Hot Spot
Tree genetics can affect plantation biodiversity
 While it is
well known that the choice of germplasm used in industrial
plantations or restoration planting of forest trees will affect
plantation productivity and profitability, there has been little
appreciation of the flow-on consequences that the choice of tree
germplasm has on the broader community of organisms which develops
within the plantation. Recently published research by Dr
Robert Barbour (formerly of UTAS) investigates the effects of
genetic variation within blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) on
the organisms that live on and under the trees.
[read
more]
What's On
Mammalogical Congress
 In
August UTAS PhD student Helen Stephens (subprojects 4.2.1 and
4.2.8) will be attending the 10th International Mammalogical
Congress which is being held in Mendoza, Argentina. Helen will be
presenting the results from her study “Does aggregated
retention provide suitable habitat for mammal conservation in old
growth forests?” during the poster sessions associated with
the symposium “Conserving mammals in fragmented
landscapes”. Helen received funding to attend this conference
from the the UTAS Graduate Research Office Conference Funding
Scheme and the School of Plant Science.
[Visit
the International Mammalogical Congress website]
Ecological Restoration Conference
 The Society
for Ecological Restoration (SER) International's 2009 World
Conference will be held in Perth, Western Australia, from
23rd to 27th August. CRCF scientists including Neil Davidson
(UTAS), Robert Archibald (MURD), Brad Potts (UTAS), and
Robert Barbour (ex UTAS) will be attending, along with several PhD
students from Biodiversity subproject 4.2.2. Neil Davidson
will be chairing a session and presenting a talk in the Disturbance
and Fire session. PhD student Tanya Bailey (UTAS) will be
presenting a talk in the Forest Restoration session. Brad
Potts and Robert Barbour will both present invited talks in the
Restoration Genetics section.
[Visit the conference
website]
IFA Biennial conference 2009
The Institute of Foresters of Australia will be holding its
biennial conference between the 6th and 10th of September in
Caloundra, Queensland. The conference's theme is "Forestry: a
climate of change" and there is an exciting line-up of key note
speakers who will be focussing on the effect of climate change on
forest ecosystems, ecosystem services as well as innovation and
management changes. Himlal Baral (PhD student, UMelb)
will be attending the conference to present his paper "GIS-based
classification, mapping and valuation of ecosystem services in
production landscapes: a case study of Green Triangle region of
south-eastern Australia" (download Himlal's abstract here).
To register for the conference or to find out more.
[Visit the IFA Conference website]
Darwin 200
This year marks the Charles Darwin's 200th birthday.
Evolutionary biologists all over the world have been celebrating
the auspitious occasion with coferences, symposia and parties in
Darwin's honour. Fittingly, one of the commemorative events is
being held in Darwin (Northern Territory), 25-28 September 2009.
"DARWIN 200: Evolution and Biodiversity " combines the 40th AGM and
scientific conference of the Australian Entomological Society, the
9th Invertebrate Biodiversity & Conservation Conference, and
biennial meeting of the Society of Australian Systematic
Biologists. Cheryl O'Dwyer from Melbourne University will
join the Darwinian celebrations by presenting results from her
research on insect assemblages
in grey box grassy woodlands.
[Visit the Darwin 200
website]
Southern Connections 2010
 Mark
Neyland, Simon Grove (Forestry Tasmania) and Fred Duncan (Forest
Practices Authority) will travel to Argentina in February
next year to attend the sixth Southern Connections Conference that
will be held in San Carlos de Bariloche. The conference is
entitled "Gondwana reunited: a southern perspective for a changing
world" and will consider the past history, current characteristics,
and future perspectives of southern temperate ecosystems and biota
in a global context.
[Visit
the Southern Connections Conference website]
What's Been On
Biodiversity impacts of building a building
 "Sustainability"
is a word on everyone's lips these days - sustainable agriculture,
sustainable management, sustainable energy and even sustainable
buildings. With regard to the last of these, we usually think
of the water use and energy efficiency of the buildings once they
are built. However, in the process of construction there are
many issues that could also be considered, including the
biodiversity impacts of the production of building materials.
Matthew Hamilton, Michael Brown and Greg Nolan recently produced a
report that compares the biodiversity impacts of timber and other
building materials. The report may be downloaded by
clicking
here.
OFNM conference volume available now!
The most recent issue of Forest Ecology and Management (Volume
258, issue 4, 30 July 2009) is dedicated to articles from the Old
Forests New Management conference, held in Hobart in February last
year. Entitled "Old forests, new management: the conservation
and use of old growth forests in the 21st century" the volume
contains 20 articles, including five by scientists from Forestry
Tasmania and one by scientists at the Forest Practices
Authority (Tasmania) who are involved with the Biodiversity
subproject of the CRC . People with access to ScienceDirect
journals may access the volume here.
