Thesis
Recovery and management of dipterocarp forest in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam
Southern Cross University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.189
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Abstract
The majority of Vietnam’s natural forest estate is classified as degraded. This is a result of a history of disturbance through wars (including the use of Agent Orange), overharvesting of timber, slash-and-burn agriculture and land clearing, for agriculture and for establishment of large-scale monoculture forest plantations. A system of classification of forest condition, and likely future development trajectories, was developed to guide sustainable management, and restoration of these secondary forests. For tropical dipterocarp forests, which dominate southeast Vietnam, disturbance history (time since disturbance and type of disturbance) and soil type are two key predictors of forest condition and recovery.
In this thesis I describe the varying conditions of dipterocarp-dominated forests, their pathways of development and recovery, recruitment ecology and relationships with soil and site conditions at Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve in south-eastern Vietnam. Chapter 1 reviews secondary forest ecology and dynamics, and discusses methods for tracking recovery of disturbed forests. Chapter 2 describes the multiple potential pathways of recovery for disturbed dipterocarp forests, highlighting key predictive factors (soil and site conditions). The thesis then shifts focus to determining which environmental factors are the most important drivers of dipterocarp recruitment, growth and successional pathways. To this end, Chapter 3 is an investigation of the factors which influence regeneration of the dominant species, Dipterocarpus dyeri, in our study area: soil and moisture availability are key. Chapter Four examines how tree height and diameter varies with soil and site conditions, particularly water availability. This relationship is then used to derive site productivity classes (site form) for secondary forests in Dong Nai. These productivity classes can be used to inform management, for example, allowing prioritisation of where tree planting needs to occur. Finally, in Chapter 5 the main findings of the thesis are synthesised, their applications are discussed alongside avenues for extending this research.
To facilitate publication of the thesis, Chapters 2, 3 and 4 are written as manuscripts for peer reviewed journals. Since multiple authors contributed data and supervisory support, I use the pronoun "we" rather than "I", and the contributions of each author is described at the end of each of these chapters. At the time of submission, Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 have been published and Chapter 4 has been accepted (23/09/2021) by the journal Forestry.
Details
- Title
- Recovery and management of dipterocarp forest in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam
- Creators
- Thi Thanh Ha Do - 61SCU_INST___SCU
- Contributors
- Doland Nichols (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityJohn Campbell Grant (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityJerry Vanclay (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityHeidi Zimmer (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Theses
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- vi, 223
- Identifiers
- 991012995398802368
- Copyright
- © Thi Than Ha Do 2020
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Resource Type
- Thesis