Biological nitrogen fixation in forestry - research and practice in Australia and new Zealand
- Author
- Gadgil, R.L.
- Editor
- Gordon, J.C.; Wheeler, C.T.
- Year
- 1983
- Journal / Source
- Biological nitrogen fixation i n forest ecosystems: foundations and applications
- Pages
- 317-332
- Summary
- Australia and New Zealand are so frequently grouped together on a regional basis that outsiders may be led to assume similarities between the two countries that do not exist. Climate is related to land mass, and although New Zealand and much of the southern half of Australia lie in the same sub-tropical to temperate zone, the mainland Australian climate is far more extreme than that of the New Zealand islands. Because of the climate difference and the geographical separation, the flora and fauna of the two countries are quite distinct. The native New Zealand flora (except for the southeastern Canterbury Plains) is characterised by moist evergreen rainforest throughout, whereas forests in mainland Australia are of a sclerophyll type, ranging from wet to dry sclerophyll depending on rainfall. Small areas of rainforest exist in regions of high rainfall without a pronounced dry season. Forest and woodland occupy about 14% of the total land area in Australia and about 26% of the total land area of New Zealand (Table 1). The area occupied by exotic plantation forests is similar in both countries