<I>Dacrydium cupressinum</I>

A house mouse (Mus musculus) population eruption in response to rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) seedfall in southern New Zealand

We document an increase in house mouse (Mus musculus) abundance in a year (2002) when there was light beech (Nothofagus species) seedfall but very heavy rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) seedfall in Waitutu Forest, southern New Zealand. On our nine study grids, mouse numbers in November were highly correlated with rimu seedfall. Feeding trials with wild-caught captive mice showed that mice typically opened the rimu nut and ate the seed (endosperm and embryo) leaving the husk.

Do host bark traits influence trunk epiphyte communities?

Host bark traits are known to affect the characteristics of epiphyte communities in forests worldwide; however, few investigations of such relationships have been undertaken in New Zealand forests. By examining the trunk epiphyte communities on four co-occurring forest tree species (Agathis australis, Dacrydium cupressinum, Knightia excelsa and Vitex lucens) representing a range of bark characteristics, we sought evidence that bark traits may shape these communities. Sampling was conducted on tree trunks in the Waitakere and Hunua ranges in the Auckland Region.