The Temperature Response in the Ring Widths of Phyllocladus Aspleniifolius (Celery–top Pine) Along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Warra LTER Area,Tasmania

The temperature response of four Phyllocladus aspleniifolius (Celery–top Pine) sites along an altitudinal gradient within a cool temperate broad leaf forest environment in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia was examined. Although strong evidence of a systematically changing response with elevation could not be found, there was evidence that minimum temperature in particular may be important in determining the altitudinal extent of the species. Climatic responses of the Warra LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) area sites were representative of other known sites in southwestern Tasmania. A link between event years in P. aspleniifolius and warm/dry conditions indicates that these event years may provide a guide to the historical frequency of fire weather in Tasmania’s southwest.