Effects of island restoration on reef microbiomes
This project is part of the Tetiaroa Atoll Restoration Program (TARP), which aims to monitor cross-ecosystem impacts of island restoration and management on Tetiaroa atoll. Island restoration, including land-based invasive species eradications, is a common conservation intervention that is recognized for its potential to provide cross-ecosystem benefits. Marine habitats that are situated adjacent to islands, such as coral reefs, are reliant on the cross-ecosystem flow of nutrients to support high biodiversity. Where abundant, seabirds represent a key land-based and natural nutrient source for marine habitats, but their populations are often threatened by invasive species like rats. Using the unique rat invasion histories of multiple small islets of the Tetiaroa atoll, this project follows the impacts of rat invasion/eradication alongside changes in seabird biomass on the marine habitat. With a focus on microbial diversity in host and environmental microbiomes, we aim to explore potential early indicators of changes in near-shore nutrient regimes as a result of island restoration activities.