<I>Kunzea ericoides</I>

Native kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) and adventive gorse (Ulex europaeus) stands aged 10-14 years, and not grazed by domestic stock, were studied near Nelson, New Zealand. The aim was to determine their use by introduced small mammals, and native and adventive birds, and the effects of these animals on seed rain and seedling dynamics as factors influencing vegetation succession. Seed traps were established where they could catch only bird-dispersed or wind-blown seed, and seedling emergence and growth were monitored.

Primary successions involving teatree (Kunzea ericoides var. ericoides with some Leptospermum scoparium) were studied on shallow landslide scars on soft sedimentary (mudstone) hill country under extensive pastoral use in the East Cape (Tairawhiti) region, using a 5-72 yr chronosequence established from sequential aerial photography and the age of the oldest teatrees on scars. Dynamics of primary even-aged teatree stands are similar to those in secondary successions on reverting pasture described previously from the region.

Mycorrhizal colonisation of Douglas-fir and Corsican pine seedlings in soil from kānuka and mānuka dominated shrublands in Canterbury was studied using a bait plant technique. Soil cores were collected from 10 sites of each shrubland, transferred to a glasshouse, and sown with seed of both tree species. Mycorrhizal colonisation was examined after 19 weeks’ growth. Overall, seedlings of Douglas-fir were larger than those of Corsican pine, but the amount of Corsican pine seedlings that were colonised (56%) was about twice that of Douglas-fir (29%).