National biodiversity monitoring plot-level report

Background

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has developed a national monitoring programme to assess the status and trend in biodiversity across all the land it manages, with an emphasis on terrestrial ecosystems. This programme collects data on indicators and measures of ecological integrity, as outlined in DOC's Department's Biodiversity Outcomes Assessment Framework (PDF, 1.07 MB).

The terrestrial monitoring programme has been established at approximately 1400 plot locations that are evenly spaced across Public Conservation Land (PCL). Approximately 280 plots are measured each year, with every plot being measured on a 5-year rotation cycle. This spatially extensive monitoring programme has been designed to provide unbiased, repeatable, national-scale estimates of priority biodiversity indicators and measures.

These biodiversity indicators allow DOC to monitor and report on changes in the structure and composition of vegetation communities, bird species abundance and richness, and the presence and abundance of possum, ungulate (deer, goat, chamois, tahr), hare and rabbit populations across all the land it manages, helping to inform conservation management in New Zealand.

Select an individual plot location for this report

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Plot

Switch background layer by clicking on the tile at the upper right-hand side of the map. True locations have been randomly modified to protect species and the integrity of the plot.

Plot Information

Birds

Daytime summary

Daytime bird communities are surveyed at each plot location using a cluster of up to five different bird count stations (at least 150 m apart) between 1 official hour after sunrise and 1300 hours. These surveys used the 5-minute bird count method (5MBC), which provided the following information:

Species richness

Coverclass type

Figure 1. Histogram showing the national distribution of species richness and where the data from this particular plot fit in. Click on any legend button to display data for each bird type (total, indigenous or introduced). Coverclass type (Forest, Non forest, Shrubland) defaults to the value of the selected plot. Choosing an alternative value provides context for how this plot performs against other plots in New Zealand that are most similar to it.

Average total bird count

Coverclass type

Figure 2. Histogram showing the national distribution of the average bird count and where the data from this particular plot fit in. The data are based on repeated 5MBC surveys in each plot. Click on any legend button to display data for each bird type (total, indigenous or introduced). Coverclass type (Forest, Non forest, Shrubland) defaults to the value of the selected plot. Choosing an alternative value provides context for how this plot performs against other plots in New Zealand that are most similar to it.

Species observed

**Table 1.** Bird species that were observed in this plot during the daytime.
Status: indigenous or introduced; avg. count: the average count of this species in the plot using the 5MBC method; national avg. count: average count of this species across all plots in New Zealand; plots present: the proportion of plots where this species was observed nationally.
Image	Species	Status	Avg. count	National avg. count	Plots present

Nocturnal summary

Nocturnal bird communities are surveyed by deploying multiple acoustic monitoring devices at each plot location. Audio data from up to five different bird count stations (at least 150 m apart) is collected between 2000 hours and 0600 hours. The first 15 minutes of each hour between sunset and sunrise is processed and all species that are heard are recorded. However, here, we only are concerned with the following species: morepork ( Ninox novaeseelandiae), kākā ( Nestor meridionalis), kea ( Nestor notabilis), long-tailed cuckoo ( Urodynamis taitensis), weka ( Gallirallus australis), kiwi ( Apteryx spp.), penguins, little owl ( Athene noctua), Australisan bittern ( Botarus poiciloptilus), crakes ( Porzana spp.), petrels and pūkeko ( Porphyrio melanotus).

Species richness

Coverclass type

Figure 3. Histogram showing the national distribution of nocturnal species richness and where data from this particular plot fit in. These species were recorded by acoustic monitoring devices. Coverclass type (Forest, Non forest, Shrubland) defaults to the value of the selected plot. Choosing an alternative value provides context for how this plot performs against other plots in New Zealand that are most similar to it.

Species observed

**Table 2.** Bird species that were present in this plot during the nighttime.
*Plots present: the proportion of plots where this species was observed nationally.*
Image	Species	Plots present

Mammals

Mammals are surveyed along four evenly spaced 200-m transect lines at each plot location. Mammalian species richness is calculated using multiple methods, including traps, wax tags and chew cards for possums, and faecal pellets and the presence of disturbance from pigs.

