World Heritage Values and to Identify New Values
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FLORISTIC VALUES OF THE TASMANIAN WILDERNESS WORLD HERITAGE AREA J. Balmer, J. Whinam, J. Kelman, J.B. Kirkpatrick & E. Lazarus Nature Conservation Branch Report October 2004 This report was prepared under the direction of the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (World Heritage Area Vegetation Program). Commonwealth Government funds were contributed to the project through the World Heritage Area program. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment or those of the Department of the Environment and Heritage. ISSN 1441–0680 Copyright 2003 Crown in right of State of Tasmania Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any means without permission from the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Published by Nature Conservation Branch Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment GPO Box 44 Hobart Tasmania, 7001 Front Cover Photograph: Alpine bolster heath (1050 metres) at Mt Anne. Stunted Nothofagus cunninghamii is shrouded in mist with Richea pandanifolia scattered throughout and Astelia alpina in the foreground. Photograph taken by Grant Dixon Back Cover Photograph: Nothofagus gunnii leaf with fossil imprint in deposits dating from 35-40 million years ago: Photograph taken by Greg Jordan Cite as: Balmer J., Whinam J., Kelman J., Kirkpatrick J.B. & Lazarus E. (2004) A review of the floristic values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Nature Conservation Report 2004/3. Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment, Tasmania, Australia T ABLE OF C ONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................1 1. DEFINITIONS................................................................................................................................................................................................1 ACRONYMS.........................................................................................................................................................................................................1 GLOSSARY ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................1 2. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................................................................................5 NATURAL HERITAGE CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS OF INTEGRITY ...........................................................................................................8 3. PRIMITIVE FLORA AND REFUGIA.......................................................................................................................................................9 BACKGROUND...................................................................................................................................................................................................9 JUSTIFICATION...................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Macrofossil sites ........................................................................................................................................................................................10 Microfossil sites .........................................................................................................................................................................................10 Primitive taxa .............................................................................................................................................................................................10 Dendrochronology and species longevity..............................................................................................................................................12 Glacial refugia ............................................................................................................................................................................................12 INTEGRITY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................12 4. ALPINE AND TREELESS SUBALPINE ECOSYSTEMS..................................................................................................................16 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................................................................................16 JUSTIFICATION.................................................................................................................................................................................................16 Comparative assessment within the biome ...........................................................................................................................................16 Comparative assessment within the biogeographic realm of Australasia .........................................................................................19 Contribution of alpine vegetation to other themes of universal significance...................................................................................21 INTEGRITY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................22 5. TEMPERATE RAINFOREST....................................................................................................................................................................23 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................................................................................23 JUSTIFICATION.................................................................................................................................................................................................23 Comparative assessment within Australia. ............................................................................................................................................25 Comparative assessment within the biome ...........................................................................................................................................25 Other universally significant themes present within the rainforest vegetation ................................................................................27 Additional values of the Tasmanian rainforests ...................................................................................................................................27 INTEGRITY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................28 6. SCLEROPHYLL COMMUNITIES ...........................................................................................................................................................30 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................................................................................31 JUSTIFICATION.................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Comparative assessment within the biogeographic realm of Australia.............................................................................................31 INTEGRITY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................35 7. BUTTONGRASS MOORLAND ...............................................................................................................................................................38 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................................................................................38 JUSTIFICATION.................................................................................................................................................................................................39 Comparative assessment within the biome ...........................................................................................................................................39 Comparative assessment within Australia .............................................................................................................................................39 The ecological significance of Tasmania buttongrass