Native vegetation of the west coast region of Tasmania

Abstract

The native vegetation of the West Coast consists of alpine heaths and herb fields , closed-forests dominated mainly by Nothofagus and A throtaxis , open communities dominated by Eucalyptus , and scrub , heath , sedgeland and herbland in which the main species belong to the Myrtaceae , Epacridaceae , Cyperaceae and Restionaceae. The species composition of the alpine and closed-forest communities is strongly influenced by fire history , as is the relative distribution of the closed-forest and more fire ¬ resistant communities . Edaphic conditions , particularly drainage , play an important role in the spatial differentiation of the vegetation of the region.