By Dr Steve Read, Chief Scientist
THE origins of the distinct biodiversity of old-growth forests have been highlighted in an article in the latest edition of Tasforests, the peer-reviewed journal of forest science and management in Tasmania published by Forestry Tasmania.
The article reports work by staff from the Cooperative Research Centre for Forestry, Scion (NZ), the Department of Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania, and CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, as well as Forestry Tasmania, and synthesises the results of a number of PhD projects.
It provides an insight into why older eucalypt trees, and the forest-floor logs and debris they produce, contain different and more diverse populations of insects than do younger, regrowth trees and their logs. The explanation lies in the different fungi (brown rots rather than white rots) that colonise the wood of older trees.
The research findings will provide a valuable tool to help management understand the scales at which forest age-classes need to be dispersed in space and time to achieve habitat continuity.
Tasforests Volume 18, out now, features 10 comprehensive articles on a diverse range of topics including the growth of macrofungi in harvested areas, local government perception of the Tasmanian forest practices system, and management of eucalypt plantations for profitable sawlog production.
Tasforests maintains a wide authorship base, and is interested in receiving not just articles on forest science in Tasmania, but also more general articles on Tasmanian forest history or forest management. The next issue will be out at the end of this year.
Click to view Tasforests Volume 18
Branchline, February 17, 2010
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