Long-term studies are required to reveal responses by long-lived, top-order predator populations to ongoing seasonal fluctuations. However, such investigations are rare in the Australian context. Between 2009 and 2019, the breeding density and productivity of an arid and a mesic wedge-tailed eagle Aquila audax population, each occupying an area of 2800 km², were compared (11–98 pairs monitored annually). Breeding pairs spaced themselves evenly in both study areas, with no significant difference between the average arid zone nearest-neighbour distance of 5.32 ± 1.98 km (n = 44) and that determined for the mesic zone (4.88 ± 2.32 km, n = 54). This similarity in spacing suggests a maximum average density is tolerated by these territorial raptors. By contrast, annual breeding success (proportion of pairs fledging young) and productivity (fledged young per pair) differed significantly between the two populations, with rainfall (but not temperature) influencing reproduction. In the arid zone, the proportion of successful pairs per occupied breeding home range was consistently low each year (mean = 12 ± 7% fledged broods per pair, range 0–26%) and positively correlated with annual rainfall. In the mesic zone, it was consistently high each year (mean = 69 ± 9%, range 57–91%) and not significantly correlated with annual rainfall. Overall productivity figures showed similar differences, with 0.13 and 0.77 fledglings per pair per year for arid (n = 9 years) and mesic (n = 11 years) eagles, respectively. Such low arid zone productivity, the lowest ever recorded for the species, could have long-term implications in the face of the increased frequency of extreme weather events. That breeding density can be independent of climatic factors provides new insight into the way a large Aquila species integrates with Australia’s predominantly arid environment. This study provides an important baseline data set for continued research on long-term occupancy and productivity trends.

中文翻译：

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气候影响生产力，但不影响干旱和中干西澳大利亚楔尾鹰 Aquila audax 的繁殖密度

需要长期研究来揭示长寿的顶级捕食者种群对持续季节性波动的反应。然而，这样的调查在澳大利亚很少见。在 2009 年至 2019 年期间，比较了面积为 2800 km ²的干旱和中等楔尾鹰Aquila audax种群的繁殖密度和生产力（每年监测 11-98 对）。育种对在两个研究区的间隔均匀，平均干旱区最近邻距离为 5.32 ± 1.98 km ( n  = 44) 与中干带确定的最近邻距离 (4.88 ± 2.32 km, n = 54)。这种间距的相似性表明这些领土猛禽可以容忍最大平均密度。相比之下，两个种群之间的年度繁殖成功率（成对的幼崽比例）和生产力（每对成对的幼崽）显着不同，降雨（但不是温度）影响繁殖。在干旱地区，每年每个被占领的繁殖家园范围内成功配对的比例一直很低（平均每对 = 12 ± 7% 的成熟育雏，范围为 0-26%），并且与年降雨量呈正相关。在中间地带，它每年都很高（平均值 = 69 ± 9%，范围 57-91%），并且与年降雨量没有显着相关性。总体生产力数据显示出类似的差异，干旱 ( n = 9 年）和 mesic（n  = 11 年）鹰，分别。面对极端天气事件频率的增加，干旱区的生产力如此之低，这是该物种有史以来最低的记录，可能会产生长期影响。这种繁殖密度可以独立于气候因素，为大型天鹰座物种与澳大利亚主要干旱环境的整合方式提供了新的见解。本研究为继续研究长期入住率和生产力趋势提供了重要的基线数据集。