Study

Short-term impacts of logging on understorey vegetation in a jarrah forest

  • Published source details Burrows N., Ward B. & Cranfield R. (2002) Short-term impacts of logging on understorey vegetation in a jarrah forest. Australian Forestry, 65, 47-58.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use group-selection harvesting

Action Link
Forest Conservation

Use shelterwood harvesting

Action Link
Forest Conservation

Use prescribed fire: effect on understory plants

Action Link
Forest Conservation
  1. Use group-selection harvesting

    A site comparison study in 2000 in a Mediterranean jarrah forest in Western Australia (Burrows, Ward & Cranfield 2002) found that group selection harvesting decreased plant species richness and abundance. The number of native plant individuals/m2 (group selection: 31; uncut: 38) and individuals/30 m2 (group-selection: 943; uncut: 1,138), as well as the number of native plant species/m2 (group-selection: 10.1; uncut: 13.3) were lower in group-selection than uncut plots. The number of species/30 m2 was similar between treatments (group-selection: 53; uncut: 57). Data were collected in five lines of 30 quadrats (1 × 1 m) in group-selection (retaining gaps of 4–7 ha, applied in 1995) and uncut treatments located in an 11,000 ha study area.

     

  2. Use shelterwood harvesting

    A site comparison study in 2000 in a Mediterranean jarrah forest in Western Australia (Burrows, Ward & Cranfield 2002) found that shelterwood harvest decreased plant species richness and abundance. The number of native plant individuals/m2 (shelterwood: 29; unharvested: 39) and individuals/30 m2 (shelterwood: 869; unharvested: 1,172), and the number of native plant species/m2 (shelterwood: 9.6; unharvested: 11.9) were lower in shelterwood than unharvested plots. The number of species/30 m2 was similar between treatments (shelterwood: 55; unharvested: 57). Data was collected in five lines of 30 quadrats (1 × 1 m) in shelterwood (retaining basal area of 13 m2/ha, applied in 1995) and unharvested treatments located in an 11,000 ha study area.

     

  3. Use prescribed fire: effect on understory plants

    A site comparison study in 2000 in a Mediterranean jarrah Eucalyptus marginata forest in Western Australia (Burrows, Ward & Cranfield 2002) found that prescribed burning increased the abundance of native plants at large and small scales and their species richness only at small scale. The number of native plant species at the small scale was higher in burnt than in unburned plots (burned: 12-13; unburned: 10/m2), while the number of species at the larger scale was similar between treatments (burned: 57; unburned: 51/30 m2). Native plant abundance at the small scale (burned: 38-39; unburned: 29/m2) and large scale (burned: 1,138-1,172; unburned: 876/30 m2) was higher in burned than unburned plots. Data was collected in 2000 using five lines of 30 quadrats (1 × 1 m) placed in burned sites (prescribed burn in 1996) and ten lines of 30 similar size quadrats placed in control sites (unburned since 1986). All lines were located in an 11,000 ha study area.

     

Output references
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