Leathwick and Austin (2001): Competitive interactions between tree species in New Zealandís old-growth indigenous forests.

Leathwick, J. R.; & Austin, M. P. 2001. Competitive interactions between tree species in New Zealandís old-growth indigenous forests. Ecology 82: 2560–2573.

This paper presents results of an analysis that uses the Nothofagus disjunctions as a natural removal ëexperimentí to quantify the effects of competition from these patchily distributed species on other widespread tree species. Relationships between species distributions and environment are first analysed using multiple regressions, and then the magnitude of competition effects are assessed by adding statistical terms describing Nothofagus abundance. Results indicate that many species are substantially reduced in abundance in the presence of Nothofagus. In addition, both the shape of species responses to annual temperature and their optima vary as Nothofagus abundance increases.