Wildlife conservation problems in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile

Bourne, W.R.P.; Brooke, M. L. de; Clark, Gene; Stone, Travis

doi:10.1017/s003060530002322x

Cited by 25 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Hahn et al 2010). It is possible that these flowers attract firecrowns from native forest, and hence settlement areas could function as trap habitats for endemic hummingbirds (Bourne et al 1992;Hahn and Römer 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat selection and population trends in terrestrial bird species of Robinson Crusoe Island: habitat generalists versus forest specialists

2011

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Habitat loss and degradation on oceanic islands are key processes leading to population decline of endemic birds and facilitating the establishment of invasive bird species. In this study, carried out in the Robinson Crusoe Island, we assessed density and habitat selection of terrestrial bird species, including juan fernandez firecrown and juan fernandez tit-tyrant, two endemics, as well as green-backed firecrown and austral thrush, which apparently originate from the mainland. Results show that perturbed habitats contained a low density of the endemic species whereas the mainland species were significantly more abundant in perturbed scrub habitats. Bird species show different habitat selection patterns, with endemics selecting for native forest and mainland species selecting for perturbed habitats, or using them at random. Bird species experienced temporal trends in their overall population sizes, with the endemic tit-tyrant suffering a significant decline in its population size of about 63% between 1994 and 2009. Only mainland species exhibited temporal changes in habitat use, significantly reducing their densities in the preferred scrub habitats, possibly as a response to decreased habitat quality. Thrushes apparently were able to compensate the population decrease in one non native habitat type by using native forests, a habitat giving them the opportunity of preying on nests of endemic species. We conclude that endemic bird species behave as specialists whereas the mainland species must be treated as invasive generalists on Robinson Crusoe Island.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat selection and population trends in terrestrial bird species of Robinson Crusoe Island: habitat generalists versus forest specialists

2011

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“…A principal conservation goal must be the total eradication of all introduced mammals. Conservation details are discussed by Bourne et al (1992), Cuevas & van Leersum (2001), and Hahn & Römer (2002). These authors explain eradication campaigns.…”

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confidence: 99%

First Description of Nesting Ecology of the Endemic Grey-Flanked CinclodesCinclodes oustaleti baeckstroemiifrom the Juan Fernández Islands, Chile

2005

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“…The Green-backed Firecrown Sephanoides sephaniodes inhabits both islands, with an estimated population between 4000 (Colwell 1989) and 6000 (Brooke 1987) individuals on Isla Robinson Crusoe. This hummingbird has been abundant on Isla Robinson Crusoe only since the late 19th century and was first observed on Isla Alejandro Selkiik in 1981, where it has become widespread (Bourne et al 1992). This species also occurs on mainland Chile, having a distribution south of the Atacama Desert up to an altitude of 2000 m; it is assumed to be related to the high Andean group of hummingbirds.…”

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confidence: 99%

Evolution and history of hummingbirds (Aves: Trochilidae) from the Juan Fernandez Islands, Chile

Roy

Torres‐Mura²,

Hertel

1998

Ibis

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The Juan Fernandez Firecrown Sephunoides fernandensis is an endangered endemic hummingbird that inhabits the Juan Fernandez Islands, 667 km off the coast of Chile. Its population has decreased from several thousand in the early part of this century to approximately 250-400 individuals at present. The reasons for its decline include habitat degradation by anthropogenic forest clearance and the introduction of grazing mammals and rodents. Another hummingbird, the Green-backed Firecrown Sephanoides sephaniodes, inhabits the Juan Fernandez Islands but is also found on the Chilean mainland. It currently numbers several thousand on the Juan Fernandez Islands but was considered rare during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The sister relationship between the two species has not been critically tested, and so their evolutionary histories on the Juan Fernandez Islands remain uncertain. With the use of mtDNA cytochrome b and ND2 phylogenetic reconstructions, our study supports the two species as sister taxa. Moreover, the molecular data suggest that the genus Sephanoides is closely related to the higher altitude Andean hummingbirds typical of the paramo and puna habitats. The molecular divergence between the two species of Sephanoides indicates they may have become isolated from each other less than 1 million years ago, suggesting that S. fernandensis evolved in situ on the Juan Fernandez Islands. We find no evidence of genetic subdivision between populations of S. sephaniodes from the Juan Fernandez Islands and the mainland. In addition, high genetic variation of the Juan Fernandez Islands population does not indicate a long period of isolation of a limited number of S. sephuniodes but instead suggests a recent colonization event, perhaps from several mainland populations. As a result of molecular, morphological and apparent ecological similarities, we suggest that competition by S. sephaniodes may be an additional factor stifling the recovery of S. fernandensis. Possible conservation strategies include habitat restoration and the removal of introduced mammals: immediate implementation of such conservation management plans are necessary to save this species from extinction.

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Wildlife conservation problems in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile

Cited by 25 publications

References 6 publications

Habitat selection and population trends in terrestrial bird species of Robinson Crusoe Island: habitat generalists versus forest specialists

Habitat selection and population trends in terrestrial bird species of Robinson Crusoe Island: habitat generalists versus forest specialists

First Description of Nesting Ecology of the Endemic Grey-Flanked CinclodesCinclodes oustaleti baeckstroemiifrom the Juan Fernández Islands, Chile

Evolution and history of hummingbirds (Aves: Trochilidae) from the Juan Fernandez Islands, Chile

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