Growth and water relations of Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) stands in response to thinning and fertilization

Successional changes in feeding activity by threatened cockatoos in revegetated mine sites

Context Provision of key habitat resources is essential for effectively managing species that have specific ecological requirements and occur in production landscapes. Threatened black cockatoos in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of Western Australia have a wide range, so their conservation requires support from all land tenures, not just reserves. Mining in the jarrah forest temporarily removes cockatoo feeding habitat, so it is important to understand how cockatoos exploit revegetated areas for food resources. Aims We aimed to determine whether there were successional patterns in cockatoo feeding activity in revegetation aged from 4 to 23 years at three mine sites in the jarrah forest in south-western Australia. Methods We surveyed 232 plots in revegetation to document (1) structural and floristic variation in vegetation across mine sites and revegetation ages, (2) differences in cockatoo feeding activity across mine sites and revegetation ages on the basis of feeding residues and (3) any edge effect reflecting preferential use of vegetation at the interior or exterior of mine pits. We also documented the frequency of occurrence of cockatoo food plants and feeding residues in 480 plots in unmined forest to compare with revegetated areas. Key results Marri (Corymbia calophylla) and jarrah were commonly consumed in unmined forest and Banksia and Hakea species were also fed on to a lesser extent. Revegetated mine pits provided food within 4 years and continued to do so up until the oldest plots studied (23 years). The relative importance of food plants shifted from proteaceous species in young revegetation to myrtaceous species in intermediate to older revegetation. However, extent of feeding on myrtaceous species in older revegetation did not equate to feeding rates in unmined forest, with lower frequencies recorded in revegetation. Conclusions Black cockatoos fed in revegetation at all three mine sites, despite variations in vegetation age, structure and floristics. Feeding on proteaceous and myrtaceous food plants occurred within 4 and 7 years of revegetation being established, respectively, indicating that some food resources are restored quickly after mining disturbance of the jarrah forest. Implications Our results emphasise the importance of monitoring fauna recolonisation over appropriate time scales, to understand how successional processes in revegetation influence fauna population persistence in production landscapes.

Effects of soil water and nitrogen availability on photosynthesis and water use efficiency of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings

The efficient use of water and nitrogen (N) to promote growth and increase yield of fruit trees and crops is well studied. However, little is known about their effects on woody plants growing in arid and semiarid areas with limited water and N availability. To examine the effects of water and N supply on early growth and water use efficiency (WUE) of trees on dry soils, one-year-old seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia were exposed to three soil water contents (non-limiting, medium drought, and severe drought) as well as to low and high N levels, for four months. Photosynthetic parameters, leaf instantaneous WUE (WUEi) and whole tree WUE (WUEb) were determined. Results showed that, independent of N levels, increasing soil water content enhanced the tree transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), maximum net assimilation rate (Amax), apparent quantum yield (AQY), the range of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) due to both reduced light compensation point and enhanced light saturation point, and dark respiration rate (Rd), resulting in a higher net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and a significantly increased whole tree biomass. Consequently, WUEi and WUEb were reduced at low N, whereas WUEi was enhanced at high N levels. Irrespective of soil water availability, N supply enhanced Pn in association with an increase of Gs and Ci and a decrease of the stomatal limitation value (Ls), while Tr remained unchanged. Biomass and WUEi increased under non-limiting water conditions and medium drought, as well as WUEb under all water conditions; but under severe drought, WUEi and biomass were not affected by N application. In conclusion, increasing soil water availability improves photosynthetic capacity and biomass accumulation under low and high N levels, but its effects on WUE vary with soil N levels. N supply increased Pn and WUE, but under severe drought, N supply did not enhance WUEi and biomass.

Observed and modelled leaf area index in Eucalyptus globulus plantations: tests of optimality and equilibrium hypotheses

This paper reports on variation in leaf area index (L) in five Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations in response to application of nitrogen, thinning at age 2 years and variation in climate wetness index (the ratio of rainfall to potential evaporation). Observed L is compared with: (i) L predicted to optimize net primary productivity for a given average annual temperature, annual water use and potential evaporation (L(opt)) and (ii) L calculated as a linear function of climate wetness index (L(eq)). L peaked in fertilized plots at between 4 and 5 years of age or immediately after canopy closure. The value of L from canopy closure to age 8 years was not strongly related to annual rainfall or climate wetness index. At two sites with total soil nitrogen <1.2 mg g(-)(1), L in fertilized plots was about two units greater than in unfertilized plots. This difference persisted until measurements ended in 2004 when the trees were 8 years old. The L of plots thinned to 300 and 600 stems ha(-)(1) at age 2 years recovered quickly and was not significantly different from L in unthinned plots when the trees were 8 years old. L(opt) was a good predictor of the leaf area index of 8-year-old plots of E. globulus when nitrogen and phosphorus were non-limiting (model efficiency (EF) was 0.5). For the same plots, L(eq) underestimated observed L by an average of two units, and the model efficiency was low (-3.25). Data from two nitrogen-limited sites demonstrated that for fertilized plots L(opt) (EF = 0.6) was a much better predictor of L than L(eq) (EF = -3.36). At the same sites, L(eq) (EF = 0.42) was a better model for predicting L of unfertilized plots than L(opt) (-3.59). These results provide evidence that comparing observed L with L(opt) can identify stands limited by factors other than growing climate.