An investigation into the population structure of Rhopalostylis sapida in Palm Gully, Banks Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Science

Abstract

The population structure of the total adult (palms after trunk emergence) population of Rhopalstylis sapida at their southern limit was studied in Palm Gully, Banks Peninsula based on four years of data. The average frond loss was found to be 1.90 fronds per year. The population of palms has increased over the last 150 years with a large base of younger palms within the total population of 211 adults. There appeared to be two cohorts of palm within the gully, one of younger palm (below 150 scars) and the other of older palm (above 150 scars). Over the total population there was a lower growth rate than Huapai, a population of palms in the North Island, which would be consistent with palms growing at their southern limit. The younger palms however were found to have a faster growth rate which implies that there have been some major changes in the growth of the younger palms