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Damien John Moloney - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Leaf nutrient concentrations and timber productivity in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland, Australia: Implications for arboreal marsupials
Forest Science, 2007Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:The species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials are positively related to the proportion of total stand basal area occupied by Corymbia citriodora ssp. variegata and tree height in South-East Queensland and have been related to nutrient availability and productivity in other parts of Australia. The objectives of this study were to assess the relationships of stand basal area occupied by C. citriodora and tree height, and the available nutrients and productivity in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland. Leaf nutrient analysis of seven species of trees in South-East Queensland showed that the percentage by weight of phosphorus in leaves increased with the proportion of the total stand basal area of C. citriodora. This rate of increase was greater for C. citriodora than other species, indicating that C. citriodora may be more competitive on soils with greater available phosphorus. C. citriodora leaves also contained higher concentrations of nitrogen and potassium than the other tree species on multispecies sites. Timber productivity was greater at the sites where trees were taller, and tree height was positively correlated to the proportion of total stand basal area of C. citriodora and rainfall but was negatively correlated to the slope. These findings indicate that the most used habitat by arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland (i.e., taller Forests with a high proportion of the stand basal area occupied by C. citriodora) had higher concentrations of foliar nutrients and were more productive than less used habitats.
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The Status of Hollow-bearing Trees Required for the Conservation of Arboreal Marsupials in the Dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-east Queensland, Australia
Pacific Conservation Biology, 2005Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:At 38 sites in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of south-east Queensland, Australia, hollow-bearing trees were studied to determine the effects of past forestry practices on their density, size and spatial distribution. The density of hollow-bearing trees was reduced at sites that had been altered by poisoning and ringbarking of unmerchantable trees. This was especially the case for living hollow-bearing trees that were now at densities too low to support the full range of arboreal marsupials. Although there are presently enough hollow-bearing stags (i.e., dead hollow-bearing trees) to provide additional denning and nesting opportunities, the standing life of these hollow-bearing stags is lower than the living counterparts which means denning and nesting sites may be limited in the near future. The mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of hollow-bearing stags was significantly less than that of living hollow-bearing trees. This indicated that many large hollow-bearing stags may have a shorter standing life than smaller hollow-bearing stags. Hollow-bearing trees appear to be randomly distributed throughout the forest in both silviculturally treated and untreated areas. This finding is at odds with the suggestion by some forest managers that hollow-bearing trees should have a clumped distribution in dry Sclerophyll Forests of south-east Queensland.
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The characteristics of six species of living hollow-bearing trees and their importance for arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Ecology and Management, 2003Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:Six species of trees located in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland were studied to ascertain which was most suitable to be retained as hollow-bearing trees for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials. Generally for all tree species, the number of entrances to hollows was positively correlated with the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the growth stage, and entrance diameters also increased in trees with a larger DBH. However, there were differences between the species; Corymbia citriodora had few hollows until the individuals were very large while Eucalyptus crebra had low numbers of hollows throughout its entire size range. It was concluded that a mixture of tree species provided a range of hollow sizes and positions that would be suitable for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials in those Forests. There were large differences between tree species in the relationship between tree size and estimated age. Five of the tree species took between 186 and 230 years to begin to produce hollows while E. crebra took up to 324 years. This suggests that tree species other than E. crebra may be the most preferred for retention in areas where hollow-bearing tree densities are lower than the prescribed level. Other data also suggests there are likely to be enough trees in larger size classes that would begin to form hollows within the next 50 years to compensate for an expected loss of hollow-bearing stags during that same period. In terms of forest operation, the retention of six hollow-bearing trees/ha would represent an estimated loss of 7.3-15% wood production. