Demographics of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) in the Mediterranean climate zone of Australia

Demographic parameters of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) in southern Australia were investigated by dissecting hares shot by hunters during each month of the year. Gender, body weight, age, sucking, lactation, weight of the abdominal alimentary canal, weight of the left peri-renal fat body, pregnancy status, presence and counts of placental scars, litter size, and stage of gestation were recorded. From those data, growth rates, age at weaning, age and weight at puberty, date of conception, projected birth date, recruitment, survivorship, and the relationships between lactation and fat stores and alimentary capacity were determined.Fecundity of the southern Australian hares followed the seasonal pattern reported for northern hemisphere populations. However, output was lower per female and particularly per older female. Females began breeding at an earlier age such that recruitment into the southern Australian population was more dependent on females in their first year of life than on older females. Growth rates were comparable with European rates. Although high chill factors were apparently associated with higher leveret mortality, there was paradoxically higher overall mortality during the spring-early summer period of higher plant growth than in the late summer–winter period of lower plant growth and more extreme weather conditions. Fat was accumulated during pregnancy and would act as a buffer against the possibility of inadequate food availability during lactation, but hares increased the capacity of the alimentary canal during lactation and presumably with it their ability to assimilate energy to meet the demands of lactation.     

Did ciguatera prompt the late Holocene Polynesian voyages of discovery?

The famous Polynesian voyages characterized an intensive network of cultural exchange and colonization that was particularly active from ad 1000 to 1450. But, why would large groups of people leave their homelands to voyage into the unknown? Oceanic voyages are risky, albeit less so today than in the past. Landfalls were not guaranteed improvements over ports of departure. Taking the Cook Islands as an example, we ask whether harmful algal blooms that result in ciguatera fish poisoning in humans prompted past and present emigration pulses of peoples from within Polynesia. We take a multipronged approach to examine our hypothesis, involving: (1) archaeological evidence, (2) ciguatera fish poisoning reports since the 1940s, and (3) climate and temperature oscillations using palaeodatasets. The archaeological records of fish bones and hooks show abrupt changes in fishing practices in post‐ad 1450 records. Sudden dietary shifts are not linked to overfishing, but may be a sign of ciguatera fish poisoning and adjustment of fishing preference. While fishes form the staple diet of Polynesians, such poisoning renders fishes unusable. We show that ciguatera fish poisoning events coincide with Pacific Decadal Oscillations and suggest that the celebrated Polynesian voyages across the Pacific Ocean may not have been random episodes of discovery to colonize new lands, but rather voyages of necessity. A modern analogue (in the 1990s) was the shift towards processed foods in the Cook Islands during ciguatera fish poisoning events, and mass emigration of islanders to New Zealand and Australia.     

近55a来河西走廊荒漠绿洲区季节变化特征及其对胡杨年生长期的影响

利用河西走廊荒漠绿洲胡杨林集中分布区的4个气象站点1955-2009年日平均气温资料,采用5d滑动平均、气候倾向率、Mann-Kendall和滑动t检验等方法,分析其四季开始日与长度的变化特征及其对胡杨年生长期的影响。结果表明:近55a来,河西走廊荒漠绿洲区四季开始日主要表现为春、夏和秋季提早,冬季推迟的变化趋势,并以夏季提早最显著,且以21世纪初更突出。研究区平均四季长短变化特征为:冬季>夏季>春季>秋季。胡杨年生长期有开始日提早、终止日推后的趋势,且推迟趋势更明显;胡杨年生长期天数具有延长趋势。突变分析表明:春季开始日在1969年和2001年发生突变,夏、秋开始日则分别在1998年、 1985年和1997年发生突变,而冬季开始日发生突变的时间早于其它3季,为1985年;胡杨年生长期开始日具有多个突变,分别在1961年、1973年和1997年发生突变。显然,研究区胡杨对气候变化的响应更敏感。     

Diet selection by European hares (Lepus europaeus) in the alpine zone of the Snowy Mountains, Australia

