Australia
Do primary rainforest tree species recruit into passively and actively restored tropical rainforest?BackgroundIn many restoration projects, recruitment is dominated by a low diversity of regionally-abundant pioneer species and species with small, easily dispersed seeds. These species are characteristic of secondary rainforest and do not include the far more diverse suite of species characteristic of the original, primary rainforest. As restoring ecosystem processes is one of the central goals of restoration, this raises the question of which, if any, of the available rainforest restoration methods may be used to promote the recruitment of primary rainforest species. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tropical Rainforest Restoration Plantations Are Slow to Restore the Soil Biological and Organic Carbon Characteristics of Old Growth RainforestBackground:With widespread deforestation and land conversion posing significant threats to biodiversity and carbon sequestration, there is an urgent need to comprehend the intricate relationship between land use change, soil microbial communities, and soil organic carbon dynamics in tropical rainforest ecosystems. Open access copy available |
Drought reduces the growth and health of tropical rainforest understory plantsBackgroundPlant responses to drought are important to understand for agricultural practices and environmental stress. Susceptibility to drought varies among and between plant species. Most field studies on plant responses to drought in tropical rainforests ignore understory plant species such as saplings and shrubs. These species are important to understand because they are often more vulnerable to environmental stressors, and they contribute greatly to forest biodiversity. Open access copy available |
Showing and Telling: Australian Land Rights and Material MoralitiesBackgroundIn Kowanyama, Queensland, Aboriginal groups have property rights to several thousand square miles which are opposed by groups such as local pastoralists and the National Parks service. This paper explores the processes through which one group, the Kunjen community, asserts its moral and political claims over the disputed area through stories and material artefacts. Available with subscription or purchase |
Maximizing Seed Resources for Restoration in an Uncertain FutureBackgroundForest loss is being experienced in many parts of the globe. Seed based plant restoration is now the goal of many land management agencies. There is a growing demand for seed to meet these restoration projects. The effects of climate change on seed availability, viability and the success of these restoration projects is still unknown. Open access copy available |
Growing biodiverse carbon-rich forestsBackgroundCarbon storage and biodiversity has long been viewed as completely separate restoration objectives, resulting in parceling tracts of restoration land for one objective or the other. This study shows that the relationship between plant functional diversity and carbon sequestration rate depends on climate and habitat factors. Knowing this relationship, a restoration site can be managed for both objectives. Open access copy available |
Direct seeding to restore rainforest species: Microsite effects on the early establishment and growth of rainforest tree seedlings on degraded land in the wet tropics of AustraliaBackgroundIn Queensland, Australia, three degraded sites (a high elevation site, mid elevation site and low elevation site) that were dominated by non-native grass were studied. The study looked at how six different methods of sowing affected the establishment and growth of small and large seeds, as well as how it affected weeds growth and re-establishment. Before the sowing treatments were conducted, the weeds, since it often outcompetes seeds/seedlings, were removed using herbicides. The sowing treatments created microsites that either consisted of the seeds being buried beneath the soil or placed above the soil. Available with subscription or purchase |
Terrestrial Invertebrate Community Structure as an Indicator of the Success of a Tropical Rainforest Restoration ProjectBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
What does it take? The role of incentives in forest plantation development in Asia and the PacificBackgroundThe Asia-Pacific region has a significant amount of diverse forest cover. While many countries have experience deforestation, the remaining forests are still valued for their ecosystem services and timber products. To protect these two benefits, severa government have promoted forest plantations as a forest management strategy. This reports assess the impact of incentives on forest plantation development. Open access copy available |
Consequences of broadscale timber plantations for biodiversity in cleared forest landscapes of tropical and subtropical AustraliaBackgroundIn Australia, as in many countries, there has been a shift in timber production from native forests to plantations. While plantations are primarily considered an efficient means of producing timber, there is increasing interest in their potential contribution to biodiversity conservation. This paper conducts a literature review of the impacts of plantations on biodiversity and assesses plantation scenarios proposed for cleared rainforest landscapes in tropical and subtropical Australia. Open access copy available |
