Vegetation on heated soils at Karapiti, central North Island, New Zealand, and its relation to ground

Abstract

Vegetation growing on geothermally heated steaming ground at Karapiti near the south end of the Wairakei geothermal field can be divided into five zones. These are described and mapped as a preliminary contribution to the study of geothermal vegetation in New Zealand. The zones are correlated with soil temperature proflles. Rates of colonisation of heated soils, probable effects of soil chemistry, and affinities of the Karapiti flora are briefly discussed.