European hares (Lepus europaeus) are grazers and open grassland specialists that are replaced in mountain areas of their natural range in the northern hemisphere by browsing/intermediate feeding mountain hares (Lepus timidus), but in their introduced range in the southern hemisphere, occupy the alpine zone. We used micro-histological identification of plant fragments and germination of seeds in faecal pellets of L. europaeus from the Snowy Mountains, Australia, to determine diet. We asked whether diet shifted and/or diet breadth expanded in response to seasonally reduced food availability, particularly during winter. If so, did the constraints of food availability in the alpine zone lead to the diet mirroring that of L. timidus in its native alpine habitat. The diet of L. europaeus was dominated by grasses, herbs and shrubs. The main diet items in summer were grasses (70 %) and herbs (28 %). Grasses declined in the diet between summer and autumn when herbs increased to co-dominance, with a further change after establishment of the winter snowpack to a greater preponderance of shrubs (43 % compared with a maximum of 3 % in snow-free months). L. europaeus selected a wider range of plants in winter (59 species compared with 39 in summer) and diet was significantly more variable in winter than in autumn or summer (and in autumn than summer). We concluded that the persistence of L. europaeus in alpine areas of the southern hemisphere is testament to their ability to expand their dietary breadth to occupy mountain climatic zones normally occupied by L. timidus.     

近30年北京自然历的主要物候期、物候季节变化及归因

根据中国物候观测网资料并结合气象观测数据, 重新编制了北京颐和园地区1981-2010年的自然历。通过与原自然历比较, 揭示了北京物候季节变化特征, 分析了1963年以来物候季节变化的可能原因。研究发现: 与原自然历相比, 1981-2010年北京的春、夏季开始时间分别提前了2天和5天, 秋、冬季开始时间分别推迟了1天和4天; 夏、秋季长度分别延长了6天和3天, 春、冬季长度则分别缩短了3天和6天; 各个物候期的平均日期、最早日期、最晚日期在春、夏季以提前为主, 在秋、冬季以推迟为主; 且春、秋、冬季节内部分物候期次序也出现了不同程度的变化。春、夏、冬季开始日期前的气温变化和秋季开始日期前的日照时数变化可能是北京颐和园地区物候季节变化的主要原因; 不同物种、不同物候期对气温变化的响应程度不同, 导致了物候季节内各种物候现象出现的先后顺序发生变化。     

Deciphering the effects of climate on animal populations: diagnostic analysis provides new interpretation of Soay sheep dynamics

Soay sheep on the island of Hirta exhibit periodic population collapses that have been proposed to result from nonlinear interactions between weather, population density, and age structure. Here we employ a diagnostic approach to reanalyze the data from 1985 to 2004 and find that climate mainly affects the equilibrium population size, thus acting as a lateral perturbation. From this, we derive a simple energetic model for a population interacting with its food supply in the presence of variable winter weather. This model explains the strong nonlinearity in the Soay sheep population regulation function and provides a framework for evaluating climatic perturbations. We examined two integrative climatic indexes, one representing effects on forage production and the other representing the severity of winter weather. Results suggest that the latter has the main effect on Soay sheep population dynamics. Models incorporating this variable provided fairly accurate predictions of Soay sheep population fluctuations. The diagnostic approach offers an objective way to develop simple, nonstructured population models that are useful for understanding the causes of population fluctuations and predicting population changes, provided they are based on a careful consideration of the underlying biological and/or ecological mechanisms.     

Gene flow from the Indian subcontinent to Australia: evidence from the Y chromosome

Phenotypic similarities between Australian Aboriginal People and some tribes of India were noted by T.H. Huxley during the voyage of the Rattlesnake (1846-1850). Anthropometric studies by Birdsell led to his suggestion that a migratory wave into Australia included populations with affinities to tribal Indians. Genetic evidence for an Indian contribution to the Australian gene pool is contradictory; most studies of autosomal markers have not supported this hypothesis (; and references therein). On the other hand, affinities between Australian Aboriginal People and southern Indians were suggested based on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA. Here, we show additional DNA evidence in support of Huxley's hypothesis of an Indian-Australian connection using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and short tandem repeats (STRs) on the nonrecombining portion of the Y chromosome (NRY). Phylogenetic analyses of STR variation associated with a major Australian SNP lineage indicated tight clustering with southern Indian/Sri Lankan Y chromosomes. Estimates of the divergence time for these Indian and Australian chromosomes overlap with important changes in the archaeological and linguistic records in Australia. These results provide strong evidence for an influx of Y chromosomes from the Indian subcontinent to Australia that may have occurred during the Holocene.     

