| Southland temperate forests | |
|---|---|
_-_McLean_Falls.jpg) McLean Falls inThe Catlins | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Australasian |
| Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 11,603 km2 (4,480 sq mi) |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Regions | |
| Coordinates | 46°13′S168°23′E / 46.21°S 168.38°E /-46.21; 168.38 |
| Conservation | |
| Protected | 2,396 km² (21%)[1] |
TheSouthland temperate forests is atemperate broadleaf and mixed forestsecoregion onNew Zealand'sSouth Island. The natural vegetation was mostly forest, but over the centuries human activities, including grazing and fires, replaced much of the original forest with grassland and agriculture.[2][3][4]
The Southland temperate forests occupy the southernmost portion of the South Island.Fiordland lies to the west. TheSouth Pacific Ocean lies to the south and southeast. TheTakitimu Mountains andHokonui Hills form the northern edge of the ecoregion. Other highlands include theLongwood Range in the southwest, andThe Catlins in the southeast. TheSouthland Plains cover the central-southern portion of the ecoregion.Invercargill is the largest city in the ecoregion. Most of the ecoregion lies within theSouthland Region, with part of the northeast of the ecoregion being inOtago.
The natural vegetation was mostly forest of broadleaf trees andpodocarpconifers. Higher-elevation forests are predominantlysouthern beech (Nothofagus), includingsilver beech (Nothofagus menziesii) in the western mountains andred beech (Nothofagus fusca) in the northern mountains. The lowland forests include broadleaf trees and podocarps, withkahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) common in swampy areas andrimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) in drier areas. The broadleaf evergreensouthern rata (Metrosideros umbellata) andkamahi (Weinmannia racemosa) are found in the central hill country and in The Catlins.[2]
Tussock grasslands occurred naturally, and expanded into large areas where the forests were burned or cleared.Red tussock grass (Chionochloa rubra) was the predominant species, with snow tussocks (primarilyChionochloa spp.) found on the higher peaks.[2]
Other habitats include dunes, coastal and riverine wetlands, and coastal tussock grasslands.[2]
Native birds include theyellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes),yellowhead or mōhua (Mohoua ochrocephala), andNew Zealand rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris).Swamp harriers (Circus approximans) andSouth Island fernbirds (Bowdleria punctata punctata) inhabit the tussock grasslands.[2]
Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina),New Zealand fur seals (Arctophoca forsteri) andNew Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) live on the shore.[2]
At the end of the ice age, New Zealand's glaciers retreated and the region became forested. In New Zealand birds were the largest land animals, and several species of flightlessmoa inhabited the ecoregion, along withHaast's eagle (Hieraaetus moorei), the flightlessNew Zealand swan (Cygnus sumnerensis) and theSouth Island goose (Cnemiornis calcitrans).[5]
TheMāori settled the region after 1300. The early settlers hunted birds and seals, and the moa, New Zealand swan, and New Zealand goose were hunted to extinction.[5] Haast's eagle relied on moas for food, and also became extinct. Hunters set fires to drive game from the forests, and frequent fires converted large areas of forest to tussock grassland.[2] As populations of large birds and seals dwindled, fishing became an increasingly important source of food for the local Maori and they establishedkaika or seasonal camps, along the shoreline.[5]
European settlers arrived in the 19th century. Mixed-race whaling bases were established atPort Molyneux,Tautuku, andWaikawa, but the whales were soon over-hunted and whaling was abandoned. In the second half of the 19th century farmers and loggers settled the region, and sawmilling became an important local industry.[5]
The Southland Plains became one of New Zealand's most productive agricultural areas. Much of the remaining lowland forest was cleared, and many of the wetlands were drained or filled. Large-scale livestock grazing and introduced exotic grasses altered the ecology of the grasslands.[2]
Large areas of the ecoregion have been converted to farmland or pasture. Over the past several decades a network of protected areas has been established to preserve several remaining blocks of upland forest and coastal wetland habitat. Logging, land clearance for development, and introduced exotic species remain threats to the ecoregion'sbiodiversity.[2]
A 2017 assessment found that 2,396 km², or 21%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas.[1]Catlins Conservation Park (528.89 km²), established in 1975, is the largest protected area in the ecoregion. Others include Takitimu Conservation Area (457.14 km²) in the Takitimu Mountains, Longwood Forest Stewardship Area (229.55 km²) in the Longwood Range, Hokonui Forest Stewardship Area (53.68 km²) in the Hokonui Hills, and Seaward Moss Stewardship Area (56.22 km²) on the southern coast.[6]
Media related toNew Zealand South Island Temperate Forests Ecoregion at Wikimedia Commons