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Abstract

The natural age structure of wet eucalypt forest has important implications for biodiversity conservation
and the mode of wood production. Southern Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests were sampled to describe
age class variation and to test the following hypotheses that relate to it: (1) Eucalyptus regnans stands are
more likely to be single-cohort than Eucalyptus obliqua and mixed stands; (2) old-growth trees are
associated with multi-cohort wet eucalypt forests; (3) the E. regnans stands are more multi-cohort than
Victorian E. regnans stands. Data from 762 stands, all with either E. obliqua or E. regnans were analysed to
determine how stand characteristics related to forest type and to the presence of old-growth trees. Over
half the stands studied were multi-cohort. Stands with E. regnans had a lesser tendency towards multicohortness
than stands lacking this species, although most old-growth stands, including those
dominated by E. regnans, were multi-cohort. In contrast, most regrowth stands of all species
combinations were single-cohort. The proportions of E. regnans stands that were multi-cohort were
similar to some estimates from the same type of forest in Victoria. Modifications of forestry regimes in
wet eucalypt forests could help to maintain the existence of these biodiverse multi-cohort forests in the
landscape.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Turner, PAM and Balmer, J and Kirkpatrick, JB
Keywords:	Wildfire Multi-cohort forest Stand replacing Tasmania
Journal or Publication Title:	Forest Ecology and Management
ISSN:	0378-1127
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2009.04.021
Additional Information:	The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

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