The EcoPathWays Seminar TODAY 1.30 pm Wed 17 July in B740 is by Elise Arnst, Ecology Dept, Lincoln University. Elise will give her MSc proposal seminar on: Facilitation in a naturally rare ecosystem – positive plant-plant interactions on gravel beaches on the east coast of New Zealand. Abstract Gravel beaches are a naturally rare ecosystem in New Zealand. Often poorly understood and managed, they also support a number of rare and threatened plant species. Extreme environmental conditions and high levels of disturbance combined with typically close proximity to highly modified landscapes make this a challenging environment for species survival. Facilitation is an important factor in influencing community structure where environmental stress is high. This study aims to understand how plant-plant interactions on gravel beaches influence plant communities. A survey of the plant community on the gravel beach at Birdlings Flat, Canterbury was carried out to identify plant co-occurrence patterns, the impact of invasion on these co-occurrence patterns and the spatial association between native and exotic species. To investigate the factors influencing the recruitment of native woody shrub seedlings, in particular the role of facilitation, two experiments were established. The first experiment at Birdlings Flat, Canterbury involved a planting experiment to assess the role established native shrubs play in facilitating the recruitment of native shrub seedlings and whether either nutrient or water limitation had a significant impact. The second planting experiment carried out at Tangoio, Napier was established to assess whether an exotic herb facilitates the recruitment of native plant seedlings. The findings of this study will contribute to the understanding of the importance of facilitation in highly stressed ecosystems and will provide a basis for future management around control of exotic plants and restoration in this naturally rare ecosystem.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 20:33:40 +0000
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