Studien zur Pflanzengeographie von Tasmanien

Abstract

After a sixteen months' stay in New Zealand, the author visited Tasmania for the purpose of comparing Vegetation and conditions there with those encountered in New Zealand. Favoured by a period of fine and dry weather and friendly cooperation from various sides, especially the Department of Geography, University of Tasmania (Prof. P. Scott, J. Davies, R. Solomon) the visit tumed out to be very successful indeed, in particular as certain wet parts of the island proved to be more accessible than usual. <br /> After a brief outline concerning position of the island, topography, climate, the uniqueness of flora, fauna and its former aboriginals, white settlement and its impact on natural Vegetation, the author describes a crossection through the island from Prosser Ray in the E to Macquarie Harbour in the W; a clear idea of the difference between the East and the West side of the country is gained hereby. Thereafter three trips lead us up into the high country of the Hartz Mountains, Mt. Wellington and Mt. Field National Park. Restricted in time, favoured by good weather and irresistibly tempted by the prospects of the 'unknown Southwest' the author was lucky to be able to arrange for a flight across the Southern part of the island and a landing on the shore of Lake Pedder, usually impossible during this time of the year (November). The observations gained during the flight served to connect the preceding observations in the field and to extend the range of this paper considerably. Presentation of observations is summed up and discussed in the light of the few ecological studies so far available for Tasmania; the representation of the Vegetation of Tasmania on maps is critically reviewed and Special praise given to Stephen's work. The author briefly describes the types, he found himself able to distinguish and by means of which he tried to indicate his field datas on a map in 1:506 880, deliberately confining himself to those parts of the island he actually has seen. By this method only the framework of a map could emerge and the author hopes to help to stimulate further studies of resident scholars in particular. Four crossections — Prosser Ray to Macquarie Harbour, Hartz Mts,, Mt. Wellington, Mt. Field — together with the map are expected to help in conceiving a threedimensional arrangement of the island's Vegetation. <br /> The profound contrast between the two parts of the island, South West and North East, is emphasised; with the South West portion containing in its Vegetation from sea level up to the high country the big majority of the endemic species of the island, the author likes to call this part of the island 'Tasmania sensu stricto' and presses the point for further ecological research in this still widely unknown Tasmanian 'outback'.