Resilience to fire of Dracophyllum subulatum (Ericaceae) frost flat heathland, a rare ecosystem in central North Island, New Zealand

We measured secondary succession in permanent plots for 15 years after a lightning-induced fire in a 90-year-old frost flat heathland dominated by Dracophyllum subulatum at Rangitaiki, North Island, New Zealand. We placed this succession in the longer term context provided by earlier published data from the same site. Species re-establishment was rapid, with all of the consistently present species of mature heathland present by 15 years. The new Dracophyllum population has reached its pre-burn density, although cover is still minimal. Vascular plant cover began to decline 11 years after fire, but non-vascular cover continued to increase. Poa cita declined dramatically in abundance after 11 years. Earlier studies at the site demonstrate that nearly the entire species complement of mature heathland is present by 25 years, indication of a direct succession. With substantial resilience to fire, frost flat heathland is a fire-adapted ecosystem in a country where such ecosystems are rare.