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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The characteristics of six species of living hollow-bearing trees and their importance for arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Ecology and Management, 2003Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Ian Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:Six species of trees located in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland were studied to ascertain which was most suitable to be retained as hollow-bearing trees for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials. Generally for all tree species, the number of entrances to hollows was positively correlated with the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the growth stage, and entrance diameters also increased in trees with a larger DBH. However, there were differences between the species; Corymbia citriodora had few hollows until the individuals were very large while Eucalyptus crebra had low numbers of hollows throughout its entire size range. It was concluded that a mixture of tree species provided a range of hollow sizes and positions that would be suitable for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials in those Forests. There were large differences between tree species in the relationship between tree size and estimated age. Five of the tree species took between 186 and 230 years to begin to produce hollows while E. crebra took up to 324 years. This suggests that tree species other than E. crebra may be the most preferred for retention in areas where hollow-bearing tree densities are lower than the prescribed level. Other data also suggests there are likely to be enough trees in larger size classes that would begin to form hollows within the next 50 years to compensate for an expected loss of hollow-bearing stags during that same period. In terms of forest operation, the retention of six hollow-bearing trees/ha would represent an estimated loss of 7.3-15% wood production.No Full Tex
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Habitat requirements for the conservation of arboreal marsupials in dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Science, 2002Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:The habitat requirements of arboreal marsupials were investigated in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia. Species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials was correlated to the proportion of total stand basal area occupied by lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora), the height of the tallest trees, and density of hollow-bearing trees. The first two factors suggested that the most productive Forests were also the most suitable habitats for arboreal marsupials. Importantly, the number of hollow-bearing trees was a significant factor in determining species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials in this study, with the maximum number of species reached at sites containing greater than or equal to4 hollow-bearing trees/ha, and maximum abundance occurring at sites with :6 hollow-bearingtrees/ha. The proportion of C. citriodora was significant for the presence of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), greater glider (Petauroides volans), and the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis), while understory Acacia sp. density was important for the presence of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps). The yellow-bellied glider was also affected by two other variables: the density of hollow-bearing trees >50 cm diameter at breast height (dbh), and the time since the last logging. Current Codes of Practice regulating the density of hollow-bearing trees and silvicultural practices in state-owned timber production Forests appear to provide adequate protection for arboreal marsupials, but the recently introduced increase in timber extraction rates within state Forests may be detrimental to the animals. Also, protective prescriptions do not apply to the privately owned and leasehold estates, which contain the majority of the dry Sclerophyll Forests in southeast Queensland.
Trent D. Penman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Wildfire in wet Sclerophyll Forests: the interplay between disturbances and fuel dynamics
Ecosphere, 2018Co-Authors: Jane G. Cawson, Thomas J. Duff, Matthew Swan, Trent D. PenmanAbstract:There are multiple pathways for vegetation to change following disturbances. Understanding those post‐disturbance pathways is critical for managing wildfire risk since vegetation is fuel in a wildfire context. Across forest systems, there is considerable debate about disturbance‐related changes to fuels and flammability. This study investigated post‐disturbance fuel trajectories following three disturbance types—high severity wildfire, low severity wildfire, and clear‐fell logging. Fuels were measured in a chrono‐sequence of 141 sites in Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans)‐dominated wet Sclerophyll forest in southeastern Australia, a particularly contentious forest system. Wildfires are an important part of the lifecycle of these Forests, but too frequent fire can threaten post‐fire regeneration. Large wildfires (in 2009, 1983 and 1939) and ongoing public and scientific debate over clear‐fell logging highlight the need to better understand post‐disturbance trajectories for fuel and flammability in wet Sclerophyll Forests. We used empirical data to test 10, sometimes contradictory, hypotheses from the scientific literature regarding post‐disturbance pathways for fuel following wildfire and logging. Only five hypotheses were supported with surface fine fuels, fuel hazard, species composition, and vertical structure driving overall differences in post‐disturbance fuel trajectories. The implications for flammability remain uncertain because the independent and interactive effects of many fuel components on overall flammability remain unquantified. Importantly, we found there were always high quantities of fuel, irrespective of disturbance history, which demonstrates that fire occurrence is not fuel‐limited in wet Sclerophyll Forests. Under conditions of abundant fuel, fuel moisture could become critical to fire occurrence. Therefore, forest management should prioritize efforts to quantify not only the importance of individual fuel components to flammability but also fuel moisture dynamics in wet Sclerophyll Forests. As the climate (and fuels) becomes drier under climate change, it will be a major challenge to manage fire regimes in these highly valued Forests.
