Campbell Island Research Articles

A glacial chronology for sub-Antarctic Marion Island from MIS 2 and MIS 3

It is increasingly apparent that local and regional factors, including geographic location, topography and climatic variability, strongly influence the timing and extent of glaciations across the Southern Hemisphere. Glacial chronologies of sub-Antarctic islands can provide valuable insights into the nature of regional climatic variability and the localised response(s) of glacial systems during periods of climatic change. With new cosmogenic 36Cl exposure ages from Marion Island in the southern Indian Ocean, we provide the oldest dated terrestrial moraine sequences for the sub-Antarctic islands. Results confirm that a local Last Glacial Maximum was reached prior to ∼56 ka when ice retreated with localised stand still events at ∼43 ka and between ∼38 and 33 ka. Evidence of ice re-advances throughout MIS 2 are limited and particularly absent for the cooling periods at ∼32 and ∼21 ka, and retreat continued until ∼17 ka ago. Any MIS 1 readvances on the island would be confined to altitudes above 900 m a.s.l. but the Holocene exposure ages remains to be documented. We compare Marion Island's glacial chronology with other sub-Antarctic islands (e.g., the Kerguelen archipelago, Auckland and Campbell islands and South Georgia) and review the evidence for a Southern Hemisphere glacial maximum in late MIS 3 (∼41 ka). At a regional scale we recognize sea surface temperatures, sea ice extent and the latitudinal position of the Southern Westerly Wind belt as key controls on equilibrium-line altitudes and ice accumulation due to their influence on air temperature and precipitation regimes. At an island scale, geomorphological mapping shows that deglaciation of individual glacier lobes was a-synchronous due to local physiographical and topographical factors controlling the island's micro-climate. We suggest that variability in deglaciation chronologies at smaller scales (particularly at the sub-Antarctic Islands) are important to consider when untangling climatic drivers across the Southern Ocean.

Hidden diversity in high-latitude Southern Hemisphere environments: Reinstatement of the genus Rama and description of Vandenhoekia gen. nov. (Cladophoraceae, Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta), two highly variable genera.

The continental coasts and remote islands in the high-latitude Southern Hemisphere, including the subantarctic region, are characterized by many endemic species, high abundance of taxa, and intermediate levels of biodiversity. The macroalgal flora of these locations has received relatively little attention. Filamentous green algae are prolific in the intertidal of southern islands, but the taxonomy, distribution, and evolutionary history of these taxa are yet to be fully explored, mostly due to the difficulty of access to some of these locations. In this study, we examined specimens of the order Cladophorales from various locations in the high-latitude Southern Hemisphere including the subantarctic (the Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Macquarie Island, and Kerguelen Islands), as well as mainland New Zealand, the Chatham Islands, Chile, and Tasmania. The analyses of the rDNA sequences of the samples revealed the existence of two new clades in a phylogeny of the Cladophoraceae. One of these clades is described as the novel genus Vandenhoekia gen. nov., which contains three species that are branched or unbranched. The amended genus Rama is reinstated to accommodate the other clade, and contains four species, including the Northern Hemisphere "Cladophora rupestris." In Rama both branched and unbranched morphologies are found. It is remarkable that gross morphology is not a predictor for generic affiliations in these algae. This study illustrates that much can still be learned about diversity in the Cladophorales and highlights the importance of new collections, especially in novel locations.

Dietary evidence of trophic segregation between Campbell albatross Thalassarche impavida and grey-headed albatross T. chrysostoma at subantarctic Campbell Island

Dietary evidence of trophic segregation between Campbell albatross Thalassarche impavida and grey-headed albatross T. chrysostoma at subantarctic Campbell Island

Modelling swell propagation across the Pacific

Ocean wave swell generated in the vicinity of Campbell Island in the Southern Ocean is tracked along Great Circle paths across the Pacific Ocean. Data from a wave buoy at Campbell Island provides data on the directional spectrum in the generation region. The swell is measured at locations along a series of 19 Great Circle paths across the Pacific using Sentinel-1 SAR and CFOSAT satellite data. The WAVEWATCH III spectral wave model is used as a diagnostic tool to investigate the physical processes active in the swell propagation and decay. The results indicate that present day spectral wave models over-estimate the decay rate of swell. Although these models contain source terms to represent swell decay and negative wind input, these terms still largely remain tuning parameters. The data indicates that further research is required to adequately represent the observed magnitudes of the swell decay. In addition, the data show that currents have only a small impact on the observed swell decay and that islands can have a major impact. Such island impacts are poorly represented by spectral wave models.

