Hi Roz
Could you please circulate this to the group?
Cheers
Birgita
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Student research project – honours or postgraduate.
How important are urban wetlands for Latham’s Snipe? A multi-scale investigation into the patterns of habitat use by Latham’s Snipe in south-western Victoria.
Latham’s Snipe is a cryptic, migratory shorebird that breeds in Japan and spends its non-breeding season in eastern Australia. Some of the largest concentrations of snipe in Victoria occur in association with urban wetlands, particularly the Powling Street wetlands. This site will be substantially reduced in size as a result of an impending housing development. This loss of habitat, combined with increased disturbance to roosting and foraging birds, is expected to reduce the suitability of the site for snipe, potentially resulting in a decline of the population.
The objectives of this study are to undertake surveys of Latham’s Snipe to determine patterns of habitat use and estimate relative carrying capacity of the site. This will be done in conjunction with a GIS analysis of temporal and spatial wetland changes since snipe monitoring began in the seventies.
Research questions:
1. How do the spatial patterns of habitat use by Latham’s Snipe at Powling Street wetlands vary over their non-breeding season?
2. What is the relative importance of urban wetlands to Latham’s Snipe in the broader Port Fairy region?
3. How has wetland availability changed over time in western Victoria, and how does this relate to changes in reporting rates of snipe?
We are seeking an enthusiastic and self-motivated undergraduate or postgraduate student to work with staff at Federation University Australia, South Beach Wetland and Landcare Group and University of Melbourne on this project. It will involve targeted field surveys, behavioural observations, analyses of Latham’s Snipe count data and spatial analysis of changes in wetland availability. Experience with waterbird observation, GIS analyses and ecological modelling are desirable.
Please contact Birgita Hansen (m("federation.edu.au","b.hansen");" target="_blank">) for further information.
