Native vegetation and soil patterns in the marlborough sounds, South Island, New Zealand

Abstract

Abstract The Marlborough Sounds is a convoluted system of land and waterways formed by partial submergence of the prehistoric landscape. It has considerable geological, topographical, and climatic complexity and a long history of human settlement. Much of the original native vegetation still remains, and its patterns and groupings, along with those of the soils, are described. The vegetation is clearly influenced by topography, altitude, and local climate, and is categorised accordingly. In addition, the zone of ultramafic rocks and soils in the west has its own distinctive vegetation. The marked differences in soil morphology and nutrient status are attributed mainly to topography, parent material, and climate (mean annual rainfall and degree of summer droughtiness), and soil groupings reflect that. The clear links between the vegetation and soils allow reconstruction of vegetation patterns in the Marlborough Sounds before human arrival.