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Long-term changes in understorey vegetation in the absence of wildfire in south-east dry Sclerophyll Forests
Australian Journal of Botany, 2009Co-Authors: Trent D. Penman, Doug L. Binns, Roy J. Shiels, T. E. Brassil, Ruth M. AllenAbstract:Wildfire has shaped historic and contemporary vegetation assemblages in Australia. Ecological research has generally focussed on the effects of frequent fire on plant assemblages, with less attention given to the changes that occur in the absence of wildfire. Here we examine changes in understorey assemblages in dry Sclerophyll forest catchments where wildfires have not occurred since 1973 and 1979 to determine if the initial floristics model applies. Understorey species ( 2 m height) and stem density increased steadily until 10–15 years post-wildfire at which point they remained stable at ~3.2 species per 100 m2. In the absence of wildfire, these Forests undergo significant changes in understorey/large shrub communities consistent with the initial floristics model.
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changes in understorey plant species richness following logging and prescribed burning in shrubby dry Sclerophyll Forests of south eastern australia
Austral Ecology, 2008Co-Authors: Trent D. Penman, Doug L. Binns, Ruth M. Allen, Roy Shiels, Rodney P KavanaghAbstract:The impacts of prescribed burning and timber harvesting on species diversity have been the subject of considerable debate. The temporal and spatial scale of these disturbances often presents major limitations to many studies. Here we present the medium-term results of a planned long-term study examining the impacts of logging and prescribed burning on the understorey floristic richness in shrubby dry Sclerophyll forest in the south-east of New South Wales, Australia. Generalized estimating equations were used to model the effect of environmental factors and disturbance variables on species richness at the coupe (∼30 ha) and plot (∼0.01 ha) scale. At the plot scale, fire effects on separate components of the vegetation were broadly consistent with other studies, with frequent fire resulting in a relative increase of species richness for species less than 1 m in height and a decline of larger species taller than this height. At the coupe scale, there was no decline in richness of larger shrub species, possibly owing to the spatial heterogeneity of fire frequency at this scale. Logging resulted in significantly greater species richness in the shrub layer, but had no significant effect on species richness in the ground layer. During the study period, there was a general decline in plant species richness at both coupe and plot scales which occurred independently of imposed management regimes. This is thought to be related to a natural succession following wildfire, and may be due to the absence of high-intensity fire in the study area since 1973, or to an effect related to season of burning.
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Germination responses of a dry Sclerophyll forest soil-stored seedbank to fire related cues
2008Co-Authors: Trent D. Penman, Doug L. Binns, Ruth M. Allen, Roy J. Shiels, S PlummerAbstract:Fire is an integral component of many ecosystems worldwide. Many plant species require fire-related cues, primarily heat and smoke, to trigger germination. Despite the importance of this process, the responses of many Australian species to these cues are unknown. Without this knowledge fire management strategies may be developed that are inappropriate for individual species and vegetation communities. In this study we examined the responses of a dry Sclerophyll forest seed bank to heat and smoke germination cues. Analysis was possible for 48 taxa within the soil seedbank with 34 of these showing a response to one or both of the germination cues. 10 species responded to the heat treatment, 11 species responded to the smoke treatment and 13 species responded to both the heat and smoke treatments. Germination cues acted independently for all species considered. Results in this study were consistent with published reports for most species, although some differences were seen at the species and genus level. The study highlights the importance of fire-related cues in enhancing germination of a large proportion of the species occurring in dry Sclerophyll Forests.
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Changes in understorey plant species richness following logging and prescribed burning in shrubby dry Sclerophyll Forests of south‐eastern Australia
Austral Ecology, 2008Co-Authors: Trent D. Penman, Doug L. Binns, Ruth M. Allen, Roy J. Shiels, Rodney P KavanaghAbstract:The impacts of prescribed burning and timber harvesting on species diversity have been the subject of considerable debate. The temporal and spatial scale of these disturbances often presents major limitations to many studies. Here we present the medium-term results of a planned long-term study examining the impacts of logging and prescribed burning on the understorey floristic richness in shrubby dry Sclerophyll forest in the south-east of New South Wales, Australia. Generalized estimating equations were used to model the effect of environmental factors and disturbance variables on species richness at the coupe (∼30 ha) and plot (∼0.01 ha) scale. At the plot scale, fire effects on separate components of the vegetation were broadly consistent with other studies, with frequent fire resulting in a relative increase of species richness for species less than 1 m in height and a decline of larger species taller than this height. At the coupe scale, there was no decline in richness of larger shrub species, possibly owing to the spatial heterogeneity of fire frequency at this scale. Logging resulted in significantly greater species richness in the shrub layer, but had no significant effect on species richness in the ground layer. During the study period, there was a general decline in plant species richness at both coupe and plot scales which occurred independently of imposed management regimes. This is thought to be related to a natural succession following wildfire, and may be due to the absence of high-intensity fire in the study area since 1973, or to an effect related to season of burning.
