ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENTS ACROSS 4 RAIN-FOREST-OPEN FOREST BOUNDARIES IN NORTHEASTERN QUEENSLAND

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.