Hot Spot
Integrating forest values with landscape management
Forests provide multiple ecosystem services and are vital to
human well-being. While the values of ecosystem services (eg,
food, fibre, flood protection, clean water and clean air) have been
recognised widely, they are rarely incorporated into planning and
decision-making. Proper classification, mapping and valuation
of ecosystem services can play an important role in restoration
planning and ecosystem-based management. University of
Melbourne PhD student, Himlal
Baral, has developed a framework for classifying and mapping
ecosystem services for a production landscape.
[read more]
Biodiversity Project Update
The end of the year is often a time for reflection about where
the year went, what we have achieved and what our goals for the
future might be. Project leader Professor Brad Potts
summarises the considerable achievements of scientists in project
4.2 in 2008-2009.
[read more]
What's On
Variable Retention Field Day
The CRC for Forestry and Forestry Tasmania will be co-hosting a
field day in December 2009 to increase awareness, among invited
colleagues from Tasmanian and Commonwealth agencies and research
organisations working on conservation issues, of the science that
underpins the emergence of variable retention harvesting as the
ecological solution for biodiversity retention in commercial old
growth wet eucalypt forests. If you are a CRC member you can
click here to find out more.
Southern Connections Congress, Argentina 2010
 Simon Grove,
Mark Neyland (Forestry Tasmania) and Fred Duncan (Forest Practices
Authority) will be attending the Southern Connections Congress in
Bariloche, Argentina, in March 2010. Simon will present a
talk on "the role of long-term ecological research in guiding
advances in silviculture: an example from Tasmania" in a
symposium on the role of long-term research sites in studies of
ecology, management and conservation of southern cool temperate
forests. Mark will be presenting the results of his recently
submitted PhD: “Silvicultural performance of alternatives
to clearfelling in lowland wet eucalypt forests: Findings from
long-term research at Warra, Tasmania”. Learn more about the
Southern Connections Congress.
CRC experts lead south American post-graduate course
After the Southern Connections Congress in Bariloche, Argentina,
Simon Grove, Mark Neyland (Forestry Tasmania) and Fred Duncan
(Forest Practices Authority) will head south to Terra del Fuego,
Chile, to take up teaching roles in a post-graduate course on
Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Southern Cool
Temperate Forest Ecosystems. [view flyer]
International Phytophthora Conference
Rotorua, New Zealand, will be the steamy venue for IUFRO's fifth
International meeting on Phyophthora diseases in forests
and natural ecosystems, to be held in March 2010. Dr Tim
Wardlaw, Forestry Tasmania's forest health expert, will be there to
present a talk on "the potential of sub-lethal growth effects from
Phytophthora cinnamomi root infection of Eucalyptus
nitens and implications for species-choice on sites suitable
for growing either E. nitens or E.
globulus". Visit conference
website.
Two biodiversity researchers invited to speak at Malaysian
conference
 Professor Brad Potts and Dr Dorothy
Steane (UTAS) have been invited to speak at a IUFRO Conference to
be held in Kuala Lumpur, March 7-12, 2010. The conference
will explore the sustainable use of forest genetic resources, with
an emphasis on the contributions that genetics and genomics can
make to forest management decisions. Brad will be presenting
research results from subprojects 4.2.6 and 4.2.7 in a talk titled:
"Assessing and managing the risk of genetic contamination from
forest tree plantings: the case of Eucalyptus in
Australia". Dot will be talking about the "Application of
Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) in Eucalyptus phylogeny
reconstruction: from populations to species" (view abstract).
[Visit conference
website]
History of Innovation in Forestry
Forestry Tasmania recently published a book documenting the
impact that science has had on the forest industry. Compiled
by Humphrey Elliott, Ken Felton, Jean Jarman and Martin Stone, A
History of Innovation: Eighty-five Years of Research and
Development at Forestry Tasmania documents the period between
1921 and 2006, tracing scientific developments from the time of
hand-drawn maps through to the era of LIDAR. You can find out
more about the book by visiting the Forestry Tasmania website - or
just by clicking
here!
