NCEA Level 3 Geography Natural Landscapes

The orderly sequence of development of plant community whiach takes place in a given environment. Each previous community provides the necessary conditions for the next to "take over".

An area perfectly adjusted to the cilmate, soil and drainage conditions are found there. Beech Forest. The ultimate plant community fo this region will contain examples from all other stages too. 

• May be caused by a variety of volcanic process.
• Lava Eruptions
• Pyroclastic Flow
• Lahar

Mangatapopo Valley lava flows

• 1. Colony plants
• 2. Retains moisture/heat
• 3. Traps fine wind bourne sediments
• 4. Able to extract minerals from the rock surfaces.
• 5. Carries out chemical weather which erode the rock and add to the soil formation.
• 6. Creates pockets of soil
• 7. Adds to organic matter
• 8. Acts as a seed bed for the next community which gradually begins to replace it.

Matweed: Raolia 

• Continued soil formation: 
• 1. Continue to trap water/wind bourne sediments 
• 2. Adds to organic matter
• 3. Protect surface from denudation

• Caprosma
• Mountain Daisy
• Harebells
• Snow Berry 

• Fine, upright leaf structures that allow wind to pass through. 
• Is ideally suited to ash soils. 

• Bristle Tussock
• Red Tussosck

Allows development of deeper soils through protective canopy and roots and the addition of 'leaf litter' 

• Dacrophyllum Recuvum
• Bogpine
• Ihaka
• Turpentine Bush

Beech Forest

• Basic Magma
• Intermediate Magma
• Acidic Magma

Hot, liquid, dark coloured, rich in Fe and Mg witho about 45% Si content.

Intermediate in thickness, colour and mineral content with about 55% Si content.

Thick, Light coloured, Gaseous with about 75% Si content. 

Deep below the crust. Spreading/subduction margins. 

In an intermediate position. Subduction margins

Close to the surface. Subduction Margin. 

Basalt 

Andesite 

Rhyolite