Evaluation of soil nutrients under Eucalyptus grandis plantation and adjacent sub-montane rain forest

A study was conducted to evaluate the status of soil nutrients under E. grandis plantation in comparison with that in its adjacent submontane rain forest. Twenty sequare plots, with an area of 20 m×20 m for each, were established in both of E.grandis plantation and its adjacent sub-montane rain forest, independently. Soil samples were collected from each square plot, at five points （at the four comers and at the center） of each plot. The collected soil samples were mixed to make a composite and representative sample for each plot, independently. The analyses were done in a soil laboratory following appropriate methods. The analysis result indicated that there were no significance differences between E. grandis plantation and its adjacent sub-montane rain forest in the level of major soil nutrients （total N, available P, exchangeable K, Ca and Mg）, pH and total carbon of soils （p 〈 0.05）. There were significance differences between two sites of forest soils in percentage of clay particles, and exchangeable Na content. E. grandis plantation was found improving soil nutrients and total carbon as compared with that of its adjacent submontane rain forest.

Analysis of the Freezing Damage to Biennial Eucalyptus dunnii and Eucalyptus smithii in Haikou Forest Farm

In winter of 2013,cold weather occurred in Kunming,and biennial E. dunnii and E. smithii in Haikou Forest Farm suffered different degrees of freezing damage. The freezing damage to them was analyzed here. The results showed that in the families of E. dunnii,families suffering severe and especially severe freezing damage accounted for 7. 7%,while 92. 3% of families suffered moderate and below freezing damage; in the families of E. smithii,56. 7% of families suffered severe and especially severe freezing damage,while families suffering moderate and below freezing damage accounted for 43. 3%. There was significant difference between two species of eucalyptuses in tree height（ P 〈0. 05）,while there was extremely significant difference in freezing damage grade and index（ P 〈0. 01）. There was significantly negative correlation between the tree height and freezing damage grade of E. dunnii and E. smithii,with the correlation coefficients of- 0. 374 and- 0. 234. That is,the freezing damage grade would decrease with the increase of tree height.

Considering and comparing regeneration in natural and man-made stands in northern Iran

In this study the regeneration diversity of Syahkal forests afforestated and natural stands in north of Iran was studied and compared from the point of view of evenness and diversity index. In order to accomplish this study two natural and man-made stands that almost are located in the same height above the sea level were chosen. The area of each stand was 30 ha and the inventory was done by the random-systematic method with a 5R land measurement （500 m2） selected. Also, in order to study the regeneration in the center of each sample piece 125 square meters micro plots were formed. The results show that regeneration diversity index in natural stands is more than that in man-made stands which in this case Mc-Arthur index with 2.41 has the most amount while Simpson index with 0.543 has the least amount. But the evenness indexes in man-made stands are more than that in natural stand which the main reason is the purity of the man-made stand.

Effect of Planting Eucalyptus Trees on Runoff Depth and Its Processes of Forestland Natural Watersheds

The runoff and runoff process of Eucalyptus plantations natural watershed were studied to provide guidance for scientific evaluation of water conservation capacities of Eucalyptus plantations,compared with the Pinus massoniana forest natural watershed. The runoff volumes of Eucalyptus plantations and P. massoniana forest natural watersheds were continuously monitored using the small watershed runoff monitoring method and the automatic data collection devices from August,2013 to December,2016,and effects of heavy rainfall and continuous rainfall on the runoff process were studied. Results showed that the annual runoff coefficient of Eucalyptus plantations natural watershed was 0. 050,and 55. 4% lower than P. massoniana forest（ 0. 112）,with the difference being significant（ P 〈 0. 01）. Total runoff duration,time of maximum runoff lagging behind rainfall peak,and runoff duration caused by a heavy rainfall process（ amounting to 147. 5 mm） between the two kinds of forest watersheds were significant different,those of Eucalyptus plantations were 35. 6 mm,0. 2 h and 13. 8 h,respectively,while those of P. massoniana forest were28. 5 mm,0. 7 h and 35. 5 h,respectively. Eucalyptus plantations natural watershed produced only 4-days runoff,and runoff depth amounted to3. 8 mm with a 7-days continuous precipitation process of rainfall with 125. 0 mm,while P. massoniana forest natural watershed produced continuously 13-days runoff,and the runoff depth was 10. 1 mm. In conclusion,water conservation capacity of Eucalyptus plantations is obviously lower than P. massoniana forest.

