Interacting Factors Driving a Major Loss of Large Trees with Cavities in a Forest Ecosystem

Large trees with cavities provide critical ecological functions in forests worldwide, including vital nesting and denning resources for many species. However, many ecosystems are experiencing increasingly rapid loss of large trees or a failure to recruit new large trees or both. We quantify this problem in a globally iconic ecosystem in southeastern Australia – forests dominated by the world''s tallest angiosperms, Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans). Tree, stand and landscape-level factors influencing the death and collapse of large living cavity trees and the decay and collapse of dead trees with cavities are documented using a suite of long-term datasets gathered between 1983 and 2011. The historical rate of tree mortality on unburned sites between 1997 and 2011 was >14% with a mortality spike in the driest period (2006–2009). Following a major wildfire in 2009, 79% of large living trees with cavities died and 57–100% of large dead trees were destroyed on burned sites. Repeated measurements between 1997 and 2011 revealed no recruitment of any new large trees with cavities on any of our unburned or burned sites. Transition probability matrices of large trees with cavities through increasingly decayed condition states projects a severe shortage of large trees with cavities by 2039 that will continue until at least 2067. This large cavity tree crisis in Mountain Ash forests is a product of: (1) the prolonged time required (>120 years) for initiation of cavities; and (2) repeated past wildfires and widespread logging operations. These latter factors have resulted in all landscapes being dominated by stands ≤72 years and just 1.16% of forest being unburned and unlogged. We discuss how the features that make Mountain Ash forests vulnerable to a decline in large tree abundance are shared with many forest types worldwide.     

Key lessons for achieving biodiversity‐sensitive cities and towns

Australia's urban landscapes offer opportunities to marry socio‐economic and biodiversity conservation objectives. Yet, information is needed on what urban landscape and habitat features are important for wildlife. In this article, we draw together our research from southeastern Australia to describe key lessons for biodiversity‐sensitive cities and towns. Lesson 1: The effects of urbanization on wildlife extend into adjacent habitats. We recommend retaining large, undisturbed areas of habitat away from development, avoiding intensive development adjacent to important conservation areas, prioritizing areas of ecological and social significance, screening light and noise pollution at the urban fringe and around large nature reserves, and planting appropriately provenanced locally native species for public streetscapes, parks and gardens. Lesson 2: Strategic enhancement of urban greenspace offers biodiversity gains. We recommend increasing the total amount of greenspace cover, maintaining ecological structures as habitat islands, using landscaping techniques to minimize risks to human safety, and gardening with low‐flowering native shrubs. Lesson 3: Large old trees need to be managed for long‐term sustainability. We recommend retaining large old trees in new developments, increasing the maximum standing life of urban trees, protecting regenerating areas and planting more seedlings, supplementing habitat features associated with large trees, and ensuring that young trees have space to grow through time. Lesson 4: Education and engagement connects residents with nature and raises awareness. We recommend education programs to enhance opportunities for residents to experience and learn about biodiversity, engaging residents in the establishment and maintenance of wildlife habitat, providing ‘cues to care’, facilitating access to garden plants that benefit wildlife, and encouraging cat containment. These lessons provide an evidence‐base for implementing conservation and management actions to improve the capacity of our cities and towns to support a diverse and abundant biota.     

Resource availability and disturbance shape maximum tree height across the Amazon

Tall trees are key drivers of ecosystem processes in tropical forest, but the controls on the distribution of the very tallest trees remain poorly understood. The recent discovery of grove of giant trees over 80 meters tall in the Amazon forest requires a reevaluation of current thinking. We used high‐resolution airborne laser surveys to measure canopy height across 282,750 ha of old‐growth and second‐growth forests randomly sampling the entire Brazilian Amazon. We investigated how resources and disturbances shape the maximum height distribution across the Brazilian Amazon through the relations between the occurrence of giant trees and environmental factors. Common drivers of height development are fundamentally different from those influencing the occurrence of giant trees. We found that changes in wind and light availability drive giant tree distribution as much as precipitation and temperature, together shaping the forest structure of the Brazilian Amazon. The location of giant trees should be carefully considered by policymakers when identifying important hot spots for the conservation of biodiversity in the Amazon.     

