Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand

Coastal Dune Ecosystem Reference Database

Bryophyte ecology of a dune area in New Zealand Journal Paper

Author
Robbins, R.G.
Year
1952
Journal / Source
Vegetatio
Volume
4
Number
4
Pages
1-31
Summary
Bryophyte ecology has been little investigated in New Zealand. In the present study a northern dune area (under a dune reclamation and afforestation scheme) on the west coast, is divided into five community zones. Two of these are phases in the artificial sere leading from bare sand to exotic pine plantations. The others are seral stages in the development of the coastal forest climax. The bryophyte flora is investigated both quantitatively and qualitatively for the terrestrial, epixylic and corticolous habitat in each of these communities. It was found that mosses are not pioneers in the psammosere as is frequently the case in the northern hemisphere. They were secondary invaders at a late stage in the