The salt-marsh vegetation of New Zealand

Haacks, Manfred; Thannheiser, Dietbert

doi:10.1127/0340-269x/2003/0033-0267

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…The present results support the interpretation that south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes constitute a group of the temperate type ( sensu Adam, 1990) with transitional characteristics between Australasian–South African saltmarshes ( Sarcocornia spp. in the lower marshes and J. kraussii in the upper marshes; Congdon, 1981; Adam, 2002; Haacks & Thannheiser, 2003) and west Atlantic saltmarshes that extend along Atlantic coast of North America and the Gulf of Mexico (dominance of Sp. alterniflora ; Wiegert et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Non‐vegetated habitats were denominated by tidal flats. All marshes dominated by species of Scirpus , Juncus , Cortaderia and Phragmites species, commonly associated with freshwater input to saltmarshes (Adam, 1990; Costa, 1997; Haacks & Thannheiser, 2003), were considered brackish marshes. Additional information about associated species was obtained from bibliographic references.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distribution of saltmarsh plant communities associated with environmental factors along a latitudinal gradient on the south‐west Atlantic coast

Isacch

Costa

Rodríguez-Gallego

et al. 2006

Journal of Biogeography

290

248

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Aim To produce an inventory of south-west Atlantic saltmarshes (from latitude 31°48¢ S to 43°20¢ S) using remotely sensed images and field sampling; to quantify their total area; to describe the biogeographical variation of the main habitats characterized by dominant vascular plants, in relation to major environmental factors; to test the hypothesis of predominance of the reversal pattern in plant distribution (sedges and grasses dominate the lower, regularly inundated zones, while the upper zones are occupied by more halophytic species) previously described; and to compare these south-west Atlantic saltmarshes with others world-wide. Location South-western Atlantic saltmarshesMethods Field samples of dominant emergent plant species positioned by the global positioning system (GPS) were obtained from most coastal saltmarshes (14) between southern Brazil and northern Patagonia, Argentina. Landsat satellite images were obtained and coastal saltmarsh habitats were quantified by supervised classification, utilizing points gathered in the field.Results Three main plant species dominated the low and middle intertidal saltmarsh, Spartina alterniflora Loesel., Spartina densiflora Brong. and Sarcocornia perennis (P. Mill.) A.J. Scott. The total area of the studied coastal saltmarshes was 2133 km 2 , comprising 380 km 2 of Sp. alterniflora marsh, 366 km 2 of Sp. densiflora marsh, 746 km 2 of Sar. perennis marsh and 641 km 2 of brackish marsh (dominated by Juncus acutus L., Juncus kraussii Hochst., Scirpus maritimus L., Scirpus americanus Pers. and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.). Cluster analysis showed three habitat types: saltmarshes dominated by (1) Sp. densiflora and brackish species,(2) Sp. alterniflora and Sar. perennis and (3) Sp. densiflora only. The analysis of abiotic variables showed significant differences between groups of habitats and coordinated gradients of the abiotic variables. The southwest Atlantic coast showed decreasing mean annual rainfall (1200 to 196 mm) and increasing mean tidal amplitude (< 0.5 to > 2.5 m) from latitude 31°to 43°.Main conclusions South-west Atlantic saltmarshes are globally important by virtue of their total extent. Remote sensing showed that the reversal pattern in plant distribution is not widespread. Indeed, south-west Atlantic saltmarshes are better characterized by the presence of the halophytic genera Spartina and Sarcocornia. Our results support the interpretation that south-west Atlantic saltmarshes constitute a class of temperate type (sensu Adam, 1990) with transitional characteristics between Australasian-South African saltmarshes and west Atlantic saltmarshes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of saltmarsh plant communities associated with environmental factors along a latitudinal gradient on the south‐west Atlantic coast

Isacch

Costa

Rodríguez-Gallego

et al. 2006

Journal of Biogeography

290

248

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“…'Faithful' was used by Dansereau (1964) in the phytosociological sense of being restricted to one association (2003) and Haacks & Thannheiser (2003) of New Zealand coastal vegetation (salt marsh, sand dune and strand), there are some exotic species that form almost monospecific stands and rarely or never occur in other associations/communities, e.g. Carex divisa and Spartina anglica (Table 2A).…”

Section: (4) Very Few New Zealand Associations Have Faithful Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is New Zealand vegetation really ‘problematic’? Dansereau's puzzles revisited