Species abundance

Mammal type

Coverclass type

Figure 4. Histogram showing the national distribution of indices of mammal type abundance and where the data from this particular plot fit in. Coverclass type (Forest, Non forest, Shrubland) defaults to the value of the selected plot. Choosing an alternative value provides context for how this plot performs against other plots in New Zealand that are most similar to it.

Species observed

**Table 3.** Mammals that were recorded in this plot.
Present: ✔ indicates a mammal was present in this plot ( ✖ not detected), Ø indicates a lack of data; plots present: the proportion of plots where this species was observed nationally; data type: the monitoring method used.
Species	Present	Plots present	Data type
Possum	Ø	60%	Traps, wax tags, chew cards and faecal pellets
Ungulate	Ø	60%	Faecal pellets
Hare	Ø	60%	Faecal pellets
Rabbit	Ø	60%	Faecal pellets
Pig	Ø	60%	Rooting or dung present
Wallaby	Ø	60%	Evidence of faeces

Vegetation

Vegetation summaries will be incorporated into this report in the future.

Definitions and Methodologies

5-minute bird counts are used to gain an index of bird abundance. This method involves staying still for 5 minutes and recording all birds that are seen or heard in the area. Rather than measuring the actual density or abundance of birds directly, it records some of the individuals that are present and uses this information to infer their density or abundance.
Biodiversity describes the variety of living things in all habitats on Earth-land, marine and freshwater. It includes the diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (species diversity) and between ecosystems (ecological diversity).
Chew cards are used to estimate possum abundance. These small rectangular pieces of plastic sheets have attractant paste pressed into internal channels. A chew card index (CCI) is calculated by deploying up to 40 chew cards (at 20-m intervals) along four evenly spaced 200-m transect lines (10 chew cards per line). An estimate of possum abundance is then generated by calculating the percentage of chew card interference (tooth impressions or scratches).
Ecological integrity (EI) describes the level to which the full potential of indigenous biotic and abiotic features and natural processes, functioning in sustainable communities, habitats, and landscapes is met.
Indigenous species are those species that occur in a defined region as a result of natural processes without human intervention.
Introduced species are those species that occur in a defined region as a result of non-natural human processes, either deliberate or accidental.
Faecal Pellet counts are used to determine the abundance of mammals. A faecal pellet index (FPI) is calculated by surveying for faecal pellets along four 150-m transect lines. The relative abundance of a species is then estimated from the total number of pellets counted per line, averaged across the four lines. The total number of pellets along a transect line has been shown to be linearly and positively related to the known abundance of mammals.
Plots are permanent monitoring locations that have been established on an 8-km grid where it intersects with Public Conservation Lands (PCL).
Trap Catch Index (TCI) is used to measure possum abundance. A TCI is calculated by deploying up to 40 leg-hold possum traps (at 20-m intervals) along four evenly spaced 200-m transect lines (10 traps per line). The TCI is defined as the percentage of trap-nights on which a possum was captured. This information can be used to infer the presence of possums and their approximate abundance within an area.
Richness is a presence count of the number of different species represented within an area.
Ungulate is the collective term for a broad range of animals that walk on the tips of their (generally hoofed) toes. Faecal pellets from these hooved mammals, which include deer, goats, chamois and tahr, cannot be easily differentiated and therefore have been aggregated into 'Ungulates'. Pigs are also ungulates but are not included in this group because their faeces can be easily differentiated.
Wax tags are scented, ice-cube sized wax blocks and are used to estimate possum abundance. A wax tag index (WTI) is calculated by deploying up to 40 wax tags (at 20-m intervals) along four evenly spaced 200-m transect lines (10 wax tags per line). The percentage of wax tag interference (tooth impressions or scratches) is then used to estimate possum abundance.

Report created by: Design and Evaluation (D&E), Biodiversity Group, Department of Conservation. This is a work-in-progress and we welcome your feedback. Help improve this report and forward your comments to Design & Evaluation ogansell@doc.govt.nz