Changes in vegetation states in grazed and ungrazed Mackenzie Basin grasslands, New Zealand, 1990–2000

Changes in vegetation from 1990 to 2000 were examined at 10 high country localities, representing four grassland types: fescue tussock (Festuca novae-zelandiae), snow tussock (Chionochloa rigida), red tussock (C. rubra), and silver tussock (Poa cita). At each locality, three treatments were establis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New Zealand journal of ecology 2002-01, Vol.26 (2), p.95-106
Main Authors: Meurk, Colin D., Walker, Susan, Gibson, Roger S., Espie, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ecoregions
Grazing
Hawkweeds
Human ecology
Plants
Rabbits
Sheep
Silver
Species
Tussock grasslands
Vegetation
Vegetation surveys
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Summary:Changes in vegetation from 1990 to 2000 were examined at 10 high country localities, representing four grassland types: fescue tussock (Festuca novae-zelandiae), snow tussock (Chionochloa rigida), red tussock (C. rubra), and silver tussock (Poa cita). At each locality, three treatments were established: ambient sheep+rabbit grazing, rabbit grazing only, and no grazing. The mutivariate methods of classification and ordination were used on individual-quadrat cover data to define vegetation states and to examine transitions between them over time. Vegetation states in quadrats already dominated by Hieracium pilosella (>50% cover) in 1990 showed little change in species composition regardless of grassland type and grazing treatment. In fescue tussock grassland, H. pilosella increased regardless of grazing treatment in states with low initial H. pilosella cover (
ISSN:0110-6465
1177-7788
1177-7788