Sand dunes and coastal forest - botanical survey.

This project included a botanical survey of Waikato west coast dunes and coastal forest at 14 sites. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to examine species richness between vegetation zones. Results are presented of species classification showing dominant species and other characteristic species present in beach vegetation type/community of the western Waikato dunes. Results showed the mean species richness generally increases from the foredune zone to the dune crest and rear dune zones. The study also ranked sand dune habitats in this survey to determine their relative importance of indigenous flora. Aotea, Waipingau, Tarapatiki and Port Waikato were ranked highly based on size, and regional representativeness. Awakino and Carters beach are ranked lowly due to high levels of modification and low diversity. Extracts from thesis summary: The study defined a total of nine plant communities/vegetation types present within the dune systems of the western Waikato. Four dominant community types were identified in area coverage, and are characterised by kowhangatara (spinifex sericeus), wiwi (Isolepis nodosa), pohuehue (Muehlenbeckia complexa, harakeke (Phormium tenax and tauhinu (Cassinia leptophylla) Successional processes are working within and along the western Waikato coastal dune system. Gradients from the exposed foredune through wet dune hollows and stable/fertile rear shrubland forest vegetation occur at both northern and southern sites of the study region. Species richness is greatest in the ecotonal plant communities of regenerating coastal shrublands and forests to the rear of the western Waikato sand dunes. Plant communities/vegetation type identified in this study exhibit both the individual and organismic characters of plant communities. This supports the modern synthesis that multiple working hypothesis may better serve to explain plant community structure. Chapter Five discusses management issues for restoration and re-vegetation of western Waikato coastal ecosystems. Purpose: The central aim of this study was to increase the understanding of coastal vegetation dynamics in the western Waikato. Plant community based research was done to provide land managers with guidelines for establishing and maintaining an ecologically appropriate suite of native coastal plant species. This study investigated whether the remaining coastal vegetation indicate a trend in changing structures and species composition with increasing distance from the coast. It also considered whether different substrates correlate with changes in plant community structure and composition.

Dunes sampled at: Port Waikato Spit Waikorea Beach Carters Beach Ruapuke Bech Aotea Scientiic reserve, Raukumara beach Taharoa beach Marakopa Waikawau beach/Tarapatiki Spit Waikaretu Stream, Awakino Mokau Waipingau Stream Forest sampled at: Port Waikato Whale Bay Te Toto Gorge Aotea Harbour Taranaki Point, Puti Scenic reserve Taharoa Moeatoa Waikawau Huikomako Mokau Tangaporutu Waipingau Description of each site, including all vegetation, plus brief summary of human influences and management issues. Grid references given for each site.

West Coast Dunes on the north Island (Waikato Region).

Map coordinates given in printed thesis.