Edaphic influences on a New Zealand ultramafic ('serpentine') flora: a statistical approach

Ultramafic ("serpentine") soils from and adjacent to the Dun Mountain Ophiolitic Belt, South Island, New Zealand were analysed for 11 elements in order to establish to what degree edaphic factors influenced the character of the overlying vegetation. Using principal components analysis with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant and soil 1997-01, Vol.188 (1), p.11-20
Main Authors: Robinson, B.H. (Massey Univ., Palmerston North (New Zealand). Dept. of Soil Science), Brooks, R.R, Kirkman, J.H, Gregg, P.E.H, Varela Alvarez, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acid soils
Aluminum
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
BOTANICAL COMPOSITION
CHIMIE DU SOL
Chromium
Cobalt
COMPOSICION BOTANICA
COMPOSITION BOTANIQUE
EDAPHIC FACTORS
FACTEUR EDAPHIQUE
FACTORES EDAFICOS
Flora
Forest soils
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Magnesium
Manganese
METHODE STATISTIQUE
METODOS ESTADISTICOS
Mountain soils
NEW ZEALAND
Nickel
NOUVELLE ZELANDE
NUEVA ZELANDIA
PLANT SOIL RELATIONS
Plants
Plants and fungi
Principal components analysis
QUIMICA DEL SUELO
RELACIONES PLANTA SUELO
RELATION PLANTE SOL
Sedimentary soils
Serpentine
SERPENTINE SOILS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOL DE SERPENTINE
STATISTICAL METHODS
SUELO DE SERPENTINA
VEGETACION
VEGETATION
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Summary:Ultramafic ("serpentine") soils from and adjacent to the Dun Mountain Ophiolitic Belt, South Island, New Zealand were analysed for 11 elements in order to establish to what degree edaphic factors influenced the character of the overlying vegetation. Using principal components analysis with a mutual plot of the first two principal components, involving the total elemental concentrations in the soils, it was possible to divide the soils into 6 virtually nonoverlapping fields, each of which represented a specific vegetation community. Component 1 was essentially an "ultramafic plot" with heavy loadings from the elements chromium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, manganese, and nickel. Component 2 was a "non ultramafic" plot with heavy loadings from aluminium, copper and zinc. For elements extracted from the soils at pH 5.9, discrimination was somewhat poorer but confirmed the great importance of magnesium and nickel as controlling elements for the serpentine vegetation. It was concluded that the results indicated the overriding importance of edaphic factors in controlling the serpentine vegetation.
ISSN:0032-079X
1573-5036
DOI:10.1023/A:1004208230037