Sm. Turton et Gj. Sexton, ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENTS ACROSS 4 RAIN-FOREST-OPEN FOREST BOUNDARIES IN NORTHEASTERN QUEENSLAND, Australian journal of ecology, 21(3), 1996, pp. 245-254
This paper examines gradients and correlations among nine environmenta
l factors across four contrasting rainforest-open forest boundaries at
Skull Pocket in northeastern Queensland. With few exceptions, the env
ironmental factors formed significant gradients across all four bounda
ries. Gradients were most pronounced for canopy openness, depth of lea
f litter, soil pH, soil temperature and understorey solar radiation, a
nd least pronounced or non-existent for total nitrogen and organic car
bon. Boundary site location was shown to have some influence on the de
gree of change in environmental factors across the rainforest-open for
est boundary, with depth of leaf litter, organic carbon, soil temperat
ures in March and June,and understorey solar radiation in June being s
ignificantly different-among the four boundary sites. The number of si
gnificant correlations among the nine environmental factors was also a
ffected by boundary site location.