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The structure and floristic composition of the rainforest of the Liverpool Range, New South Wales, and its relationships with other Australian rainforests
Author(s) -
FISHER H. J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1985.tb00892.x
Subject(s) - rainforest , temperate rainforest , shrub , floristics , ecology , tropical rainforest , range (aeronautics) , geography , biology , species richness , ecosystem , materials science , composite material
The rainforest of the Eiverpool Range (ca 32° S) consists of discrete stands ranging from 1 to 100 ha in area. Its distance from the coast (ca 160 km) results in a relatively low (for rainforest) average annual rainfall of approximately 900 mm. The rainforest is described quantitatively in terms of the relative importance of its component woody species. One hundred and fourteen vascular plant species were found and identified within the rainforest stands, including 37 tree and 16 shrub species. Daphnandra micrantha is the most common tree species in the stands, while Acmena smithii is locally dominant at higher elevations. Following Webb (1978), the Liverpool Range rainforest is described as a noto‐microphyll vine forest. Alternatively, portions of the forest that are at higher elevations represent warm temperate rainforest, while the portions at lower elevations are more subtropical in character, although the two intergrade. The Liverpool Range rainforest has substantial floristic affinity with the rainforests of the southern coast of New South Wales.