New Zealand Journal of Botany abstract

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B97009

Received 5 February 1997; accepted 20 June 1997

New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1997, Vol. 35: 517-523

0028-825X/97/3504-0517 $7.00 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1997

The distribution of plants in relation to pH and salinity on inland saline/alkaline soils in Central Otago, New Zealand

R. B. ALLEN
P. D. MCINTOSH

Landcare Research
Private Bag 1930
Dunedin, New Zealand

J. B. WILSON

Botany Department
University of Otago
P. O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand

Abstract The distribution of plant species with respect to soil pH and conductivity was determined at two sites in Central Otago. About 20 species, only eight of them native, were recorded on soils of moderate or greater salinity (conductivity >800 uS/cm) and pH >7.0 at these sites, but a further four native species occur in similar habitat elsewhere in Central Otago. Species formed four ecological groups determined mainly by soil pH rather than conductivity, and by soil moisture: common native perennials of acid, non-saline, shallow, dry soils; common exotic pasture species of slightly acid, non-saline, deep, well-drained soils; herbaceous species of seasonally moist alkaline and saline soils; and herbaceous species of permanently moist or wet alkaline and saline soils. Two taxa formerly considered halophytic, Lepidium kirkii and L. sisymbrioides subsp. matau, were recorded growing only on non-saline soils, although soils supporting L. kirkii were slightly alkaline. The implications of these results for classification of native plants as halophytes are discussed.

Keywords  Saline; alkaline; soils; halophytes; plant-soil relations; semi-arid

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