Burrowing seabirds affect forest regeneration, Rangatira Island, Chatham Islands, New Zealand
The forests of Rangatira Island (218 ha) in the Chatham Islands are a critical breeding site for a number of rare and threatened forest bird species, but are also home to more than three million seabirds, which could significantly affect forest regeneration processes. We surveyed the forests of Rangatira Island by establishing 40 permanent forest plots, estimated seabird density through burrow counts, and analysed soil properties.