Special online presentation by Jamie Kirkpatrick “Cyclic dynamics in Tasmanian high mountain treeless vegetation”

Distinguished Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick
winner of the Royal Society of Tasmania’s Clive Lord Medal 2019

Cyclic dynamics in Tasmanian high mountain treeless vegetation

Sunday 6th September 2020, 3:00pm

Please register in advance for this online presentation: bit.ly/RST-September 

Tasmanian high mountain treeless vegetation is globally outstanding for its dominance by shrubs, hard-leaved graminoids and cushion plants, many of which are Cretaceous palaeoendemics. The highly maritime Tasmanian environment makes snow intermittent, exposing plants to fierce wintry winds and allowing mammals to graze all year round. The high mountain winds are associated with apparently cyclic succession in several situations, including bogs and fjaeldmark. Other apparently cyclic changes relate to the internal dynamics of ecosystems. Climate change has, so far, not affected the areas exhibiting these processes because of an interaction between stronger winds

caused by climate change and environmental lapse rates. However, any marked ongoing warming at higher altitudes is likely to fossilise active processes. There is already some indication of such fossilisation in low altitude fjaeldmarks.

Jamie Kirkpatrick AM is Distinguished Professor in Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania where he helps students learn about nature, researches its characteristics and conservation, and engages with his wider society. He has supervised to graduation more than 70 higher degree students. He is most cited in the academic literature for his work on planning conservation reserves and on the socioecology of urban areas. He has also written, or contributed to, many publications that are accessible to a wider audience. These include several books with Peter Dombrovskis, and, most recently, Art by Nature.

Register your place in the audience through this link: bit.ly/RST-September• Once you have registered, you will be emailed a link to view the lecture.

• You can view the lecture on your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. You do not need to have a Zoom account. A camera or microphone are not required – this is a ‘view only’ webinar.

All interested people are welcome

www.rst.org.au

RoyalSocietyTas @RoyalSocTas The Royal Society of Tasmania