Using Landsat satellite imagery to investigate spatial and temporal variation in avian life history traits in a long-term study population of superb fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus in Australia

Using Landsat satellite imagery to investigate spatial and temporal variation in avian life history traits in a long-term study population of superb fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus in Australia | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 19 February 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Using Landsat satellite imagery to investigate spatial and temporal variation in avian life history traits in a long-term study population of superb fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus in Australia Authors : Richard Turner 0009-0005-4278-2148 , Ophélie Lasne , Lei Lv , Helen Osmond , Andrew Cockburn , Loeske Kruuk , and Kara N. Youngentob [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177149930.08119876/v1 202 views 101 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Long-term, individual-level studies can provide valuable insights into the effects of climate and landscape change on the ecology and population dynamics of wild animals. However, many such studies lack environmental data collected at sufficient spatial and temporal scales to determine how populations respond to changing conditions. In these cases, the retrospective use of satellite-derived data can provide a way to recover past environmental information. Here, we used 27 years of data from an insectivorous passerine in southeastern Australia, the superb fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus, to assess how climate variation influences vegetation productivity and, indirectly, superb fairy-wren life history traits through potential changes in trophic interactions. Specifically, we combined long-term individual-level monitoring of superb fairy-wrens and local weather records with Landsat satellite imagery, from which we derived measures of vegetation productivity using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as a proxy for food availability through arthropod abundance. We found a complex set of associations between NDVI and different components of weather, when considering both concurrent and lagged effects. Our analyses of the causes of seasonal variation in superb fairy-wren life history traits demonstrated that NDVI was associated with: (i) temporal variation in breeding success, with years with high spring and summer NDVI values having relatively high average breeding success; and (ii) spatial variation in adult mortality in autumn and winter, with superb fairy-wren territories with low autumn–winter NDVI values having higher average mortality rates. Notably, autumn–winter NDVI values were found to have remained relatively consistent over time, and therefore cannot explain recently observed increases in adult autumn–winter mortality. Our study illustrates the potential of using long-term Landsat satellite imagery to investigate whether associations between animal life history traits and climate are mediated by vegetation productivity and to what extent temporal trends are influenced by climate change. Supplementary Material File (2026-02-17_landsat_ms_ecology_evolution.docx) Download 5.72 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 19 February 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords behavioral ecology statistical terrestrial vertebrate Authors Affiliations Richard Turner 0009-0005-4278-2148 Division of Ecology & Evolution View all articles by this author Ophélie Lasne Division of Ecology & Evolution View all articles by this author Lei Lv School of Ecology View all articles by this author Helen Osmond Division of Ecology & Evolution View all articles by this author Andrew Cockburn Division of Ecology & Evolution View all articles by this author Loeske Kruuk Institute of Evolutionary Biology View all articles by this author Kara N. Youngentob [email protected] The Fenner School of Environment & Society View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 202 views 101 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Richard Turner, Ophélie Lasne, Lei Lv, et al. Using Landsat satellite imagery to investigate spatial and temporal variation in avian life history traits in a long-term study population of superb fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus in Australia. Authorea . 19 February 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177149930.08119876/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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