The effects of climate change on the phenology of winter birds in Yokohama, Japan

Observations made largely from summer breeding sites in Europe and North America have been used to document the effects of climate change on many bird species. We extend these studies by examining 23 years of observations between 1986 and 2008 of six winter bird species made by citizens at a city park in Yokohama, Japan. Bird species arrive in autumn and spend the winter in the area, before departing in the late winter or spring. On average, birds species are arriving 9 days later than in the past and are departing on average 21 days earlier, meaning that the average duration of their stay in Yokohama is about 1 month shorter now than in the past. Patterns of changes over time varied among species, but departure dates changed for more species than did arrival dates. Dates of departure and arrival were sometimes correlated with monthly average temperatures—later arrivals and earlier departures were associated with warmer temperatures. In addition, interannual variation in arrival and departure dates were strongly correlated across species, suggesting that species were responding to the same or similar environmental cues. This study provides a clear demonstration of the value of using citizens to make observations that contribute to research in climate change biology.     

Molecular phylogeny and dating reveals an Oligo-Miocene radiation of dry-adapted shrubs (former Tremandraceae) from rainforest tree progenitors (Elaeocarpaceae) in Australia

To better understand the historical biogeography of the southern hemisphere and evolutionary responses of plants to aridity, we undertook a detailed phylogenetic study of the predominantly southern family Elaeocarpaceae sensu lato (including Tremandraceae). Plastid trnL-trnF and nuclear ITS sequence data were analyzed using parsimony and Bayesian methods and molecular evolutionary rates calibrated using the Oligocene fossil record of Elaeocarpus mesocarps to estimate the minimum divergence dates. The results indicate the monophyly of all recognized genera and a placement for the former Tremandraceae (three genera and about 49 species of shrubby, dry-adapted Australian plants) within the widespread predominantly rainforest tree family Elaeocarpaceae (nine genera, over 500 species). The former Tremandraceae clade diverged from its sister (Aceratium + Elaeocarpus + Sericolea) during the Paleocene, after which it underwent a marked acceleration in evolutionary rate. Furthermore, this lineage diversified during the late Miocene, coincident with widespread aridification in Australian environments and extensive radiations of several sclerophyllous groups. The role of dispersal in explaining the current geographical distribution of Elaeocarpaceae is illustrated by Aristotelia. This genus, whose distribution was previously thought to reflect Gondwanan vicariance, is shown to have arrived in New Zealand from Australia at least 6-7 million yr ago.     

Season of birth and morningness: comparison between the northern and southern hemispheres

The present study explored the possible role of the photoperiod at birth on morningness by collecting data in the northern (Italy) and southern (Australia) hemispheres. To assess circadian typology, the Composite Scale of Morningness (CS) was administered to a sample of 1734 university students (977 Italian and 757 Australian; 1099 females and 635 males; age 24.79?±?7.45 yrs [mean?±?SD]). Consistent with the literature, females reported higher CS scores (morningness) than males, and Australian participants reported higher CS scores than Italian participants. Allowing for the fact the seasons are reversed between the hemispheres, the results are in line with previous studies. The authors found more evening types were born during the seasons associated with longer photoperiod (spring and summer), and more morning types were born during the seasons associated with shorter photoperiod (autumn and winter), indirectly supporting an imprinting-like phenomenon played by the photoperiod at birth.     

Annual Pronghorn Survival of a Partially Migratory Population

The importance of conserving migratory populations is recognized across a variety of ungulate taxa, yet the demographic benefits of migration remain uncertain for ungulate populations that exhibit partial migration. We hypothesized that migratory pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) would experience greater survival compared to residents by moving longer distances to avoid severe winter weather and access higher quality forage. We used a Bayesian time-to-event approach to analyze the fates of 175 radio-collared adult female pronghorn monitored over 8 biological years (2004–2011) in the Northern Sagebrush Steppe ecosystem. Annual survivorship of migratory pronghorn was 7% higher on average compared to residents but not statistically different. Migratory pronghorn had higher survivorship in summer and winter compared to residents, and few mortalities were observed during the short autumn and spring migration periods. Mortality risk for both movement tactics intensified under more severe winter weather; winter weather severity alone best explained annual pronghorn mortality risk. The top model predicted survival rates to decline on average by 56% over the range of observed winter climatic conditions. To minimize human impacts to pronghorn during extreme climatic events, we recommend working with transportation departments and land managers to enhance pronghorn crossings of roads and railroads, and landholders to modify fences to wildlife-friendly standards. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.     

