Terrestrial habitats on sub-Antarctic Marion Island: Their vegetation, edaphic attributes, distribution and response to climate change
dc.contributor.author | Smith V.R. | |
dc.contributor.author | Steenkamp M. | |
dc.contributor.author | Gremmen N.J.M. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2011-05-15T15:54:53Z | |
dc.date.available | 2011-05-15T15:54:53Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2001 | |
dc.description.abstract | The vegetation, soil chemistry characteristics and altitudinal distributions of 23 habitats in 7 habitat complexes on sub-Antarctic Marion Island (47°S, 38°E) are described. The habitat complexes (number of habitats in complex) are: Coastal Salt-spray Complex (2); Fellfield Complex (2); Slope Complex (6); Biotic Grassland Complex (3); Biotic Herbfield Complex (3); Mire Complex (6); Polar Desert Complex (1). The habitat classification closely reflects the between-habitat variation in the relative magnitudes of the main forcing variables that determine ecological succession on the island (moisture, exposure, parent soil material, salt-spray and manuring and trampling by seals and seabirds). Hence, it can serve as a framework against which to detect and evaluate ecological responses to the marked climatic change currently occurring in the sub-Antarctic. Suggestions are made on how the habitats might respond to climatic change (warming, drying) and other perturbations (increasing or decreasing influences of salt-spray and manuring). | |
dc.description.version | Article | |
dc.identifier.citation | South African Journal of Botany | |
dc.identifier.citation | 67 | |
dc.identifier.citation | 4 | |
dc.identifier.issn | 2546299 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/9456 | |
dc.subject | altitude | |
dc.subject | climate change | |
dc.subject | habitat type | |
dc.subject | soil chemistry | |
dc.subject | terrestrial ecosystem | |
dc.subject | vegetation | |
dc.subject | Indian Ocean | |
dc.subject | Phocidae | |
dc.title | Terrestrial habitats on sub-Antarctic Marion Island: Their vegetation, edaphic attributes, distribution and response to climate change | |
dc.type | Article |