[6] Predominantly found in cold wet forests from the Bay of Plenty to the bottom of the South Island.

[6] Silver beech forests generally dominate wetter regions in the South Island within Fiordland and Southland.

Silver beech trees typically dominate other species of beech in increasingly wet and cold environments, due to its competitive advantage in greater tolerance of low soil nutrients, greater shade tolerance and lower thermal optimum for photosynthesis.

Also theorised that it might be caused due to drought from Māori lighting forest fires pre-European settlement.

[8] The most significant example of a beech gap is located in central Westland in the South Island, two areas of high endemicity (Otago-Southland, and northwest Nelson) are separated by low diversity.