A descriptive ecology of the vegetation in the lower Gordon River basin, Tasmania

Abstract

The vegetation of the Lower Gordon Ri vel' Basin consists of rainforest, sclerophyllforest, scrub and sedgeland-heath, each of which is composed of a nWllber of plantconununi ties forming an intricate mosaic.Field studies conducted over three sununer seasons suggest that differential fireregimes are the primary determinants of the composition, structure and distribution ofthe major vegetation types. Climatic, topographic and edaphic factors play a relativelyminor role except through their interaction with the fire regime.The observed patterns and processes in the major vegetation types can be interpretedreadily in terms of vegetation succession and ecological drift, but the ubiquity ofdiffuse ecotones argues against the occurrence of stable fire cycles.