Fire kills Victorian forest giants
 The
catastrophic bush fires in Victoria in February caused devastation
not only to human communities but also to biological
communities. What was once majestic old growth forest is now
a charred forest skeleton. Many of the really tall trees have
been killed or severely damaged. But all is not lost.
Just as townships are rebuilding, there life is stirring in the
forests.
[read
more]
Odd Spot
Where has all the South African blue gum gone?
 In a recent
trip to South Africa, Brad Potts (UTAS) went in search of the South
African land race of the Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus
globulus). To his astonishment he discovered that the
modern population is but a shadow of its former glorious self.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.1 Biodiversity benefits of alternatives to
clearfelling
A new silviculture for Tasmania's public forests
 In May 2009
Forestry Tasmania released a review of the variable retention
program as part of its commitment under the Tasmanian Community
Forest Agreement to research and implement alternatives to
clearfelling. The review is based on research undertaken by
Forestry Tasmania and includes research done by Sue Baker, Mark
Neyland, Robyn Scott and Simon Grove who are involved with
subprojects 4.2.1 and 4.2.3 of the CRC. You can download the
report
here.
Skilled use of fire yields results in aggregated retention
coupes
 A
considerable amount of skill is required to control the burn within
an aggregated retention coupe. Forestry Tasmania personnel
are honing their skills to produce some favourable results.
[read more]
Great Scott! It's baby James!
 It
has been a while since the Biodiversity Group has been able to
report a new addition to the family. Congratulations to Robyn Scott
and Dave White on the birth of baby James White. James
arrived on the 6th of May with a healthy weight of 8 lb 2 oz (or
3.68 kg).
Student update
To learn more about student research progress in subproject 4.2.1,
click here.
Subproject 4.2.2 Biodiversity outcomes from plantation expansion
into agricultural and native forest landscapes
Remnant workshop brings industry, science and conservation
groups together
 A
workshop held in Albany WA in May 2009 examined the management of
degraded remnant vegetation within plantations. The event attracted
over 40 participants from the plantation industry, government
agencies, community groups and research institutions. Much passion,
concern and enthusiasm was apparent among the participants and it
was agreed that industry and community groups should work together
to achieve bigger and better restoration outcomes.
[read more]
Does the quality and size of native vegetation remnants within
blue-gum plantations influence ground-dwelling invertebrate
assemblages?
 We
all know that large, high quality habitats have higher
biodiversity, right? Well, this may not be strictly
true. The influence that habitat patch size and quality exert
on ground-dwelling invertebrate assemblages in remnant native
vegetation is being assessed Chela Powell, a PhD student at the
University of Melbourne. Chela has found some interesting - but
unexpected - results.
[read more]
Burnt seedbeds grow stronger seedlings
 Tanya
Bailey (PhD student, University of Tasmania) is studying eucalypt
seedling recruitment in native dry forest remnants in the Tasmanian
midlands. Now in her second year of study, Tanya is finding
that the relationship between fire, soil and seedlings is a lot
more complex than you might expect.
[read more]
Student update
To learn more about student research progress in subproject
4.2.2, click here.
Subproject 4.2.3 Biodiversity value of coarse woody debris
The Warra log decay project – the final beetle tally
 In
February this year, a decade of sampling invertebrates living in
decaying logs at Warra came to an end when the last emergence-traps
were ceremoniously removed. Lynne Forster has completed
sorting beetles from the 6,608 samples, and the data, comprising
17,309 beetles, are now ready for analysis.
[read more]
Tasmanian deadwoodological expertise in demand in Sweden
 For
the second time in four years, Simon Grove (Forestry Tasmania) has
travelled to Sweden as an invited expert in matters
deadwoodological. Four years ago, it was to provide an
external assessment of a long-term research program focused on
catering for dead wood biodiversity in Sweden’s managed
forests. This time, the trip was to act as the
‘opponent’ for doctoral student Nicklas Jansson’s
thesis ‘defence’ at Linköping University.
[read more]
Student update
Click here to find
out what the deadwoodology students have been up to recently.
Subproject 4.2.4 Tools for monitoring and assessing
biodiversity
GIS assists tree-hollow management
Amy Koch (Forest Practices Authority, Tasmania) has been looking
at photos and GIS mapping layers in order to develop tools and
guidelines to facilitate habitat identification and management.
[read more]
Blue gum distribution reviewed for swift parrot habitat
management
 Eucalyptus
globulus flowers are an important source of food for the
threatened swift parrot (Lathamus discolor) during its
breeding season. To assist with the management of swift parrot
habitat, the natural range of Eucalyptus globulus in
Tasmania was reviewed recently and a GIS (geographic information
system) surface has been produced.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.5 Management of forest species of high conservation
significance, including threatened species
Have funds - need bat detector!
Lisa Cawthen, a UTAS postgraduate student, studying bats and
their use of forest remnants, was recently awarded grants from the
Holsworth Wildlife Research Trust, the M.A. Ingram Turst and the
Ecological Society of Australia for the costs associated with field
work and equipment. Congratulations, Lisa! Despite her
success with funding she doesn't have quite enough money to
purchase bat detectors. If anyone has bat detectors (Anabats)
available for loan or would like to purchase and lend them to Lisa
for her research, she would be very interested to hear from
you!
