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contents Monitoring gateway REDIS|
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contents Monitoring gateway REDIS |
The system for assessing tussock grassland condition, REDIS, was developed by Landcare Research in collaboration with the Rural Futures Trust, landholder groups and Otago Regional Council in the mid-to-late 1990s as a tool for promoting sustainable land management. It was notable for its user-friendly graphic interface and the level of uptake by land managers such as high country runholders. Following shifts in research priorities, and changes in research staff, maintenance and development of REDIS has been on hold. We now wish to reassess the future potential of REDIS, or some equivalent system which could be made accessible to land users, for tussock grassland management and research. To help us in this, we would welcome your views.
REDIS is a computer-based tool for assessing the condition status ('health') of tussock grasslands at particular sites and times. It is based on models of vegetation composition and land management history that have been developed for areas such as mountain ranges or farm clusters. Models were set up by analysing plant species composition in an area at a range of sites that were considered to differ in management history and effects. Using statistical analysis, indicator plants (ones that are responsive to management effects) were used to establish relationships between species cover and 'grassland condition' (e.g., good condition = dense cover of indigenous and/or desirable exotic pasture species, poor condition = open cover of indigenous species or desirable species, high cover of weedy species).
To apply the model, a user (who need not be expert in grassland ecology) first records in the field the percentage cover of the 10 indicator species, and then inputs these into the model. The model calculates a 'condition value', which determines where the site fits along the condition gradient, and places a pointer on a graphical representation of the vegetation composition arranged along the gradient. An interpretation of the ecological and managerial status of the site is accessible by clicking.
By inputting the species percentage cover values of different sites, or of the same site over time, spatial trends in grassland condition and trends over time, respectively, can be determined.
In the mid-1990s, ten pairs of models (e.g., 'unimproved' versus 'developed grassland') were developed in association with community landcare groups in the following areas in Canterbury and Otago:
Danseys Pass/Kakanui (unimproved; developed)
Ida Valley/Moa Creek (red-hybrid tussock; low altitude dryland)
Knobby Range (unimproved; improved)
Lees Valley (dryland red/snow tussock; developed)
Lindis (unimproved; developed)
Omarama (unimproved; developed)
Rakaia (unimproved; developed)
Rangitata (unimproved; developed)
Roxburgh (unimproved; developed)
St Bathans Range (unimproved; developed)
Models were also developed by Landcare Research for generic areas to demonstrate the concept. Of these, models for 'Subhumid unimproved tussock grassland (Otago)'and 'Semi-arid extreme dryland (Central Otago, Mackenzie Basin)' are now accessible on the World Wide Web at: http://redis.landcareresearch.co.nz
We invite you to inspect REDIS and offer comments. Things you may like to consider include. Do you or your group have a use for such an approach? If so, for what purpose (e.g., for sustainable production, biodiversity management)? If you are a direct user of these models, would you like a more direct link between your datasets and the model (e.g., to call up data for a site/date from a spreadsheet and enter it into the model automatically)? Is there a need for additional models? If so, where? Should they be area-specific or widely applicable? You can reply to hunterg@landcareresearch.co.nz.
The development of REDIS was funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry for the Environment, and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
Allen, W.J., Bosch, O.J.H., Kilvington, M.J., Harley, D. & Brown I. (2001) Monitoring and adaptive management: addressing social and organisational issues to improve information sharing. Natural Resources Forum 25(3): 225-233.
Bosch, O.J.H., Allen, W.J., Williams, J.M. & Ensor, A. (1996) An integrated system for maximising community knowledge: Integrating community-based monitoring into the adaptive management process in the New Zealand high country. The Rangeland Journal 18(1) 23-32 Available: http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/social/monadman.html
Gibson, R. S.; Bosch, O. J. H. 1996: Indicator species for the interpretation of vegetation condition in the St. Bathans area, Central Otago, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 20: 163-172.
Landcare Research, Rural Futures Trust, Otago Regional Council, Canterbury Regional Council 1998: Land condition monitoring reference manual.
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Page last updated on Monday, August 20,
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