Effects of forest cover types and environmental factors on soil respiration dynamics in a coastal sand dune of subtropical China

Trees on sand dunes are more sensitive to environmental changes because sandy soils have extremely low water holding capacity and nutrient availability. We investigated the dynamics of soil respiration(Rs) for secondary natural Litsea forest and plantations of casuarina,pine, acacia and eucalyptus. Results show that significant diurnal variations of Rsoccurred in autumn for the eucalyptus species and in summer for the pine species, with higher mean soil respiration at night. However, significant seasonal variations of Rswere found in all five forest stands. Rschanged exponentially with soil temperatures at the 10-cm depth; the models explain 43.3–77.0% of Rs variations. Positive relationships between seasonal Rsand soil moisture varied with stands. The correlations were significant only in the secondary forest, and the eucalyptus and pine plantations. The temperature sensitivity parameter(Q10 value) of Rsranged from 1.64 in casuarina plantation to 2.32 the in secondary forest; annual Rswas highest in the secondary forest and lowest in the pine plantation. The results indicate that soil temperatures and moisture are the primary environmental controls of soil respiration and mainly act through a direct influence on roots and microbial activity. Differences in root biomass, quality of litter,and soil properties(pH, total N, available P, and exchangeable Mg) were also significant factors.

Fire alters the availability of soil nutrients and accelerates growth of Eucalyptus grandis in Zambia

Fire has been used to prepare land during tree plantation establishment for many years but uncertainty about how ecosystems respond to prescribed burning makes it difficult to predict the effects of fire on soil nutrients.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of burning accumulated forest residues(slash)on soil chemical properties and how trees respond.We analyzed 40 burned and unburned sites and compared growth of Eucalyptus grandis W.Hill ex Maiden between sites.Soil pH increased by 39%after fire,suggesting reduced soil acidity and increased liming.Total nitrogen increased by 100%;other nutrients(Ca^2+,Mg^2+and K^+)also increased.Increase in nutrients had a significant effect on the growth of E.grandis;larger and taller trees were associated more with burned than unburned sites.This study provides evidence that burning accumulated slash during land preparation prior to plantation establishment alters soil nutrient status and enhances the growth of E.grandis.

Eucalyptus carbon stock estimation in subtropical regions with the modeling strategy of sample plots–airborne LiDAR–Landsat time series data

Updating eucalyptus carbon stock data in a timely manner is essential for better understanding and quantifying its effects on ecological and hydrological processes.At present,there are no suitable methods to accurately estimate the eucalyptus carbon stock in a large area.This research aimed to explore the transferability of the eucalyptus carbon stock estimation model at temporal and spatial scales and assess modeling performance through the strategy of combining sample plots,airborne LiDAR and Landsat time series data in subtropical regions of China.Specifically,eucalyptus carbon stock estimates in typical sites were obtained by applying the developed models with the combination of airborne LiDAR and field measurement data;the eucalyptus plantation ages were estimated using the random localization segmentation approach from Landsat time series data;and regional models were developed by linking LiDAR-derived eucalyptus carbon stock and vegetation age(e.g.,months or years).To examine the models’robustness,the developed models at the regional scale were transferred to estimate carbon stocks at the spatial and temporal scales,and the modeling results were evaluated using validation samples accordingly.The results showed that carbon stock can be successfully estimated using the age-based models(both age variables in months and years as predictor variables),but the month-based models produced better estimates with a root mean square error(RMSE)of 6.51 t⋅ha1 for Yunxiao County,Fujian Province,and 6.33 t⋅ha1 for Gaofeng Forest Farm,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.Particularly,the month-based models were superior for estimating the carbon stocks of young eucalyptus plantations of less than two years.The model transferability analyses showed that the month-based models had higher transferability than the year-based models at the temporal scale,indicating their possibility for analysis of carbon stock change.However,both the month-based and year-based models expressed relatively poor transferability at a spatial scale.This study provides new insights for cost-effective monitoring of carbon stock change in intensively managed plantation forests.

The Influence of Typical Forest Types on Soil Erosion Resistance in the Water Source Areas of Central Yunnan

In order to clarify the influence of different forest types on soil erosion resistance in water source area of Central Yunnan,with the soils under three different kinds of typical forest in Yizhe watershed as the research object,this paper uses field simulation method and principal component analysis to analyze the soil erosion resistance of three kinds of soils. The results show that there is a significant difference in the shear strength of soil among three types of typical forest,and the size of soil shear strength is in the order of Pinus yunnanensis forest land >mixed broadleaf-conifer forest land > eucalyptus forest land. The difference in the soil erosion coefficient among different forests is not significant,and the soil erosion resistance is highest in mixed broadleaf-conifer forest land( 39. 0%),followed by eucalyptus woodland( 37. 0%)and Pinus yunnanensis forest land( 24. 0%). Under heavy rain intensity and long duration of rainfall,the ability of soil under eucalyptus ×Pinus yunnanensis mixed forests to resist disintegration is more obvious. Using principal component analysis to analyze soil erosion resistance of soils under three different forests,we get the comprehensive evaluation model for soil erosion resistance: Y = 0. 763Y1+ 0. 236Y2. The soil erosion resistance is in the order of mixed broadleaf-conifer forest land( 0. 150) > eucalyptus forest land( 0. 127) > Pinus yunnanensis forest land(-0. 079),indicating that the mixed forests have better water loss and soil erosion control effect than pure forests.

