The kwongan (sclerophyllous shrublands) of Tutanning Nature Reserve, Western Australia

Abstract

Abstract Kwongan is an important vegetation type in southwestern Australia. It occurs in small patches throughout Tutanning Nature Reserve. Eleven patches, totalling 64 ha, were found to contain 315 vascular plant species: over half the total species recorded for the whole reserve. The patches were floristically heterotoneous (cf. Westhoff & van der Maarel 1973) but could be grouped according to three major soil types. The richest kwongan was on pockets of shallow duplex soil occurring midway down the landscape profile. Species richness appears to decline only slightly with increasing time since fire. Presence of emergent Banksia attenuata at one site did not influence the overall speciesrichness of that area.