photosynthesis

Light conditions and the evolution of heteroblasty (and the divaricate form) in New Zealand

Heteroblasty, changes in vegetative phenotype during ontogeny, is unusually common in the New Zealand flora. Some feature(s) unique to the New Zealand situation must have influenced the evolution of this strategy. Similarities were examined between the ontogenetic changes in phenotype and growth strategy in Elaeocarpus hookerianus, Carpodetus serratus and Pseudopanax crassifolius. Variation in hypothesised light capture efficiency of juvenile and adult forms can be related to changes in the light environment that these growth forms experience.

Microclimate characteristics of alpine bluff ecosystems of New Zealand's South Island, and implications for plant growth

Descriptions of alpine climate in areas of high solar radiation are increasing, but there is a paucity of microclimate data for shaded alpine rock bluff ecosystems. These shaded systems are important because they represent plant habitats that are subject to unique climate drivers within the alpine ecosystem, but which are poorly characterised globally.