Emeritus Professor Alan Mark

Contact Details

Tel 64 3 479 7573
Email

Research Interests

Ecology, conservation and environmental management of indigenous vegetation, especially of tussock grassland, forest, lakeshore, wetland and alpine ecosystems.

The conservation status of New Zealand's indigenous grasslands.

OUR GOLDEN LANDSCAPES: History of the development and use of our tussock grasslands.

Publications

Maximising water yield with indigenous tall tussock (bunch) grassland on new Zealand uplands and trade-offs with alternative land uses

Poster presented at Ecological Society of America Millenium Conference 2009: Water-Ecosystem Services, Drought and Environmental Justice. Athens, Georgia.

Maximizing water yield with indigenous non-forest vegetation: a New Zealand perspective

Provision of clean, freshwater is an essential ecosystem service that is under increasing pressure worldwide from a variety of conflicting demands. Water yields differ in relation to land-cover type. Successful resource management therefore requires accurate information on yields from alternative vegetation types to adequately address concerns regarding water production. Of particular importance are upper watersheds/catchments, regardless of where water is extracted. Research in New Zealand has shown that, when in good condition, indigenous tall tussock grasslands can maximize water yield relative to other vegetation cover types. A long-term hydrological paired-catchment study revealed reductions (up to 41% after 22 years) in water yielded annually from an afforested catchment relative to adjacent indigenous grassland. Furthermore, a stable isotope assessment showed that water from fog may substantially contribute to yield in upland tussock grasslands. The tall tussock life-form and its leaf anatomy and physiology, which minimize transpiration loss, appear to be the differentiating factors. Thus, maintaining dominance of such cover is important for water production, especially in upland catchments. Ecological analogues and integrated land-use planning are discussed in the context of this essential ecosystem service. Water management programs in other countries are reviewed and that of South Africa is commended as a model.

Altitudinal patterns of vegetation, flora, life forms, and environments in the alpine zone of the Fiord Ecological Region, New Zealand

The altitudinal zonation patterns of vegetation structure, vascular flora, and life/growth forms were comprehensively assessed in relation to temperature and soil factors from treeline (1040 m) to the high-alpine summit of Mt Burns (1645 m) in southeastern Fiord Ecological Region. We tested Körner’s hypothesis which stipulates that the physiognomic zonation pattern: treeline, shrubline, tussockline, and beyond, is driven mainly by increased decoupling between the ambient temperature and that experienced directly by plants in relation to proximity of their canopy to the ground. This hypothesis is generally supported, particularly with replacement of the tussock life form by dwarfed, mostly cushion species, at the low- to high-alpine zone transition. The soil pattern appears to be more of a response to, rather than a driver of, the alpine vegetation pattern, including a localised area of frost-active olifluction terraces. The Nothofagus menziesii treeline conformed to the “warmest month” model and also with a worldwide growing season mean (7.15°C) of 5.5–7.5°C. We stress the closer analogy in the overall alpine zonation pattern in this region of oceanic New Zealand to that of the tropical high mountains and other oceanic regions, than with the temperate Northern Hemisphere continental mountains.

Regional Summary: New Zealand Temperate Grasslands Conservation Hohhot, China, June 28-29, 2008

Recent Publications

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM. 2008. Maximizing water yield with indigenous non-forest vegetation: a New Zealand perspective. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 6 (1): 25-34.

 Grab W, Dickinson KJM, Mark AF, Maegli T. 2008. Ploughing boulders on the Rock and Pillar range, south-central New Zealand: their geomorphology and alpine plant associations. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 38: 51-70.

Mark AF, Porter S, Piggott JJ, Michel P, Maegli T, Dickinson JLM. 2008. Altitudinal patterns of vegetation, flora, life forms, and environments in the alpine zone of the Fiord Ecological Region, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 46: 205-237.

 Ingraham NL, Mark AF, Frew RD. 2008. Fog deposition by snow tussock grassland on the Otago uplands: response to a recent review of the evidence. Journal of Hydrology (NZ) 47: 107-122. (in press).

Mark AF, 2007. Obituary: (Jacqueline) Nancy Mary Adams, CBE, QSO 1926-2007. New Zealand Journal of Botany 45, 515-519.

Dickinson KJM, Kelly D, Mark AF, Wells G, Clayton R 2007. What limits a rare alpine plant species?  Comparative demography of three endemic species of Myosotis (Boraginaceae). Austral Ecology 32, 155-168.

