The status and conservation needs of the Micronesian Megapode (Megapodius laperouse laperouse) across the Mariana archipelago

Paul M. Radley; Richard J. Camp; Frederick A. Amidon; Ann P. Marshall; P. Marcos Gorresen; Curt Kessler

doi:10.1071/PC24035

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Next Contents Vol 30(6)

The status and conservation needs of the Micronesian Megapode (Megapodius laperouse laperouse) across the Mariana archipelago

Paul M. Radley

^A ^D ^* , Richard J. Camp

^B ^E , Frederick A. Amidon ^C , Ann P. Marshall ^C , P. Marcos Gorresen

^B and Curt Kessler ^C

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Division of Fish and Wildlife, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, MP.

^B Hawaii Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hawaii National Park, Hawaii, USA.

^C U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

^D Present address: Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

^E Present address: U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawaii National Park, Hawaii, USA.

^* Correspondence to: pratincola@hotmail.com

Handling Editor: Rob Davis

Pacific Conservation Biology 30, PC24035 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC24035

Submitted: 4 May 2024 Accepted: 24 September 2024 Published: 25 October 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Accurate baseline data for wildlife populations are important to track trends of these populations over time and to identify threats to their long-term persistence.

Aims

We aimed to assess the status and distribution of the little studied megapode (Megapodius laperouse laperouse) across the Mariana Islands.

Methods

Using passive and call playback facilitated surveys in 2008 through 2010, we employed point–transect distance sampling to assess island-level and archipelago-wide status of this megapode. To assess conservation needs, we defined human presence as the current, recent, or intermittent occurrence of humans on islands.

Key results

We recorded 657 megapode detections and estimated an archipelago level abundance of 11,542 individuals (95% CI: 5456–17,623) from 699 sampling points across 10 islands. Three islands supported 86% of the megapode population, but cumulatively comprise only 2% of the archipelago’s land area.

Conclusions

Micronesian Megapodes preferred native forest. Human presence and the availability of native forest may limit their abundance and distribution in the Mariana Islands. Although the probability of detecting megapodes was significantly greater on islands without high human presence, significantly more detections were recorded in forests with dense or closed understory on those islands that supported greater human populations.

Implications

Given their status and confined distribution in the Mariana Islands, additional studies investigating megapode incubation sites and movement within and between islands would provide fundamental information on megapode ecology and enhance conservation efforts. Continued and expanded ungulate removal, predator control, and habitat restoration would further enhance the likelihood of megapode persistence in the archipelago.

Keywords: distance sampling, human presence, Mariana archipelago, Mariana Islands, Megapodius laperouse, Micronesian Megapode, native forest, occupancy.

References

Amidon F, Camp R, Marshall A, Kessler C, Radley P, Buermeyer K, Gorresen M (2010) Micronesian Megapode survey assessment: Aguiguan 2009. In ‘Status of the Micronesian Megapode in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’. (Eds FA Amidon, AP Marshall, CC Kessler) p. 32. Appendix 4. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marianas Expedition Wildlife Surveys 2010: Honolulu, Hawaii)

Amidon FA, Marshall AP, Kessler CC (2011) Status of the Micronesian Megapode in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marianas Expedition Wildlife Surveys 2010, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Amidon F, Metevier M, Miller SE (2017) Vegetation mapping of the Mariana Islands: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Territory of Guam. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Final Report, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Ando H (2019) Genetic and ecological conservation issues for oceanic island birds, revealed by a combination of the latest molecular techniques and conventional field work. Ecological Research 34, 255-264.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Baker RH (1951) The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and distribution. University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History 3, 1-359.
| Google Scholar |

Bibby CJ, Burgess ND, Hill DA, Mustoe S (2000) ‘Bird census techniques.’ 2nd edn. (Academic Press: London)

BirdLife International (2021) Megapodius laperouse (errata version published 2022). The IUCN red list of threatened species 2021. Available at https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22678620A191672833.en. [accessed 23 April 2024]

Bowen J (1996) Notes on the Vanuatu Megapode Megapodius layardi on Ambrym, Vanuatu. Bird Conservation International 6, 401-408.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Buckland ST, Anderson DR, Burnham KP, Laake JL, Borchers DL, Thomas L (2001) ‘Introduction to distance sampling: Estimating abundance of biological populations.’ (Oxford University Press: UK)

Buckland ST, Summers RW, Borchers DL, Thomas L (2006) Point transect sampling with traps or lures. Journal of Applied Ecology 43, 377-384.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Burnham KP, Anderson DR (2002) ‘Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information-theoretic approach.’ 2nd edn. (Springer-Verlag: New York)

Butler BM (1992) Archaeological Survey of Aguiguan (Aguijan) Northern Mariana Islands. Micronesian Archaeological Survey. Division of Community and Cultural Affairs, Report No. 29, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

CNMI (2016) Title 85-30.1 non-commercial fish and wildlife regulations. Department of Lands and Natural Resources, The Commonwealth Law Revision Commission (cnmilaw.org).

