Ecology and conservation status of three “spring annual” herbs in dryland ecosystems of New Zealand

Rogers, G. M.; Walker, Susan; Tubbs, Michael; Henderson, Jim

doi:10.1080/0028825x.2002.9512821

Cited by 25 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…In 2007, a study identifying key habitats and wildlife vector species requiring control in the non‐forested dryland habitats of the northern South Island was completed . Dryland habitats make up 19% of New Zealand's land mass . A key conclusion was that focusing possum control (by aerial delivery of the toxin 1080, sodium fluoroacetate) on critical habitat types through ‘spatially targeted control’ could result in considerable cost savings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Movements and habitat preferences of pests help to improve population control: the case of common brushtail possums in a New Zealand dryland ecosystem

2016

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BACKGROUND Introduced brushtail possums are controlled in New Zealand to mitigate their spread of bovine tuberculosis in livestock. Given the low rainfall and extreme variation in seasonal temperatures in dryland areas of the South Island, the habitats of possums in these areas differ in many respects from those in the rest of New Zealand. We investigated the movements and habitat preferences of possums at two dryland sites to identify where they aggregate following population control by using GPS collars and cards chewed by possums. At one site, possum numbers were reduced from high levels by 65%, and at the other site, possums had already been reduced to low levels for some time beforehand but were further reduced to maintain them at low levels. This resulted in different possum densities. RESULTS Possum home ranges were about 3 times smaller at the higher‐density site, but average ranges expanded by 27% following initial control. Home ranges were already large at the lower‐density site but did not expand further after maintenance control. No preference for habitat types was apparent at the higher‐density site, but at the lower‐density site possums selected rock and shrubby habitats and avoided open grassy areas. CONCLUSIONS Home range sizes and habitat preferences were density dependent: the lower the density, the larger was the home range; and habitat preferences were highly variable between individuals, but less so for possums at low density. Preference for shrubs and rocks is likely to benefit population control if population control devices are focused on these habitat types. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Movements and habitat preferences of pests help to improve population control: the case of common brushtail possums in a New Zealand dryland ecosystem

2016

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“…Today, both taxa appear to require disturbed, nutrient-rich, open, and apparently non-forest habitats; C. pungens grows on thin, seasonally dry, disturbance-prone soils, especially in steep, rocky habitats, while M. minimus subsp. novae-zelandiae inhabits seasonally wet depressions (Rogers et al 2002). Yet the presence of their achenes and seeds in rockshelter sediments and moa coprolites (Table 2) suggests they were at least locally abundant in Central Otago before human settlement.…”

Section: Grasses and Herbsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…novae-zelandiae is currently classified as "Nationally Endangered" (the second-highest category of threat of extinction; de lange et al 2004), and 26 populations of M. minimus subsp. novae-zelandiae are known from Central Otago (Rogers et al 2002(Rogers et al , 2007b. M. minimus subsp.…”

Section: Grasses and Herbsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Macrofossil evidence for pre‐settlement vegetation of Central Otago's basin floors and gorges

Wood¹,

Walker

2008

New Zealand Journal of Botany

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Composition of pre-settlement vegetation communities in the semi-arid Central Otago lowlands has been one of New Zealand's longstanding ecological puzzles. Uncertainty is due largely to a paucity of fossil data. Here, we provide new evidence for pre-settlement vegetation in the region based on analyses of plant macrofossils from 15 late Pleistocene and Holocene lowland sites. The assemblages represent two habitat types: wooded or partially wooded intermontane basinfloor wetlands, and low forest and/or shrubland habitats in the Kawarau and Clutha River gorges. In both habitat types, plant communities appear to have been predominantly woody, with significant components of herbaceous dicotyledons but few grasses. Both habitats seem to have undergone major post-settlement vegetation transformation. Several presently common taxa were rare or absent before human settlement, but others (including threatened spring annuals), now rare or extinct in the region, were formerly more common.

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“…Of particular importance are the seeds of the tiny spring annual herb Ceratocephalapungens, which have been identified in coprolites collected from the upper nesting horizon in Sawers' rockshelter (Wood & Walker 2008). C. pungens has a shortened life cycle, and would have only been available for consumption during spring and early summer (September-December) (Rogers et al 2002). Pollen assemblages from coprolites are also useful in determining season of deposition (Pearsall 2000).…”

Section: Nesting Seasonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) nesting material from rockshelters in the semi‐arid interior of South Island, New Zealand

Wood¹

2008

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

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The first descriptions of plant remains from the nests of extinct moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) are presented. The samples of desiccated nesting material were collected during excavation of Holocene sediments within five rockshelters in semi-arid regions of southern South Island, New Zealand, between 1964 and 2006. The nesting materials were attributed to moa on the basis of associated moa coprolites, feathers and eggshell fragments. The nesting material includes short, clipped twigs from a range of locally available tree, shrub and liane species. These twig clippings show a size distribution similar to those recorded from moa gizzard content samples. Other nesting material from the sites includes longer twigs and fragments of bark. The plant materials suggest general similarities between the nests of moa and those of the extant Australasian ratites, emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) and cassowary (Casuarius spp.).

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Ecology and conservation status of three “spring annual” herbs in dryland ecosystems of New Zealand

Cited by 25 publications

References 31 publications

Movements and habitat preferences of pests help to improve population control: the case of common brushtail possums in a New Zealand dryland ecosystem

Movements and habitat preferences of pests help to improve population control: the case of common brushtail possums in a New Zealand dryland ecosystem

Macrofossil evidence for pre‐settlement vegetation of Central Otago's basin floors and gorges

Moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) nesting material from rockshelters in the semi‐arid interior of South Island, New Zealand

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