Wilson

Lee

2011

Biological Reviews

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Over four decades ago, Pierre Dansereau, the noted North American ecologist, proposed six features of New Zealand vegetation as being problematic or unusual in a global context. We examine his propositions in the light of current ecological knowledge to determine whether or not these can still be considered unusual characteristics of New Zealand vegetation. (1) 'Climatic change is still progressing' resulting in disequilibrium between species' distributions and the present climate. New data and methods of analysis now available have removed the impression that Dansereau gained of imprecise zonation, unclear vegetation/climate relations and missing vegetation types. Communities cited as having regeneration failure can now be seen as even-aged stands that developed after major disturbance, although there are other, also non-climatic, explanations. However, the cause of the Westland 'Nothofagus gap' has become more, rather than less, controversial. (2) 'Continuity of community composition defies classification' and 'Very few New Zealand associations have faithful species' are correct observations, but perhaps equally true of vegetation elsewhere. Dansereau's assertion of low species richness in New Zealand is not supported by the comparative data available. (3) 'Lack of intolerant [i.e. mid-seral] trees …' is not evident with newer information. The order of species in succession, seen as unclear by Dansereau, has been determined by a range of approaches, largely confirming each other. (4) 'Discrepancies of form and function …' in divaricate shrubs and widespread heteroblasty are still controversial, with many more explanations. Several abiotic explanations have failed to stand up to investigation. Explanations in terms of herbivory have been well supported, although the extinction of the large avian herbivores makes certainty impossible. (5) 'Incidence of hybridization …' remains problematic. We do not know whether the incidence is unusually high, as Dansereau alleged, but the limited comparative data available suggest not. (6) The 'overwhelming … competing power of exotics' is strongly context dependent. They are prominent in many non-forest habitats. It seems that they are drivers of the vegetation change in some habitats, yet passengers after disturbance in others. Invasions can be slow, and may still be very incomplete in some ecosystem types. Whether exotics will eventually take over in most communities, or whether the native species will 'laugh them to scorn' as Cockayne suggested, only time will tell. In conclusion, some aspects of New Zealand's vegetation seem less unusual with increased knowledge, but others remain 'problems'.

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“…NZ gravel beaches, however, are not as heavily invaded as braided riverbeds, whose flora is 60% exotic (Williams & Wiser 2004). Invasion levels are similar to or higher than most other NZ coastal habitats; 49% of the salt marsh flora is exotic (Haacks & Thannheiser 2003) and 30% of the sandy beach flora is exotic (Johnson 1992;Partridge 1992). In terms of invasion levels, coastal turfs are the exception, with a flora comprising only 19% exotic species (Rogers & Wiser 2010).…”

Section: Predictormentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate, landscape and microenvironment interact to determine plant composition in naturally discrete gravel beach communities

Wiser

Buxton

Clarkson

et al. 2010

Journal of Vegetation Science

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Question: What is the relative importance of national‐, regional‐ and within‐beach‐scale influences on vegetation composition and floristic affinities of New Zealand gravel beaches? Location: Coastal New Zealand. Methods: We sampled vegetation composition at 61 gravel beaches, quantifying site factors and adjacent landscape characteristics. Site, climate and geographic relationships between gravel beaches and related ecosystems were inferred using GIS data layers. To simultaneously investigate influences at different spatial scales, we used ordination and variation partitioning to examine relationships between composition and environment, and hierarchical models to understand floristic affinities with related ecosystems. Results: At a national scale, compositional variation among beaches reflects mean annual temperature and spring vapour pressure deficit; within regions, proximity of native woody vegetation and coastal turfs are important; within‐beach variation is related to substrate stability and particle size distribution. The gravel beach flora is 50% exotic, reflecting the highly modified nearby landscapes; 30% of species are characteristic of coastal sands, 20% of braided riverbeds and 8% of coastal turfs. Affinities with coastal sand communities are unrelated to microsite sandiness or area of sand dunes within 50 km. Affinities with braided riverbeds are related to the bed area of those rivers draining within 200 km and proportion of gravel in the substrate. Affinities with coastal turfs are related to proximity to the nearest turf and the proportion of humus in the substrate. Conclusions: Examining multiple scales of influence in a landscape context is essential to understand composition of naturally discrete ecosystems that span wide geographic ranges and to underpin their conservation management.

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The salt-marsh vegetation of New Zealand

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Distribution of saltmarsh plant communities associated with environmental factors along a latitudinal gradient on the south‐west Atlantic coast

Distribution of saltmarsh plant communities associated with environmental factors along a latitudinal gradient on the south‐west Atlantic coast

Is New Zealand vegetation really ‘problematic’? Dansereau's puzzles revisited

Climate, landscape and microenvironment interact to determine plant composition in naturally discrete gravel beach communities

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