Regeneration of Athrotaxis Selaginoides and Other Rainf'orest Tree Species on Landslide in Tasmania

Seedling surveys indicated that landslide faces provide opportunities for Athrotaxis seialiinoides and Nothr'/m'U" to regenerate in lhamnlc and high altitude callidendrous rainforest. The spatial distribution of mature A. stems at some sites suggests that they have originated on past landslides. Leptospermum scoparium and Eucalyptus vemicosa seedlings were also present at some of the sites investigated. Therefore, landslides may provide regeneration opportunities for these species in rainforest communities in the absence of fire. The physical attributes of A. seiaginoides suggest that the species would be advantaged by canopy disturbance of the scale caused by landslides as opposed to smaller treefal! gaps. The cooler climate, higher levels of slope inslabi.lity, avalanches and snowstorms during the last glacial would have been well suited to this species.