Biota Data

Gorse density has been classified within 4 ha (200 x 200 m) tiles as either absent (transparent), low density (< 1 plant/ha = yellow), moderate density (<10 plants/ha = orange) or high density (>10 plants/ha = red).

Gorse density has been classified within 4 ha (200 x 200 m) tiles as either absent (transparent), low density (< 1 plant/ha = yellow), moderate density (<10 plants/ha = orange) or high density (>10 plants/ha = red).

This raw aerial photography covers 23,000 ha of the Desert Road stretch of SH 1 running through the Central Plateau is provided to members of the Desert Rd Invasive Legume Control Group so that they can locate plants and prioritize areas where ground control is required. Gorse competes with native vegetation and can produce seed that remains viable in the soil for decades.

Estimated image resolution = 0.28 m

Rabbit numbers counted by pest destruction boards to measure the affect of control operations are used to assess the relationship between recorded elements of land resources (parent material, soils, vegetation, slope, erosion) and rabbit populations. The results of the study clearly confirm the often observed concentration of high rabbit populations on the brown-grey earth soils and a corresponding reduction in rabbit numbers with increased rainfall and pasture improvement.

This analysis uses the NZLRI/FSL soils data to assign rabbit proneness.
This analysis precedes the illegal release of rabbit haemorragic disease (RHD) in 1997 and does not factor in any interactions between environment and RHD in terms of assigning rabbit proneness.