The Ecological Impact of Pedestrian Traffic on Alpine Vegetation in Kosciusko National Park

Abstract

SUMMARY Comparative observations of relative cover and species composition along walking tracks and on adjacent undisturbed areas were carried out to determine the impact of pedestrian traffic on alpine vegetation in Kosciusko National Park. The eight main plant alliances of the alpine zone were all modified to some degree by trampling and subsequent erosion, although the nature and extent of the modification varied widely, as did the resistance of plants to trampling. Except for climatically and edaphically extreme habitats, bare ground and erosion initiated by trampling created niches for opportunist species, mainly fast-growing annuals, to colonise. Sections of the walking tracks most in need of attention were those over bog vegetation and those leading straight up slopes. Further damage would almost certainly be detrimental, whether judged from the viewpoint of aesthetics or soil conservation, and could be avoided by appropriate measures such as the installation of cross drains, the stabilisation of e...