biology

Providence petrel

Providence petrel is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Providence petrel rather than just read about it. In short: The providence petrel (Pterodroma solandri) is a large and heavy build gadfly petrel that nests in two locations in the Tasman Sea: Lord Howe Island (some 800 km from the Australian mainland) and Philip Island. The scientific name of this species was given in honour of the Swedish botanist Daniel Solander, with Solander's petrel being an alternative common name.

Key takeaways

Providence petrel belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Providence petrel to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Providence petrel from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The providence petrel (Pterodroma solandri) is a large and heavy build gadfly petrel that nests in two locations in the Tasman Sea: Lord Howe Island (some 800 km from the Australian mainland) and Philip Island. The scientific name of this species was given in honour of the Swedish botanist Daniel Solander, with Solander's petrel being an alternative common name.

Behaviour and ecology This bird was once numerous on Norfolk Island, however an estimated 1 million birds were harvested for food, and was completely exterminated on this island by 1800. It was also threatened by the introduction of mammalian predators in the late 18th century. This species is classified as least concern. However, the providence petrel is deemed to be in a precarious position because its breeding is confined to two mountain tops and one tiny islet, and is therefore at great risk from a catastrophe. Graceful and supple in flight, the providence petrel has a cumbersome propensity on the ground, making it vulnerable to attack by predators. Main in causes of death are predation by the endangered Lord Howe rail and flooding of burrows. Other dangers include rat predation and drowning in longline fishing gear. The current population is estimated at only 64,000. More than 99% of the global population now breeds on Lord Howe Island, where approximately 32,000 pairs nest on Mt Gower and Mt Lidgbird with some additional birds nesting on the lower slopes and Northern Hills. "Diet and foraging behaviour of the Providence Petrel Pterodroma solandri on Lord Howe Island, Australia, were investigated during three consecutive breeding seasons. Diet consisted largely of squid (predominantly Cranchiidae, Onychoteuthidae, Spirulidae and Histioteuthidae) and fish (principally Myctophidae), with crustaceans (mainly Decapoda and Isopoda) being somewhat less important." Some populations are diurnal, while others are nocturnal. This may be a result of different foraging areas or historical predators that are no longer present.

References

External links BirdLife species factsheet

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Providence petrel

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Providence petrel claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Providence petrel before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Providence petrel ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Providence petrel

In research: Providence petrel appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Providence petrel in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Providence petrel is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Birds described in 1844, Birds of Lord Howe Island, IUCN Red List least concern species, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Providence petrel outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Providence petrel” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Providence petrel in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Providence petrel means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Providence petrel out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Providence petrel in simple terms?

Why does Providence petrel matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Providence petrel?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Providence petrel.