Journal article
Above-ground biomass recovery following logging and thinning over 46 years in an Australian tropical forest
The Science of the Total Environment, Vol.734, 139098
10/09/2020
PMID: 32473448
Metrics
25 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
Highlights
•AGB recovery rates could be explained by the densities of residual stems.
•Initial biomass recovery after logging was largely contributed from residual stems.
•Biomass recovery rates decreased at a later stage mainly due to mortality.
•Selectively logged forests still have high carbon sink potential.
•Biomass recovery of forests after logging and thinning takes at least 50 years.
Managed tropical forests are a globally important carbon pool, but the effects of logging and thinning intensities on long-term biomass dynamics are poorly known. We investigated the demographic mechanisms of above-ground biomass recovery over 48 years in an Australian tropical forest following four silvicultural treatments: selective logging only as a control and selective logging followed by low-, medium- and high-intensity thinning. Initial biomass recovery rates following thinning were poor predictors of the long-term changes. Initial biomass recovery from 1969 to 1973 was slow and was largely concentrated on an increase in the biomass of residual stems. From 1973 to 1997, above ground biomass (AGB) increased almost linearly, with a similar slope for all sites. From 1997 to 2015, the rate of biomass accumulation slowed, especially for the L treatment. All thinning treatments stimulated more recruitment and regrowth of non-harvested remaining trees compared to the untreated control. Biomass at both the low and medium intensity treatments has almost fully recovered to 98% and 97% of pre-logging biomass levels respectively. The predicted times of complete above-ground biomass recovery for the logging only and high intensity treatments are 55 and 77 years respectively. The slower biomass recovery at the logging only site was largely due to increased mortality in the last measurement period. The slower recovery of the high intensity site was due to a combination of a higher initial reduction in biomass from thinning and the increased mortality in the last measurement period. The high mortality rates in the most recent measurement period are likely due to the impacts of two cyclones that impacted the study site. Our results suggest that it will take at least around 50 years for this site to recover to its pre-harvest biomass, much longer than many of the cutting cycles currently used in tropical forest management.
Details
- Title
- Above-ground biomass recovery following logging and thinning over 46 years in an Australian tropical forest
- Creators
- Jing Hu (Author) - School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, the University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaJohn Herbohn (Author) - School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, the University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaRobin L Chazdon (Author) - Tropical Forests and People Research Centre, the University of Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, AustraliaJack Baynes (Author) - Tropical Forests and People Research Centre, the University of Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, AustraliaJerome K Vanclay (Author) - School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
- Publication Details
- The Science of the Total Environment, Vol.734, 139098
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Identifiers
- 991012925544002368
- Academic Unit
- Office of Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article