Age-specific responses to climate identified in the growth of Quercus alba

The objective of this research was to determine whether the dendroclimatic responses of young Quercus alba (aged 29–126 years) differ from those of old Q. alba (149–312 years). We collected Q. alba increment cores across a range of size classes from Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve, an oak-hickory forest in southcentral Virginia, USA. Tree cores were crossdated and raw ring widths were detrended to remove the influence of increasing circumference with age, microsite, and local stand dynamics. Standardized ring widths were averaged to develop two master chronologies from the 20 oldest and youngest trees. Ring-width indices were correlated with temperature, precipitation, and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). Annual tree-ring growth in old and young Q. alba was significantly correlated with precipitation from the previous growing season, but was not significantly correlated with temperature. Only the old trees showed a significant correlation between annual ring width and PDSI. These results may indicate that growth in old trees is more sensitive to drought than in young trees. If future climate change includes the predicted increase in mid-growing season droughts, tree-level responses are likely to be age-dependent with older trees experiencing relatively greater reductions in growth.     

Temporal fragmentation of a critically endangered forest ecosystem

Landscape change and habitat fragmentation is increasingly affecting forests worldwide. Assessments of patterns of spatial cover in forests over time can be critical as they reveal important information about landscape condition. In this study, we assessed landscape patterns across the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) and Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) forests in the Central Highlands of Victoria between 1999 and 2019. These forests have experienced major disturbance over the past 20 years through a major fire (in 2009) and extensive industrial logging. We found that around 70% and 65% of the Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash forest areas, respectively, were either disturbed or within 200 m of a disturbed area. Inclusion of planned logging increased these disturbance categories to 72% and 70%, respectively. We also found that the isolation of Mountain Ash core areas (patches of undisturbed forest >1000 ha) increased significantly (P < 0.05) over our study period, with the proximity between disturbed areas conversely increasing significantly (P < 0.05). This means that continued and planned disturbance through industrial logging will have an amplified adverse effect on remaining undisturbed ash forest patches, which will become smaller and more dispersed across the landscape.     

The impacts of rising CO2 concentrations on Australian terrestrial species and ecosystems

The increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide ([CO₂]) contributes to global warming and the accompanying shifts in climate. However, [CO₂] itself has the potential to impact on Australia's terrestrial biodiversity, due to its importance in the photosynthetic process, which underlies all terrestrial food webs. Here, we review our knowledge regarding the impacts of elevated [CO₂] on native terrestrial species and ecosystems, and suggest key areas in which we have little information on this topic. Experimental information exists for 70 (or less than 0.05%) of Australia's native terrestrial plant and animal species. Of these, 68 are vascular plants. The growth of Australian woody species is more reliably increased by elevated [CO₂] than it is in grasses. At the species level, the most overwhelming responses to increased [CO₂] are a reduction in plant nitrogen concentration and an increase in the production of secondary metabolites. This is of particular concern for Australia's unique herbivorous and granivorous marsupials, for which no information is available. While many plant species also displayed increased growth rates at higher [CO₂], this was far from universal, indicating that changes in community structure and function are likely, leading to alterations of habitat quality. Future research should be directed to key knowledge gaps including the relationship between [CO₂], fire frequency and fire tolerance and the impacts of increasing [CO₂] for Australia's iconic browsing mammals. We also know virtually nothing of the impacts of the increasing [CO₂] on Australia's unique shrublands and semi‐arid/arid rangelands. In conclusion, there is sufficient information available to be certain that the increasing [CO₂] will affect Australia's native biodiversity. However, the information required to formulate predictions concerning the long‐term future of almost all organisms is far in excess of that currently available.     

