The expansion of rainforest pioneer trees into long-unburnt open forests is widely reported, yet its effects on insectivorous bat communities is unknown. Examination of open forest with contrasting fire history and levels of rainforest pioneer invasion revealed that increasing rainforest tree density reduced bat activity and species richness. Bat community declines occurred before recommended maximum fire-intervals for dry open forest, suggesting that a review of fire-interval guidelines is warranted.

Bats are keystone species on many Pacific Islands, and many islands support their own endemic species. A significant proportion of these are threatened with extinction, and data on ecology and conservation are lacking for many, especially in remote part of the Pacific. Between 1990 and 2019 we surveyed bats across numerous islands in Torba Province, Vanuatu and Temotu Province Solomon Islands. We present valuable data on the ecology and conservation status of several poorly studied species.

The African carder bee, Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), is an introduced species in Australia. It was first reported in 2000 and rapidly spread across the east coast. This paper reports the first observations of P. repetitum on the other side of the continent in Western Australia, representing a major range expansion. Potential impacts on native fauna and flora of this species are discussed.

This study reveals important insights into the seasonal movement, interchange and key locations used by fairy terns. The Western Australian fairy tern metapopulation consists of a partially migratory, spring/summer-breeding population and a sedentary, winter-breeding population. Seven management units are proposed to underpin a conservation strategy for this threatened seabird.

This paper examines patterns in flying-fox rescues in New South Wales, Australia. The vulnerable grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) accounted for most rescues, which were mostly in coastal regions. Entanglements, heat stress, orphaned pups and electrocutions were dominant causes of flying-foxes coming into care. A high proportion of rehabilitated flying-foxes survived to release.

Ants were surveyed along a corridor that had been cleared for an abandoned highway. We surveyed 7 uncleared reference sites and 13 cleared sites that had been rehabilitated 2 years earlier. Species richness was marginally higher in the reference sites and ant abundance was higher in the cleared sites but clearing resulted in homogenisation of the ant assemblages that were associated with the original vegetation associations.

Here we provide a marine socio-environmental dataset covering Tonga’s near-shore marine ecosystem compiled from various global layers, remote sensing projects, fieldwork, local ministries and national census. The dataset consists of 11 environmental and 6 anthropogenic variables summarised in ecologically relevant ways, spatially overlaid across the near-shore marine ecosystem of Tonga.

This study describes the preferred microhabitat of a population of the threatened grass Arthraxon hispidus growing within a freshwater wetland dominated by Carex gaudichaudiana, and a nursery experiment that identified that A. hispidus plants grew best under waterlogged and poorly drained treatments. These finding have implications for species conservation planning and habitat restoration approaches.