Abiotic Factors
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Bushfires
Bushfires are common in Forests like the Toolangi State Forest. The last time that a fire went through the Toolangi State Forest, was in the 2009 'Black Saturday' bushfires. It destroyed a large area of the Mountain Ash. Bush fires are very important to the forest ecosystem. Although they burn vegetation and kill animals, they are important for the regeneration of the forest system.
Temperature
Temperature influences evaporation rates and is often related to light intensity.
Temperate rainforests like Toolangi State Forest, have a mild and comfortable climate. The temperature often ranges between freezing in the wet months and around 26 degrees Celsius in the dry seasons. Clouds often block out a lot of the sunlight and so it is not as warm as it is in nearby places. It can rain up to 100 inches per year and a lot of the moisture comes from the fog that hovers over the trees .
Wind
The wind movement in different levels of a plant community can influence things like evaporation and seed spreading. The emergent and canopy layers of the Mountain Ash are affected more by the wind than the understory layer or forest ground. The dense environment of the understory layer and the forest ground means that the wind is less likely to penetrate it. There is a more open space for wind to flow up at the peak of the Mountain Ash.
Soil Structure
The structure of the soil is very important as it will dictate what plants will grow.
The soil structure found in an Ash Forest like Toolangi State Forest, is nutrient-rich because of the large amount of decaying organic matter. The organic matter which is made up of tree litter and dead vegetation is consumed by fungi, insects and bacteria. The very lush soil allows the trees to grow tall.
Sunlight
The amount of sunlight that reaches various levels of the canopy, influences the type of plants that grow and at what rate they grow. A lot of light that is directed into the forest is blocked by the clouds and even when there is a clear sky, the tall Mountain Ash trees block out the sunlight. This, along with the high precipitation makes a dark and rather humid forest floor. Insects and fungi prosper in the temperate rainforest.
Bushfires are common in Forests like the Toolangi State Forest. The last time that a fire went through the Toolangi State Forest, was in the 2009 'Black Saturday' bushfires. It destroyed a large area of the Mountain Ash. Bush fires are very important to the forest ecosystem. Although they burn vegetation and kill animals, they are important for the regeneration of the forest system.
Temperature
Temperature influences evaporation rates and is often related to light intensity.
Temperate rainforests like Toolangi State Forest, have a mild and comfortable climate. The temperature often ranges between freezing in the wet months and around 26 degrees Celsius in the dry seasons. Clouds often block out a lot of the sunlight and so it is not as warm as it is in nearby places. It can rain up to 100 inches per year and a lot of the moisture comes from the fog that hovers over the trees .
Wind
The wind movement in different levels of a plant community can influence things like evaporation and seed spreading. The emergent and canopy layers of the Mountain Ash are affected more by the wind than the understory layer or forest ground. The dense environment of the understory layer and the forest ground means that the wind is less likely to penetrate it. There is a more open space for wind to flow up at the peak of the Mountain Ash.
Soil Structure
The structure of the soil is very important as it will dictate what plants will grow.
The soil structure found in an Ash Forest like Toolangi State Forest, is nutrient-rich because of the large amount of decaying organic matter. The organic matter which is made up of tree litter and dead vegetation is consumed by fungi, insects and bacteria. The very lush soil allows the trees to grow tall.
Sunlight
The amount of sunlight that reaches various levels of the canopy, influences the type of plants that grow and at what rate they grow. A lot of light that is directed into the forest is blocked by the clouds and even when there is a clear sky, the tall Mountain Ash trees block out the sunlight. This, along with the high precipitation makes a dark and rather humid forest floor. Insects and fungi prosper in the temperate rainforest.