Vegetation communities, species distribution and foliar morphology as indicators of climate change on Marion Island

Two altitudinal transects on the eastern slopes of the island were sampled for vegetation surface cover and physical environmental attributes, with one transect located on black lava and the other on grey lava soils. Five 1*1m quadrats were randomly located within 25m^2 sites at each 100m rise in altitude, plus an additional two on the coastal lowlands between the lowest altitude site and 100m.

Within each quadrat the per cent surface cover of each vascular plant present was determined. Five leaves were obtained from most vascular plant species and traced whilst still wet in order to obtain leaf area, length and width of each leaf. Environmental characteristics of each site were recorded, including unconsolidated substrate depth, aspect, slope and exposure, and soil wetness based on a five point subjective scale.