Elite scholarships for PhDs in Eucalyptus
genetics
The University of Tasmania is offering generous scholarships to
gifted, enthusiastic students. The Elite Research Scholarships are valued at $30K per
annum tax free and are available for three years, with a possible
six-month extension. There are scholarships for four PhD
projects in Eucalyptus genetics:
What's Been On
Clarke Medallist profiled by ABC's Stateline
 Like
a pebble thrown into a pond, the after-effects of Brad Potts'
prestigious Clarke Medal award (see article in Biobuzz
8, April 2009) are still being felt across Tasmania. ABC
Stateline's TV crew visited the UTAS School of Plant Science
in August to profile Brad Potts and his research. Brad, being
the generous person that he is, shared the publicity around by
including as many of his team in the spotlight as he possibly
could, with visits to SeedEnergy's Cambridge Arboretum, the UTAS
glass houses, the main eucalypt lab as well as the molecular
lab. [read
the transcript from ABC Stateline]
Mammalogical Congress
 In August,
UTAS PhD student Helen Stephens attended the 10th
International Mammalogical Congress in Mendoza, Argentina. The
congress is held only once every four years and this was the first
time it had been hosted in South America. In the lead up to
the conference Helen spent a week in the Sierra de las Quijadas
National Park, in a desert north-east of Mendoza, assisting with
"fear" research in, among other things, armadillos and strange
long-legged rodents.
[read more]
Ecological Restoration Conference
 A
contingent of eight CRC researchers attended the 19th Conference of
the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SERI) in
Perth Western Australia in August (go to conference website). The conference was titled
"Making Change in a Changing World". As restoration ecology
is a relative new scientific discipline, meetings of this magnitude
are important platforms to assist the restoration community in
defining the principles of restoration, understanding goals and
milestones, debating what ecosystem functions to measure and
closing the gap between the science of restoration ecology and the
practice of ecological restoration.
[read more]
IFA Biennial Conference
Himlal Baral, a PhD student at UMELB, recently attended the
biennial conference of the
Institute of Foresters of Australia, held in sunny Caloundra,
Queensland. The conference was attended by about 350
delegates and included over 50 oral paper presentations, student
poster presentations, plenary panel discussions and diverse field
days, all focussed on the impact of climate change on forests and
forest management.
[read more]
CRC student wins award at "Darwin 200"
The 9th Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation conference
was held jointly with the Entomological Society's 40th AGM and
Scientific conference, and the Society of Australian Systematic
Biologists Conference in Darwin in September (go to conference
website). The combined conference, called "Darwin 200:
Evolution and Biodiversity", celebrated 150 years since the release
of The Origin of the Species and 200 years since the birth
of Charles Darwin. It was also the 170th anniversary of the naming
of Port of Darwin during the 3rd voyage of the Beagle. Over 185
delegates from all around the world congregated in Darwin to
present 177 seminars and 25 posters. Cheryl O'Dwyer (UMELB) gave an oral
presentation on her PhD results (view abstract) and
a poster on some additional work on Golden sun moths (view abstract).
Cheryl won the "best student presentation" award. Well done,
Cheryl!
Ecology in a Changing Climate: Two Hemispheres - One Globe
 The
Ecological Societies of Australia and New Zealand hosted the 10th
International
Congress of Ecology in Brisbane in August this year. The theme
of the conference was 'Ecology in a changing climate: two
hemispheres - one globe'. UTAS PhD student, Bryony Horton,
presented an impressive three posters relating to her fungal
research.
[read more]
Australasian Wildlife Management Conference
 At
the end of November this year, four researchers from the browsing
management research project travelled to Napier in New Zealand to
attend the 2009 annual Australasian Wildlife
Management Conference.
Julianne O'Reilly-Wapstra hosted a symposium entitled
“Mitigating impacts of pest species through non-lethal
management strategies.” Twelve speakers from Australia and
New Zealand (including Julianne) presented spoken papers in the
session. Tim Wardlaw (Forestry Tasmania) presented the plenary
talk, discussing Forestry Tasmania's abandonment of 1080-based
control of marsupial browsing and the challenges of replacing 1080
with an integrated management strategy, charting the course from
policy triggers and research aspiration to operational
practicalities.
