Ecology and Evolution

Rangitoto Island
Successional sequence of plants on the Rangitoto Island while testing the hypothesis of species diversity increases with area of vegetation patch increases.

Abstract 105

Rangitoto Island s is a volcanic island near Auckland which thrives in species richness. So we tested to see if there is a relationship between the number of species to the area of the vegetation patch. To gather results in most effective manner we formed groups of 4 and went out observing the amount of species in different sizes of vegetation patches in Rangitoto Island. Form the results we gathered we found that the number of species increases as the size of the vegetation patch increases. Therefore we conclude that there is a relationship between the numbers of species to the size of vegetation patch. Introduction 129 When looking at forests the larger the area the more species that survive in the area. Using this theory we can assume that species richness depends on area size. Since Rangitoto is a volcanic island which is covered with lava rocks with very little water supply to the plant species, Rangitoto provides a good opportunity to test the theory if there is a relationship between the species and area. The relationship that could be noticed is a positive relationship between number of species and patch size. We can also test the ecological succession of Rangitoto and see if there is a trend with species after the volcanic eruption. Therefore the topic for this experiment is the Successional sequence on Rangitoto and the species diversity in relation with patch area. Methods 216 Rangitoto is the youngest and the largest active volcanic island in Auckland. It is covered with regenerating bush and barren lava flows. The island has more then 200 vegetation species which grow in small to large area patches. This patches can be used to test the hypothesis of the relationship between the number of species and the vegetation size. To test if the hypothesis, we formed team of 4peopple from a group of 11people and selected 4 patches at random at a allocated part of the island with a help of our supervisor. The area of the patch was then measured either by measuring the radius of the patch or by taking the length and width of the patch. Using the mathematical formulas (Area= pie x radius squared or area= length x width)we calculated the patch areas. If the radius of the patch was less then 2m then it was a small patch, smaller then 6m it was a medium patch and if larger then 10m it was a large patch. This was recorded, with the number and type of different species in a table. Therefore a total of 12 patches of 3small, 6 medium and 3 large patches were observed. The results collected by the 3 teams were combined and used to prove the hypothesis. Results 194 The aim of this experiment was to find if there is a relationship between species richness and area size and the ecological succession on Rangitoto. After collecting all the data from the area chosen at random, found that results of the experiment show that the hypothesis is correct, that the number of species does increase with the area size increases. The diversity of the species grew as the area of the vegetation patch increased, see figure 1 and in the Species Summary Table. The results also showed that there is a trend in the species of each data set from different teams and patch area. The results showed that the Dominant species was the Pohutukawa tree in almost very patch. The Pohutukawa tree was the biggest species in almost every patch. We also noticed that there were a lot of other common species

that also grew near and under the Pohutukawa tree, see Species Summary Table. The species that grew around and under the Pohutukawa tree were smaller in size; this suggested that these species may have come after the growth of the Pohutukawa tree; refer to Early, Mid and Late Successional Species Table.

Discussion When starting this experiment, the expectation for the experiment was that not a lot of species will be able to grow on Rangitoto after the volcanic disturbance and therefore the number of species will be low, but this was proven wrong with the results which were gathered. On the other hand the hypothesis of the number of species increases as the patch size increased was proved to be true with the data collected. There are many possible reasons for this, after the volcanic eruption disturbance on Rangitoto Island not a lot of species survived in the island, the ground was covered with lava rocks but this turned out to be a good for the Pohutukawa tree, as they only germinate in rocks. As said by Darden, D.(2004) that Pohutukawa tree seeds will not grow if planted in your well prepared loamy garden soil, but must germinate in the crack of a rock. As the Pohutukawa tree grew it formed a base for other plants to possibly grow underneath the Pohutukawa tree. This is because after the seed has germinated in the crack of a rock, it developed a net of roots for trapping debris and water and eventually for binding the rocks to hold its massive size and weight and in the jumble of scoria rocks on the volcanic island, Darden, D. (2004). The Pohutukawa tree grew many branches which it spread out to provide the beginnings of a humid soil with its leaf litter and shade for many smaller plants, and even some other species of trees which is why other species were able to grow on Rangitoto Island. The Pohutukawa tree is responsible for recreating forest ecosystems after volcanic cataclysms and therefore it has started the ecological succession on Rangitoto. In conclusion, the results collected for the experiment has proved the hypothesis made in the start. There is a relationship between species diversity and patch area and there is an ecological Succession on Rangitoto due to the Pohutukawa trees growth. Reference: Darden, D. (2004). Extraordinary Pohutukawa Trees. Adagio Journal. Retrieved September 18th, 2010, from http://adagiojournal.com/?p=484

