← Back
Tracking desert waterbirds: boom-bust nomads in a changing climate
In a world of increasingly variable climate, the Australian outback has long been known for its climatic extremes with its ‘droughts and flooding rains’. In this vast inland region of the Australian continent, rainfall is not only low – on average – but also highly unpredictable and gives rise to the ‘boom-bust’ life history strategies seen in many plants and animals occuring there. These species make the most of the short-lived good times, but then weather-out or move elsewhere during the bad. Despite the area’s aridity, it supports many ephemeral aquatic habitats and a range of waterbirds which make long distance nomadic movements between waterbodies. Understanding the movement strategies of these species is vital for their conservation, especially in a world of changing climate, as Reece Pedler, Raoul Ribot and Andy Bennett explain.
Read more, “Unlocking the mysterious movements of the banded stilt” (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
