Bioclimatic Zones for the Antipodes - and Beyond?

Introduction Bioclimatic zone systems aim to define reproducible sets of named biogeographical cells that facilitate global comparisons of ecological data. Zones based on extant vegetation loosely reflect contemporary climate, but are vitiated by climate history, chance establishment, genetic potential of local species, terrain instability, intrazonal soils, and biotic disturbance. The system of zones presented here derives its basic format from both northern hemisphere tradition (Merriam, 1894; Love, 1970) and the New Zealand applications of Zotov (1938), Wardle (1964) and Burrows (1967). Inspiration is drawn from the concepts employed by Holdridge (1967) and Ahti, Hamet-Ahti and Jalas (1968). One recent contribution to southern biogeography (Bliss, 1979) pinpoints many of the difficulties associated with boreal-austral comparisons. I would support several aspects of Blissí system, although I believe he relies too heavily on current vegetation (formation) limits which reflect heterogeneous historical accidents. My australcentred scheme is ordered firstly by available energy and secondly by the hydrological balance which is variously related to continentality all in relation to potential plant life-form on nonlimiting soils.