The Mount Wellington string bog, Tasmania

A string bog ecosystem occupies part of a subalpine valley on Mt Wellington, Tasmania. The steps in the subsurface blockstream preferentially underlie pools. Variations in pool hydrology are independent of pool size. There is a correlation between pool shape and pool type, an oval shape being indicative of more recent secondary pool formation, primary pools with rocky floors being variably shaped. Variation in the bog vegetation is closely related to variations in slope, drainage and peat depth. The major changes in abundance of pollen types are related to changes in abundance of charcoal. The Mt Wellington string bog complex appears likely to have been formed by similar processes to those postulated to have resulted in the string bog system at Mt Field

Establishing a monitoring program for Tasmania's montane conifers

Tasmania’s relictual cool temperate conifer flora is at risk from projected climate change during this century. Montane and rainforest conifer species exhibit several characteristics which indicate likely vulnerability to environmental change. They are adapted to cool and wet conditions and are highly sensitive to drought and fire. Increased moisture stress and fire are therefore expected to drive declines and local extinctions in these species with ecosystem-changing consequences. A long-term monitoring program has been established to examine trends in condition and recruitment for four Tasmanian endemic conifer species. Permanent monitoring sites have been established at 13 locations in Tasmania’s highlands. The target species include two long-lived, slow-growing rainforest tree species – Pencil Pine (Athrotaxis cupressoides) and King Billy Pine (A. selaginoides) – and two shrubby conifers typically associated with high elevation coniferous heath vegetation – Dwarf Pine (Diselma archeri) and Drooping Pine (Pherosphaera hookeriana). Conifer condition was assessed visually using four condition classes. Presence of juvenile plants was recorded as were cones (strobili) on mature plants. Conifers were mostly in good condition, with Drooping Pine the only species to frequently exhibit poorer condition. Condition varied significantly between sites for Pencil Pine but not for King Billy Pine. No recruitment of Pencil Pine was evident at the majority of its sites (23 of 34), whereas seedlings and juveniles were present at most King Billy Pine sites (20 of 24). Recruitment appeared to be more or less continuous for the shrubby conifer species

Monitoring for the effects of climate change on the flora values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

Climate change is predicted to have significant impacts on Australia's biodiversity including the flora values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA). The current nature and direction of climate change impacts on biodiversity are uncertain. It is therefore prudent to establish a flora monitoring framework that captures a range of aspects of the vegetation values within the TWWHA. Monitoring will assist researchers and land managers in identifying values at high risk from climate change and allow for mitigating measures to be implemented. We outline criteria for a monitoring framework and recommend 14 sites be adopted as key flora monitoring locations within western and southwestern Tasmania. The sites that have been chosen - many of which have been the focus of previous research - provide a broad coverage of TWWHA environments allowing the opportunity for existing data to be used as a baseline to measure change

Impacts of dieback at Pine Lake, Tasmania

The possibility of a new plant disease in alpine plant communities was identified in 1994, following an investigation of dead and dying plants in the Central Plateau Conservation Area. Seven areas of dieback were identified within the affected catchment and monitored. Symptoms included leaf discolouration, loss of foliage and plant death. No disease of this type has previously been recorded in the Australian alpine environment. Temporal and spatial patterns in disease development along with evidence of lesions on plant roots suggested a soil and water-borne pathogen could be contributing to the dieback. A species of Phytophthora was isolated from plant material collected at the site. Investigations have focussed on whether plants at the limits of their range have been more susceptible to a combination of below-average rainfall, above-average temperatures and the presence of pathogens. Initial rapid development of disease symptoms suggested the potential for local extinction of species, including Tasmanian endemics such as Athrotaxis cupressoides, and significant alteration to community structure through a loss or substantial reduction in the tree and shrub layers. However, longer term monitoring suggests short-term disease events followed by recovery of surviving plants with only localised impacts. Management actions have been concentrated on containment, monitoring impacts and investigation of the cause of the dieback

Ecological observations and new locations of a rare moss Ambuchanania leucobryoides (Ambuchananiaceae)

Ambuchanania leucobryoides is a moss listed as rare under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. It is endemic to Tasmania and is monotypic at the genus and family levels. It is sister group to the widespread and speciose genus Sphagnum. In 2008, a survey funded by the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Program (Department of Primary Industries and Water) established the exact location of the A. leucobryoides type locality and extended the known range of the moss. The moss is now known from three locations in southwest Tasmania and has a range of 1272 km. It occurs in sandy washes or “daisy pans” derived from Precambrian quartzite

Aliens in the sub-Antarctic - biosecurity and climate change

Alien species constitute the biggest risk to the integrity of terrestrial sub-Antarctic ecosystems. The number of alien species is related to island size, temperature, human occupancy and visitation. Increasing numbers of tourists and expeditioners, combined with an amelioration in conditions associated with climate change are likely to result in an increasing number of alien species arriving at sub-Antarctic islands, as well as an increase in the distribution of existing alien species. Biosecurity is considered to be the most appropriate tool to minimise new introductions and establishment of alien species and to manage existing populations

Tasmanian high mountain vegetation Ill - Lake Ewart, Dome Hill and Eldon Bluff.

The Lake Ewart region is highly varied geologically and topographically. It lies within a biologically poorly known and remote part of Tasmania. Eldon Bluff, a high dolerite plateau, is largely covered by mosaic bolster heath within which have formed shallow peat ponds similar to those at Newdegate Pass. Dome Hill, topped by fissile mudstones, has stone stripes similar to those recorded for the fjaeldmarks of Pyramid Hill. Subalpine scrub and forest is largely dominated by Eucalyptus coccifera and E. subcrenuata, although E. nitida is important on quartzite. There are small areas of Athrotaxis cupressoides woodland and rainforest dominated by Nothofagus cunninghamii. The treeless subalpine vegetation consists of a mixture of short herbfield, Sphagnum bog and tussock sedgeland on the more fertile substrates, while heathy sedgeland and scrub predominate on more siliceous soils

A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: Overview and critical discussion

Peatlandsare valuable but threatenedecosystems. Intervention to tackle direct threats is often necessary, but should be informed by scientific evidence to ensure it is effective and efficient. Herewe discuss a recent synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation -a fundamental component of healthy, functioning peatland ecosystems. The synthesis is unique in its broad scope (global evidence for a comprehensive list of 125 interventions) and practitioner-focused outputs (short narrative summaries in plain English, integrated into a searchable online database). Systematicliteraturesearches, supplemented by recommendationsfrom an international advisory board, identified162 publications containing 296 distinct tests of 66 of the interventions. Most of the articles studiedopen bogs or fens in Europe or North America. Only 36 interventions weresupported by sufficient evidence to assess their overall effectiveness. Mostof these interventions(85%) hadpositiveeffects, overall,on peatland vegetation-although this figure is likelyto have beeninflated by publication bias. We discuss how to use the synthesis, critically,to informconservation decisions.Reflecting on the content of the synthesiswe make suggestions for the future of peatland conservation,from monitoring overappropriate timeframes to routinely publishing resultsto build up the evidence base.MAVA, Arcadi