New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Alpine grasslands and snow in the Arthur's Pass and Lewis Pass regions, South Island, New Zealand

C. J. Burrows

Department of Botany, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract Relationships between snow cover, terrain, wind, and vegetation patterns on the mountains near Arthur's Pass and Lewis Pass were studied. The phenomena observed included the seasonal patterns of snowfall, accumulation, and melting; the relationship of winter snow and time of melting to distribution of different kinds of vegetation; and the connection of shape and type of landform with the factors promoting or preventing snow accumulation and with vegetation patterns. In the absence of long-term records, the relationship of vegetation type — snow cover period can be defined only broadly. It is possible that the present boundaries of vegetation types depend on the snow cover patterns of 50 or more years ago.

Received 31 May 1977
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1977, Vol. 15: 665-86.

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (5752K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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