• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Vehicle damage to vegetation of the Rangipo Desert, Tongariro National Park, National Park, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MSc in Ecology, Massey University, Turitea, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Icon
    View/Open Full Text
    01_front.pdf (116.6Kb)
    02_whole.pdf (2.544Mb)
    Export to EndNote
    Abstract
    Rangipo Desert, Tongariro National Park, Central North Island, New Zealand, contains one of New Zealand’s unique habitats due to the desert-like environment containing cushions, low lying species, and native grasses which create a diverse mosaic of plant species and colour. This area is under anthropogenic threat from drivers operating vehicles over the vegetation. My aim was is investigate the damage to vegetation and substrates which have been driven over by vehicles. Aerial images were used to draw information about the Desert’s ecosystem, and driver’s manoeuvring preferences which were ground-truthed. A Canonical Correspondence Analysis was used to evaluate the accuracy of categories from the aerials after ground-truthing. A Paired t test was used to show varying vegetation densities against other tested variables. A Chi Square Analysis was used to examine where drivers preferred to drive. The results indicate drivers prefer to drive over bare substrate and sparsely vegetated areas within the desert, avoiding dense vegetation, deeply cut channels and rough, un-driveable terrain. The direct damage done by vehicles to vegetation and surrounding substrate was tested by running a simulated tyre over the substrate and plants. A plant having had a tyre pushed over it by hand was compared to a plant that had been previously damaged by vehicles, and a control (undamaged) plant. Analysis of Variance was used to test differences in the growth of the plants within each treatment and the change in topography. There is evidence of plant damage; however, different species reacted differently to treatments, depending on which variable was being tested, making it difficult to identify which species are most affected by vehicle damage. The tyres alter the substrate instantly. Intact and broken substrates were compared by creating wind and rain with a leaf blower and watering can. The change in substrate height was measured and Analysis of Variance was used to test the amount of substrate erosion. Results show broken substrates are eroded at a greater rate than intact substrates, and the erosion rate is increased when the substrate is dry. Wet, sandy substrates in windy conditions and wet, pumice substrates in rain have the lowest amount of substrate movement after damage. The Rangipo Desert’s dry and open ecosystem and vegetation is vulnerable to damage from vehicles. Vehicles cause plant die-back, increase erosion and have the potential to change the current ecosystem. Preventing vehicles driving into the Desert, and educating members of the public about ecosystem damage are good starting points to manage and preserve this area of Tongariro National Park. KEYWORDS Arid ecosystems, vehicle damage, erosion, plant changes, microtopography.
    Date
    2014
    Author
    Smith, Angelina Robyn
    Rights
    The Author
    Publisher
    Massey University
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10179/5460
    Collections
    • Theses and Dissertations
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Copyright © Massey University
    Contact Us | Send Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1
     

     

    Tweets by @Massey_Research
    Information PagesContent PolicyDepositing content to MROCopyright and Access InformationDeposit LicenseDeposit License SummaryTheses FAQFile FormatsDoctoral Thesis Deposit

    Browse

    All of MROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Copyright © Massey University
    Contact Us | Send Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1