Tasmanian high mountain vegetation 1 - A reconnaissance survey of the Eastern Arthur Range and Mount Picton

Abstract

The high mountain vegetation of Mt Picton and the Eastern Arthur Range varies structurally from closed-forest to low closed-heath and is composed of at least two associations, and eight sub-associations, containing 128 higher plant species of which 76 occur on both mountains. Only one and four respectively of extremely fire sensitive species occur on Mt Picton and the Eastern Arthur Range, the former having been burnt recently and the latter probably centuries ago. Differences in fire history, soils, geomorphology and precipitation may account for the observed differences in the range and composition of the plant communities and floras of the two mountains The flora of Mt Picton is shown to generally have more species in common with mountains with relatively fertile soils, while that of the Eastern Arthur Range has a general more species in common with mountains where the soils are predominantly extremely poor.