Changes in evapotranspiration components following replacement of Eucalyptus regnans with Acacia species

Abstract

Forest species composition may change following a disturbance. This change can affect long term water yield from forested catchments when the replaced and replacement species have different evapotranspiration rates. Following strip-thinning experiments that removed 50% of the overstorey basal area in several Eucalyptus regnans water supply catchments in south eastern Australia, Acacia spp. (Acacia dealbata and Acacia melanoxylon) became the dominant overstorey species in most of the cut strips. More recently, low regeneration of E. regnans following wildfires in 2009 may result in mixed Acacia and E. regnans stands in some catchments. We compared transpiration of E. regnans and Acacia stands..