Kevin Ray Wormington - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Leaf nutrient concentrations and timber productivity in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland, Australia: Implications for arboreal marsupials
Forest Science, 2007Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:The species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials are positively related to the proportion of total stand basal area occupied by Corymbia citriodora ssp. variegata and tree height in South-East Queensland and have been related to nutrient availability and productivity in other parts of Australia. The objectives of this study were to assess the relationships of stand basal area occupied by C. citriodora and tree height, and the available nutrients and productivity in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland. Leaf nutrient analysis of seven species of trees in South-East Queensland showed that the percentage by weight of phosphorus in leaves increased with the proportion of the total stand basal area of C. citriodora. This rate of increase was greater for C. citriodora than other species, indicating that C. citriodora may be more competitive on soils with greater available phosphorus. C. citriodora leaves also contained higher concentrations of nitrogen and potassium than the other tree species on multispecies sites. Timber productivity was greater at the sites where trees were taller, and tree height was positively correlated to the proportion of total stand basal area of C. citriodora and rainfall but was negatively correlated to the slope. These findings indicate that the most used habitat by arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland (i.e., taller Forests with a high proportion of the stand basal area occupied by C. citriodora) had higher concentrations of foliar nutrients and were more productive than less used habitats.
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The Status of Hollow-bearing Trees Required for the Conservation of Arboreal Marsupials in the Dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-east Queensland, Australia
Pacific Conservation Biology, 2005Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:At 38 sites in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of south-east Queensland, Australia, hollow-bearing trees were studied to determine the effects of past forestry practices on their density, size and spatial distribution. The density of hollow-bearing trees was reduced at sites that had been altered by poisoning and ringbarking of unmerchantable trees. This was especially the case for living hollow-bearing trees that were now at densities too low to support the full range of arboreal marsupials. Although there are presently enough hollow-bearing stags (i.e., dead hollow-bearing trees) to provide additional denning and nesting opportunities, the standing life of these hollow-bearing stags is lower than the living counterparts which means denning and nesting sites may be limited in the near future. The mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of hollow-bearing stags was significantly less than that of living hollow-bearing trees. This indicated that many large hollow-bearing stags may have a shorter standing life than smaller hollow-bearing stags. Hollow-bearing trees appear to be randomly distributed throughout the forest in both silviculturally treated and untreated areas. This finding is at odds with the suggestion by some forest managers that hollow-bearing trees should have a clumped distribution in dry Sclerophyll Forests of south-east Queensland.
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The characteristics of six species of living hollow-bearing trees and their importance for arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Ecology and Management, 2003Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:Six species of trees located in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland were studied to ascertain which was most suitable to be retained as hollow-bearing trees for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials. Generally for all tree species, the number of entrances to hollows was positively correlated with the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the growth stage, and entrance diameters also increased in trees with a larger DBH. However, there were differences between the species; Corymbia citriodora had few hollows until the individuals were very large while Eucalyptus crebra had low numbers of hollows throughout its entire size range. It was concluded that a mixture of tree species provided a range of hollow sizes and positions that would be suitable for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials in those Forests. There were large differences between tree species in the relationship between tree size and estimated age. Five of the tree species took between 186 and 230 years to begin to produce hollows while E. crebra took up to 324 years. This suggests that tree species other than E. crebra may be the most preferred for retention in areas where hollow-bearing tree densities are lower than the prescribed level. Other data also suggests there are likely to be enough trees in larger size classes that would begin to form hollows within the next 50 years to compensate for an expected loss of hollow-bearing stags during that same period. In terms of forest operation, the retention of six hollow-bearing trees/ha would represent an estimated loss of 7.3-15% wood production. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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The characteristics of six species of living hollow-bearing trees and their importance for arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Ecology and Management, 2003Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Ian Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:Six species of trees located in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland were studied to ascertain which was most suitable to be retained as hollow-bearing trees for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials. Generally for all tree species, the number of entrances to hollows was positively correlated with the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the growth stage, and entrance diameters also increased in trees with a larger DBH. However, there were differences between the species; Corymbia citriodora had few hollows until the individuals were very large while Eucalyptus crebra had low numbers of hollows throughout its entire size range. It was concluded that a mixture of tree species provided a range of hollow sizes and positions that would be suitable for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials in those Forests. There were large differences between tree species in the relationship between tree size and estimated age. Five of the tree species took between 186 and 230 years to begin to produce hollows while E. crebra took up to 324 years. This suggests that tree species other than E. crebra may be the most preferred for retention in areas where hollow-bearing tree densities are lower than the prescribed level. Other data also suggests there are likely to be enough trees in larger size classes that would begin to form hollows within the next 50 years to compensate for an expected loss of hollow-bearing stags during that same period. In terms of forest operation, the retention of six hollow-bearing trees/ha would represent an estimated loss of 7.3-15% wood production.No Full Tex
