THE IMPACT OF BROWSING ANIMALS ON THE STAND DYNAMICS OF MONOTYPIC MOUNTAIN BEECH (NOTHOFAGUS-SOLANDRI) FORESTS IN CANTERBURY, NEW-ZEALAND

Mountain beech is frequently the sole canopy species in the montane fo rests of Canterbury, New Zealand and often the only significant tree o r shrub present over large areas and this allows examination of a very simple ecosystem. Data from remeasurement of over 400 permanent quadr ats in six areas are examined to elucidate the impact of browsing anim als on natural processes. The changes in basic parameters such as stan d density and basal area over a decade form consistent patterns in bot h visual and statistical techniques and this allows identification of important quadrats for detailed study. The basic relationship between density and basal area follows well an established semi-logarithmic re lationship, even in decade by decade changes on individual quadrats. D eviations in this pattern can be related to natural disturbance events . The impact of browsing animals, mainly red deer (Cervus elaphus) var ied between the different areas. Although numbers peaked in the 1930s and 1940s and declined through commercial hunting in the 1960s-1980s, the impact on the vegetation remains and will persist for many decades .