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Context: This paper introduces the special issue of Pacific Conservation Biology devoted to the natural history of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve on the south coast of Western Australia. Methods: This paper provides the background to the special issue. Key results: Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve was gazetted in 1967 for the conservation of the native biota, including two species; the Djimaalap/noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus) and Ngilgaitch/Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii), both believed extinct for over 100 years before being rediscovered on the Reserve. The Reserve is 4774.7 ha in area, with wetlands, heathlands, granite outcrops, sand dunes, beaches, cliffs, and islands. Since it was established, mean annual rainfall has decreased by 16.8%, mean annual maximum temperature has increased by 0.2°C, and mean annual minimum temperature has increased by 0.7°C. Conclusions: The paper poses the question: what do the changes of drier winters, hotter summers, and more extreme weather events mean for managers of conservation areas such as Two Peoples Bay? Implications: Changing climate will pose problems for the managers of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in ensuring the conservation of the Djimaalap/noisy scrub-bird and Ngilgaitch/Gilbert's potoroo. Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve comprises ~5000 ha of wetlands, heathlands, granite outcrops, sand dunes, beaches, cliffs, and islands. Two species, the Djimaalap/noisy scrub-bird and Ngilgaitch/Gilbert's potoroo, were believed extinct for over 100 years before being rediscovered on the Reserve. Since the Reserve was established in 1967, rainfall has decreased, while minimum and maximum temperatures have increased. We ask what the climate change means for managers of conservation areas such as Two Peoples Bay. This article belongs to the Collection The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: This paper sets out the events leading to the establishment of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. Methods: This paper is based on research into literature relating to the Albany region, government files and oral accounts relating to the area. Key results: Long known to the Noongar peoples, Two Peoples Bay was first mapped by Europeans in 1791 by Captain George Vancouver. The area was rapidly established as a base for the over-exploitation of natural resources. As the region became more developed and human population increased, recreational pressure on the area was such that the Western Australian Government surveyed Two Peoples Bay to establish a townsite. Just before the final surveys for the townsite were completed, the supposedly-extinct noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus), was rediscovered there. National and international pressure on the WA Government from the conservation movement resulted in the reversal of the decision to develop a town in the area and led to the establishment of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in 1967. Conclusions: The establishment of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in the face of pressure for the development of a town on the bay, provides an interesting example of the needs of nature conservation over-riding real estate development. Implications: Although nature conservation values rarely stop real estate development, the Two Peoples Bay example demonstrates that nature conservation may prevail over real estate development, in this case involving the rediscovery of a species believed extinct. We describe the events leading to establishment of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. The area was long known to Noongar peoples. Mapping by Europeans in 1791 was followed by sealing and whaling in the 19th century, and after World War II plans were prepared for a townsite. After the discovery of the noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus), hitherto believed extinct for 100 years, plans for the town were cancelled and the Reserve was established in 1967. This article belongs to the Collection The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay National Park, Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnaby's cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus latirostris , is endemic to south-western Australia. It has undergone a major decline in range and abundance as a result of extensive removal of breeding and foraging habitat. It is now classified as endangered by the State of Western Australia, the Australian government, and internationally. In order to plan effective conservation management for the species it is important to assess the success of breeding populations throughout its range. In this paper we examine the efficacy of using the relationship between growth in the length of a nestling's folded left wing and body mass to assess nestling condition, and examine known breeding failure in relation to nestling condition in two breeding populations: one at Coomallo Creek (studied from 1970–2017), and the other at Manmanning (1969–76). Results demonstrated that the lighter the nestlings, the higher the rate of breeding failure. Data from the Coomallo Creek population were used to prepare a table of nestling folded left wing length and body mass as a benchmark for assessing nestling condition in 10 other breeding populations, based on data collected from 1970 to the present. Following extensive clearing that removed foraging and breeding habitat, two of the 10 populations produced nestlings that were significantly lighter than the benchmark, and both