What can Ferns tell us about their environment?
Many people think that ferns are delicate and can only survive in moist locations with a continuous water supply, neither too hot nor too frigid. To some extent this is true. Ferns need liquid water during their development from spore to full plant. But once growing in the soil, some ferns are very hardy indeed. And different ferns tolerate different climatic extremes. Some can survive prolonged drought in semi-desert conditions. Other species are adapted to surviving under feet of snow. Yet others thrive in alkaline soil. The interesting point is that each fern has its own preferences for temperature; humidity; soil type, moisture and pH; light levels etc. In many cases, ferns are very specific indicators of the conditions they need – often more so than the flowering plants. In areas where the climate does not favour a riot of fern growth – and the Canberra Region is a case in point – the niche environments are very clearly marked by the types of fern that grow there. Ferns in fact pr
