Biodiversity of Terrestrial Ecosystems in Tropical to Temperate Australia

Specht, Raymond L.

doi:10.1155/2012/359892

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 83 publications

(118 reference statements)

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“…A Data Source Book' (Specht 1988). As an even larger quadrat size of one hectare (10,000 m 2 ) ensured maximal assessment of biodiversity in Australian open-structured plant communities (Specht 2012), species richness per hectare was estimated by extrapolating the data from smaller quadrats, using Equation (4).…”

Section: Alpha Biodiversity (Species Richness -N Number Of Species Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The species richness of both plants and resident vertebrates (small mammals, birds, amphibia, lizards, snakes) in an ecosystem is determined by the annual fixation of solar energy by the Foliage Projective Cover of the overstorey (Braithwaite et al 1985;Specht 1988Specht , 1994Specht , 2012Specht & Specht 1999;Specht & Tyler 2010).…”

Section: Journal Of Environment and Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structure and Alpha Biodiversity of Major Plant Communities in Chile, a Distant Gondwanan Relation

Montenegro¹,

Dettmann²

2015

JEE

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The structure, growth and biodiversity of Chilean vegetation are explored from the arid north, through the Mediterranean-climate zone of Central Chile to the evergreen and semi-deciduous Nothofagus vegetation in the south and into the treeless wet-heath vegetation of the Magellanic islands. The northern Desert Zone has four to six genera of plants that have been recorded in Australia, while the southern vegetation reveals many relationships with the cool temperate vegetation of Australia with which Chile was conjoined in the Gondwanan assembly during the Late Mesozoic. As the physico-chemical processes that determine the structure, growth and biodiversity of plant communities on median-nutrient soils are similar in the temperate climates of Chile and Australia, similar values of Foliage Projective Cover,

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Section: Alpha Biodiversity (Species Richness -N Number Of Species Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Journal Of Environment and Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure and Alpha Biodiversity of Major Plant Communities in Chile, a Distant Gondwanan Relation

Montenegro¹,

Dettmann²

2015

JEE

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“…As an even larger quadrat size of one hectare (10,000 m 2 ) ensured maximal assessment of biodiversity in Australian open-structured plant communities (Specht 2012), species richness per hectare was estimated by extrapolating the data from smaller quadrats, using Equation (3).…”

Section: Foliage Projective Covermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The species richness of resident consumers (small mammals, birds, snakes, lizards and amphibia) -that depend on the energy fixed by the producers -is also correlated (Braithwaite et al 1985;Specht, A. 1988;Specht 1994Specht , 2012Specht & Specht 1999;Specht & Tyler 2010).…”

Section: Journal Of Environment and Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1988;Specht 2007) -far larger than the species-area-curves of open-structured plant communities that asymptote at about a hectare in area or less Specht & Specht 1999;Specht 2012;Specht & Tyler 2010). As annual solar radiation decreases with latitude, the species richness of closed-forests (rainforests) decreases as net photosynthesis per annum decreases in both eastern Australia and eastern South Africa.…”

Section: Species Richness Of Disjunct Stands Of Closed-forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structure and Alpha Biodiversity of Major Plant Communities in South Africa, a Close Biogeographical Relation with Australia

Moll¹

2014

JEE

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During the short season of annual shoot growth, Foliage Projective Covers (FPCs) in both overstorey and understorey strata, coupled with leaf attributes (Leaf Specific Weight, Leaf Area), are determined by aerodynamic fluxes flowing over and through the plant community. These parameters determined the Evaporative Coefficient -the monthly ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration per mm of available soil moisture. Maximal FPC is produced in habitats supplied with optimal soil moisture during this short season of shoot growth.Vertical growth of foliage shoots -the number of leaves per shoot and internode lengthsis determined in relation with available soil water and soil nutrients (especially phosphorus and nitrogen ions) during this seasonal growth. Ambient temperature is similarly concerned.The Leaf Area Index (area of all leaves per hectare) determines the interception of solar radiation -and hence net photosynthesis per hectare per annum. This energy-fixation by overstorey foliage determines the yearly growth of the producer, consumer and decomposer sections of the ecosystem. In turn, the biodiversity (number of species per hectare) of producers and resident consumers is determined. ISSN 2157-6092 2014 www.macrothink.org/jee 49 Wherever optimal soil water occurred in median-nutrient soils in the coastal subtropical region, closed-forests/scrubs developed containing 131 ± 11 species compared with 80-90 species per hectare in nearby open-forests. Journal of Environment and EcologyWherever optimal soil water occurred in nutrient-poor soils in the warm temperate region, closed-heathland (± tall proteoid shrubs) vegetation developed containing 90-135 species per hectare, compared with about 60 species per hectare in nearby open-heathlands.

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Review of the phytogeography of Cape York Peninsula: a flora that illustrates the development of the Australian sclerophyll biota

Wannan¹

2014

Aust. J. Bot.

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Paleontological records from north-eastern Australia suggest that Cape York Peninsula is likely to have retained a warm and humid environment throughout the Cenozoic. The cooling and drying trend of the last 15 million years has been moderated on Cape York Peninsula by its position on the northern leading edge of the continent, its maritime or aquatic influences and partly montane topography. Cape York Peninsula shares a close geographic relationship with New Guinea, with 40% of its species shared, but has a distinctively separate flora that includes 330 bioregionally endemic plant species and five bioregionally endemic plant genera. Comparison with the monsoon savanna areas of Western Australia (Kimberley) and Northern Territory (Top End) suggests that Cape York Peninsula has a much richer rainforest flora. The non-rainforest flora of all three areas contains a significant regional element. The Peninsula has a mix of plant communities that are similar to those identified from Australia’s vegetation in the Cenozoic including rainforest, woodlands and grasslands. Cape York Peninsula demonstrates the mosaic of these environments, which were typical of much of Australia during the Cenozoic but which were lost in most areas during the cooling and drying of the Pliocene and Quaternary. The fossil record and dated phylogenies suggest that some of the taxa first evident in Australia during the Cenozoic are still growing on Cape York Peninsula. In the Myrtaceae and Poaceae, Cape York Peninsula demonstrates nationally and internationally significant taxonomic diversity. Its taxa are related to many that emerged in the forests of the Paleocene and to taxa which became dominant following the drying of the Miocene. The Peninsula contains elements which represent both older and modern lineages of many families in Australia. The phytogeographic significance of Cape York Peninsula is that it has a highly diverse flora, which contains plant communities and taxa that demonstrate the development of the sclerophyll biota in Australia during the Cenozoic.

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Biodiversity of Terrestrial Ecosystems in Tropical to Temperate Australia

Cited by 7 publications

References 83 publications

Structure and Alpha Biodiversity of Major Plant Communities in Chile, a Distant Gondwanan Relation

Structure and Alpha Biodiversity of Major Plant Communities in Chile, a Distant Gondwanan Relation

Structure and Alpha Biodiversity of Major Plant Communities in South Africa, a Close Biogeographical Relation with Australia

Review of the phytogeography of Cape York Peninsula: a flora that illustrates the development of the Australian sclerophyll biota

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