fire

Burning in a New Zealand snow-tussock grassland: Effects on vegetation and soil fauna

Soil conditions, vegetation features and soil fauna were recorded in montane tall tussock grassland dominated by narrow- leaved snow tussock Chionochloa rigida ssp. rigida up to 30 months after a spring fire. Burning reduced the stature of tussocks and the size and density of tillers in the first growing season. After two growing seasons, tussock canopy development and tiller size remained below those found in the unburnt grassland nearby. New tillers and tussocks established following the prolific fire-induced flowering one year after burning.

Burning in a New Zealand snow-tussock grassland: Effects on soil microbial biomass and nitrogen and phosphorus availability

Fire has been an important management tool in the pastoral use of New Zealand tussock grasslands. The effects of a farm-scale pastoral fire and subsequent grazing by sheep on soil biochemical properties in tussock grasslands dominated by the narrow-leaved snow tussock (Chionochloa rigida ssp. rigida) were investigated, 1.5 and 2.5 years after the fire event, in 0-2 cm depth mineral soil at a site at 975 m altitude in Central Otago, New Zealand. The nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of C. rigida leaves were also measured.

The Deforestation of the Upper Awatere Catchment, Inland Kaikoura Range, Marlborough, South-Island, New Zealand

Pollen analysis of a high altitude bog (Winterton Bog) and an alluvial soil sequence in the upper Awatere catchment on the western flanks of the Inland Kaikoura Range, and radiocarbon dates on wood and charcoal from the Marlborough region, have established a Holocene, (post 10 000 years B.P.) vegetation history for this area.

The Polynesian Settlement of New Zealand in Relation to Environmental and Biotic Changes

Polynesian settlement of New Zealand (c. 1000 yr B.P.) led directly to the extinction or reduction of much of the vertebrate fauna, destruction of half of the lowland and montane forests, and widespread soil erosion. The climate and natural vegetation changed over the same time but had negligible effects on the fauna compared with the impact of settlement. The most severe modification occurred between 750 and 500 years ago, when a rapidly increasing human population, over-exploited animal populations and used fire to clear the land.

Heathland Vegetation of the Spirits Bay Area, Far Northern New- Zealand

The heathland vegetation of northern New Zealand is usually regarded as a "derived" vegetation type resulting from forest destruction during the Maori and European periods of settlement. Plant species cover-abundance data from sample quadrats in the Far North are analysed using Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Two-way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and are then correlated with soil nutrient data. Variations in species composition of heaths appear to be related primarily to soil type. Age since last fire is also important but was not examined in detail in this study.

Impact of disturbance on above-ground water storage capacity of bryophytes in New Zealand indigenous tussock grassland ecosystems

Bryophytes are widespread in many plant communities and can attain cover and biomass levels that influence ecosystem processes. We investigated the impact of disturbance (fire, topsoil removal) on the composition, biomass, and water storage capacity of bryophytes in indigenous temperate tall-tussock grasslands managed to sustain an ecosystem service (regular provision of water) to nearby urban areas. We surveyed bryophyte composition, structure and water-related traits 9 years after experimental fires and topsoil removal.

Vegetation patterns and trajectories in disturbed landscapes, Great Barrier Island, northern New Zealand

Fire has been a major driver of forest loss in New Zealand. A conceptual model has been proposed in which positive feedbacks between vegetation, fire and soils can arrest regeneration of recurrently burned wet forest landscapes. We used vegetation data collected across three topographically similar landscapes – Awana, Glenfern and Windy Hill – on Great Barrier Island to (1) describe current vegetation composition and structure and predict future change in composition and (2) assess evidence for interactions between fire and soils slowing regeneration in these landscapes.

Bone-seed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera) invasion effects on native regeneration in New Zealand coastal plant communities

Bone-seed, Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera (L.), is an environmental weed of coastal vegetation communities scattered throughout New Zealand. To assess the long-term implications for native forest regeneration in sites where bone-seed is present, we selected four study sites around Wellington, New Zealand, where bone-seed was abundant. We compared seed bank composition in bone-seed-invaded sites with nearby native forest patches, and monitored bone-seed and native seedling recruitment with and without control of mature bone-seed plants.