Shepherds to the subantarctic: The history and legacy of pasture plant introductions on Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku, 1895–1931

Shepherds to the subantarctic: The history and legacy of pasture plant introductions on Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku, 1895–1931

The eradication of Campbell Island sheep and subsequent ecological response

Feral sheep were eradicated from Campbell Island (Motu Ihupuku) – a National Reserve, Nature Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site in subantarctic New Zealand – in three distinct stages from 1970 to 1991. The sheep derived from farming attempts on the island, starting in 1895 and abandoned by 1931. The potential genetic and commercial value of the isolated sheep population meant proposed eradication plans were not wholly supported.

Restoration of New Zealand subantarctic islands

New Zealand manages five island groups in the Southern Ocean New Zealand subantarctic region: The Snares (Tini Heke), Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands (Motu Maha or Maungahuka) and Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku. Charted by Europeans in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, their preservation commenced in the early 20th century and restoration in the late 20th century.

The hunting-assisted demise of Campbell Island cattle

The hunting-assisted demise of Campbell Island cattle

The hunting-assisted demise of Campbell Island cattle

Cattle (Bos taurus) were introduced to 11 268 ha Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku in 1902 as part of a short-lived farming venture that was abandoned by 1931. The cattle were left to fend for themselves and a small feral population of 10–20 animals persisted for 53 years. The population was largely limited to a small area (c. 440 ha) of the island noted for its limestone geology. Ecological damage was pronounced with churning of the soil, damage to vegetation and probable impact on seabird nesting.

The eradication of Campbell Island sheep and subsequent ecological response

The eradication of Campbell Island sheep and subsequent ecological response

Growth rates and ages of some key tree species from subantarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands

Interspecific variation in tree growth rate and maximum age is central to understanding and predicting the dynamics of forest ecosystems. While there are abundant sources of this information for economically important New Zealand timber species and other common tree species, data for trees from subantarctic environments are almost entirely lacking. Here we present measurements of growth from Auckland and Campbell Islands for three species: Metrosideros umbellata (southern rātā; Myrtaceae, n = 1 site), a canopy dominant; Dracophyllum sp.

Varicellaria cacuminum (lichenized Ascomycota, Pertusariales), a new species of lichenized-fungi from Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku, with notes on Varicellaria and other Pertusariales in New Zealand

ABSTRACT The genus Varicellaria was originally erected for a single species that was similar to the species then included in Pertusaria, which all had simple ascospores, but differed in having 1-septate ascospores. However, a molecular analysis has shown that septate ascospores is not a genus-level trait in the group and that Varicellaria was better characterised by the thallus containing lecanoric acid, and several species lacking a septum have subsequently been transferred to Varicellaria from Pertusaria. Here, Varicellaria cacuminum is described as new to science from rocks on the summits of several mountains on Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku, New Zealand. It is characterised by the thallus lacking soralia, the presence of lecanoric acid, and huge ascospores up to 315 µm long. The new species is compared with other members of the genus and Pertusaria otagoana, a species with similar sized ascospores. Pertusaria otagoana, which has only been reported from its type locality near Dunedin, is also reported from Campbell Island and South Island, New Zealand. The status of the New Zealand species of Pertusaria transferred to Lepra is discussed and it is concluded that Pertusaria erubescens and P. muricata should be retained in Pertusaria, whereas it is not currently possible to determine the correct generic placement of the other three species.

Application of palaeogenetic techniques to historic mollusc shells reveals phylogeographic structure in a New Zealand abalone.

