habitat destruction

Effect of plant composition on epigeal spider communities in northern New Zealand forest remnants

Te Paki Ecological District (TPED) in northern Northland, New Zealand, is well known as an ecologically significant centre of endemism. However, due to extensive anthropogenic habitat degradation, native forest has been reduced to small, isolated remnants and many of its endemic species are threatened with extinction. Epigeal spider communities (species living on or near the ground) were surveyed within TPED by pitfall trapping at seven native forest remnants differing in plant composition and apparent seral stage to investigate how spider communities varied within them.

Attrition of recommended areas for protection: clearance of ecologically significant vegetation on private land

The area of indigenous vegetation and habitat remaining on New Zealand’s primary agricultural lands continues to decrease, but it has been difficult to obtain reliable estimates of the extent and causes of loss. We assess change and identify predictors of vegetation clearance in 856 recommended areas for protection (RAPs) from 35 ecological districts in the North and South Islands, New Zealand, for the period 1989 to 2015. Over 27 years, 7152 ha of these RAPs were cleared (2.3% by area), with rates varying over space and time. Native