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Habitat requirements for the conservation of arboreal marsupials in dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Science, 2002Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:The habitat requirements of arboreal marsupials were investigated in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia. Species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials was correlated to the proportion of total stand basal area occupied by lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora), the height of the tallest trees, and density of hollow-bearing trees. The first two factors suggested that the most productive Forests were also the most suitable habitats for arboreal marsupials. Importantly, the number of hollow-bearing trees was a significant factor in determining species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials in this study, with the maximum number of species reached at sites containing greater than or equal to4 hollow-bearing trees/ha, and maximum abundance occurring at sites with :6 hollow-bearingtrees/ha. The proportion of C. citriodora was significant for the presence of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), greater glider (Petauroides volans), and the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis), while understory Acacia sp. density was important for the presence of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps). The yellow-bellied glider was also affected by two other variables: the density of hollow-bearing trees >50 cm diameter at breast height (dbh), and the time since the last logging. Current Codes of Practice regulating the density of hollow-bearing trees and silvicultural practices in state-owned timber production Forests appear to provide adequate protection for arboreal marsupials, but the recently introduced increase in timber extraction rates within state Forests may be detrimental to the animals. Also, protective prescriptions do not apply to the privately owned and leasehold estates, which contain the majority of the dry Sclerophyll Forests in southeast Queensland.
David Lamb - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Leaf nutrient concentrations and timber productivity in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland, Australia: Implications for arboreal marsupials
Forest Science, 2007Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:The species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials are positively related to the proportion of total stand basal area occupied by Corymbia citriodora ssp. variegata and tree height in South-East Queensland and have been related to nutrient availability and productivity in other parts of Australia. The objectives of this study were to assess the relationships of stand basal area occupied by C. citriodora and tree height, and the available nutrients and productivity in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland. Leaf nutrient analysis of seven species of trees in South-East Queensland showed that the percentage by weight of phosphorus in leaves increased with the proportion of the total stand basal area of C. citriodora. This rate of increase was greater for C. citriodora than other species, indicating that C. citriodora may be more competitive on soils with greater available phosphorus. C. citriodora leaves also contained higher concentrations of nitrogen and potassium than the other tree species on multispecies sites. Timber productivity was greater at the sites where trees were taller, and tree height was positively correlated to the proportion of total stand basal area of C. citriodora and rainfall but was negatively correlated to the slope. These findings indicate that the most used habitat by arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-East Queensland (i.e., taller Forests with a high proportion of the stand basal area occupied by C. citriodora) had higher concentrations of foliar nutrients and were more productive than less used habitats.
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The Status of Hollow-bearing Trees Required for the Conservation of Arboreal Marsupials in the Dry Sclerophyll Forests of South-east Queensland, Australia
Pacific Conservation Biology, 2005Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:At 38 sites in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of south-east Queensland, Australia, hollow-bearing trees were studied to determine the effects of past forestry practices on their density, size and spatial distribution. The density of hollow-bearing trees was reduced at sites that had been altered by poisoning and ringbarking of unmerchantable trees. This was especially the case for living hollow-bearing trees that were now at densities too low to support the full range of arboreal marsupials. Although there are presently enough hollow-bearing stags (i.e., dead hollow-bearing trees) to provide additional denning and nesting opportunities, the standing life of these hollow-bearing stags is lower than the living counterparts which means denning and nesting sites may be limited in the near future. The mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of hollow-bearing stags was significantly less than that of living hollow-bearing trees. This indicated that many large hollow-bearing stags may have a shorter standing life than smaller hollow-bearing stags. Hollow-bearing trees appear to be randomly distributed throughout the forest in both silviculturally treated and untreated areas. This finding is at odds with the suggestion by some forest managers that hollow-bearing trees should have a clumped distribution in dry Sclerophyll Forests of south-east Queensland.
