Floristic description and environmental relationships of Tasmanian Sphagnum communities and their conservation management

Abstract

A floristic data set spanning 15 years was compiled from vegetation surveys of Sphagnum peatlands across Tasmania. The data were ordinated by hybrid multi-dimensional scaling and a three-dimensional solution was most satisfactory. The strongest floristic gradient corresponded to changes in altitude and moisture. Original data were included from Sphagnum peatlands outside their commonly recorded altitudinal, geologic and geographic ranges. Several new types of Sphagnum peatland are described. While many of Tasmania’s subalpine and alpine Sphagnum peatlands are protected within reserves, this is not the case for montane and lowland Sphagnum peatlands. During the past decade, the pressure on Sphagnum peatlands outside the Tasmanian reserve system has continued to increase. Threats such as Sphagnum-moss harvesting, peat mining, burning, grazing and forestry operations have an impact on both the number and condition of Sphagnum peatlands.