Tasmanian coniferous shrubbery

One vegetation type is coniferous shrubbery, characterised by the gymnosperm species Microcachrys tetragona, Pherosphaera hookeriana, Podocarpus lawrencei, and Diselma archeri.

[2] Conservation and management of coniferous shrubbery are necessary considering that the paleoendemic species, Microcachrys, Pherosphaera and Diselma, have persisted in western Tasmanian environments for millions of years.

Both the alpine environment and the harsh maritime climate[2] have the pressures and limitations of wind exposure and ice abrasion for the woody and shrub-like habit of coniferous shrubbery.

The lack of protective snow cover on Tasmanian mountains means that vegetation must be mechanically resistant to these elements, hence an ecologically habitat for coniferous shrub species.

This is contrasted to alps of mainland Australia or New Zealand, where the presence of prolonged snow lie lead to the development of a grassland-herbland vegetation community.

Physical intolerance to drought and fire sensitivity are characteristic of the conifers and potential for distribution and recolonization is limited by ways of seed dispersal and slow growth rates.

Dry lightning and drier soil conditions in western Tasmania pose a threat to coniferous shrubbery and other alpine vegetation types.