Distribution,Demography, and Conservation of Lion-tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus) in the Anamalai Hills Landscape,Western Ghats,India

The status of the endemic and endangered lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) has not been properly assessed in several regions of the Western Ghats of southern India. We conducted a study in Parambikulam Forest Reserve in the state of Kerala to determine the distribution, demography, and status of lion-tailed macaques. We laid 5km² grid cells on the map of the study area (644km²) and made four replicated walks in each grid cell using GPS. We gathered data on lion-tailed macaque group locations, demography, and site covariates including trail length, duration of walk, proportion of evergreen forest, height of tallest trees, and human disturbance index. We also performed occupancy modeling using PRESENCE ver. 3.0. We estimated a minimum of 17 groups of macaques in these hills. Low detection and occupancy probabilities indicated a low density of lion-tailed macaques in the study area. Height of the tallest trees correlated positively whereas human disturbance and proportion of evergreen forest correlated negatively with occupancy in grid cells. We also used data from earlier studies carried out in the surrounding Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Nelliyampathy Hills to discuss the conservation status in the large Anamalai Hills Landscape. This landscape harbors an estimated population of 1108 individuals of lion-tailed macaques, which is about one third of the entire estimated wild population of this species. A conservation plan for this landscape could be used as a model for conservation in other regions of the Western Ghats.     

Attributes of trees used by nesting and foraging woodpeckers (Aves: Picidae) in an area with old pollarded Oaks (Quercus spp.) in the Taurus Mountains,Turkey

We used three woodpecker species as umbrella species for old deciduous forests, and analysed their preferences in an area with old pollarded oaks in the Taurus Mountains, Turkey. Using plot inventories, we physically characterised trees utilised for nesting and foraging amongst woodpeckers in general and the Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Leiopicus medius) in particular. Trees more frequently visited by foraging woodpeckers differed from randomly chosen trees by being taller, having a larger circumference, greater bark furrow depth and shorter distance to neighbouring trees. Nesting trees were taller, had a higher proportion of dead wood but a lower surface area of natural cavities. Our results suggest that the woodpeckers in the study area rely upon woodlands containing mature trees, thus have the potential to function as suitable umbrella species’ to highlight the conservation value of oak forest habitats in southern Turkey.     

The mechanical stability of the world’s tallest broadleaf trees

The factors that limit the maximum height of trees, whether ecophysiological or mechanical, are the subject of longstanding debate. Here, we examine the role of mechanical stability in limiting tree height and focus on trees from the tallest tropical forests on Earth, in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, including the recently discovered tallest tropical tree, a 100.8 m Shorea faguetiana named Menara. We use terrestrial laser scans, in situ strain gauge data and finite element simulations, to map the architecture of tall tropical trees and monitor their response to wind loading. We demonstrate that a tree's risk of breaking due to gravity or self‐weight decreases with tree height and is much more strongly affected by tree architecture than by material properties. In contrast, wind damage risk increases with tree height despite the larger diameters of tall trees, resulting in a U‐shaped curve of mechanical risk with tree height. Our results suggest that the relative rarity of extreme wind speeds in north Borneo may be the reason it is home to the tallest trees in the tropics. Abstract in MALAY is available with online material.     

Mating Behavior as a Possible Cause of Bat Fatalities at Wind Turbines

Abstract: Bats are killed by wind turbines in North America and Europe in large numbers, yet a satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon remains elusive. Most bat fatalities at turbines thus far occur during late summer and autumn and involve species that roost in trees. In this commentary I draw on existing literature to illustrate how previous behavioral observations of the affected species might help explain these fatalities. I hypothesize that tree bats collide with turbines while engaging in mating behaviors that center on the tallest trees in a landscape, and that such behaviors stem from 2 different mating systems (resource defense polygyny and lekking). Bats use vision to move across landscapes and might react to the visual stimulus of turbines as they do to tall trees. This scenario has serious conservation and management implications. If mating bats are drawn to turbines, wind energy facilities may act as population sinks and risk may be hard to assess before turbines are built. Researchers could observe bat behavior and experimentally manipulate trees, turbines, or other tall structures to test the hypothesis that tree bats mate at the tallest trees. If this hypothesis is supported, management actions aimed at decreasing the attractiveness of turbines to tree bats may help alleviate the problem. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):845–849; 2008)     

Long-term data reveal effects of climate,road access,and latitude on mountain goat horn size

