Biomass, productivity, and macro-element ecology of some tall-tussock (Chionochloa) species

Abstract

Data presented here form part of a co-operative project Involving several agencies and individuals (see Acknowledgements). Accordingly, I have been resolved from the outset to publish most of our mutual labours. Consequently, this thesis is written as a series of “papers” of varying length and importance to the central theme. Each contains its own Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusion, as well as References. All Abstracts, however, are placed together at the front of Volume I, and those of Volume II, also at the front of that Volume. Figures and tables referred to in the text are placed at the beginning of each chapter, where they can be conveniently referred to in the left hand, leaving the text pages flat on the right. Appendices mentioned in the text of Volume I, together with most other data from which figures etc. were derived, lie at the back of the volume. Climate data has not been appended because of its bulk. Volume 3 contains all the raw data from individual sampling sites that form the subject matter of Volume II. Field and laboratory methods and observations of the taxonomic status of the tussock populations sampled are repeated here, as it is intended this volume stands in its own right as a referable source of information. Some data are presented more than once within the first two volumes, in an effort to reduce the number of cross references within the text,

Chapter 1 summarises most of the important papers pertaining specifically to aspects of tall-tussock grassland ecology In New Zealand. The reader is referred to many other works in element ecology and related topics in appropriate chapters.