The Rangipo Desert

Site One - The Rangipo Desert

The Rangipo Desert is approximately 1000m above sea level, East of Mount Tongariro. This fairly high altitude means the desert receives more sunlight than most places, and it is often plagued by strong northwesterly winds sweeping off the surface of the mountain. Funneling through the mountains and becoming very intense throughout the desert, these powerful winds test the durability of the vegetation growing here. These plants therefore must be accustomed to the strong winds, needing resistance against their movement and force. This is immediately clear when studying the data recorded at this first site, as the vegetation in this area is a variety of strong plants such as tussock, heather and alpine grass, which

Because of the high elevation, the Rangipo Desert in theory should receive a fair amount of rainfall, but the rain shadow effect caused by orographic rainfall means that most rainfall tends to fall on the opposite side of the mountain. The nature of the soil also means it is difficult for this water to be retained. The soil is a strange mixture of rock, sand, pumice, ash and scoria, created by the matter from previous eruptions of Mount Tongariro or the Taupo volcano, or from landslides bringing down the rocks and dirt from the summit. During the summer, the desert well and truly dries out due to the intense sun, little rainfall, and powerful winds. Heavy frost also proves to be a challenge during the winter, again testing plant survival. Another threat is posed to the desert vegetation by the relief of the land; it is an unsteady, rocky surface that makes it difficult for plants to get their roots into and grow. Because of this relief, erosion is also a problem, both because of landslides from the nearby Mount Tongariro and because of erosions in the desert itself. The plants shown in the data from the desert are all particularly resistant to these conditions, further evidencing these vegetation

It is also quite cold, as is natural at such an elevation, where the wind can be much stronger and temperatures drop with the increase in height. Thus, there is little vegetation, and the existing vegetation is only a few centimetres tall, such as the alpine moss in my sample which only forms in a layer across the rocky, dusty ground. The incredibly steep relief of this area makes erosion a major problem for plants trying to grow here too, as it is unlikely they will be able to stay steady and root in place. Erosion is a constant issue on such a sharp gradient. Landslides, rainfall and other harsh weather conditions are almost guaranteed to cause this erosion and move the vegetation, making it near impossible for plants to grow safely. Any plants which manage to stay alive, such as the alpine moss, also have to battle the frequently changing weather conditions at such a high altitude. Due to the elevation, the sunlight is noticeably intensified, making it very hot during the summer; however, during the winter, snow, ice and frost are a constant, further testing the durability of these plants to survive in the changing climate. Human impact once again has a great effect on this site, since this area is part of arguably the most popular tramping track in New Zealand; any vegetation that grows is at risk of being trampled on, taken as