DroughtDrought

Drought

Wollemi Pine is susceptible to the impacts of drought, exhibiting crown-death when under water-stress and tissue damage when exposed to high temperatures (Offord 2011; Zimmer et al. 2015a). However, the steep-sided sandstone gorges which the Wollemi Pine occupies provides some refuge from the impacts of drought (NSW DEC 2006a). Although drought events may contribute to canopy gap formation via crown-loss and mortality in competing canopy species, it is likely that any significant drought event which impacts the Wollemi Pine’s habitat would result in declines in population health and size due to the species sensitivity to these events.