Natural history collections worldwide contain a plethora of mollusc shells. Recent studies have detailed the sequencing of DNA extracted from shells up to thousands of years old and from various taphonomic and preservational contexts. However, previous approaches have largely addressed methodological rather than evolutionary research questions. Here, we report the generation of DNA sequence data from mollusc shells using such techniques, applied to Haliotis virginea Gmelin, 1791, a New Zealand abalone, in which morphological variation has led to the recognition of several forms and subspecies. We successfully recovered near-complete mitogenomes from 22 specimens including 12 dry-preserved shells up to 60 years old. We used a combination of palaeogenetic techniques that have not previously been applied to shell, including DNA extraction optimized for ultra-short fragments and hybridization-capture of single-stranded DNA libraries. Phylogenetic analyses revealed three major, well-supported clades comprising samples from: (1) The Three Kings Islands; (2) the Auckland, Chatham and Antipodes Islands; and (3) mainland New Zealand and Campbell Island. This phylogeographic structure does not correspond to the currently recognized forms. Critically, our nonreliance on freshly collected or ethanol-preserved samples enabled inclusion of topotypes of all recognized subspecies as well as additional difficult-to-sample populations. Broader application of these comparatively cost-effective and reliable methods to modern, historical, archaeological and palaeontological shell samples has the potential to revolutionize invertebrate genetic research.

Taxonomic and biogeographical analysis of diatom assemblages from historic bryophyte samples from Campbell Island (sub-Antarctic)

Background and aims – The past two decades, the non-marine diatom flora in the sub-Aantarctic region has been intensively revised. Historic collections provide excellent tools for answering taxonomic, community-related, and biogeographical questions. This study analysed the moss-inhabiting diatom flora from sub-Antarctic Campbell Island in samples collected in 1969–1970 and retrieved from the British Antarctic Survey herbarium (Cambridge, UK). With this study we attempt to expand our, till now sparse, knowledge on the moss-inhabiting diatom flora in the southern Pacific Ocean.Material and methods – In total, the diatom composition in 32 moss samples has been analysed using Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A biogeographical analysis and community analysis of the Campbell Island diatom flora were conducted.Key results – Analysis of the Campbell Island diatom flora revealed the presence of 141 taxa belonging to 45 genera. The species composition in the dominant genera Planothidium, Humidophila, and Psammothidium, the presence of Epithemia, Rhopalodia, Cocconeis, uncommon in the sub-Antarctic region, and many unidentified taxa point to the uniqueness of the Campbell Island diatom flora. The biogeographical analysis showed an overall low similarity with the other sub-Antarctic and the Maritime Antarctic islands. Four different diatom assemblages were distinguished following the community analysis. Moisture level and habitat type seem to be the main factors shaping the Campbell Island diatom assemblages.Conclusion – The results of the Campbell Island diatom analysis highlight the importance of historic herbarium material. Since the examined flora is largely composed of unknown (presumably new) species, it is vital to analyse additional (historic) samples to complete the assessment of the moss diatom assemblages from Campbell Island.

An acid deficient population of Lambiella psephota from Antarctica and a new combination in the genus from Campbell Island with a world-wide key to the genus

Only two species of the lichen genus Lambiella are known from Antarctica: L. impavida and L. psephota. Here we report a new chemotype of L. psephota collected from James Ross Island in the North-East Antarctic Peninsula region. nrITS, mtSSU and RPB1 gene regions of the norstictic acid deficient L. psephota were obtained, which showed the new chemotype phylogenetically belongs to L. psephota. We also transfer Rimularia maculata to Lambiella, and provide an identification key of the 17 known species of Lambiella world-wide

Taxonomic revision of the southern hemisphere pygmy forget-me-not group (Myosotis; Boraginaceae) based on morphological, population genetic and climate-edaphic niche modelling data

A taxonomic revision of the southern hemisphere pygmy forget-me-not group (Myosotis L.; Boraginaceae) is presented here. Climate-edaphic niches are modelled and compared for five species in the pygmy group, namely, M. antarctica Hook.f., M. brevis de Lange & Barkla, M. drucei (L.B.Moore) de Lange & Barkla, M. pygmaea Colenso and M. glauca (G.Simpson & J.S.Thomson) de Lange & Barkla, and one unnamed putative taxon, M. “Volcanic Plateau”. In this case, niche-modelling data mostly do not aid species delimitation, but morphological and genetic data provide evidence for recognising the following three species within the group: M. brevis and M. glauca (both endemic to New Zealand), and an enlarged M. antarctica (native to New Zealand, Campbell Island and Chile). Myosotis antarctica is here circumscribed to include M. antarctica sens. strict., M. drucei and M. pygmaea. The following two allopatric subspecies of M. antarctica are recognised on the basis of minor morphological differences: subsp. antarctica (formerly M. antarctica from Campbell Island and Chile, M. drucei and M. “Volcanic Plateau”) and subsp. traillii Kirk (formerly known by New Zealand botanists as M. pygmaea Colenso, an illegitimate name). For all three species, which are considered Threatened or At Risk, most of their genetic variation is partitioned between rather than within populations, meaning that conserving as many populations as possible should be the priority to minimise risk of extinction.