Coomes DA, Mark AF, Bee J. 2006. Animal control and ecosystem recovery. Ch. 28 In: Allen RB, Lee WG.(Eds.). Biological invasions in New Zealand. Ecological Studies 186, Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg. Pp 339-353.

Stewart CS, Mark AF, Kershaw GP, Dickinson KJM. 2006. Secondary succession 24 years after disturbance of a New Zealand high-alpine cushionfield. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 38: 325-334.

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM, Maegli T, Halloy SRP 2006. Two GLORIA long-term alpine monitoring sites established in New Zealand as part of a global network. Journal of The Royal Society of New Zealand 36, 111-128.

Onipchenko V, Mark AF, Wells G 2005. Floristic richness of three perhumid New Zealand alpine plant communities in comparison with other regions. Austral Ecology 30, 518-525.

Bannister P, Maegli T, Dickinson KJM, Halloy SRP, Knight A, Lord JM, Mark AF, Spencer KL 2005. Will loss of snow cover during climatic warming expose New Zealand alpine plants to increased frost damage? Oecologia 144, 245-256.

Mark AF, Wilson JB 2005. Tempo and mode of vegetation dynamics over 50 years in a New Zealand alpine cushion/tussock community. Journal of Vegetation Science 16, 227-236.

Mark AF, McLennan B 2005. The conservation status of New Zealand's indigenous grasslands. New Zealand Journal of Botany 43, 245-270.

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM. 2004. South Iland high country in transition: Issues, options and initial outcomes with the tenure review process. In: Kearsley G, Fitzharris B. (Es.). Glimpses of a Gaian World: ssays in Honour of Peter Holland. School of Social Science, University of Otago. Pp. 285-308.

Bond WJ, Dickinson KJM, Mark AF 2004. What limits the spread of fire-dependent vegetation? Evidence from geographic variation of serotiny in a New Zealand shrub. Global Ecology and Biogeography 13, 115-127.

Mark A, Lee W, Patrick B, Cree A, Darby J, Spenser H. 3003. Tussock grasslands and associated mountain lands. Ch. 9 In: Darby J, Fordyce RE, Mark A, Probert K, Townsend C (Eds.).The Natural History of Southern New Zealand. University of Otago Press, Dunedin. Pp.191-236.

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM 2003. Temporal responses over 30 years to removal of grazing from a mid-altitude snow tussock grassland reserve, Lammerlaw Ecological Region, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 41, 655-667.

Halloy SRP, Mark AF 2003. Climate-change effects on alpine plant biodiversity: A New Zealand perspective on quantifying the threat. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 35, 248-254.

Grove PB, Mark AF, Dickinson KJM 2002. Vegetation monitoring of recently protected tussock grasslands in the southern South Island, New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 32, 379-414.

Dickinson KJM, Chague-Goff C, Mark AF, Cullen L 2002. Ecological processes and trophic status of two low-alpine patterned mires, south-central South Island, New Zealand. Austral Ecology 27, 369-384.

Mark AF, Turner KS, West CJ. 2001. Integrating nature conservation with hydro-electric development: Conflict resolution with Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.  Lake and Reservoir Management  17 (1): 1-16.

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM 2001. Deschampsia cespitosa subalpine tussockland on the Green Lake landslide, Hunter Mountains, Fiord Ecological Region, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 39, 577-585.

Mark AF 2001. Symposium: Managing protected natural areas for conservation, ecotourism, and indigenous people - Introduction. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 31, 811-812.

Hofstede RGM, Dickinson KJM, Mark AF 2001. Distribution, abundance and biomass of epiphyte-lianoid communities in a New Zealand lowland Nothofagus-podocarp temperate rain forest: tropical comparisons. Journal of Biogeography 28, 1033-1049.

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM, Allen J, Smith R, West CJ 2001. Vegetation patterns, plant distribution and life forms across the alpine zone in southern Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Austral Ecology 26, 423-440.

Mark AF, Dickinson KJM, Hofstede RGM 2000. Alpine vegetation, plant distribution, life forms, and environments in a perhumid New Zealand region: Oceanic and tropical high mountain affinities. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 32, 240-254.

Ingraham NL, Mark AF 2000. Isotopic assessment of the hydrologic importance of fog deposition on tall snow tussock grass on southern New Zealand uplands. Austral Ecology 25, 402-408.

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