Environmental DNA (eDNA) is frequently used to infer distributions of microorganisms in Antarctica. Their distributions relative to environmental variables are, in turn, sometimes used to infer their physiological range (and a relationship between the two is generally assumed for conservation purposes). We sought to determine whether ecological inferences based on distributions accurately reflect tolerances of the organisms co...

Generalist predator populations often surge during resource pulses but decline sharply afterwards and shift to alternative prey sources, which experience elevated predation rates. Understanding these numerical and functional responses of predators to resource pulses is especially important for effectively managing island ecosystems, where invasive mammals are generalist predators and vulnerable indigenous birds are alternative...

Excessive fine sediment (particles

Understanding marginal habitat use by invasive species is important for predicting how distributions may change under future climates. We investigated the influence of food availability and temperature on ship rat ( Rattus rattus ) distribution and density across a forested elevational gradient in New Zealand by measuring ship rat demographics following a beech (Nothofagaceae) mass seeding event (‘mast’) at three elevation ban...

Can New Zealand's indigenous dryland ecosystems be rehabilitated by facilitating inherent successional tendencies to enhance development of indigenous‐dominated and often woody communities in the long term? Here, we describe the geographic distribution of woody communities of New Zealand's South Island drylands to generate hypotheses about successional trajectories to future vegetation states. Presences and absences of woody s...