Waterfowl Usage of Wetlands in the South-East Arid Interior of Western Australia 1992-93

Abstract

This paper reports the use by 35 waterfowl species of 23 wetlands in the arid south-east interior of Western Australia following the wettest year on record for much of the region. The majority of the wetlands are saline with individual wetlands varying from brackish to hyper-saline over relatively short periods that markedly affected use by waterfowl. Some freshwater wetlands supported more species (but not individuals) than saline ones, although the salt lakes were significant functioning wetlands supporting greater numbers of certain species. Onset of breeding for early breeding species is two months after the rainfall event. Probably a short period of maximum biological productivity follows initial filling which also triggers breeding enhanced by the fact that these wetlands were all dry previous to this rainfall event. Breeding did not appear to extend into a second season despite adequate water levels and was not inhibited by low winter temperatures.