Craig RJ (2021) The structure and dynamics of endangered forest bird communities in the Mariana Islands. Pacific Science 75, 543-559.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Cruz J, Williams L (2003) Baseline avian and vegetation surveys of the Saipan Upland Mitigation Bank 1999–2003. Technical report #13. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

Cruz J, Arriola L, Johnson N, Beauprez G (2000a) Wildlife and vegetation surveys, Sarigan 2000. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Technical Report #5, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

Cruz J, Arriola L, Johnson N, Beauprez G (2000b) Wildlife and vegetation surveys, Guguan 2000. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Technical Report #3, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

Cruz J, Arriola L, Johnson N, Beauprez G (2000c) Wildlife and vegetation surveys, Anatahan 2000. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Technical Report #6, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

Dalsgaard B, Hilton GM, Gray GAL, Aymer L, Boatswain J, Daley J, Fenton C, Martin J, Martin L, Murrain P, Arendt WJ, Gibbons DW, Olesen JM (2007) Impacts of a volcanic eruption on the forest bird community of Montserrat, Lesser Antilles. Ibis 149, 298-312.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Dekker RWRJ, Fuller RA, Baker GC (2000) Megapodes: status survey and action plan 2000–2004. WPA/BirdLife/SSC Megapode Specialist Group, IUCN and the World Pheasant Association, Gland, Switzerland, and Reading, UK.

Doherty TS, Glen AS, Nimmo DG, Ritchie EG, Dickman CR (2016) Invasive predators and global biodiversity loss. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113, 11261-11265.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Esri (2009) ArcGIS Desktop: Release 9.3.1. Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California, USA.

Esri (2021) ArcGIS Pro: Release 2.9. Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California, USA.

Falanruw MVC (1975) Distribution of the Micronesian Megapode Megapodius laperouse in the Northern Mariana Islands. Micronesica 11, 149-150.
| Google Scholar |

Falanruw MCV (1989) Vegetation of Asuncion: a volcanic northern Mariana Island. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Resource Bulletin PSW−27, Berkeley, California.

Falanruw MC, Cole TG, Ambacher AH (1989) Vegetation survey of Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Resource Bulletin PSW−27, Berkeley, California.

Fancy SG, Craig RJ, Kessler CT (1999) Forest bird and fruit bat populations on Sarigan, Mariana Islands. Micronesica 31, 247-254.
| Google Scholar |

Fordham DA, Brook BW (2010) Why tropical island endemics are acutely susceptible to global change. Biodiversity and Conservation 19, 329-342.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Forsman ED, Meslow EC, Strub MJ (1977) Spotted owl abundance in young versus old-growth forests, Oregon. Wildlife Society Bulletin 5, 43-47.
| Google Scholar |

Glass PO, Aldan D (1988) Micronesian Megapode surveys and research. Five-year Progress Report, 1983–1987. Pittman-Robertson U.S. Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

Glass PO, Villagomez EC (1986) Guguan, 8-20 September. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Trip Report, Saipan, Marianas Pacific.

Göth A, Vogel U (1999) Notes on breeding and conservation of birds on Niuafo’ou Island, Kingdom of Tonga. Pacific Conservation Biology 5, 103-114.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Göth A, Vogel U (2002) Chick survival in the megapode Alectura lathami (Australian Brush-turkey). Wildlife Research 29, 503-511.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Göth A, Vogel U (2003) Juvenile dispersal and habitat selectivity in the megapode Alectura lathami (Australian Brush-turkey). Wildlife Research 30, 69-74.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Guyann DC, Jr, Downing RL, Askew GR (1985) Estimating the probability of non-detection of low density population. Cryptozoology 4, 55-60.
| Google Scholar |

Harris RB, Birks SM, Leaché AD (2014) Incubator birds: biogeographical origins and evolution of underground nesting in megapodes (Galliformes: Megapodiidae). Journal of Biogeography 41, 2045-2056.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Heaney LR (2007) Is a new paradigm emerging for oceanic island biogeography? Journal of Biogeography 34, 753-757.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Jansen R, Little RM, Crowe TM (2000) Habitat utilization and home range of the redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, in highland grasslands, Mpumalanga province, South Africa. African Journal of Ecology 38, 329-338.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Jansen R, Robinson ER, Little RM, Crowe TM (2001) Habitat constraints limit the distribution and population density of redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, in the highland grasslands of Mpumalanga province, South Africa. African Journal of Ecology 39, 146-155.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Jetz W, Wilcove DS, Dobson AP (2007) Projected impacts of climate and land-use change on the global diversity of birds. PLoS Biology 5, e157.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Jones DN (1999) What we don’t know about megapodes. Zoologische Verhandelingen 327, 159-168.
| Google Scholar |

Jones DN, Dekker RWRJ, Roselaar CS (1995) ‘The megapodes.’ (Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK)

Kessler CC (2002) Eradication of feral goats and pigs and consequences for other biota on Sarigan Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In ‘Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species’. (Eds CR Veitch, MN Clout) pp. 132–140. (IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group: Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge: U.K.)

