A Study on the Pools of a Granitic Mountain Top at Moonbi, New South Wales

Abstract

Flynns Rock in the Moonbi Ranges has many gnammas (rock pools) that have formed by rock solution and which fill in heavy summer rains and remain inundated for much of the year. The two largest pools support 41 taxa of invertebrates, with the smaller pools less speciose. A rehabilitated gnamma was colonized rapidly by local species. The flora and fauna are comprised almost entirely of widespread eurytopic species dominated by insects, with most typical gnamma genera absent, though Isoetes, Glossostigma, Eulimnadia and Bennelongia are represented. Diversity is much influenced by habitat size and to a far lesser extent by isolation.