Potential negative artificial selection on horn size is a concern for many harvested ungulates. The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) has distinct black horns, but targeting animals based on horn size in the field can be challenging. We analyzed over 23,000 horn records that included base circumference and total length, from which we also derived horn volume, from mountain goats harvested in Alaska, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories from 1980 to 2016. We tested 3 potential drivers of horn size variation: geographical location, environmental conditions, and artificial selection. We found no support for a latitudinal effect with surprisingly little variation across the sampling distribution. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation had the largest effect outside age in the model, suggesting a role of climate in shaping variation. Mountain goats harvested closer to roads had larger horns, indicating that ease of access might allow hunters to be more selective, though the effect size was small. Our findings reinforce the value of accurate and complete record keeping on horn size, age, and sex of harvested animals, and highlight the importance of explicitly considering climate and accessibility when devising management strategies for the mountain goat.     

Vertical distribution of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens emphasizes the importance of old beeches in conservation

During storms in 2005, a number of beech trees fell over at Biskopstorp, SW Sweden, offering the opportunity to study epiphytes along entire stems. In total 16 beech trees in four beech stands representing three different age classes were included. For each tree, 2 m segments from the base to the top were surveyed. In total 115 species were found (76 lichens, 39 bryophytes), of which 30 were considered to be of conservation concern (22 lichens, 8 bryophytes). For lichens significantly more species were recorded above 2 m in height, whereas more bryophytes were recorded below 2 m in height. Certain red-listed lichens were recorded only above 2 m in height on old trees. In a second data set from the same area 140 age-determined beech trees were surveyed for species of conservation concern at the heights 0–2 and 2–5 m, respectively. These species were found almost exclusively on old beech trees, and presence at 2–5 m was recorded, with one exception, only on those trees which also had species of conservation concern at 0–2 m. Records of these species correlated significantly to microhabitat variables, i.e. the presence of rough bark and moss cover higher up the stems on the old trees. This study indicates that surveying only the base in really old beech forests can underestimate both the number of species of conservation concern and their population sizes. However, surveys restricted to the base in rather even-aged beech stands catch a large proportion of the trees with species of conservation concern.     

基于无人机激光雷达遥感的亚热带常绿阔叶林群落垂直结构分析

森林植被高度与树木分布格局是植物群落重要结构特征,也是计算森林生物量分布的重要参数。传统的森林群落调查方法耗费大量人力物力难以进行较大尺度的群落结构测量,而一般的遥感影像也难以获得精确的地形信息及垂直结构。近年来激光雷达(Light Detection and Ranging,LiDAR)技术快速发展,能够较好的进行植被三维特征的提取并被广泛应用于森林生态系统检测模拟。且随着无人机低空摄影技术的发展催生的无人机激光雷达(UAV-Lidar)更增加了激光雷达的灵活性以及获取较大范围植被冠层信息的能力。而受限于激光的穿透性以及不同植被类型郁闭度的影响,该技术的应用多局限于在针叶林群落的垂直结构研究,而在常绿阔叶林的研究中应用较少。为探究现有无人机激光雷达设备及垂直结构提取分析技术应用于常绿阔叶林的可行性,利用无人机载激光雷达遥感技术对哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林3块面积1hm²的样地进行基于数字表面模型以及数字地表高程模型做差得到树冠高度模型测量的植被冠层高度、基于局部最大值法进行单木位置提取并使用Clark-Evans最近邻体分析方法进行样地内高大乔木分布格局的计算。分...     

The presence of heartwood decay,a precursor to hollow formation,within Eucalyptus camaldulensis in relation to stem size

River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.) are large trees that dominated many of continental Australia's riparian areas, providing abundant hollows for nesting and denning fauna. Land clearing and forestry have reduced the availability of large trees, and much of the remaining forest is dominated by small regrowth trees that lack visible hollow entrances. Inspection of recently felled River Red Gums revealed that heartwood decay, a precursor of hollow formation, can be common in relatively small trees. Internal decay and voids remain inaccessible until stochastic damage exposes them, which may not occur until the tree is old, and hence probably large. This discrepancy indicates that there is likely to be a size range of trees into which artificial entrances can be added to quickly increase hollow availability in landscapes undergoing active restoration as fauna habitat.     