Directional wave buoy data measured near Campbell Island, New Zealand

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has established a permanent wave observation station near Campbell Island, south of New Zealand (52 45.71 S, 169 02.54E). The site was chosen for logistical convenience and its unique location adjacent to the highly energetic Southern Ocean; allowing instrumentation typically deployed on the continental shelf to be used in this rarely observed southern environment. From February 2017, a Triaxys Directional Wave Buoy was moored in 147 m depth, some 17 km to the south of the island, with satellite telemetry of the 2D wave spectra at 3-hourly intervals. To date there have been three deployments on locations, yielding some 784 days of data. Validation of the measured significant wave height against co-located satellite altimeter observations suggests that the predominant wave directions are not attenuated by the island. The data provide a valuable record of the detailed wave spectral characteristics from one of the least-sampled parts of the Global Ocean.

The year‐round distribution and habitat preferences of Campbell albatross (Thalassarche impavida)

Abstract The use of miniaturized electronic tracking devices has illuminated our understanding of seabird distributions and habitat use, and how anthropogenic threats interact with seabirds in both space and time. To determine the year‐round distribution of adult Campbell albatross (Thalassarche impavida), a single‐island endemic, breeding only at Campbell Island in New Zealand's subantarctic, a total of 68 year‐long location data sets were acquired from light‐based geolocation data‐logging tags deployed on breeding birds in 2009 and 2010. During the incubation and chick‐guard phases of the breeding season, birds used cool (<10°C) waters over the Campbell Plateau, but also ranged over deeper, shelf‐break and oceanic waters (4,000–5,500 m) beyond the Plateau. Later in the breeding season, during post‐guard chick‐rearing, Campbell albatrosses exploited generally deep waters (4,000–5,000 m) beyond the Campbell Plateau. During the non‐breeding period, adults tended to move northwards into warmer (approximately 15°C) waters and occupied areas beyond western Australia in the west to offshore from Chile in the east. Overall, about 30% of adults spent some of their non‐breeding period in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, substantially expanding the previously reported range for this species. One bird, that failed in its breeding attempt in October 2009, departed Campbell Island and circumnavigated the southern oceans before being recaptured back at Campbell Island in October 2010. This is the first example of an annually‐breeding albatross species completing a circumnavigation between breeding attempts. Overlap with fishing effort, using data from the Global Fishing Watch database, was assessed on a monthly and seasonal basis. Generally, levels of overlap between Campbell albatross and fishing effort were relatively low during the breeding season but were approximately 60% higher during the non‐breeding period, underlining the need for international initiatives to safeguard this species.

How wind pattern change could impact albatrosses

![Figure][1] Campbell albatrosses on Campbell Island. Photo credit: Caitlin Kroeger. Rumoured to be the souls of lost sailors, albatrosses cruise the southern oceans effortlessly, borne aloft by the strong winds circling Antarctica in search of squid and fish dinners. Yet, the bird's

A note on movements of southern right whales between the sub-Antarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands, New Zealand

To investigate the interchange of southern right whales between wintering grounds of the New Zealand sub-Antarctic, photographs of 31 individuals from Campbell Island were compared to 217 individuals from the Auckland Islands. Three whales first identified at the Auckland Islands in 1995 or 1996 were found at Campbell Island in 1997. One whale identified at Campbell Island in 1995 was seen later that same winter at the Auckland Islands. This provides the first evidence of both within- and between-year movements of whales between the two New Zealand sub-Antarctic aggregations, suggesting that they are part of one intermingling population.