Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan 1 D’Urville Hard Beech, Manuka, Weka, Bellbird, Coastal Ultramafic-Dominated Ecosystem Steep hills and mountains typify this land ecosystem with bluffy sea cliffs and headlands in places. At sea level lie large drowned river valley harbours featuring along their land/sea margins a varied array of coastal landforms such as inlets, spits, estuaries, beaches, lagoons and minor fans. Elevation is moderately low but rainfall moderately high in places as the landmass is being constantly buffeted on all fronts by the sea. D’Urville has a strong maritime influence and is subject to frequent sea storms. Base rocks eventuate from deep within the earth’s mantle, often erupting through the surface as dykes and sills. Some of the soils lack many essential nutrients and have toxic concentrations of trace elements creating generally inhospitable conditions resulting in unusual vegetation. D’Urville has many streams, some quite large, and extensive tracts of native vegetation. Table 2 Indigenous Vegetation and Landforms - D’Urville Ecosystem Landform Components Geology Remnant Native Past and Potential Vegetation Native Vegetation 1. Steep to very steep upper Sandstone and Forest Forest hill and mountain slopes siltstone of Rai Red beech-silver beech forest. Red beech-silver beech forest. on sedimentary rocks and Greville Silver beech forest with Halls Silver beech forest with >500 m elevation Formations totara, southern rata, miro Halls totara, southern rata, and rimu. miro and rimu. App Two - 14