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The characteristics of six species of living hollow-bearing trees and their importance for arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Ecology and Management, 2003Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:Six species of trees located in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland were studied to ascertain which was most suitable to be retained as hollow-bearing trees for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials. Generally for all tree species, the number of entrances to hollows was positively correlated with the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the growth stage, and entrance diameters also increased in trees with a larger DBH. However, there were differences between the species; Corymbia citriodora had few hollows until the individuals were very large while Eucalyptus crebra had low numbers of hollows throughout its entire size range. It was concluded that a mixture of tree species provided a range of hollow sizes and positions that would be suitable for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials in those Forests. There were large differences between tree species in the relationship between tree size and estimated age. Five of the tree species took between 186 and 230 years to begin to produce hollows while E. crebra took up to 324 years. This suggests that tree species other than E. crebra may be the most preferred for retention in areas where hollow-bearing tree densities are lower than the prescribed level. Other data also suggests there are likely to be enough trees in larger size classes that would begin to form hollows within the next 50 years to compensate for an expected loss of hollow-bearing stags during that same period. In terms of forest operation, the retention of six hollow-bearing trees/ha would represent an estimated loss of 7.3-15% wood production. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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The characteristics of six species of living hollow-bearing trees and their importance for arboreal marsupials in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Ecology and Management, 2003Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Ian Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:Six species of trees located in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland were studied to ascertain which was most suitable to be retained as hollow-bearing trees for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials. Generally for all tree species, the number of entrances to hollows was positively correlated with the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the growth stage, and entrance diameters also increased in trees with a larger DBH. However, there were differences between the species; Corymbia citriodora had few hollows until the individuals were very large while Eucalyptus crebra had low numbers of hollows throughout its entire size range. It was concluded that a mixture of tree species provided a range of hollow sizes and positions that would be suitable for nesting and denning by arboreal marsupials in those Forests. There were large differences between tree species in the relationship between tree size and estimated age. Five of the tree species took between 186 and 230 years to begin to produce hollows while E. crebra took up to 324 years. This suggests that tree species other than E. crebra may be the most preferred for retention in areas where hollow-bearing tree densities are lower than the prescribed level. Other data also suggests there are likely to be enough trees in larger size classes that would begin to form hollows within the next 50 years to compensate for an expected loss of hollow-bearing stags during that same period. In terms of forest operation, the retention of six hollow-bearing trees/ha would represent an estimated loss of 7.3-15% wood production.No Full Tex
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Habitat requirements for the conservation of arboreal marsupials in dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia
Forest Science, 2002Co-Authors: Kevin Ray Wormington, David Lamb, Hamish Mccallum, Damien John MoloneyAbstract:The habitat requirements of arboreal marsupials were investigated in the dry Sclerophyll Forests of southeast Queensland, Australia. Species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials was correlated to the proportion of total stand basal area occupied by lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora), the height of the tallest trees, and density of hollow-bearing trees. The first two factors suggested that the most productive Forests were also the most suitable habitats for arboreal marsupials. Importantly, the number of hollow-bearing trees was a significant factor in determining species richness and abundance of arboreal marsupials in this study, with the maximum number of species reached at sites containing greater than or equal to4 hollow-bearing trees/ha, and maximum abundance occurring at sites with :6 hollow-bearingtrees/ha. The proportion of C. citriodora was significant for the presence of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), greater glider (Petauroides volans), and the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis), while understory Acacia sp. density was important for the presence of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps). The yellow-bellied glider was also affected by two other variables: the density of hollow-bearing trees >50 cm diameter at breast height (dbh), and the time since the last logging. Current Codes of Practice regulating the density of hollow-bearing trees and silvicultural practices in state-owned timber production Forests appear to provide adequate protection for arboreal marsupials, but the recently introduced increase in timber extraction rates within state Forests may be detrimental to the animals. Also, protective prescriptions do not apply to the privately owned and leasehold estates, which contain the majority of the dry Sclerophyll Forests in southeast Queensland.
