Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland

Journal article


Taylor, Jennifer Elizabeth, Ellis, Murray and Rayner, Laura. (2014). Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland. Forest Ecology and Management. 331, pp. 25 - 34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.07.023
AuthorsTaylor, Jennifer Elizabeth, Ellis, Murray and Rayner, Laura
Abstract

Conservation planning for many fauna relies on an ability to predict length of time lags to production of habitat requirements in restoration plantings or with natural regeneration. One key consideration is the growth rate of dominant trees, as tree age and size are linked to characteristics that provide fauna habitat, such as canopy cover, tree hollows and coarse woody debris. In this study we examined growth rate and mortality of Eucalyptus species for all individuals with diameter at breast height (DBH) ⩾ 15 cm on forty one-ha sites in temperate semi-arid woodland in eastern Australia. Over five years (2008–2013) encompassing drought and flood, mean growth was <2.5 cm in DBH. Mixed effects models indicated that growth rate differed among species, and decreased with increasing senescence and greater initial foliage projective cover on the site. There was no link between initial tree DBH and growth rate for most species. Growth in DBH was similarly variable in large and small trees. Consequently increases in cross-sectional area, and hence biomass accumulation, are likely to be faster in larger trees. Growth of E. microcarpa, E. camaldulensis, E. blakelyi and E. conica did not significantly differ but was faster than that of E. populnea and E. melliodora. The random factors site and tree identity (for multi-stemmed trees) explained around 10% and 30% of the overall variability in growth rate respectively. Twelve trees (∼1%) died and 4 live trees were cut down and removed. Five (6.5%) of the 75 standing dead trees present in 2008 collapsed, and a further eight (10.5%) were cut down and removed by people. Forty saplings of four species with DBH < 15 cm in 2008 grew to DBH ⩾ 15 cm by 2013, equating to a recruitment rate of <4%, but this occurred on only nine of the 40 sites. Our study suggests mortality rate is being met by recruitment rate at the regional scale, but recruitment was extremely patchy and may result in site scale extinctions. The growth rates measured indicate that trees planted to create fauna habitat may take centuries to reach sizes that would contain large nesting or roosting hollows for fauna.

Keywordsriparian woodland; plains woodland; remnant vegetation; mortality; recruitment
Year2014
JournalForest Ecology and Management
Journal citation331, pp. 25 - 34
PublisherElsevier B.V.
ISSN0378-1127
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.07.023
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84906212597
Page range25 - 34
Research GroupSchool of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Place of publicationNetherlands
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8561z/growth-recruitment-and-attrition-of-eucalyptus-tree-species-in-semi-arid-temperate-woodland

