HomeEcosystem Health
Multi-scale integrators of ecosystem health
What we are exploring
This project explores how to define and assess the health of productive ecosystems across Aotearoa. It investigates the complex interactions between plant communities, soil microbes, landscape features, and environmental stressors such as pests, diseases, and climate change.
Understanding what makes an ecosystem healthy is key to protecting it. A healthy system is one that can resist harmful change and reorganise after disruption — in other words, one that is both resistant and resilient. The research looks at above- and below-ground indicators of health, including networks of disease incidence, to uncover the drivers that maintain or undermine ecosystem function.
This work supports the development of science-based indicators to monitor long-term ecosystem performance and sustainability.
What we are learning
A network of 60 research plots was established across 30 kānuka sites on Horomaka (Banks Peninsula), covering a range of elevation and rainfall gradients. Data from these sites revealed that the region is highly vulnerable to pathogen incursions driven by climate change, while also highlighting the resilience of soil function in the face of disturbance.
Research Projects
T1 | Ecosystem Health
Understanding Phytophthora cinnamomi from within
T1 | Ecosystem Health
Understanding the drivers of plant health
T1 | Ecosystem Health
The potential for plant pathogen spillover in Aotearoa New Zealand
T1 | Ecosystem Health
The impact of the microbiome on plant resistance and resilience
Research Team
Prof Nick Roskruge
Roles:
Researcher Tranche 1
Institution:
Massey University
