtropical forest of Argentina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mathiasen, R. L., Nickrent, D. L., Shaw, D. C., and Watson, D. M. (2008). Mistletoes: pathology, systematics, ecology, and management. Plant Disease 92, 988–1006.
| Mistletoes: pathology, systematics, ecology, and management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Norton, D. A., Hobbs, R. J., and Atkins, L. (1995). Fragmentation, disturbance, and plant distribution: mistletoes in woodland remnants in the Western Australian wheatbelt. Conservation Biology 9, 426–438.
| Fragmentation, disturbance, and plant distribution: mistletoes in woodland remnants in the Western Australian wheatbelt.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Paton, D. C., and Ford, H. A. (1977). Pollination by birds of native plants in South Australia. Emu 77, 73–85.
| Pollination by birds of native plants in South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Peres, C. A. (2000). Identifying keystone plant resources in tropical forests: the case of gums from Parkia pods. Journal of Tropical Ecology 16, 287–317.
| Identifying keystone plant resources in tropical forests: the case of gums from Parkia pods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Power, M. E., Tilman, D., Estes, J. A., Menge, B. A., Bond, W. J., Mills, L. C., Daily, G., Castilla, J. C., Lubchenco, J., and Paine, R. T. (1996). Challenges in the quest for keystones. Bioscience 46, 609–620.
| Challenges in the quest for keystones.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rawsthorne, J., Watson, D. M., and Roshier, D. A. (2012). The restricted seed rain of a mistletoe specialist. Journal of Avian Biology 43, 9–14.
| The restricted seed rain of a mistletoe specialist.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reid, N. (1986). Pollination and seed dispersal of mistletoes (Loranthaceae) by birds in southern Australia. In ‘The Dynamic Partnership: Birds and Plants in Southern Australia’. (Eds. H. A. Ford and D. C. Paton.) pp. 64–84. (Government Printer: Adelaide.)
Reid, N. (1987). The mistletoebird and Australian mistletoes: co-evolution or coincidence? Emu 87, 130–131.
| The mistletoebird and Australian mistletoes: co-evolution or coincidence?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reid, N. (1990). Mutualistic interdependence between mistletoes (Amyema quandang), and honeyeaters and mistletoebirds in an arid woodland. Australian Journal of Ecology 15, 175–190.
| Mutualistic interdependence between mistletoes (Amyema quandang), and honeyeaters and mistletoebirds in an arid woodland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reid, N. (1991). Coevolution of mistletoes and frugivorous birds? Australian Journal of Ecology 16, 457–469.
| Coevolution of mistletoes and frugivorous birds?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reid, N., and Lange, R. T. (1988). Host specificity, dispersion and persistence through drought of two arid zone mistletoes. Australian Journal of Botany 36, 299–313.
| Host specificity, dispersion and persistence through drought of two arid zone mistletoes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reid, N., Yan, Z., and Fittler, J. (1994). Impact of mistletoes (Amyema miquelii) on host (Eucalyptus blakelyi and Eucalyptus melliodora) survival and growth in temperate Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 70, 55–65.
| Impact of mistletoes (Amyema miquelii) on host (Eucalyptus blakelyi and Eucalyptus melliodora) survival and growth in temperate Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reid, N., Stafford Smith, M., and Yan, Z. (1995). Ecology and population biology of mistletoes. In ‘Forest Canopies’. (Eds. M. D. Lowman and N. M. Nadkarn.) pp. 285–310. (Academic Press: San Diego, CA.)
Robertson, A. W., Kelly, D., Ladley, J. J., and Sparrow, A. D. (1999). Effects of pollinator loss on endemic New Zealand mistletoes (Loranthaceae). Conservation Biology 13, 499–508.
| Effects of pollinator loss on endemic New Zealand mistletoes (Loranthaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Saunders, D. A. (1993). Comunity-based observer scheme to assess avian responses to habitat reduction and fragmentation in south-western Australia. Biological Conservation 64, 203–218.
| Comunity-based observer scheme to assess avian responses to habitat reduction and fragmentation in south-western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shepherd, D. P., Beeston, G. R., and Hopkins, A. J. M. (2001). Native vegetation in Western Australia. Technical report 249, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Perth.
Start, A. N. (2011). Fire responses and survival strategies of mistletoes (Loranthaceae) in an arid environment in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Botany 59, 533–542.
| Fire responses and survival strategies of mistletoes (Loranthaceae) in an arid environment in Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
StatSoft Inc. (2007). STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 8.0. Tulsa, OK.
Stiles, F. G., and Freeman, C. E. (1993). Patterns in floral nectar characteristics of some bird-visited plant species from Costa Rica. Biotropica 25, 191–205.
| Patterns in floral nectar characteristics of some bird-visited plant species from Costa Rica.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner, R. J. (1991). Mistletoe in eucalypt forest – a resource for birds. Australian Forestry 54, 226–235.
Watson, D. M. (2001). Mistletoe – a keystone resource in forests and woodlands worldwide. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 32, 219–249.
| Mistletoe – a keystone resource in forests and woodlands worldwide.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson, D. M. (2002). Effects of mistletoe on diversity: a case-study from southern New South Wales. Emu 102, 275–281.
| Effects of mistletoe on diversity: a case-study from southern New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson, D. M. (2003). The ‘standardized search’: an improved way to conduct bird surveys. Austral Ecology 28, 515–525.
| The ‘standardized search’: an improved way to conduct bird surveys.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson, D. M. (2004). Comparative evaluation of new approaches to bird surveys. Wildlife Research 31, 1–11.
| Comparative evaluation of new approaches to bird surveys.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson, D. M. (2011). ‘Mistletoes of Southern Australia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Watson, D. M., and Herring, M. (2012). Mistletoe as a keystone resource: an experimental test. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B. Biological Sciences 279, 3853–3860.
| Mistletoe as a keystone resource: an experimental test.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson, D. M., McGregor, H. W., and Spooner, P. G. (2011). Hemiparasitic shrubs increase resource availability and multi-trophic diversity of eucalypt forest birds. Functional Ecology 25, 889–899.
| Hemiparasitic shrubs increase resource availability and multi-trophic diversity of eucalypt forest birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Western Australian Herbarium (2011). ‘FloraBase – the Western Australian Flora’, ver. 2.6, 25 August 2011. (Department of Environment and Conservation.) Available at http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/ [Verified 5 May 2013].
Wright, D. D. (2005). Diet, keystone resources and altitudinal movement of Dwarf Cassowaries in relation to fruiting phenology in a Papua New Guinean rainforest. In ‘Tropical Fruits and Frugivores: The Search for Strong Interactions’. (Eds. J. L. Dew and J. P. Boubli.) pp. 205–236. (Springer: Dordrecht, the Netherlands.)
Yan, Z. (1993). Seed dispersal of Amyema preissii and Lysiana exocarpi by Mistletoebirds and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters. Emu 93, 214–219.
| Seed dispersal of Amyema preissii and Lysiana exocarpi by Mistletoebirds and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yan, Z., and Reid, N. (1995). Mistletoe (Amyema miquelii and A. pendulum) seedling establishment on eucalypt hosts in eastern Australia. Journal of Applied Ecology 32, 778–784.
| Mistletoe (Amyema miquelii and A. pendulum) seedling establishment on eucalypt hosts in eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
