Natural history features of the high-country and drylands of the South Island, New Zealand

The high-country and dryland zone of the South Island of New Zealand includes the Southern Alpsand eastern mountains and basins. Formed by post-Pliocene tectonic, glacial and alluvial processes, theseareas contain a range of landforms across extreme climatic gradients. Diverse habitats support plantsand animals which have a distinctive and long natural history. New Zealand’s short (c. 700 years) historyof human land use has been highly disruptive for indigenous biodiversity. We have misunderstood theeco-evolutionary vulnerabilities of the native biota, the extent of environmental limits, and the impacts ofintroduced weeds and pests. Recent large-scale capture of water and addition of nutrients for agriculture areexcluding indigenous biodiversity in many ecosystems. Predicted climate change and competition for waterresources will exacerbate agricultural impacts, but the remaining indigenous biodiversity can be resilient ifrepresentative areas are protected.