  • 122
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 6
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Predation of the critically endangered Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) by the swamp harrier (Circus approximans)
Harlow, Peter S., Biciloa, Pita and Taylor, Jennifer E.. (2022). Predation of the critically endangered Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) by the swamp harrier (Circus approximans). Austral Ecology. 47, pp. 713-716. https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.13152
Creating entrances to tree cavities attracts hollow-dependent fauna : Proof of concept
Ellis, Murray V., Taylor, Jennifer E. and Rhind, Susan G.. (2022). Creating entrances to tree cavities attracts hollow-dependent fauna : Proof of concept. Restoration Ecology. 30(8), p. Article e137131. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13713
Effects of weather, time of day, and survey effort on estimates of species richness in temperate woodlands
Ellis, Murray and Taylor, Jennifer. (2018). Effects of weather, time of day, and survey effort on estimates of species richness in temperate woodlands. Emu: austral ornithology. 118(2), pp. 183 - 192. https://doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2017.1396188
Growth characteristics of eucalyptus camaldulensis trees differ between adjacent regulated and unregulated rivers in semi-arid temperate woodlands
Ellis, Murray, Taylor, Jennifer Elizabeth and Rayner, Laura. (2017). Growth characteristics of eucalyptus camaldulensis trees differ between adjacent regulated and unregulated rivers in semi-arid temperate woodlands. Forest Ecology and Management. 398, pp. 1 - 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.05.004
Variability in allometric relationships for temperate woodland eucalyptus trees
Taylor, Jennifer Elizabeth, Ellis, Murray V., Rayner, Laura and Ross, Karen A.. (2016). Variability in allometric relationships for temperate woodland eucalyptus trees. Forest Ecology and Management. 360, pp. 122 - 132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.10.031
Reporting rates of bird species in remnant woodland vegetation plateau three years after drought breaks
Ellis, Murray and Taylor, Jennifer. (2014). Reporting rates of bird species in remnant woodland vegetation plateau three years after drought breaks. Australian Zoologist. 37(2), pp. 201 - 205. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2014.025
After the 2010 rains: Changes in reporting rates of birds in remnant woodland vegetation in the central wheatbelt of New South Wales, Australia , from drought to post-drought
Ellis, Murray and Taylor, Jennifer. (2014). After the 2010 rains: Changes in reporting rates of birds in remnant woodland vegetation in the central wheatbelt of New South Wales, Australia , from drought to post-drought. Australian Zoologist. 37(1), pp. 29 - 39. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2014.007
Hollow occurrence and abundance varies with tree characteristics and among species in temperate woodland Eucalyptus
Rayner, Laura, Ellis, Murray and Taylor, Jennifer Elizabeth. (2014). Hollow occurrence and abundance varies with tree characteristics and among species in temperate woodland Eucalyptus. Austral Ecology. 39(2), pp. 145 - 157. https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.12052
Bassian bats in the Eyrean sub-region? : Preliminary acoustic data from the Bogan and Macquarie Rivers in semi-arid NSW
Monamy, Vaughan, Taylor, Jennifer, Gonsalves, Leroy and Ellis, Murray. (2013). Bassian bats in the Eyrean sub-region? : Preliminary acoustic data from the Bogan and Macquarie Rivers in semi-arid NSW. Australian Zoologist. https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2013.016
Birds in remnant woodland vegetation in the central wheatbelt of New South Wales during the drought declared years 2005 to 2009
Ellis, Murray and Taylor, Jennifer. (2013). Birds in remnant woodland vegetation in the central wheatbelt of New South Wales during the drought declared years 2005 to 2009. Australian Zoologist. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2011.019
What are they fighting about? Research into disputes in Victorian owners corporations
Leshinsky, Rebecca, Condliffe, Peter, Taylor, Elizabeth and Goodman, Robin. (2012). What are they fighting about? Research into disputes in Victorian owners corporations. Australasian Dispute Resolution Journal. 23(2), pp. 112 - 119.
Double sampling to assess the accuracy of ground-based surveys of tree hollows in eucalypt woodlands
Rayner, Laura, Ellis, Murray and Taylor, Jennifer Elizabeth. (2011). Double sampling to assess the accuracy of ground-based surveys of tree hollows in eucalypt woodlands. Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere (print version). 36(3), pp. 252 - 260. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02145.x
Post-fire seed predation: Does distance to unburnt vegetation matter?
Taylor, Jennifer Elizabeth, Tasker, E. M., Denham, A. J. and Strevens, T. C.. (2011). Post-fire seed predation: Does distance to unburnt vegetation matter? Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere (print version). 36(7), pp. 755 - 766. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02214.x
Distributions of lizard species across edges delimiting open-forest and sand-mined areas
Bragg, Jason, Taylor, Jennifer and Fox, Barry. (2005). Distributions of lizard species across edges delimiting open-forest and sand-mined areas. Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere. 30(2), pp. 188 - 200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2005.01436.x
Interaction of multiple disturbances: Importance of disturbance interval in the effects of fire on rehabilitating mined areas
Ross, Karen, Taylor, Jennifer, Fox, Marilyn and Fox, Barry. (2004). Interaction of multiple disturbances: Importance of disturbance interval in the effects of fire on rehabilitating mined areas. Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere. 29(5), pp. 508 - 529. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2004.01405.x
Reproduction in sympatric lizards: Comparison of two species of Ctenotus (Scincidae) in south-eastern Australia
Taylor, Jennifer. (2004). Reproduction in sympatric lizards: Comparison of two species of Ctenotus (Scincidae) in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology. 52(6), pp. 649 - 666. https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO04017
Experimental manipulation of habitat structure: A retrogression of the small mammal succession
Fox, Barry, Taylor, Jennifer and Thompson, Peter. (2003). Experimental manipulation of habitat structure: A retrogression of the small mammal succession. Journal of Animal Ecology. 72(6), pp. 927 - 940. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2656.2003.00765.x