Data analysis projects

Debra has worked on a wide range of data analysis projects. Recent projects include analysing data from weed shade tolerance experiments, assessing long-term trends in spotted shag abundance and the effects of grazing removal on lizard occupancy.

Shade tolerance of woody weed seedlings

For Department of Conservation

Analysis of experimental data to determine seedling shade tolerance of a suite of eight woody weed species.

Long-term trend in spotted shag abundance

Analysis of spotted shag numbers over a ten-year period at Tata Beach, Golden Bay.

Effects of grazing removal on lizard occupancy at Baring Head/Ōrua-pouanui, Wellington

For Greater Wellington Regional Council

Analysed long-term skink and gecko monitoring data to determine the effects of grazing removal on occupancy at Baring Head/ Ōrua-pouanui, East Harbour Regional Park, Wellington.

For Greater Wellington Regional Council

Analysed the impacts of browsing by goats and deer (ungulates) on forest understorey recruitment in the Wainuiomata and Orongorongo water collection areas in the Remutaka Range, Wellington. Ungulate impacts on recruitment of palatable seedlings were assessed using data from permanent ungulate browse plots measured between 2002 and 2016.

Long-term vegetation change in the Hutt Water Collection Area, Tararua Range

For Greater Wellington Regional Council

Analysed forest growth and the impacts of browsing by goats and deer on forest understorey regeneration over a forty year period.

Analysis of the effect of ground cover weed removal on forest understorey vegetation

For Department of Conservation

Collaboration with DOC scientist Kate McAlpine investigating whether the removal of ground cover weeds using herbicide increases native forest understorey vegetation.

Analysis of vegetation change in the Port Hills, Christchurch

For Environment Canterbury

Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury (Canterbury Regional Council) have been measuring permanent vegetation plots in the Port Hills, Christchurch, for ten years. Debra analysed Recce data from these plots to assess changes in vegetation community composition over this period.

Statistical analysis of wilding pine control experiment

For Department of Conservation

Collaboration with DOC scientists Kate McAlpine and Clayson Howell, investigating whether seed availability, mammal browsing and wilding pine control methods influence seedling regeneration.

Statistical analysis of native succession through ground cover weeds experiment

For Department of Conservation

Collaboration with DOC scientist Kate McAlpine investigating whether seed availability, weed abundance and mammal browsing influence native seedling regeneration.