Species-specific biomass allometric models and expansion factors for indigenous and planted forests of the Mozambique highlands

Secondary Miombo woodlands and forest plantations occupy increasing areas in Mozambique,the former due to anthropogenic activities.Plantations,mainly species of Eucalyptus and Pinus,are being established on sites previously covered by secondary Miombo woodlands.This affects the evolution,cycle and spatiotemporal patterns of carbon(C)storage and stocks in forest ecosystems.The estimation of C storage,which is indispensable for formulating climate change policies on sequestrating CO_(2),requires tools such as biomass models and biomass conversion and expansion factors(BCEF).In Mozambique,these tools are needed for both indigenous forests and plantations.The objective of this study is to fit species-specific allometric biomass models and BCEF for exotic and indigenous tree species.To incorporate efficient inter-species variability,biomass equations were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects models.All tree component biomass models had good predictability;however,better predictive accuracy and ability was observed for the 2-predictors biomass model with tree height as a second predictor.The majority of the variability in BCEF was explained by the variation in tree species.Miombo species had larger crown biomass per unit of stem diameter and stored larger amounts of biomass per stem volume.However,due to relatively rapid growth,larger stem diameters,heights,and stand density,the plantations stored more biomass per tree and per unit area.

Study on Soil Properties of Eucalyptus Plantation inHainan

Taking Hainan Eucalyptus plantation as the research object with 4 other kinds of plantations or natural forest as reference plots, the effects of different forest land types on soil nutrient contents were analyzed, and the differences of soil properties were discussed. The results showed that: (1) Eucalyptus plantations were relatively helpful to reduce soil bulk density and enhance the stability of water-stable aggregates;(2) Eucalyptus plantations can improve the content of soil organic matter;(3) Soil pH showed an overall acidi fication trend under forest land conditions in Hainan;total nitrogen and alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen content of Eucalyptus plantations showed a downward trend with the deepening of soil layer;total phosphorus and available phosphorus content showed a downward trend, while organic matter, total potassium and available K showed an upward trend. (4) The contents of total phosphorus and available phosphorus in the soil of Eucalyptus plantations of different ages did not change significantly, whereas the contents of other nutrients decreased gradually with the increase of soil depth.

Linear programming approach for optimal forest plantation

The aim of this research was to identify species suitable for plantation. We first identified species for potentially suitable for plantation based on ecological capabilities regarding soil properties. We determined the area of plantation for different species based on ecological capabilities. Then, we collected relevant data such as growth patterns of different species, labor requirements for plantation and plantation cost. A linear programming model and two integer linear programming models were used for optimization. The appropriate species based on ecological capabilities were ash, elm, maple, oak and bald cypress. A linear programming model was used based on ecological capabilities classification to determine the land area of different species for plantation. Then, two integer linear programming models were employed to select the species for plantation. We set ecological properties unequal for all of the species in the first run of the integer programming model. Two groups were classified： group one included maple and ash; group two included bald cypress,oak and elm. The second integer programming model assumed equal ecological properties for all the species.Results of linear programming showed that maple and bald cypress were appropriate for plantation at the site and their plantation areas should be 151.3 and 355.3 ha, respectively. Results of the first integer linear programming model showed that maple and bald cypress would be economically profitable for plantation. The results of the second integer linear programming model showed that only bald cypress would be appropriate for plantation.

Drought and Heat Triggers Sudden and Severe Dieback in a Dominant Mediterranean-Type Woodland Species

Ecosystems in Mediterranean climate regions are projected to undergo considerable changes as a result of shifting climate, including from extreme drought and heat events. A severe and sudden dieback event, occurring in regionally significant Eucalyptus gomphocephala woodland in Western Australia, coincided with extreme drought and heat conditions in early 2011. Using a combination of remote sensing and field- based approaches, we characterized the extent and severity of canopy dieback following the event, as well as highlighted potential predisposing site factors. An estimated 500 ha of woodland was severely affected between February and March 2011. Tree foliage rapidly discolored and died over this period. In the af-fected portion of the woodland, approximately 90% of trees greater than 20 cm DBH were impacted, while in the adjacent unaffected woodland 6% showed signs of damage. Tree density in the unaffected area had approximately 4.5 times more trees than the affected woodland. Precipitation drainage patterns are thought to explain the difference between affected and unaffected woodland. Dropping groundwater levels, a relatively shallow soil profile, and extreme drought and heat in 2010-2011 are thought to predispose water-shedding sites to drought-triggered canopy dieback during extended periods of dryness. Tracking forest health changes in response to severe disturbance is an important key to deciphering past and future vegetation change.