Natasha Wiggins and
Alison Miller presented aspects of their research funded by the
TCFA Alternatives to 1080 Programme. [Click here to visit conference website or view
abstracts: Julianne,
Natasha,
Alison,
Tim]
Giant trees take part in Big Adventure
 The Giant
Trees Consultative Committee took at trip to the Styx Valley last
month to assess signage for the giant trees and to check out the
new facilities for Forestry Tasmania's "Adventure Hub". On
the way there Prof Brad Potts was introduced to a long lost tribe
of ...
[read
more]
Subproject 4.2.1 Biodiversity benefits of alternatives to
clearfelling
ARN News
After just six aggregated retention (ARN) coupes were
completed in 2009, 2010 is shaping as a big year, depending - of
course - on the weather during the autumn burning season.
[read more]
Alternatives to clearfelling - comparative study completed
Mark Neyland
who works at Forestry Tasmania is also enrolled as a PhD student at
UTAS. Mark recently submitted his PhD thesis that examined
the response of vegetation to a range of harvesting methods for
tall wet eucalypt forests that could be used as alternatives to
clearfelling. The study took place over ten years at the
Warra silvicultural systems trial in southern Tasmania. Click
here
to read Mark's thesis abstract.
When the going gets tough, the cutting grass gets going!
 Liam Hindrum recently
completed his Honours degree at UTAS. After working last
summer for Forestry Tasmania in aggregated retention coupes, Liam
became interested in the effects of mechanical disturbance (eg,
machinery tracks, snig tracks etc.) and burn intensity on the
floristic composition of regrowth and took the opportunity to do an
Honours project on the topic. Among other things, Liam
discovered that cutting grass (Gahnia grandis)
out-competes other plants on compressed earth ... which might
explain why eucalypt trials in southern Tasmania are often such a
nightmare to visit!
[read more]
Helen wins animal-friendly grant
 Congratulations
go to UTAS PhD student Helen
Stephens who was recently awarded a $20,000 grant from the
W V Scott Charitable Trust. The trust was established in
1986 to assist with "the promotion and encouragement of kindness
towards animals or wildlife or the protection and preservation of
animals or wildlife or the protection of endangered species of
animals or wildlife...". Helen will use her grant to fund the
second stage of her project: “Impacts of an alternative
logging practice, aggregated retention, on two native rodents, the
swamp rat (Rattus lutreolus) and long-tailed mouse
(Pseudomys higginsi)”.
Student update
With theses submitted, publications in preparation, graduations
and grant success the students in 4.2.1 are shining examples for
the rest of us.
[read
more].
Subproject 4.2.2 Biodiversity outcomes from plantation expansion
into agricultural and native forest landscapes
Comparative influence of edge type on temperate woodland
function
Tom Wright is
on the verge of submitting his PhD thesis to the graduate studies
office at the University of Melbourne. His research focussed
on the function of temperate woodland ecosystems in plantation
landscapes in the Green Triangle Plantation Region. The main
objectives of Tom's project were to understand how ecosystem
processes - in particular, microclimate, gas exchange and water
relations - at woodland edges function when adjoined by mature
plantations compared to traditional agricultural land.
[read more]
Using soil microbes as indicators of remnant forest health
Kasia Bialkowski (Murdoch University) is half-way through
her PhD project on managing soil microbes for biodiversity
conservation in native vegetation remnants within blue gum
plantations. One of the focuses of the research has been to
determine the importance of soil microbial activities in the
regulation of above-ground plant community composition, with the
aim to manipulate it towards decreasing grass understory in favour
of native species in degraded remnant.
[read more]
Student update
 Subproject
4.2.2 is the largest of the Biodiversity subprojects and the
students are spread across Australia. Click here to learn
more about their varied research interests and progress.
Subproject 4.2.3 Biodiversity value of coarse woody
debris
Regeneration time is critical for maintenance of cryptogam
biodiversity
Belinda Browning
(UTAS) recently completed her Masters thesis on “the
influence of forest age and log decay on cryptogam succession in
wet eucalypt forest following clearfell, burn and sow
harvesting”. Her study of cryptogam succession over time
after first rotation logging suggested that these communities
follow a successional pathway similar to one that would occur after
natural wildfire disturbance. Bindi suggested that successive
harvesting events based on rotations even as long as 100 years
could result in the loss of some cryptogam species from a forest
community. Bindi will be graduating in December -
congratulations, Bindi!
Read Bindi's thesis
abstract.
