Simon B.Z. Gorta

UNSW Sydney | UNSW · School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)

Biodiversity citizen science data are being collected at unprecedented scales, and are key for informing conservation and research. Species‐level data typically provide the most valuable information, but recognition of specimens to species level from photographs varies among taxa. We examined a large dataset of Australian photographic observations...

The influence of resource availability on ecosystem function varies spatially and temporally, among and within ecosystems. Dramatic shifts in moisture‐driven resources can drive bottom‐up effects on animal behaviours and distributions. Further, complexity arises when landscapes are influenced by large mammalian grazers and predator‐induced trophic...

Plains-wanderers Pedionomus torquatus are Critically Endangered grassland birds that are rarely observed in arid New South Wales (NSW). In autumn 2022, however, this species was twice observed at Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station in the north-west of the state. These observations occurred following significant summer rains in habitat dominated...

Dryland ecosystems have limited and patchily distributed water - a vital resource for species in these landscapes. Degradation of these ecosystems is increasing due to climate change and understanding species' responses to this drying is critical for effective ecosystem management. During an extended dry period, we surveyed drinking visits of an av...

The ecology of avian community assembly in subtropical climate areas with seasonal and year-to-year variability is complex and poorly understood. To test for variation in year-year and seasonal (summer-winter) avian community composition and species abundances, we established 10 transects (200 m long) and sampled twice yearly for 7 years. To differ...

Seabirds exploit marine habitats for resources, responding to many complex environmental signals that ultimately drive their distributions. Occasionally, influxes of seabird species to regions outside their normal range occur and determining the drivers of these patterns can aid in understanding their ecology and their conservation. I documented fi...

Pelage patterning plays an important role in animal behaviour. Variation in pelage patterns can change with pigment distribution and quantity in individuals. We present three cases of apparent piebaldism – a condition where the body is patchily unpigmented – in the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus. Using a comprehensive dataset of historical...

Intra-guild competition, including kleptoparasitism, can shape a species’ ecology, particularly when competitors commonly occur sympatrically. Here, I describe a series of interspecific interactions between a black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas and two honey badgers Mellivora capensis from an observation in Etosha National Park, Namibia. This inter...

Large urban trees have many benefits. However, falling branches pose a serious hazard to both people and infrastructure. In several tree species, aerial roots grow down from branches to the ground. These roots are capable of thickening to support the branches, lessening the risk of tree failure. Unfortunately, in urban environments most aerial root...