Factors determining the occupancy of nest-boxes by Great Tits(Parus major)in eucalypt plantations

Providing nest-boxes as surrogate tree cavities can be of great importance to increase the breeding populations of cavity-nesting birds in managed forests.However,the exact placement of nest-boxes should be taken into consideration to enhance their occupancy according to species-specific preferences.In this study,we investigated which factors can better predict nest-box occupancy by the Great Tit(Parus major)in eucalypt plantations.We used generalised linear mixed-effects models to analyse the influence of topography,nest-box positioning,vegetation cover and landscape variables on three-year occupancy records from 80 newly provided nest-boxes.Non-random patterns of nest-box occupancy were found with respect to all categories except topography.Results suggest that Great Tits prefer to occupy high-placed nest-boxes,close to areas that can provide them with supplementary resources either within or in the vicinity of the stand(i.e.,trees other than eucalypts,riparian vegetation,and large patches of adjacent habitats).Overall,this study provides important recommendations for nest-box placement and spatial distribution in managed forests and enhances the potential of nest-box interventions as a biodiversity offset and management tool.

Benefit Assessment on Early Tapping of Pinus elliottii

The early growth of Pinus elliottii is rapid,so how to make Pinus elliottii generate economic benefit as quickly as possible is becoming increasing important.We conduct tapping test on man-made forest of perennial Pinus elliottii in Huashan forest farm,Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County,Hechi City,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.The results show that the economic benefit of early tapping of Pinus elliottii is obvious,with high profitability;NPV(16 089.13)and IRR(39.2%)of forest stand tapped are much higher than that of forest stand not tapped;at the same time,it can bring considerable demand for labor,with good social benefits;tapping has a certain effect on the growth of Pinus elliottii,and turpentine production is closely related to the trunk diameter.

Vegetation Dynamism in the Mixed Conifer/Broadleaves Species Artificial Stands Crossed by Fire： The Arci Mountain Case Study in Sardinia

Immediate cutting and logging of mixed conifer/broadleaves species in a man-made forest crossed by fire in 2009 in the Arci Mountain in Sardinia can not guarantee as the best post-fire regeneration. The study case reports the differences in the density and in the height of seedlings. The release of damaged Pinus halepensis Mill. stems seems to confirm the tree seeder role of this species.

Zoning Map of Favorable Areas for the Major Occurrence of Thaumastocoris peregrinus in Brazil

Native of Australia,Thaumastocoris peregrinus(Eucalyptus bronze bug)is a Eucalyptus insect pest which was firstly detected in Brazil in June 2008.Some studies have shown favorable areas for T.peregrinus population outbreaks in Brazil,based on georeferenced-crossing information using geographical information system(GIS).Despite that,it is crucial to both enhance the precision of methods used on georeferenced crossings and update information,in order to enable greater precision toward the identification of propitious areas for the occurrence of the insect.The objective of this study was to identify areas with favorable conditions to occurrence of Thaumastocoris peregrinus in Brazil,in at least one month in the year,based on national information of this insect-pest.Favorable conditions to the occurrence of the insect,the average climatic data from weather stations(2009-2018)and Eucalyptus crop areas in 2018 were considered.This information was used in GIS to obtain a zoning map indicating the favorable areas to the insect in at least one month in the year.The georeferenced-crossing technique used considered both spatial interpolation by Cokriging methods and by Inverse Distance Weighted(IDW).Results indicated the presence of propitious outbreaks for T.peregrinus occurring in differentiated months in the Southern,Southeastern,Midwestern and Northeastern geographic regions of the country,with lowest monthly aptitude noticed for the Northern region.Different sequential periods of favorability for occurrences from very high to medium intensities were identified.

