Macquarie Island Invertebrate survey data 2015-2018

Brief description

Contemporary survey data from 20 sites on Macquarie Island collected over the 2015/16, 2016/17. 2017/18 field seasons in different habitat types (short grass, tall grass (tussock), Stilbocarpa polaris (Cabbage), herbfield, feldmark). Survey methods include pitfall traps, beating, sweep netting, sticky traps and direct collection from litter samples. Invertebrate community assemblages. These were community assessments undertaken at historic sites (i.e. previously trapped in 1980s, 1990s and 2000. Sites were relocated to the best of our ability and resurveyed. New sites were established. Data comprise species presence and abundance per site, potentially with additional site information (e.g. environmental conditions). 2017-2018 Update: These data were collected in 2017/18 to assess vegetation on Macquarie Island following eradication of rabbits and rodents Sites were random in the landscape or associated with nesting skuas, invertebrate monitoring sites or burrowing petrel colonies. Surveys were either taken as 10 x 1m2 quadrats at each locations OR 1 x 10m2 circle at a location All vascular plant species present were recorded, and cover classes assigned Cover class: 0 (not present), 1 (<5%), 2 (5-25%), 3 (25-50%), 4 (50-75%), 5 (75-100%) Vegetation height was recorded Peat depth was recorded to greater than 1.5m