Improving bioregional frameworks for conservation by including mammal distributions

Large identifiable landscape units, such as ecoregions, are used to prioritize global and continental conservation efforts, particularly where biodiversity knowledge is inadequate. Setting biodiversity representation targets using coarse large‐scale biogeographic boundaries, can be inefficient and under‐representative. Even when using fine‐scale biodiversity data, representation deficiencies can occur through misalignment of target distributions with such prioritization frameworks. While this pattern has been recognized, quantitative approaches highlighting misalignments have been lacking, particularly for assemblages of mammal species. We tested the efficacy of Australia's bioregions as a spatial prioritization framework for representing mammal species, within protected areas, in New South Wales. We produced an approach based on mammal assemblages and assessed its performance in representing mammal distributions. Substantial spatial misalignment between New South Wales's bioregions and mammal assemblages was revealed, reflecting deficiencies in the representation of more than half of identified mammal assemblages. Using a systematic approach driven by fine‐scale mammalian data, we compared the efficacy of these two frameworks in securing mammalian representation within protected areas. Of the 61 species, 38 were better represented by the mammalian framework, with remaining species only marginally better represented when guided by bioregions. Overall, the rate at which mammal species were incorporated into the protected area network was higher (5.1% ± 0.6 sd) when guided by mammal assemblages. Guided by bioregions, systematic conservation planning of protected areas may be constrained in realizing its full potential in securing representation for all of Australia's biodiversity. Adapting the boundaries of prioritization frameworks by incorporating amassed information from a broad range of taxa should be of conservation significance.     

Can large unmanaged trees replace ancient pollarded trees as habitats for lichenized fungi,non-lichenized fungi and bryophytes?

Management of ancient trees constitutes a major dilemma in the conservation of associated biodiversity. While traditional methods are often advocated, such practices may incur considerable costs and their effects have rarely been scientifically evaluated. We compared the communities of lichenized fungi, non-lichenized fungi, and bryophytes among equal number of coarse previously pollarded and unmanaged trees (n = 340). On 400 Ulmus glabra and 280 Fraxinus excelsior trees at 62 sites in Norway, we found 209 lichenized fungi, 128 non-lichenized fungi, and 115 bryophytes. Pollarded trees were richer in microhabitats than unmanaged trees and had significantly higher richness of bryophytes (ash) and non-lichenized fungi (ash and elm), the latter increasing with the availability of dead wood, cavities and coarse bark structure in pollarded trees. Further, the average total number of red-listed species, and red-listed lichenized fungi separately, were significantly higher on pollarded versus unmanaged trees, with diversity related to trunk circumference, depth of bark fissures and number of cavities. Our results underline the importance of microhabitats associated with old trees, but we cannot establish with certainty the importance of pollarding per se. Since we did not find any negative effect of canopy cover for community diversity, we assume that old trees with rich epiphytic communities can develop without management intervention. The high share (37 out of 49) of red-listed species occurring on unmanaged trees, and the fact that 11 red-listed species were found exclusively on unmanaged trees, may further indicate that unmanaged trees can with time replace the ancient pollarded trees as habitats for rich cryptogamic communities.     

城市绿色空间可达性与居民分布的空间匹配与影响因素

城市居民的绿色空间可达性是衡量城市基础设施公平分配的指向标,关乎城市民生福祉。以宁波为研究区,基于高德地图路径规划Application Programming Interface(API)测度了绿色空间可达性,融合多源数据模拟了人口空间分布,分析了绿色空间可达性与人口分布的空间匹配状态,并采用地理探测器探讨其影响因素。研究表明：(1)宁波绿色空间可达性由各区中心向郊区衰减,高可达性空间占比不高,反映了绿色服务供给不足的现状。高可达性空间集中于三江口、鄞州新城、北仑城区和镇海老城区,低可达性空间则主要分布在东部郊区、西部山区和南部农业区。(2)宁波居民的绿色空间可达性在空间上表现为市中心高人口密度-高可达性和郊区低人口密度-低可达性的空间匹配特征,在规模上仅不及半数的居民享有15min绿色空间可达性,在乡镇尺度上呈现显著的城区—郊区二元类型分异。(3)城市居民绿色空间可达性受多重影响因子驱动,按照重要性依次为区位特征、人类活动、开发强度、社会经济和地形条件。     