Data Sheets Team 1 Names Of Group Members-Bhavisha Singh, Maggie Sooalo, Logan Name of your supervisor- Barack Patch 1 Patch Length (m):1.5m radius Patch Area:7.07(m2) Number of plant species:9 Species list patch 1 Coprosma robusta Astelia banksii Griselinia lucida Leucopogon fasciculatus Asplenium oblongifolium Cyathodes juniperina Myrsine australis Olearia furfuracea Ctenopteris heterophylla Patch 2 Patch Length (m):4.6m radius Patch Area: 66.48(m2) Number of plant species:9 Species list patch 2 Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Leucopogon fasciculatus Griselinia lucida Asplenium flaccidum Asplenium oblongifolium Microsorum pustulatum Trichomanes reniforme Myrsine australis

Patch 3 Patch Length (m):3.5m radius Patch Area:38.48(m2) Number of plant species: 12 Species list patch 3 Astelia banksii Asplenium flaccidum Pohutukawa tree Myrsine australis Leucopogon fasciculatus Microsorum pustulatum Trichomanes reniforme Brachyglottis kirkii Asplenium flabellifolium Asplenium oblongifolium Cyathodes juniperina Grammitis sp Patch 4 Patch Length (m):17.5m Width (m):11.2m Patch Area:196(m2) Number of plant species:20 Species list patch 4 Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Leucopogon fasciculatus Griselinia lucida Asplenium flaccidum Asplenium oblongifolium Microsorum pustulatum Trichomanes reniforme Myrsine australis Grammitis sp G.givenii G.poeppigiana Ctenopteris heterophylla Coprosma robusta Cyathodes juniperina Olearia furfuracea Hebe stricta Pteridium esculentum Pseudopanax arboreus Asplenium flabellifolium Geniostoma rupestre

Team 2 Patch 1 Patch Length (m):1.6m radius Patch Area: 8.0(m2) Number of plant species:4 Species list patch 1 Astelia banksii Leucopogon fasciculatus Metrosideros sp. Muehlenbeckia complexa Patch 2 Patch Length (m):6m radius Patch Area: 113.1(m2) Number of plant species: 14 Species list patch 2 Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Leucopogon fasciculatus Griselinia lucida Asplenium flaccidum Metrosideros sp. Microsorum pustulatum Geniostoma rupestre Myrsine australis Astelia solandri Pomaderris phylicifolia Knightia excelsa Pterostylis sp. Olearia furfuracea

Patch 3 Patch Length (m):2.3m radius Patch Area:16.6(m2) Number of plant species: 9 Species list patch 3 Astelia banksii Myrsine australis Asplenium flabellifolium Asplenium oblongifolium Griselinia lucida Metrosideros sp. Pomaderris phylicifolia Cyathodes juniperina Coprosma robusta Patch 4 Patch Length (m):7.6m radius Patch Area:181.46(m2) Number of plant species:18 Species list patch 4 Astelia banksii Leucopogon fasciculatus Griselinia lucida Asplenium oblongifolium Microsorum pustulatum Grammitis sp G.givenii Coprosma robusta Cyathodes juniperina Olearia furfuracea Hebe stricta Pteridium esculentum Pseudopanax arboreus Metrosideros sp. Trichomanes reniforme Thelymitra sp Pterostylis sp. Pomaderris phylicifolia

Team 3 Patch 1 Patch Length (m):1.2m radius Patch Area:4.5(m2) Number of plant species:3 Species list patch 1 Asplenium oblongifolium Metrosideros sp. Leptospermum scoparium Patch 2 Patch Length (m):3.8m radius Patch Area: 45.4(m2) Number of plant species:10 Species list patch 2 Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Griselinia lucida Microsorum pustulatum Myrsine australis Coprosma robusta Olearia furfuracea Coprosma lucida Metrosideros sp. Leptospermum scoparium Knightia excelsa Patch 3 Patch Length (m):2.5m radius Patch Area:19.6(m2) Number of plant species: 11 Species list patch 3 Astelia banksii Asplenium flaccidum Myrsine australis Microsorum pustulatum Asplenium oblongifolium Grammitis sp Hebe stricta Griselinia lucida Olearia furfuracea Metrosideros sp. Leptospermum scoparium

Patch 4 Patch Length (m):12m radius Patch Area:452.4(m2) Number of plant species:10 Species list patch 4 Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Griselinia lucida Asplenium oblongifolium Myrsine australis Olearia furfuracea Hebe stricta Grammitis sp Leptospermum scoparium Metrosideros sp. Juvenile Microsorum pustulatum

