New Research Reveals Aotearoa’s Avian History Shaped by Ice Age Migrations
Ice Age Arrivals: Shaping New Zealand’s Birdlife
New research from the University of Otago — Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka sheds light on Aotearoa’s (New Zealand’s) unique birdlife, revealing that the country has increasingly welcomed new bird species from around the world since the beginning of the Ice Age. This groundbreaking study offers valuable clues into future bird migration patterns.
The research, published in the international journal Molecular Ecology, investigated the relationships between New Zealand birds and their overseas relatives, tracing when they diverged into distinct species.
From Forest to Grassland: A Changing Landscape
The dramatic shift in Aotearoa’s landscape during the Ice Age, from extensive forests to grasslands and shrublands, played a crucial role in shaping its avian inhabitants. Researchers sought to determine which of New Zealand’s living and recently extinct birds originated from ancient lineages that adapted to these changes tens of millions of years ago, and which are descendants of more recent arrivals.
Key Findings:
- Many bird species associated with grasslands and shrublands, such as the pīhoihoi (New Zealand pipit) and pūtangitangi (paradise shelduck), colonized Aotearoa at the start of the Ice Age, primarily from Australia.
- Mitogenome data from nearly all living and recently extinct New Zealand mainland bird species was used.
- Many of New Zealand’s iconic endemic birds, including the Haast’s eagle, kakī (black stilt), and fantails, are also Ice Age arrivals.
The Myth of “Iconically New Zealand”
Lead author Dr. Pascale Lubbe, of the Department of Zoology, emphasizes that the notion of recent immigrants being less “iconically New Zealand” is inaccurate.
“Repeated invasions by species are actually very typical of New Zealand’s biological heritage throughout geological history,” Dr. Lubbe explains.
A Broader Perspective on Avian Evolution
While previous studies have often focused on individual bird species, this research provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of nearly all of New Zealand’s endemic bird species.
“Our research approach is a broad scope investigation of the global origins of nearly all our endemic bird species, providing an overall view of the evolution of these birds,” Dr Lubbe states. “We have been able to show that colonization patterns are driven in part by the habitat preferences of the invading species over geological time.”
Implications for the Future
In a world facing rapid climate change, understanding these past evolutionary shifts is vital for interpreting the present and anticipating the future. The research emphasizes the dynamic nature of New Zealand’s ecosystems.
What’s more, as New Zealand’s forests have been cleared for agriculture, many Australian bird species have established themselves in the country over the past century. Examples of this are; welcome swallows, silvereyes, plovers and Australian coots.
Dr. Lubbe warns that this trend is likely to continue. “We must expect more Australian species to make a new home on our shores as time goes on, with consequent biosecurity risks, especially if New Zealand continues to lose forest cover,” she says.
Another key point is that the consequences become that much worse if our endemic species go extinct, leaving their ecological roles empty.
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