Rainfall-induced changes in food availability modify the spring departure programme of a migratory bird

Climatic warming has intensified selection for earlier reproduction in many organisms, but potential constraints imposed by climate change outside the breeding period have received little attention. Migratory birds provide an ideal model for exploring such constraints because they face warming temperatures on temperate breeding grounds and declining rainfall on many tropical non-breeding areas. Here, we use longitudinal data on spring departure dates of American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) to show that annual variation in tropical rainfall and food resources are associated with marked change in the timing of spring departure of the same individuals among years. This finding challenges the idea that photoperiod alone regulates the onset of migration, providing evidence that intensifying drought in the tropical winter could hinder adaptive responses to climatic warming in the temperate zone.     

Effect of global warming on the timing of migration and breeding of passerine birds in the 20th century

Long-term monitoring of the dates of arrival, breeding, and autumn migration in 25 passerine bird species on the Kurshskaya (Courland) Spit, the Baltic Sea, has shown that spring migration and nesting in most species wintering in Europe or Africa have shifted to earlier dates in the past two decades, whereas the dates of autumn migration in most species studied have not changed significantly. In 16 bird species, a significant negative correlation of the timing of arrival and breeding with the average spring air temperature and the North Atlantic Oscillation index (NAO) in February and March was revealed. In years with early and warm springs, birds arrived at the spit and nested considerably earlier than in years with cold springs. The dates of autumn migration in most species studied largely depended on the timing of nesting but not on weather conditions in autumn. The data obtained indicate that the main factor responsible for long-term changes in the timing of arrival, nesting, and autumn migrations of passerine birds in the Baltic Region is climate fluctuations that led to considerable changes in thermal conditions in the Northern Hemisphere in the 20th century. The hypothesis is proposed that recent climate warming has caused changes in the timing of not only the arrival of birds in Europe but also of their spring migrations from Africa. Further changes in the dates of passerine bird arrival and breeding in the Palearctic in subsequent years will largely depend on the dynamics of winter and spring air temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, whereas the timing of autumn migrations will be determined mainly by the dates of their arrival and nesting.     

Timing of breeding carries over to influence migratory departure in a songbird: an automated radiotracking study

1. Determining how events interact across stages of the annual cycle is critical for understanding the factors that affect individual fitness. However, there is currently little information detailing how breeding events influence migratory behaviour. 2. Using an automated digital telemetry array and an isolated island-breeding population of Savannah sparrows Passerculus sandwichensis, we provide the first direct evidence that the timing of breeding events carries over to influence the timing of migration in a songbird and assess for the first time how weather conditions on the breeding grounds also affect departure dates. 3. Date of migratory departure between September and October was strongly influenced by date of breeding completion in adults and fledging date in juveniles from June to July. 4. With respect to weather, adults departed during the first half of high-pressure systems, while juveniles departed throughout the entirety of high-pressure systems (including rainy evenings on the western edge of systems). 5. By combining both ecological and weather data, we could explain almost all variation in departure date for adults (95%), but weather conditions were not a good predictor of departure date for juveniles. 6. Our results provide strong evidence that the timing of breeding events is an important driver of migration timing and that exact departure dates are fine-tuned according to local weather conditions in adults, but not in juveniles.     

Non-linear feedback processes and a latitudinal gradient in the climatic effects determine green spruce aphid outbreaks in the UK

The role of climatic fluctuations in determining the dynamics of insect populations has been a classical problem in population ecology. Here, we use long-term annual data on green spruce aphid populations at nine localities in the UK for determining the importance of endogenous processes, local weather and large-scale climatic factors. We rely on diagnostic and modelling tools from population dynamic theory to analyse these long-term data and to determine the role of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and local weather as exogenous factors influencing aphid dynamics. Our modelling suggests that the key elements determining population fluctuations in green spruce aphid populations in the UK are the strong non-linear feedback structure, the high potential for population growth and the effects of winter and spring weather. The results indicate that the main effect of the NAO on green spruce aphid populations is operating through the effect of winter temperatures on the maximum per capita growth rate (R_m). In particular, we can predict quite accurately the occurrence of an outbreak by using a simple logistic model with weather as a perturbation effect. However, model predictions using different climatic variables showed a clear geographical signature. The NAO and winter temperature were best for predicting observed dynamics toward the southern localities, while spring temperature was a much better predictor of aphid dynamics at northern localities. Although aphid species are characterized by complex life-cycles, we emphasize the value of simple and general population dynamic models in predicting their dynamics.     