贵州雷公山秃杉种群生活史特征与空间分布格局

秃杉是一种珍稀濒危植物,以斑块状分布于雷公山东南面斜坡海拔800-1300 m之间的沟谷两侧。从年龄结构、生命表特征、存活曲线以及种群不同龄级个体空间分布格局等方面研究了雷公山秃杉种群生活史特征与空间分布格局。研究结果表明:秃杉的种群结构存在波动性,成年阶段个体较丰富,幼苗与老龄数目相对较少,秃杉自身的生物学特性及环境因素是形成这种现象的主要原因;秃杉种群存活曲线趋于DeeveyⅡ型,出现2个死亡率高峰,一个出现在第6龄级阶段,另一个出现在第12龄级阶段,期望寿命单调下降;秃杉种群空间分布格局总体上为聚集分布,处于不同发育阶段的秃杉种群,其分布格局随时间而发生变化,从幼龄期到中龄期再到老龄期,种群分布格局由聚集分布逐渐变为随机分布,秃杉种群在不同发育阶段的空间分布格局差异与其生物学和生态学特性密切相关,同时受群落小环境的影响。     

Sustainable forest management reporting in Australia

Criteria and indicators are used in a number of sectors to assess progress towards specified goals or targets. The adoption by the Australian Government of a modified set of Montreal Process criteria and indicators to report Australia's progress towards sustainable forest management, at national and sub-national levels, has improved the ability to report comprehensively and consistently, on economic, environmental and social values. The establishment of Australia's Montreal Process Implementation Group, with members from all States and Territories representing forest conservation, production, public and private forest management, provides a strong regional ownership and guidance of the framework. The adoption of the framework by State government agencies, involved in both production and conservation forests, for reporting sustainable forest management demonstrates the framework's relevance at national and sub-national levels. A major development was the implementation, for the first time, of Australia's sustainable forest management reporting framework in Australia's State of the Forest Report 2003. The implementation process revealed issues of relevance to indicators at national and regional levels, data availability, duplication, ambiguity and gaps between some indicators. A national review of the framework is underway to improve the reporting of progress towards sustainable forest management reporting in Australia.     

我国特有植物银杉的资源、分布及其环境

我国银杉自1955年发现以来,陆续发现了它的新分布,至今已知在四省、区7个分布区的30多个分布点上,自然生长着银杉3200余株。它们是:广西花坪林区(越城岭南部)6个点有银杉1040抹,其中高5米以上的68株,1～5米的49株,1米以下的923株,最高21.1米,最大胸径83厘米;广西大瑶山4个点有银杉143株,其中高10米以上的94株,1～3米的3株,1米以下的46株,最高30米,最大胸径79.2厘米;湖南罗汉洞(越城岭北部)2个点有银杉58株,5米以上的有45株,最高18米,最大胸径43厘米;湖南罗霄山脉八面山有银杉707株,高1米以上的334株,最高24米,最大胸径46厘米;四川南川金佛山(大娄山东段北部)6个点有银杉527株,其中成年树400余株,最高17米,最大胸径50厘米;百枝山有银杉52株,最高8米,最大胸径27厘米;贵州道真沙河林区(大娄山东段南部)3处12个点有银杉729株,其中高5米以上的105株,2～5米的209株,1～2米的111株,1米以下的304株,最高18.8米,最大胸径48厘米;贵州桐梓白菁有银杉10株,高4～5米的2株,1～3米的6株,1米以下的2株。 银杉分布区范围自北纬24°5′～29°13′14″,东经107°10′～113°40′。其垂直分布自海拔940～1840米,金佛山银杉分布最高,为1600～1840米;罗汉洞银杉分布最低,为940～1060米。分布区内,年均温8.2°～17℃,绝对最低温