TY - JOUR
T1 - Extinction and endemism in the New Zealand avifauna
AU - Blackburn, Timothy
AU - Duncan, RP
PY - 2004/1/1
Y1 - 2004/1/1
N2 - Aim Species belonging to higher taxa endemic to islands are more likely to go extinct following human arrival. This selectivity may occur because more highly endemic island species possess features that make them uniquely vulnerable to impacts associated with human arrival, specifically: (1) restricted distribution (2) reduced predator escape response, including loss of flight, and (3) life history traits, such as large body mass, associated with greater susceptibility to hunting or habitat loss. This study aims to identify which of these features can explain the selective extinction of more highly endemic bird species in New Zealand. Location North and South Island, New Zealand. Methods. Bird species breeding in New Zealand prior to human arrival were classified according to whether they became extinct or not during two periods of human settlement, prehistoric (post-Maori but pre-European arrival) and historic (post-European arrival). We modelled the relationships between extinction probability, level of endemism and life history traits in both periods. Results The prehistoric extinction-endemism relationship can be explained entirely by the selective extinction of large-bodied species, whereas the historic extinction-endemism relationship appears due to increased susceptibility to introduced predators resulting from the loss of predator escape responses, including loss of flight. Conclusions These features may explain extinction-endemism relationships more generally, given that human hunting and predator introductions are major impacts associated with human arrival on islands.
AB - Aim Species belonging to higher taxa endemic to islands are more likely to go extinct following human arrival. This selectivity may occur because more highly endemic island species possess features that make them uniquely vulnerable to impacts associated with human arrival, specifically: (1) restricted distribution (2) reduced predator escape response, including loss of flight, and (3) life history traits, such as large body mass, associated with greater susceptibility to hunting or habitat loss. This study aims to identify which of these features can explain the selective extinction of more highly endemic bird species in New Zealand. Location North and South Island, New Zealand. Methods. Bird species breeding in New Zealand prior to human arrival were classified according to whether they became extinct or not during two periods of human settlement, prehistoric (post-Maori but pre-European arrival) and historic (post-European arrival). We modelled the relationships between extinction probability, level of endemism and life history traits in both periods. Results The prehistoric extinction-endemism relationship can be explained entirely by the selective extinction of large-bodied species, whereas the historic extinction-endemism relationship appears due to increased susceptibility to introduced predators resulting from the loss of predator escape responses, including loss of flight. Conclusions These features may explain extinction-endemism relationships more generally, given that human hunting and predator introductions are major impacts associated with human arrival on islands.
KW - predation
KW - islands
KW - extinction
KW - endemic species
KW - avifauna
KW - human impacts
KW - birds
KW - New Zealand
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=8644223252&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1466-822X.2004.00132.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1466-822X.2004.00132.x
M3 - Article
SN - 1466-8238
SN - 1466-8238
SN - 1466-8238
SN - 1466-8238
VL - 13
SP - 509
EP - 517
JO - Global Ecology and Biogeography
JF - Global Ecology and Biogeography
ER -