松墨天牛的全球潜在分布区分析

松墨天牛MonochamusalternatusHope分布在亚洲东部,是松材线虫Bursaphelenchusxylophilus(SteinerandBuhrer)在亚洲最有效的昆虫媒介,同时也是重要的蛀干害虫。利用CLIMEX模型分析松墨天牛分布区的气候限制因子,并在全球范围预测它的潜在分布区。模型分析结果表明,温度和降水是松墨天牛分布区的主要气候限制因子。温度在30°N以北地区和30°S以南地区主要表现为冷胁迫,在非洲中部、南亚和澳大利亚北部表现为热胁迫。有效积温不足可能是限制松墨天牛向北扩散的主要原因。降水在中国西北地区、非洲中北部、澳大利亚中部和西部与美国西部主要表现为干胁迫。降水量对分布区范围影响不大。预测结果表明,松墨天牛的全球潜在分布区远远大于实际分布范围。松墨天牛在东半球的潜在分布区包括亚洲东部和南部地区、地中海沿岸、非洲的中部和南部以及澳大利亚的东部和南部,在亚洲热带的潜在分布区1年3代,地中海地区1年1代,非洲1年2～3代,在澳大利亚主要1年1代。松墨天牛在西半球的潜在分布区主要集中在美国南部和东部沿海地区,中美洲以及南美洲的广大地区,美国主要1年1代,中美洲1年2～3代,南美洲主要1年2代。     

Tomicus piniperda (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) initial flight and shoot departure along a north-south gradient

The exotic pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda (L.) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), established in the north central and northeastern United States (U.S.) and adjacent regions in Canada, is regulated by a federal quarantine that restricts movement of pine material during specific times of the year based on the beetle's life history. Although climatic variation occurs across T. piniperda's range, a single set of dates is used for timing the movement of pine logs. We monitored T. piniperda spring flight, fall shoot departure, and air and internal tree temperatures at three sites along a 300-km north-south gradient in Michigan and Indiana. We also estimated dates for initial spring flight (12 degrees C threshold) and fall shoot departure (0 degrees C threshold) across an 850-km gradient using historical temperature records (1901 to 1999). Average daily temperatures in fall 1997 (8 October to 12 December) and spring 1998 (20 February to 21 April) were 1.8 to 2.4 degrees C colder, respectively, at the northern field site than at the southern field site. Fall shoot departure began at approximately the same time (day 289 to 290) at all three field sites, but complete shoot departure was extended by 3 wk at the southern site (day 336) compared with the northern site (day 317). T. piniperda adults were first captured in funnel traps on calendar day 86 at the northern site and on day 59 at the central and southern field sites. Peak flight occurred at approximately the same time (day 86) at all three sites. Within-shoot temperatures were very similar to air temperatures in the fall and aboveground inside-bark temperatures were similar to air temperatures in the spring. Average predicted dates based on historical temperature records varied by 31 d for initial shoot departure and 84 d for initial spring flight between northern Michigan and southern Indiana. Because considerable variation can occur in T. piniperda behavior across a broad geographic range, dates specified in the U.S. Federal quarantine should be adjusted according to local temperatures.     

Rainfall reliability, a neglected factor in explaining convergence and divergence of plant traits in fire-prone mediterranean-climate ecosystems