Kumar A, Sharma DK, Lochan R, Dewan S, Negi S (2020) Relative abundance, habitat preference, and breeding ecology of Asian Black francolin, Francolinus francolinus asiae (Bonaparte, 1856) (Galliformes: Phasianidae) from North-Western Himalaya. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity 13, 162-168.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Loope LL, Howarth FG, Kraus F, Pratt TK (2001) Newly emergent and future threats of alien species to Pacific landbirds and ecosystems. Studies in Avian Biology 22, 291-304.
| Google Scholar |

Lusk MR, Bruner P, Kessler C (2000) The avifauna of Farallon de Medinilla, Mariana Islands. Journal of Field Ornithology 71, 22-33.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

MacKenzie DI, Bailey LL (2004) Assessing the fit of site-occupancy models. Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics 9, 300-318.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Mapel XM, Gyllenhaal EF, Modak TH, DeCicco LH, Naikatini A, Utzurrum RB, Seamon JO, Cibois A, Thibault J-C, Sorenson MD, Moyle RG, Barrow LN, Andersen MJ (2021) Inter- and intra-archipelago dynamics of population structure and gene flow in a Polynesian bird. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 156, 107034.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Martin G, Williams LL, Cruz JB, Hawley NB, Vogt S, Smith BD, Bourquin O, Kremer S, Kessler C (2008) Wildlife and Vegetation surveys of Sarigan Island, April 13-25, 2006. CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Technical Report #14, Saipan, CNMI.

Mori A (2019) A history of the excluded: rethinking the sugar industry in the Northern Mariana Islands under Japanese Rule. Historische Anthropologie 27, 410-434.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Mori E, Lazzeri L, Ferretti F, Gordigiani L, Rubolini D (2021) The wild boar Sus scrofa as a threat to ground-nesting bird species: an artificial nest experiment. Journal of Zoology 314, 311-320.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

NAVFAC Marianas (2014) Wildlife surveys on military leased lands, Tinian CNMI: Micronesian Megapode. Public Works Department, Environmental Division, Fiscal year 2013 Annual Report, Naval Base Guam.

Office for Coastal Management (2023) C-CAP Regional Land Cover. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/48256

Olsen AR, Eberdong M, Ketebengang H, Blailes P, Chen P-H (2016) Survey of megapode nesting mounds in Palau, Micronesia. Western Birds 47, 27-37.
| Google Scholar |

O’Daniel D, Krueger S (1999) Recent sightings of the Micronesian Megapode on Tinian, Mariana Islands. Micronesica 31, 301-307.
| Google Scholar |

Perry G, Morton JM (1999) Regeneration rates of the wood vegetation of Guam’s Northwest Field following major disturbance: land use patterns, feral ungulates, and cascading effects of the brown treesnake. Micronesica 31, 125-142.
| Google Scholar |

Pratt HD, Bruner PL (1978) Micronesian Megapode rediscovered on Saipan. Elepaio 39, 57-59.
| Google Scholar |

Pregill GK, Steadman DW (2009) The prehistory and biogeography of terrestrial vertebrates on Guam, Mariana Islands. Diversity and Distributions 15, 983-996.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Presidential Documents (2009) Proclamation No. 8335: establishment of the marianas trench marine national monument. Federal Register 74, 1557-1563.
| Google Scholar |

Radley PM (2009) Survey of birds on Asuncion. In ‘Wildlife and vegetation surveys of Asuncion Island 16-25 May, 2008’. (Eds LL Williams, P Radley, T Castro, S Vogt) pp. 21–33. (CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Technical report #15: Saipan, Marianas Pacific)

Radley PM, Davis RA, Dekker RWRJ, Molloy SW, Blake D, Heinsohn R (2018) The vulnerability of Megapodes (Megapodiidae, Aves) to climate change and related threats. Environmental Conservation 45, 396-406.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Radley PM, Davis RA, Doherty TS (2021a) Impacts of invasive rats and tourism on a threatened island bird: the Palau Micronesian Scrubfowl. Bird Conservation International 31, 206-218.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Radley PM, van Etten EJB, Blake D, Davis RA (2021b) Breeding and feeding habitat selection by an island endemic bird may increase its vulnerability to climate change. Biotropica 53, 422-432.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Reed JM (1996) Using statistical probability to increase confidence of inferring species extinction. Conservation Biology 10, 1283-1285.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Reynolds MH, Snetsinger TJ (2001) The Hawaii rare bird search 1994–1996. Studies in Avian Biology 22, 133-143.
| Google Scholar |