New directions for CWD research
With much of the fine-scale coarse woody debris (CWD)
research nearing completion, CWD team members are working hard to
"spread the word" and implement their research findings.
Meanwhile, the next phase of the research is gathering
momentum. CWD research is moving away from fine-scale studies
towards studies that examine the ways in which dependent biota use
CWD in the landscape.
[read more]
Student update
Two down ... one to go. The students from the
deadwoodology group are scattering in different directions - two
degrees are in hand and one more PhD student is sprinting towards
the finish line.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.4 Tools for monitoring and assessing
biodiversity
Hot new tool for genetic studies
 A research team
comprising scientists from UTAS/CRC, Brazil, South Africa in
collaboration with an Austalian biotech company have developed a
set of highly polymorphic "DArT" markers in Eucalyptus
that have diverse applications in a range of genetic studies.
These high-throughput genome-wide markers will greatly accelerate
the process of gene discovery, are great for population genetic
studies and will potentially allow rapid and relatively inexpensive
resolution of previously intractable phylogenetic questions within
Eucalyptus ...
[read more]
Is there anything in that hole?
Dr Amy Koch (Forest Practices Authority) has been working with
other Forest Practices Officers on the development of a new
approach to the management of the tree hollow resource in areas
covered by the Tasmanian Forest Practices system. This work is
still in the development stage but it is hoped that new guidelines
for forest planners can be finalized in 2010. As part of the
management strategy, Amy has developed a guide ("Tree Hollows in
Tasmania") to help field-workers identify the trees that are most
likely to be used by hollow-dependent species.
[
click here to download booklet]
Tree decline toolbox
The ‘Tree Decline Toolbox’ is an innovative new
interactive computer program designed to assist farmers manage
forest at risk of tree decline. Toolbox Version 1.0 is a
pilot version distributed to gain input and advice from workshop
groups so the program can be improved. The toolbox is the
culmination of 10 years of research into tree decline in the
Midlands of Tasmania.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.5 Management of forest species of high conservation
significance, including threatened species
Microchips for microbats
Lisa Cawthen, PhD student
at UTAS, was recently awarded a grant from the Norman Wettenhall
Foundation that Lisa will spend on microchips that will allow her
to identify each bat individually ...
[read
more]
Resource availability critical factor for mammal
populations
Erin Flynn recently
presented her final seminar for her doctoral degree. Erin's
research on the effects of forest type and habitat disturbance on
the common brushtail possum showed that, although the abundance of
some habitat components changed significantly with harvesting,
resource availability in the surrounding landscape appears to
mitigate the effects of harvesting on ground-dwelling mammals.
[read more]
What is the best way to catch a quoll?
 Following
very low spotted-tailed quoll capture rates in north-west Tasmania
during her first major stint of field data collection, UTAS PhD
student Shannon Troy is now
testing the efficacy of four spotted-tailed quoll survey
methods ...
[read more]
Tree ferns go AWOL
 Whilst the
resilience of tree ferns is probably no surprise to most (as
they’re often among the first signs of green returning to a
logged coupe), you may be surprised by just how much they move
around during a logging operation. Researchers at the Forest
Practices Authority have found that 60-70% of the
‘tagged’ ferns in their monitoring plots went missing,
never to be seen again. Nina Roberts (Forest Practices Authority)
reports ...
[read more]
Student update
Click here to find
out more about what the Subproject 4.2.5 students have been up to
recently.
Subproject 4.2.6 Management of the risk of gene flow from eucalypt
plantations
New trials test fitness of exotic hybrids
 Shining gum
(Eucalyptus nitens) is native to New South Wales and
Victoria but is used widely in Tasmania as a plantation
species. A close relative of Tasmanian blue gum, it is
possible that Eucalytus nitens has the potential to
hybridise with wild populations of native Tasmanian species that
grow in the vicinity of E. nitens plantations. Two
trials will be established in late 2009 to investigate the
viability of exotic E. nitens hybrids.
[read more]
Student update
 Subproject
4.2.6 has a new student. Myralyn Abasolo recently came from
the Philippines to undertake a PhD at Southern Cross
University. My will be studying the risk of gene flow from
Corymbia plantations into native vegetation ...