Aim Rainfall reliability has been neglected as a determinant of plant trait convergence and divergence in mediterranean‐climate ecosystems. This paper reports on patterns of rainfall reliability — quantified as interannual variation in monthly and seasonal rainfall, and as the frequency of individual events in terms of their size, duration and intensity — for four fire‐prone mediterranean‐climate ecosystems. Location The four mediterranean‐climate regions of the world with fire‐prone ecosystems, namely SW Cape (South Africa), SW Australia, California and the Mediterranean Basin (Andalusia, Spain). Methods Using long‐term monthly rainfall data from stations dispersed across the four regions, we computed monthly means and interannual variation for each month of the year — the latter quantified as the coefficient of variation (CV) — and divided these into winter and summer seasons. We also computed the mean number of rainfall events, the mean frequency in various categories of event duration (days), the amount of rainfall per event (mm) and the rainfall intensity per event (mm/day) per year for winter and summer seasons for a subset of the rainfall stations. Results The fraction of rain falling in summer was lowest in California (5%) and similarly low (c. 25%) in the other three regions. The hierarchy of values of coefficient of variation (CV) of monthly rainfall during the winter period was as follows: California > Andalusia >> SW Cape > SW Australia; results for summer were: California > > Andalusia >> SW Australia ～ SW Cape. SW Australian sites experienced the greatest frequency of short, small and low‐intensity rainfall events in both seasons; patterns in the SW Cape were intermediate between Australia and the two northern hemisphere sites which both received fewer, larger and more intense events. Overall, the two southern hemisphere regions (SW Australia and the SW Cape) had significantly more reliable regimes than the two northern hemisphere ones (Mediterranean Basin and California). Main conclusions These differences in rainfall reliability regimes may provide a novel perspective on the distribution of certain plant life‐history traits in mediterranean‐climate ecosystems. Less reliable regimes would select for germination and seedling survival traits that enable persistence of genets in the face of uncertain moisture conditions during the winter and spring establishment phase. Study systems that accommodate for phylogenetic constraints, namely invasive species derived from mediterranean‐climate ecosystems, as well as shared lineages, provide good opportunities to develop and test hypotheses on the implication of different rainfall reliability regimes. One of the novel implications of this study is that the distinctive trait of assemblages in the southern hemisphere regions may be a consequence not so much of their shared nutrient‐poor soils as of their similarly reliable rainfall regimes.     

Phylogeographic evidence for two mesic refugia in a biodiversity hotspot

Phylogeographic studies of flora in species-rich south-western Australia point to complex evolutionary histories, reflecting patterns of persistence and resilience to climatic changes during the Pleistocene. We asked whether coastal areas of the mid-west and south, as well as granite outcrops and inland ranges, have acted as major refugia within this region during Pleistocene climatic fluctuations by analysing phylogeographic patterns in the shrub Calothamnus quadrifidus R.Br. (Myrtaceae). We determined variation in chloroplast DNA data for 41 populations across the geographic range. Relationships and major clades were resolved using parsimony and Bayesian analyses. We tested for demographic and spatial expansion of the major clades and estimated clade divergence dates using an uncorrelated, lognormal relaxed clock based on two conservative chloroplast mutation rates. Two distinct phylogeographic clades were identified showing divergence during the Pleistocene, consistent with other phylogeographic studies of south-west Australian flora, emphasising the impact of climatic oscillations in driving divergence in this landscape. The southern clade was more diverse, having higher haplotype diversity and greater genetic structure, while the northern clade showed evidence of fluctuation in population size. Regions of high haplotype diversity with adjacent areas of low diversity observed in each clade indicated the locations of two coastal refugia: one on the south coast and another along the mid-west coast. This is the first evidence for major Pleistocene refugia using chloroplast genetic data in a common, widespread species from this region.     

Season-specific directional movement in migratory Australian butterflies

Large numbers of adults of certain species of butterfly flying in an apparently 'purposeful' manner are often noted by entomologists and the general public. Occasionally, these are recorded in the literature. Using these records we summarise information regarding the direction of movement in Australian butterflies and test whether there are consistent patterns that could account for known seasonal shifts in geographical range. The data were analysed using contingency tables and directionality statistics. Vanessa itea, Vanessa kershawi, Danaus plexippus , Danaus chrysippus and Badamia exclamationis flew predominately south in the spring–summer and north in the autumn–winter. Tirumala hamata has a strong southern component to its flight in spring but, as in Euploea core, appears non-directional in the autumn. For many supposedly known migratory species, the number of literature records are few, particularly in one season (mainly autumn). Thus, for Appias paulina , four of seven records were south in the spring–summer, as were six of nine records for Catopsilia pomona, and three of five for Zizina labradus. For Belenois java , flight records were only available for the spring and these showed geographical differences; predominantly north-west in northern Australia (Queensland) and south-west in southern Australia (Victoria, New South Wales). There were too few records for Papilio demoleus in the literature (four only) to draw any conclusions. Major exceptions to the seasonal trend of south in the spring and north in the autumn were Junonia villida , which showed a predominant north-westward direction in both seasons, and Eurema smilax, with a predominant southern or western flight in both seasons. We discuss these species specific trends in migration direction in relation to seasonal shifts in suitable habitat conditions, possible cues used in orientation and in timing changes in direction.