[Contact Lisa]
Wedge-tailed eagle nesting habits exposed!
 The first
year report for the CRC affiliated wedge-tailed eagle
monitoring project is now available. This reports on the selection
of nest sites to be monitored and the preliminary first year
results.
[read more]
Possum results provide food for thought
 Erin Flynn
(PhD student, University of Tasmania) has been studying the
influence of vegetation type and habitat disturbance on population
size, structure and condition in the common brush tailed
possum. Erin has now finished her field work and has recently
been in the laboratory analysing biological samples.
[read more]
Student update
The students have been busy.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.6 Management of the risk of gene flow from eucalypt
plantations
How far does Eucalyptus globulus pollen travel?
 An
understanding of the extent to which pollen is dispersed in the
landscape is important in assessing and managing the
risk of gene flow between plantation and native forest. In a
collaborative study led by Dr. Makiko Mimura from the University of
Tsukuba, Japan and started in 2006, molecular markers have been
used to model effective pollen dispersal in native populations of
Eucalyptus globulus.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.7 Management of genetic resources
Ashes to ashes: long term E. regnans study comes full
circle
 In June 2009,
Professor Rod Griffin and his trusty field assistant Des Stackpole
travelled from Tasmania to South Gippsland to pay homage to a 30
year old plantation, accompanied by the intrepid mature-aged tree
climber and seed collection expert Marty Lavery. Des
Stackpole reports.
[read more]
Geneticists get down to business
 In June
2009, Peter Ades (University of Melbourne) joined colleagues from
UTAS to update industry partners at Forestry Tasmania on the fine
and broad scale population genetics of the ashes - in particular
Eucalyptus obliqua and E. regnans.
[read more]
Cross program linkages in Blackbutt research
Merv Shepherd and co-workers at Southern Cross University are
involved with the CRC's research program 2 (High Value Wood
Resources) in a project that aims to use association genetics to
identify genes of commercial importance in blackbutt
(Eucalyptus pilularis). Part of the process of
discovering associations between genetic markers, genes and wood
properties involves understanding and accounting for any genetic
structure that exists in the populations being studied. This
research also provides information relevant to the management of
genetic resources.
[read
more]
New student to tackle Corymbia gene flow issues
Merv Shepherd's research group at Southern Cross University
welcomes a new PhD student to the team. Myralyn Abasolo will be
studying the 'whys, hows and what-ifs' of gene flow from
Corymbia plantations into native vegetation.
[read more]
Student update
Publications and theses are emerging thick and fast.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.8 Integrated management of browsing mammals
Smelly stockings scare peckish possums
 Alison
Miller's research on the control of mammal browsers using
genetically repulsive eucalypt provenances, physical deterrents
such as grit or net stockings and chemical repellents such as
Sentree may be extended in future to develop "smelly
stockings" - stockings so smelly that even a hungry possum would
lose its appetite. Boy - they must smell bad!
[read more]
Cute and cuddly
 Subproject 4.2.8 has
an unfair advantage over many of the other subprojects - in the
"public interest" department - due to its attractive, "cute and
cuddly" subjects. UTAS PhD student, Naomi Glancy recently
produced her very own cute and cuddly playmate (though, unlike
other of Naomi's subjects this one is not furry!). Naomi's
son, Conor Andrew Dean was born on 13th July 2009; for the
statisticians among us, he measured 54 cm in length and weighed in
at 4 kg (8 pounds,14 ounces). Congratulations, Naomi! (Click
on the photo to see a larger image.)
Subproject 4.2.9 Lethal trap trees
Combatting the curse of the chrysomelids
 The data are
rolling in from last season's trails of lethal trap trees and the
scientists are busily deciding on the best plan of defense against
those pesky chrysomelid leaf beetles. Trials around Tasmania are
entering adulthood which means that this spring the trees will
finally be susceptible to beetle attack. Bring 'em on!
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.10 Improving Mycosphaerella leaf disease resistance
in Eucalyptus globulus
Frost h its new Myco
trial
In April this year frost caused damage to seedlings in the new
blue gum/Mycosphaerella trial at Gould’s Country in
north-eastern Tasmania.
[read more]
Project 4.4 Integrated Pest Management Group (Western Australia and
Green Triangle)
 This year marks the tenth
anniversary of the IPMG. In a series of mid-year workshops in
the Green Triangle and Western Australia the IPMG team presented an
overview of a decade of research and summarised their
knowledge of all things pestilent in blue gum plantations.
[read more]
Related sites
Forest
Practices Authority newsletter
The editor of BioBuzz is Dr Dorothy
Steane. Please contact Dot with any feedback or with your ideas
for BioBuzz 10 (December 2009).
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