Effects of Forest Types and Environmental Factors on Soil Microbial Biomass in a Coastal Sand Dune of Subtropical China

Coastal sand dune ecosystems generally have infertile soil with low water-holding capacity and high salinity. However, many plant species have adapted to the harsh sand environment along the southeastern coast of China. Studying the microbial biomass in such an ecosystem can improve our understanding of the roles that microbes play in soil fertility and nutrient cycling. We investigated the differences in soil microbial biomass carbon(MBC) and nitrogen(MBN) contents and their seasonal dynamics in five forest types(a secondary forest and plantations of Casuarinas, Pine, Acacia, and Eucalyptus). The results indicated that the seasonal variations of soil MBC and MBN contents in all five forest stands were higher in spring and winter, but lower in summer and autumn. The MBC content was lower in the Casuarinas plantation than in the other plantations in the same soil layer. However, no significant differences were observed in MBN contents among the different forest types. The MBC and MBN concentrations were positively correlated with soil moisture, but negatively correlated with soil temperature. The MBC and MBN contents also decreased with increasing soil depth. Across all soil layers, secondary forest had the highest MBC and MBN concentrations. Our study also showed that the MBC and MBN contents were positively affected by total soil carbon(TC), pH, and litter N content, but were negatively impacted by soil bulk density and litter C content. Moreover, the MBN content was positively correlated with root N content. In summary, environmental factors and the differences in litter and fine roots, soil nutrient contents, as well as the soil physical and chemical properties caused by different tree species collectively affected the concentrations of the soil MBC and MBN.

Forecast of China’s Forestation Area Based on ARIMA Model

Man-made forest, which is the forest ecosystem of rehabilitation and reconstruction, plays a significant role in the provision of forest products and improvement the ecological environment. In this paper, we established the AR (5) model to predict China's forest area from 2009 to 2015. This study shows the slow growth of the national plantation area trend with some fluctuations, but the overall growth rate is not large. We proposed that on one hand China should continue to increase the plantation area, on the other hand the quality of plantation should be ensured.

Advances in eucalypt research in China

Eucalypt plantations in China currently exceed4.5 Mhm^2, and this country has the third largest area of such plantations after India and Brazil. China's eucalypt industry now comprises a complex, multifaceted industry including seedling propagation, fertilizer production and supply, plantation silviculture, harvesting and transport,wood processing for products including lumber, pulp and paper, and wood-based panels, as well as bioenergy production and various forest byproducts and non-wood forest products. In 2015, the combined value of output of this whole industry was around 300 billion CNY. Chinese research and development(R&D) has been instrumental in supporting growth and development across the whole breadth of the country's eucalypt industry. In this report,recent advances in this R&D are reviewed under six key topics:(1) advanced propagation technology;(2) genetic resources and breeding;(3) targeted silviculture;(4) eucalypt disease and pest management;(5) enhancing plantation ecology and sustainability; and(6) wood processing and byproduct technology. R&D has greatly facilitated expansion and proliferation of all parts of China's eucalypt industry. This industry is now of major importance to China's economy; it involves tens of thousands of growers and companies that provide livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.

Variable retention in Tasmania, Australia: trends over 16 years of monitoring and adaptive management

Background:Variable retention harvesting using aggregated retention(ARN)has been applied in some Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests for>15 years.Implementation of ARN in Tasmania differs from most other regions,as forest influence(or the proximity of harvested areas to long-term retention)is primarily used to distinguish ARN from clearfelling rather than retention level,and broadcast burning is used as a regeneration treatment,resulting in a preference for edge aggregates instead of isolated retained islands.Clear emphasis on site-level retention of biological legacies and forest influence to facilitate re-establishment of mature forest species ensures that ARN coupes achieve the ecological objectives associated with retention forestry.Results:Spatial and survey data collected from operational ARN coupes illustrates the development of this silvicultural practice over time and allows comparisons with conventional clearfelling.Over 90%of ARN coupes have met the forest influence target of>50%.The number of ARN coupes harvested per year has varied,but mean retention levels(29%)and the mean area harvested per coupe(24 ha)have remained the same.Forest influence in ARN coupes has decreased over time,as have perimeter-to-area ratios,largely due to a decrease in the number of island aggregates.Although these measures of complexity have decreased,ARN coupes still have much greater forest influence,retention,and perimeter-to-area ratios when compared to conventional clearfell,burn and sow(CBS)coupes.The observed decrease in boundary complexity should facilitate regeneration burning in ARN coupes,although no increase in the proportion of burnt seedbed was observed.The proportion of burnt seedbed is strongly correlated with eucalypt seedling stocking and density in ARN coupes,and these attributes were all significantly lower in recent ARN coupes compared to clearfells.These differences appear to be due to achieving better burns in recent CBS coupes,rather than poorer ones in ARN coupes.Conclusions:Although the area that can feasibly be harvested by ARN is limited by the requirement for regeneration burning,ARN provides clear biodiversity benefits and satisfactory silvicultural outcomes and is now firmly embedded as a viable alternative to clearfelling in Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests.