Topic
Leucoptera
About: Leucoptera is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 42 publications have been published within this topic receiving 392 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: Unique insights can be gained from studies of the foraging ecology of tropical pelagic seabirds, in comparison with temperate and polar waters, and are urgently required for understanding and protecting tropical avifauna in key marine habitats.
Abstract: Niche divergence is expected for species that compete for shared resources, including migrants that occupy similar regions during the non-breeding season. Studies of temperate seabirds indicate that both spatial and behavioural segregation can be important mechanisms for reducing competition, but there have been few investigations of resource partitioning by closely related taxa in low productivity, tropical environments. We investigated niche partitioning in 3 gadfly petrel taxa, Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera (n = 22), P. leucoptera caledonica (n = 7) and P. pycrofti (n = 12), during their non-breeding season in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean by combining tracking data from geolocator-immersion loggers with remotely sensed environmental data in species distribution models (SDMs), and by comparing feather stable isotope ratios. The 3 taxa showed spatial partitioning: two foraged in the North Equatorial Counter Current and one in the South Equatorial Current. This reflected differences in their realised habitat niches, with significant taxon-specific responses to thermocline depth, sea surface temperature and bathymetry. There were also differences among taxa in activity patterns, and all birds spent a much larger proportion of time in flight at night than during the day, suggesting predominance of nocturnal foraging behaviour. Comparison of stable isotope ratios in feathers suggests that P. l. leucoptera and P. pycrofti mainly consume vertically migrating mesopelagic fishes, whereas the diet of P. l. caledonica also includes some lower trophic levels including crustaceans and squid. Unique insights can be gained from studies of the foraging ecology of tropical pelagic seabirds, in comparison with temperate and polar waters, and are urgently required for understanding and protecting tropical avifauna in key marine habitats.
38 citations
TL;DR: Two leaf miners of coffee, Leucoptera coffeella and L. caffeina, are present in the Kilimanjaro and Usambara districts of Tanganyika.
Abstract: Two leaf miners of coffee, Leucoptera coffeella and L. caffeina are present in the Kilimanjaro and Usambara districts of Tanganyika. The life-histories of L. coffeella and its parasites and a study made during 1937–40 of the populations of the host and its parasites in the Kilimanjaro area in both unshaded and shaded coffee are described. Some observations are made on the “dominant stage” of the host.
31 citations
TL;DR: Mortality of Gould's Petrels subsided immediately following the destruction of Pied Currawong nests and nestlings but declined substantially following the instigation of a control program for PiedCurrawongs on Cabbage Tree Island.
Abstract: The remains of adult Gould's Petrels Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera were recovered from the nesting site on Cabbage Tree Island, New South Wales. Entanglement in the sticky fruits of the Bird-lime Tree Pisonia urnbellifera was identified as a major cause of mortality. Removal of P. urnbellifera eliminated one cause of death but mortality of adult petrels continued at an unsustainable rate as the result of predation by the Pied Currawong Strepera graculina. Hunting and feeding behaviour of the Pied Currawongs were observed, including holding fast a petrel carcass while ripping flesh from the skeleton. Mortality of Gould's Petrels subsided immediately following the destruction of Pied Currawong nests and nestlings. Subsequent recurrences of predation were correlated with additional nesting attempts by Pied Currawongs but declined substantially following the instigation of a control program for Pied Currawongs on Cabbage Tree Island. Pied Currawongs take the eggs and nestlings of many species of birds, but losses of nesting adults or the decline of a seabird have not been attributed previously to currawong predation.
29 citations
TL;DR: This study demonstrated that translocations of Gould's Petrel nestlings can be achieved without any discernible detriment to the individual birds involved.
Abstract: Aside from a few pairs recently discovered breeding on nearby Boondelbah Island, the Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera) is limited to a single breeding colony located on Cabbage Tree Island, New South Wales The translocation of birds from Cabbage Tree Island to establish a new colony elsewhere, or to augment the small colony on Boondelbah Island, is an option currently being considered to aid the long-term conservation of this endangered species We undertook a trial translocation of nestlings within their current breeding grounds on Cabbage Tree Island This involved removal of the nestlings from the natal nest, denying them further parental care, relocating them to an artificial nest box and feeding them artificially Thirty nestlings were translocated between gullies on Cabbage Tree Island after they had attained specific plumage characteristics thought to occur just prior to their first emergence from their nests The translocated nestlings were confined to their adopted nest boxes for the first 3 days and artificially fed every third day until they fledged The experimental translocation and the associated use of artificial feeding resulted in a small increase in fledging weight, but caused no reduction in fledging success, and had no effect on the timing of departure of the fledglings Three translocated fledglings have returned to Cabbage Tree Island since their departure in April 1995; all returned to their adopted nest site, one being recovered only a few metres from the nest from where it fledged This study demonstrated that translocations of Gould’s Petrel nestlings can be achieved without any discernible detriment to the individual birds involved
27 citations
TL;DR: During the 1939 outbreak, the numbers of eggs per tree, and the number of live pupae present in samples of about 100 cocoons showed large fluctuations, indicating that at any moment one developmental stage was dominant.
Abstract: A description is given of the bionomics of Leucoptera caffeina Wshbn. in the Kilimanjaro District, Tanganyika, and of the characters that distinguish it in its various stages from L. coffeella (Guer.), together with the results of population studies of the former insect and its parasites in both shaded and unshaded coffee in 1938–40.During the 1939 outbreak, the numbers of eggs per tree, and the number of live pupae present in samples of about 100 cocoons (estimated from te number of moths and parasites emerging) showed large fluctuations. The times between peak numbers approximated to the total life-cycle, indicating that at any moment one developmental stage was dominant.
25 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |