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Metadata notes for RiSCC Heard Island 2003_04 season (ASAC 1015) - DGPS data and Base Station data DGPS data are described below, and associated data files listed. 1. Three Island study - Phenology and Morphology of Heard Island vascular plants. This study uses a combination of latitudinal and altitudinal investigations to separate the effects of temperature per se and seasonality on the phenology and morphology of plants. Most latitudinal studies are confounded by covariation of seasonality and temperature, whereas with altitudinal variation at different latitudes one can disentangle these effects. The presence of the Polar Frontal Zone (APFZ), which has a major effect on seasonality, would be a key feature that would enable us to investigate this. Three islands (Marion, Kerguelen, Heard) were used in the study, each of which lies in a different place relative to the APFZ and each of which is inhabited by a similar suite of species, thus removing confounding effects of species identity in understanding responses. 1a Phenology data The collection of positional data for Heard Island Scarlet Hill Phenology was collected at each site; 4 m, 50 m, 100 m, 200 m and 250 m (ASAC 1015). At each site plants of Pringlea antiscorbutica, Acaena magellanica, Poa cookii and Azorella selago were chosen (NB at 100m and 200 m no Acaena magellanica was present, and at 250 m only Pringlea antiscorbutica was sampled) within a 50 x 50 m area, where possible, and were deemed typical of the site. Only healthy mature plants at each site were chosen. At the 4 m, 100 m and 200 m altitude levels, sites were established around AWSs (Automatic Weather Stations). Each plant was flagged and numbered. Numbered flags were removed from around/beside plants at the end of the study. The numbers of plants are represented in the GPS data. Positional data are in the form of points, lines and areas. The positional data are found in the following files. 4 m phenology PT021412A.SSF4 m phenology data, N15 Poa cookii data, Poa annua record, 50 m phenology data JDS011811A.SSFcoastal study area, AWS site and phenology site 50 m phenology JDS012314A.SSF50 m phenology (Scarlet Hill) and Stephenson camp location PT020910A.SSF50 m Azorella phenology, water meadow and Poa cookii N15 sites 100 m phenology JDS020714A.SSF200 m Phenology and 100 m AWS and phenology data JDS021313A.SSF100 m Phenology (Pringlea) PT021614A.SSF250 m and 200 m phenology data, 100m phenology 200 m phenology JDS020712A.SSF200 m Phenology site and AWS JDS020714A.SSF200 m Phenology and 100 m AWS and phenology data PT021614A.SSF250 m and 200 m phenology data, 100m phenology 250 m phenology PT021614A.SSF250 m and 200 m phenology data, 100m phenology 1b Morphology data DGPS points were only taken by JDS from Fairchild Beach morphology collection sites. JDS0104.SSFAcaena magellanica, Fairchild Beach morphology JDS010511ATR3.SSFFairchild Beach morphology 2. Positional data for the mapping of the distribution of Ranunculus crassipes The distribution of Ranunculus crassipes at Heard Island was mapped between the 14-1-2004 and 15-2-2004. This mapping was undertaken by JDS, PT and JJS. Data were collected from the Skua Beach bluffs to Sooty Valley. Positional data are in the form of points, lines and areas. Data include areas of rock water meadow. The positional data are found in the following files. PTRAN021513A.SSFRanunculus crassipes transect, points and rock water meadow JDS020816A.SSFRanunculus crassipes mapping on Skua bluffs JJS011417B.SSFRanunculus crassipes mapping on Skua bluffs PT020910A.SSF50 m Azorella phenology, water meadow and Poa cookii N15 sites This mapping of the distribution of Ranunculus crassipes together with mapping of Carex trifida and Poa litorosa on Macquarie Island described by the metadata record with ID ASAC_1015_MIGPS03 contributed to the paper: Bergstrom, D.M., Turner, P.A.M., Scott, J., Copson, G. and Shaw, J. (2006) Restricted plant species on sub-Antarctic Macquarie and Heard Islands. Polar Biology 29 532-539. 3. High altitude vascular plant points and transect data Records of high altitude plants were taken by JDS and RC. Some data from the files JDS012510A.SSF and JDS012510A_CPscarlet.ssf have not been corrected, as stated above. JDS012510A.SSFScarlet Hill high altitude transect JDS012510A_CPscarlet.ssfScarlet Hill high altitude transect - control points only for JJS JDS013111A.SSFLong Beach high altitude data and Apple location JDS020112A.SSFLong Beach high altitude data RC0302.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS 'and high altitude' RC0402.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS 'and high altitude' RC0502.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS 'and high altitude' Other datafiles recorded by PT, JDS and RC under ASAC 1015 include PT022012A.SSFFuel drum retaining wall, Spit Camp JDS012113A.SSFWinston Lagoon JDS012415A.SSFAcaena - 100 m south edge of Scarlet Hill JDS012914A.SSFLambeth 1 JJS Control point JDS123112A.SSFPoa annua - Dovers moraine JDSPHOTO020118A.SSFPhoto points - Dana Bergstrom data PT010621A.SSFSK25 - not sure what this data are RC0202.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS
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.