Tasmania's Cool Temperate Rainforest Specie
Tasmania's Cool Temperate Rainforest Specie
Parks & Wildlife Services
Tasmania Government
The diversity of vascular plant species in cool temperate rainforests is considerably lower than that of the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland. It is usual for species richness to be lower in cooler climates or where other factors reduce plant growth rates. However the species richness in Tasmanian rainforests is considerably lower than areas with similar climate in Chile. Some scientists believe past glacial climates in Tasmania led to the extinctions of many forest species. Much of the current land area of Tasmania was alpine or subalpine at the height of the last glacial about 22,000 years ago. Forests were largely restricted to the current coastal regions and lowland river valleys. Of course the land area of Tasmania extended further out into areas now below sea level and these areas were probably vegetated by forest. Some particularly cold tolerant trees probably survived in isolated patches further inland. The isolation of Tasmania from the Australian mainland during interglacial periods has reduced the ease at which species can reach Tasmania from elsewhere.
Please visit the web site for the rest of the article.
Votes:28
Comments: 0