Slow recovery of stream invertebrates on subantarctic Macquarie Island after eradication of introduced rabbits and regrowth of vegetation
R. Marchant
A * , B. J. Kefford B , M. Houghton C D E , J. Wasley D and C. K. King D
A Museums Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.
B Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
C Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, New Town, Tas. 7008, Australia.
D Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Kingston, Tas. 7050, Australia.
E Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
Marine and Freshwater Research 74(13) 1171-1177 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF23009
Submitted: 20 January 2023 Accepted: 5 August 2023 Published: 22 August 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Streams on subantarctic Macquarie Island were first sampled for freshwater invertebrates in 1992 when rabbit numbers were low. Then an average 11.6 taxa per site were recorded. Between 2000 and 2011, vegetation was overgrazed as rabbit numbers increased. In 2008 and 2010, 7.4–8.4 taxa per site were recorded, abundance of most taxa had decreased and greatest compositional changes occurred at sites exposed to moderate or severe vegetation damage. Rabbits were eradicated in 2011 and substantial regrowth of vegetation was evident by 2016.
Aims: Sites were resampled in 2016 to determine the extent to which the invertebrate communities had changed after rabbit removal.
Methods: In all, 13 of the original 15 sites sampled in 1992 were resampled. Five kick samples were taken at each site.
Key results: Mean taxon richness (8.2 taxa per site) and community composition at individual sites remained, in 2016, very similar to that recorded in 2008 and 2010 when the island was heavily grazed.
Conclusions: Recovery of stream invertebrate communities appeared to be slow, possibly because few refuges were available. Minor changes in climate and water quality did not influence recovery.
Implications: Stream invertebrate communities could take a decade or more to recover.
Keywords: community recovery, invertebrate richness, island streams, oceanic island, rabbit eradication, stream disturbance, stream invertebrates, subantarctic.
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