[read
more]
Subproject 4.2.7 Management of genetic resources
Genetic data reveal taxonomic anomaly
 The choice
of genetic material for tree breeding relies on accurate taxonomic
information. Traditional morphology-based classifications of
eucalypts can be misleading, however, because of difficulties in
partitioning taxa that have continuous morphological variation that
has arisen through interspecific hybridisation and/or evolutionary
convergence. Three closely related species of red
mahogony, E. pellita,
E. resinifera and E. scias display
such morphological continuity. Son Le, an MSc student at
Southern Cross University, studied underlying genetic affinities of
these three species and discovered that perhaps they are really
only two species.
[read more]
Forest giants take refuge
The world famous giant ash, the world's tallest angiosperm,
Eucalyptus regnans, is a bit more delicate than we might
think. It likes quite a lot of water and thrives in wet,
montane environments; it does not cope well with drought or fire;
and unlike most eucalypts E. regnans regenerates mainly
from seed. But in the not-too-distant past, southeastern
Australia experienced a series of climatic oscillations between
warm, wet conditions and cold, arid conditions. So how did
our delicate E. regnans cope with all this climate
change? Paul Nevill, a
PhD student at the University of Melbourne, recently published a
paper explaining how he found the answers in the DNA ...
[read more]
Another PhD in the bag!
 At present
the CRC's biodiversity students are submitting their theses like
there is no tomorrow. One recent submission was by
CRC-affiliated UTAS student Rebecca Jones who studied the
"Molecular evolution and genetic control of flowering in the
Eucalyptus globulus species complex". Her excellent
thesis impressed the critical eyes of her two examiners and so Beck
will graduate in full regalia in December. Congratulations Dr
Jones! [read Beck's
abstract]
Student update
The students in subproject 4.2.7 are winding up and moving
on. Click here to catch
your final glimpses of the current cohort.
Subproject 4.2.8 Integrated management of browsing mammals
What do Canadian deer and Australian wallabies have in
common?
They love to eat plantations! And so has began a
productive international collaboration between the browsing
research group at UTAS and John Russel from the British Columbia
Ministry of Forests and Range. Julianne O'Reilly-Wapstra
explains ...
[read more]
Rising Star
Dr Julianne O'Reilly Wapstra was recently awarded a UTAS
Rising Stars Award to the value of $75,000 over three years. The
purpose of this program is to nurture research talent among staff
at Levels B to C. Fifteen Rising Stars were awarded last year,
while eight were awarded in this year’s program. As well as
receiving funds, successful applicants will also receive advice on
academic career development and leadership through several
professional development programs run over the three year
period. Well done ... and shine on, Julianne!
Browsing trials generate data
Browsing research team members, Alison Miller, Hugh Fitzgerald
and Helen Stephens spent much of October assessing the progress of
trees planted 2 years ago as part of a TCFA funded trial into
non-lethal alternatives to 1080.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.9 Lethal trap trees
Testing the trap trees
 With spring
well and truly sprung in Tasmania, the chrysomelid leaf beetles are
warming up and flexing their wings, with their sights firmly set -
we hope! - on some juicy plantation trees (especially juicy this
year after the heavy spring rain). Meanwhile, the researchers are
frantically preparing for the onslaught.
[read more]
Subproject 4.2.10 Improving Mycosphaerella leaf disease
resistance in Eucalyptus globulus
How disease susceptible are Eucalyptus globulus x
nitens hybrids?
 Tasmanian
blue gum, Eucalyptus globulus, is generally considered to
be more susceptible to Mycosphaerella leaf disease than
its close relative, the shining gum (E. nitens).
This has lead to shining gum being planted in preference to blue
gum in many lower altitude areas of high disease risk in
Tasmania. However, there is only one published study in which
the two species have been compared directly. Brad Potts and
Paul Tilyard report on emerging results from a new trial in north
western Tasmania, where the results differ significantly from the
published literature ...
[read more]
Subproject 4.4 Integrated Pest Management Group (Western Australia
and Green Triangle)
IPMG - abuzz with change
 After ten
years of operation in Western Australia, the Industry Pest
Management Group (IPMG) is 'moulting' into a new configuration.
Newly appointed IPMG research scientist Francisco Tovar (Murdoch
University) is excited about increasing collaborative links between
IPMG and other CRC projects, industry and community.
[read more]
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