Rogers H (2010) Landcover mapping of the island of Pagan, Mariana Islands, 2010. In ‘Status of the land and wetland avifauna of Pagan, Mariana Islands’. (Eds AP Marshall, FA Amidon) pp. 26–30. Appendix 3. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marianas Expedition Wildlife Surveys 2010: Honolulu, Hawaii)

Sanders HN, Hewitt DG, Perotto-Baldivieso HL, Vercauteren KC, Snow NP (2020) Opportunistic predation of Wild Turkey nests by wild pigs. The Journal of Wildlife Management 84, 293-300.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Scott JM, Mountainspring S, Ramsey FL, Kepler CB (1986) Forest bird communities of the Hawaiian Islands: their dynamics, ecology, and conservation. Studies in Avian Biology 9, 1-431.
| Google Scholar |

Şekercioğlu CH, Daily GC, Ehrlich PR (2004) Ecosystem consequences of bird declines. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101, 18042–18047. 10.1073/pnas.0408049101

Simberloff D (2000) Extinction-proneness of island species – causes and management implications. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 48, 1-9.
| Google Scholar |

Sinclair JR (2002) Selection of incubation mound sites by three sympatric megapodes in Papua New Guinea. The Condor 104, 395-406.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Sitters J, Andriuzzi WS (2019) Impacts of browsing and grazing ungulates on soil biota and nutrient dynamics. In ‘The ecology of browsing and grazing II, vol. 239’. Ecological Studies. (Eds I Gordon, H Prins) pp. 215–236. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-25865-8_9

Soulé ME (1986) ‘Conservation biology: the science of scarcity and diversity.’ (Sinauer Associates Inc.: Sunderland, Massachusetts)

Steadman DW (1999) The prehistory of vertebrates, especially birds, on Tinian, Aguiguan, and Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. Micronesica 31, 319-345.
| Google Scholar |

Steadman DW (2006) ‘Extinction and biography of tropical pacific birds.’ (University of Chicago Press: Chicago)

Stinson DW (1992) Megapodes on Aguiguan: smashing the Glass hypothesis? In ‘Proceedings of the Marianas research symposium. Vol. 1’. (Ed. RJ Craig) pp. 43–46. (Northern Mariana College: Saipan, Marianas Pacific)

Tershy BR, Shen K-W, Newton KM, Holmes ND, Croll DA (2015) The importance of islands for the protection of biological and linguistic diversity. BioScience 65, 592-597.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Thomas L, Buckland ST, Rexstad EA, Laake JL, Strindberg S, Hedley SL, Bishop JRB, Marques TA, Burnham KP (2010) Distance software: design and analysis of distance sampling surveys for estimating population size. Journal of Applied Ecology 47, 5-14.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Trusdell FA (2009) Marianas, geology. In ‘Encyclopedia of Islands’. (Eds RG Gillespie, DA Clague) pp. 598–602. (University of California Press: Berkeley and Los Angeles)

U.S. Forest Service (2006) Saipan/Rota/Tinian_Release. 2nd edn. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 5 State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection. Available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_045361.zip

USFWS (1970) Conservation of endangered species and other fish and wildlife. Federal Register 35, 8491-8498.
| Google Scholar |

USFWS (1998) ‘Recovery plan for the Micronesian megapode (Megapodius laperouse laperouse).’ (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Portland, Oregon)

USFWS (2009) Terrestrial resources surveys of Tinian and Aguiguan, Mariana Islands, 2008. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Final Report, Honolulu, Hawaii.

USFWS (2010) Marianas expedition wildlife surveys 2010: terrestrial resources surveys of Pagan. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Final Report, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Whittaker RJ, Fernández-Palacios JM (2006) ‘Island biogeography; ecology, evolution and conservation.’ (Oxford University Press: UK)

Wiles GJ (2005) Decline of a population of wild seeded breadfruit (Artocarpus mariannensis) on Guam, Mariana Islands. Pacific Science 59, 509-522.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Wiles GJ, Conry PJ (1990) Terrestrial vertebrates of the Ngerukewid Islands Wildlife Preserve, Palau islands. Micronesica 23, 41-66.
| Google Scholar |

Wiles GJ, Conry PJ (2001) Characteristics of nest mounds of Micronesian Megapodes in Palau. Journal of Field Ornithology 72, 267-275.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Wiles GJ, Beck RE, Amerson AB (1987) The Micronesian Megapode on Tinian, Mariana Islands. Elepaio 47, 1-3.
| Google Scholar |

Zar JH (2010) ‘Biostastical analysis.’ 5th edn. (Prentice Hall: Hoboken, NJ)