John W.g. Cairney - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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its rflp and its sequence diversity in pisolithus from central and eastern australian Sclerophyll Forests
Fungal Biology, 2001Co-Authors: Ian C Anderson, Susan M Chambers, John W.g. CairneyAbstract:Fifty-three isolates of Pisolithus were obtained from various locations in central and eastern Australia. These, along with two isolates from south-east Asia and one from USA, were compared using ITS–RFLP and ITS sequencing analyses. Results of the RFLP analysis initially grouped the isolates into eight RFLP types. ITS sequences were obtained for at least one representative isolate from each RFLP type and compared by a neighbour-joining analysis with Pisolithus ITS sequences available in databases. The majority of isolates clustered into four groups within two major clades, each clade comprising isolates of similar basidiospore characteristics. Most Australian isolates corresponded with recent provisional descriptions of P. albus or P. marmoratus. One isolate (LJ30) had low sequence identity (61.6-78%) to the other isolates and probably represents a separate undescribed Australian species. Significant intraspecific variation was observed in ITS–RFLP profiles for the putative P. albus isolates, suggesting that the sole use of RFLP analysis in diversity assessment may overestimate Pisolithus species richness.
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ITS–RFLP and ITS sequence diversity in Pisolithus from central and eastern Australian Sclerophyll Forests
Fungal Biology, 2001Co-Authors: Ian C Anderson, Susan M Chambers, John W.g. CairneyAbstract:Fifty-three isolates of Pisolithus were obtained from various locations in central and eastern Australia. These, along with two isolates from south-east Asia and one from USA, were compared using ITS–RFLP and ITS sequencing analyses. Results of the RFLP analysis initially grouped the isolates into eight RFLP types. ITS sequences were obtained for at least one representative isolate from each RFLP type and compared by a neighbour-joining analysis with Pisolithus ITS sequences available in databases. The majority of isolates clustered into four groups within two major clades, each clade comprising isolates of similar basidiospore characteristics. Most Australian isolates corresponded with recent provisional descriptions of P. albus or P. marmoratus. One isolate (LJ30) had low sequence identity (61.6-78%) to the other isolates and probably represents a separate undescribed Australian species. Significant intraspecific variation was observed in ITS–RFLP profiles for the putative P. albus isolates, suggesting that the sole use of RFLP analysis in diversity assessment may overestimate Pisolithus species richness.
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Molecular identification of co-occurring Cortinarius and Dermocybe species from southeastern Australian Sclerophyll Forests
Mycorrhiza, 1999Co-Authors: Susan M Chambers, Nicole A. Sawyer, John W.g. CairneyAbstract:The ability of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region to discriminate 10 co-occurring Cortinarius and Dermocybe species at a southeastern Australian Sclerophyll forest site was assessed. Using the basidiomycete-specific primers ITS1F and ITS4B, some taxa were separated on the basis of individual RFLP patterns derived using the restriction endonucleases Hae III or Hinf I. Combined data from both endonucleases were, however, required to separate all taxa [Dermocybe austro-veneta Clel. (Moser & Horak), C. rotundisporus Clel. & Cheel, C. archeri Berk., C. sinapicolor Clel., C. violaceus (L.: Fr.) S.F.Gray, C. radicatus Clel. and four morphologically-distinct, but unidentified Cortinarius spp.]. ITS sequence comparisons confirmed that D. austro-veneta belongs in Dermocybe, that C. rotundisporus is correctly placed in subgenus Phlegmacium, and suggest that Australian C. violaceus collections are not conspecific with northern hemisphere C. violaceus.
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Molecular investigation of genet distribution and genetic variation of Cortinarius rotundisporus in eastern Australian Sclerophyll Forests
New Phytologist, 1999Co-Authors: Nicole A. Sawyer, Susan M Chambers, John W.g. CairneyAbstract:The size and distribution of Cortinarius rotundisporus genets at three Sclerophyll forest field sites in New South Wales, Australia, were estimated by using microsatellite-primed PCR (MS-PCR) of DNA extracted from sporocarp tissue. MS-PCR fingerprints generated with the primers (GTG)5 and (GACA)4 indicated that two to five genets were present at each site, with each site being characterized by a single large genet (9–30 m in diameter). Analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-RFLP patterns from individual sporocarps used in the study suggested that three distinct RFLP types were present in the sampled C. rotundisporus population. ITS sequence data indicate that the three RFLP types had less than 88.4% sequence identity to each other, strongly suggesting that C. rotundisporus is a complex of three species.