Understanding the impact of change on Australia's World Heritage subantarctic islands
Metadata record for data from AAS (ASAC) Project 3095. Public Global warming and the impact of feral animals or weedy plant species are causing changes in terrestrial sub-Antarctic ecosystems. We are examining how sub-Antarctic organisms and ecosystems will respond to this change. In doing so we wil...
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Australian Antarctic Data Centre
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| Online Access: | https://researchdata.ands.org.au/understanding-impact-change-subantarctic-islands/700128 https://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/records/ASAC_3095 http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-617536 |
| Summary: | Metadata record for data from AAS (ASAC) Project 3095. Public Global warming and the impact of feral animals or weedy plant species are causing changes in terrestrial sub-Antarctic ecosystems. We are examining how sub-Antarctic organisms and ecosystems will respond to this change. In doing so we will contribute to the conservation of these remarkable ecosystems for which Australia has a large responsibility. Project objectives: Australia's unique sub-Antarctic World Heritage Areas are experiencing rapid climate change and their biodiversity is under threat from alien species invasion. Heard Island is experiencing some of the fastest climate change in our region, which is evidenced by extensive changes in vegetation communities. This change appears to be exacerbating the expansion of the alien grass species Poa annua. MacDonald Island has recently expanded in surface area due to volcanic activity. On Macquarie Island, as well as undergoing climate change, rabbit numbers have recently increased causing major ecosystem devastation. Furthermore, the AAD has begun remediation of some contaminated sites in the station vicinity. This project is designed to understand the impact of these changes to these rare island ecosystems. Objective 1 Quantify change in terrestrial ecosystems at a range of spatial and temporal scales on Heard and McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island. Objective 2 Examine the biology, life history strategy and distribution of the indigenous Azorella selago and Acaena magellanica, Rannunculus crassipes and the alien grass species Poa annua on Heard Island and indigenous Poa littorsa and Carex trifida on Macquarie Island. Objective 3 Examine the impact of human induced perturbations (rabbit and rodents, petrochemical contamination and the rubbish tip) at varying spatial levels on Macquarie Island before and after management actions. Objective 4 To contribute to furthering our understanding of subantarctic microbial diversity. Taken from the 2008-2009 Progress Report: Progress against objectives: Objective 1: We have focussed on Macquarie Island this year. We have delivered a globally significant paper quantifying change in plant communities on the island since 2001. We also completed a major field season in which we revisited and examined sites established in 2001 with regard to change in plant and invertebrate communities and developed a new sampling method for the rapid collection of field data to train satellite image interpretation and terrain analysis of the distribution of plant communities. This included the design and construction of close-range aerial photography equipment, the classification of landforms on Macquarie Island, based on terrain characteristics and the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and design of a stratified random sampling regime. Objective 2: We focused on examining the extent of northern populations of Poa littorosa and Carex trifida and added an additional component of examining the health of Azorella maquariensis and genetci variation in Azorella spp, Acaena magellanica and Poa annua across the subantarctic region. Objective 3: We focussed on the examination of the impact of rabbits, at a variety of scales across the island. We provided assistance to a sister project with regards to the impact of petrochemical contamination on invertebrate communities. Objective 4: We collected microbial mat samples from selected sites in collaboration with the Belgium AMBIO project. Taken from the 2009-2010 Progress Report: Progress against objectives: Objective 1: We have focussed on Macquarie Island this year. We have delivered a second globally significant paper concerning change in plant communities on the island since 2001. We also completed a major field season in which we revisited and examined sites established in 2001 and 2008/09 with regard to change in plant communities using the sampling method developed in 2008/09 for the rapid collection of field data to train satellite image interpretation and terrain analysis of the distribution of plant communities. This included assessing the results of the first field sampling season and the design of a follow-up stratified random sampling regime. We have completed sample analysis of invertebrates collected last season and data analysis and ms preparation is underway. Objective 2: We focused on the health of the endemic cushion, Azorella maquariensis. Last summer the CI of the project, Dr Bergstrom identified that A. macquariensis was undergoing rapid dieback. Substantial efforts during the year, both in the field and in the laboratory have been focused on this rapidly emerging issue. Objective 3: We focussed on the examination of the impact of rabbits, at a variety of scales across the island. We provided assistance to a sister project with regards to the impact of petrochemical contamination on invertebrate communities. Objective 4: Microbial mat analysis is under way with colleagues in Belgium. |
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