populations subsequently declined to extinction. The commencement of egg-laying each season at Coomallo Creek was strongly influenced by total rainfall in the first half of autumn. The length of the egg-laying period between 1970–76 and 2009–17 increased by 5.2 weeks (40%). This increase was related to changes in rainfall and temperature over more than four decades. Despite the lengthening of the egg-laying period, nestling condition was unaffected, suggesting that, at least in the short term, the Carnaby's cockatoo population at Coomallo Creek is coping with the effects of climate change. This paper examines the efficacy of using the relationship between growth in the length of nestling folded left wing and body mass of Carnaby's cockatoo Calyptorhynchus latirostris to assess nestling condition, and assesses nestling condition in 11 breeding populations throughout the species' range. The lighter the nestling, the higher the rate of breeding failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent plan to extend a highway in south-west Western Australia has been abandoned, but not before a 10–200 m wide strip of vegetation along the alignment had been cleared. Attempts are now being made to rehabilitate the cleared area. The aim of this paper is 2-fold. First, it documents the changes in invertebrate abundance, richness and evenness in this abandoned landmark development. Second, it explores the changes in invertebrate species composition, concentrating on ants, in terms of known trends in biodiversity, with particular emphasis on biotic homogenisation. We report on the immediate changes in invertebrate assemblages from a spatial continuum of sites passing through six discrete woodland communities. A total of 69 species of ants were sampled by pitfall traps from the sites, with 50 being sampled in the 7 reference sites and 46 in the 13 cleared sites. As far as most of these simple indices are concerned, the previously cleared areas generally exhibited values that are not appreciably different from those of the reference sites, except that species richness was marginally higher in the reference sites and ant abundance was higher in the cleared area sites. There was considerable variation in numbers of ant species within Ant Niche Template categories in both the reference and cleared area sites. However, numbers of nest specialists and trophic specialists were significantly lower in cleared area sites; opportunistic species and one generalist were more abundant in cleared areas. The two-dimensional solution of the multi-dimensional scaling ordination grouped all cleared sites close together, with the reference sites and modified native vegetation site being widely scattered across the graph. The tight bunching of the cleared sites suggests that clearing for the proposed highway has resulted in homogenising the ant fauna, creating a characteristic assemblage that differed from all of the original reference sites. When considered at the ordinal level, significantly less Clitellata (worms), Malacostraca (slaters), Araneae (spiders), Blattodea (cockroaches), Dermaptera (earwigs) and Coleoptera (beetles) were sampled from the cleared sites, but significantly more Collembola (springtails), Homoptera and Heteroptera (both types of sucking bugs) were sampled in these sites. Collembola may be responding to the abundance of exotic grasses whereas the sucking bugs may have benefitted from the lush herb and shrub layer associated with the regrowth and rehabilitation efforts. Ants were surveyed along a corridor that had been cleared for an abandoned highway. We surveyed 7 uncleared reference sites and 13 cleared sites that had been rehabilitated 2 years earlier. Species richness was marginally higher in the reference sites and ant abundance was higher in the cleared sites but clearing resulted in homogenisation of the ant assemblages that were associated with the original vegetation associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation has increased the occurrence of species being introduced outside of their natural range. The African carder bee, Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), is one such species. P. repetititum was first recorded in Australia in 2000 in Queensland (north-east Australia), and rapidly spread down the east coast of Australia, and by 2015 was reported to be a common component of bee assemblages in urban community gardens in Victoria (southern Australia). Here, I report the first occurrences of this species in Western Australia, on the other side of the continent, representing a major expansion of the distribution of the species. Thus far there are three confirmed and one unconfirmed localities where this species has been seen, all localised to the Mandurah region in residential areas of Western Australia. Female specimens were collected from a garden in Halls Head, where it was observed to be abundant. Other bees, both native and the introduced European honeybee, were foraging alongside it. The occurrence of P. repetitum represents a major expansion in its distribution. It remains rare and localised; however, given known negative impacts of introduced species on native fauna and flora, especially in Australia, vigilance is required to monitor this species. The African carder bee, Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), is an introduced species in Australia. It was first reported in 2000 and rapidly spread across the east coast. This paper reports the first observations of P. repetitum on the other side of the continent in Western Australia, representing a major range expansion. Potential impacts on native fauna and flora of this species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]