Tables and Figures Species Summary Table Small Patch Medium Patch 1 (Total Area: (Total 6.52m2) Area:74.99m2) (Total Species:13) (Total Species:19) Coprosma robusta Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Astelia banksii Griselinia lucida Leucopogon fasciculatus Asplenium oblongifolium Cyathodes juniperina Myrsine australis Olearia furfuracea Ctenopteris heterophylla Metrosideros sp. Muehlenbeckia complexa Leptospermum scoparium Pohutukawa tree Leucopogon fasciculatus Griselinia lucida Asplenium flaccidum Asplenium oblongifolium Microsorum pustulatum Trichomanes reniforme Myrsine australis Metrosideros sp. Geniostoma rupestre Astelia solandri Pomaderris phylicifolia Knightia excelsa Pterostylis sp. Olearia furfuracea Coprosma robusta Coprosma lucida Leptospermum scoparium Medium Patch 2 (Total Area:24.89m2) (Total Species:19) Astelia banksii Asplenium flaccidum Pohutukawa tree Myrsine australis Leucopogon fasciculatus Microsorum pustulatum Trichomanes reniforme Brachyglottis kirkii Asplenium flabellifolium Asplenium oblongifolium Cyathodes juniperina Grammitis sp Griselinia lucida Metrosideros sp. Pomaderris phylicifolia Coprosma robusta Hebe stricta Olearia furfuracea Leptospermum scoparium Large Patch (Total Area:276.62m2) (Total Species:25) Pohutukawa tree Astelia banksii Leucopogon fasciculatus Griselinia lucida Asplenium flaccidum Asplenium oblongifolium Microsorum pustulatum Trichomanes reniforme Myrsine australis Grammitis sp: -G.givenii, -G.poeppigiana Ctenopteris heterophylla Coprosma robusta Cyathodes juniperina Olearia furfuracea Hebe stricta Pteridium esculentum Pseudopanax arboreus Asplenium flabellifolium Geniostoma rupestre

Hebe stricta Metrosideros sp. Thelymitra sp Pterostylis sp. Pomaderris phylicifolia Leptospermum scoparium This table shows all the species observed in all the teams of the group combined in the total area combined for each patch. Each patch is combined to its size and all the common and uncommon species in the same patch size of each team in the group to 10

see if there is a relationship between patch size and species diversity. The table proves that there is a positive relationship between patch size and species diversity. We also wanted to see is there is a sequence of species in the patch area and the table proves that there are common species in each table, therefore there could be a sequence of species that could prove there is a primary succession occurring in Rangitoto. Data Summary Sheet Group 1 patch area species richness 7.1m2 9 66.5m2 9 2 38.5m 12 196m2 20 2 8.0m2 4 16.6m2 9 2 113.1m 14 181.5m2 18 3 4.5m2 3 2 45.4m 10 19.6m2 11 452.4m2 10 This table gives the patch area and the number of species in the patch of the whole group. Early, Mid and Late Successional Species Table Early successional Mid successional species species Pohutukawa Tree Olearia furfuracea Leucopogon fasciculatus Astelia banksii Asplenium oblongifolium Asplenium flaccidum Griselinia lucida Grammitis sp. Myrsine australis Griselinia lucida Cyathodes juniperina Coprosma robusta Metrosideros sp Ctenopteris heterophylla Microsorum pustulatum Asplenium flabellifolium Late successional species Juvenile Microsorum pustulatum Knightia excelsa Brachyglottis kirkii Leptospermum scoparium Pomaderris phylicifolia Muehlenbeckia complexa Pseudopanax arboreus Geniostoma rupestre Hebe stricta Thelymitra sp

Pterostylis sp. Astelia solandri Pteridium esculentum Trichomanes reniforme This table shows species that may have come early, mid or late after the eruption of the volcano. It shows the species growth after the volcanic disturbance. Figure 1

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Species Diversity vs Vegetation Patch Area

20 Number of Species 15 10 5 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 Vegetation Patch Area This chart shows and proves that the prediction that there is a relationship between patch size and species diversity. The graph shows that the relationship between patch size and species diversity is a medium, linear, positive relationship. There is a data point which is located at the (452m2, 10), this data is very far from the other data set, if this data was to be taken out there probability will change dramatically, which will suggest that there is a strong relationship between the patch size and species diversity. But this chart puts in prospective that even though the patch area is large it does not necessary mean there always will be a large number of different species. y = 0.0156x + 9.254 R = 0.1719 Species Diversity Linear (Species Diversity)
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Figure 2

Species richness vs Patch area

Number of Species 25 20 15 10 5 0
m 16 2 .6 11 m2 3. 1 18 m2 1. 5m 2 m 2 4m 19 2 .6 45 m2 2. 4m 2 m 2 5m 38 2 .5 m 19 2 6m 2 7. 1 8. 0 45 . 66 . 4. 5

7.1m2 66.5m2 38.5m2 196m2

Patch area This graph shows the number of species for each team in the group. The graph also proves that number of species diversity grows as patch size grows.

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