https://hdl.handle.net/10182/169 2018-01-25T15:19:32Z https://hdl.handle.net/10182/8228 Detecting the presence of long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) and morepork (Ninox novaseelandiae) on Banks Peninsula Hadden, Karina; Bowie, Michael H.; Pryde, M. The overall aim of this project was to detect the location of long-tailed bat and morepork across Banks Peninsula with the intention of protecting habitat and increasing survival rate. The aim is also to provide advocacy for both species, and promote their conservation with private landowners. The findings of this study will be able to complement future research studies of both long-tailed bats and morepork on Banks Peninsula and throughout New Zealand. This study had two objectives: 1. To determine the presence of long-tailed bats on Banks Peninsula. 2. To add to the current knowledge of morepork distribution on Banks Peninsula. 2017-03-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/10182/8227 Mapping restoration plantings in Selwyn: the stepping stones of a wildlife corridor Greer, P.; Bowie, Michael H.; Doscher, Crile Canterbury plains currently has less than 1% of the original native vegetation due to human settlement and farming. Selwyn as one of Canterbury’s districts has experienced an increase in intensified farming in the last 20 years. The changes in farming practices has increased the loss of vegetation, with changes in water use and quality. Through the use of native vegetation as shelter belts, riparian and corner plantings they have become part of the stepping stones concept. Farm plantings are part of the answer, other plantings such as road margins, river banks, public parks and private (non-farming) gardens also provide biodiversity support. The range of plantings provide recreational and learning areas for schools and the public. These areas include parks, schools through supplementing remaining native areas, and along waterways enhancing streams and rivers in riparian plantings. The concept of using stepping stones for increased biodiversity interaction is increasing in restoration circles. Stepping stones are areas of native plantings to increase native biodiversity. Through the use of these stepping stones insects, lizards, and birds are able to increase their ranges to find habitat, food, pollination and increase their future populations’ genetic diversity. The Selwyn Waihora Active Restoration Forum (SWARF) mapped known restoration sites in 2013 for use as stepping stones. This map has not had sites added to it since 2013. Due to the lack of follow up members of SWARF decided that the way the map was created, information on it, the level of accessibility to the general public, new viewpoints and interaction with the map needed to be considered for ongoing use. This follow up was turned into a Summer Scholarship project at Lincoln University. This report will discuss the background of the Stepping Stone concept and how it applies to the Selwyn district and Canterbury, what information is currently available on the SWARF map, how different groups would like to use the map, suggest alternative places the map could be hosted, what information could be available for the public, compare whether similar mapping or information is available through other regional councils and create a map for future use. 2017-04-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/10182/8226 Yarr’s Flat Wildlife Reserve & Yarr’s Lagoon: an assessment of fauna present to guide future restoration and conservation of native species Bowie, Michael H.; Hutson, M. Two sites of ecological interest, Yarr’s Lagoon and Yarr’s Flat Wildlife Reserve along the LII or Araiara River in Selwyn District, Canterbury were surveyed for terrestrial fauna of interest. A variety of standard methods including pitfall traps, Malaise traps and light traps (for invertebrates), tracking tunnels (for lizards and mammals), five minute bird counts (for birds) were used to assess the fauna present. A higher diversity of ground beetles were found in willow habitats than native habitats at both Yarr’s Flat and Yarr’s Lagoon. Native moth larva, weevils and mites were found on glasswort at Yarr’s Flat. Eleven and seven native birds were found at Yarr’s Lagoon and Yarr’s Flat respectively. Of interest was a probable sighting of sandpiper curlew at Yarr’s Flat and secretive marsh crake at Yarr’s Lagoon. Lizards found included the common skink at Yarr’s Flat and an unknown skink at Yarr’s Lagoon. Tracking tunnels found prints from possum, mice, hedgehog, rats and mustelid at Yarrs Flat and only possum and mice from Yarr’s Lagoon. Ecological restoration of the two areas are discussed and recommendations for the management of the native biodiversity is given. 2016-07-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/10182/7684 Assessing the invertebrate fauna trajectories in remediation sites of Winstone Aggregates Hunua quarry in Auckland Curtis, K.; Bowie, Michael H.; Barber, Keith S.; Boyer, Stephane; Marris, John W. M.; Patrick, B. This study monitored the invertebrates in restoration plantings in the Winstone Aggregates Hunua Quarry. This was to assess the re-establishment of invertebrates in the restoration planting sites and compare them with unplanted control and mature sites. This study follows on from a baseline study carried out in 2014-2015 measuring the restoration trajectory of invertebrates in the Winstone Aggregate Hunua quarry site. A range of entomological monitoring techniques were used and found that dung beetles, millipedes, foliage moths, leaf litter moths and some mite species increased in numbers from the control sites through to the mature sites, while ants, rove beetles, grass moths, some carabid beetles, and worms showed a downwards trend from the mature sites to the control sites. Further monitoring of invertebrates in the restoration area should be carried out. 2016-04-01T00:00:00Z