Canopy Composition and Spatial Configuration Influences Beta Diversity in Temperate Regrowth Forests of Southeastern Australia

A Singh; B Wagner; S Kasel; PJ Baker; CR Nitschke

Journal article

Canopy Composition and Spatial Configuration Influences Beta Diversity in Temperate Regrowth Forests of Southeastern Australia

A Singh, B Wagner, S Kasel, PJ Baker, CR Nitschke

Drones | MDPI | Published : 2023

DOI: 10.3390/drones7030155

Abstract

Structural features of the overstorey in managed and unmanaged forests can significantly influence plant community composition. Native Acacia species are common in temperate eucalypt forests in southeastern Australia. In these forests, intense disturbances, such as logging and wildfire, lead to high densities of regenerating trees, shrubs, and herbs. The tree layer is dominated by Acacia and Eucalyptus, that compete intensely for resources in the first decades after stand establishment. The relative abundance and size of Acacia and Eucalyptus varies widely due to stochastic factors such as dispersal, microsite variability, and weather and climatic conditions. This variability may influence t..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Benjamin Wagner Author

Sabine Kasel Author

Patrick Baker Author

Craig Nitschke Author

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Australian Research Council (LP140100580 to C.R.N. and P.J.B., FT120100715 to P.J.B.). A.S. and B.W. were supported by the University of Melbourne through a Melbourne Research Scholarship. C.R.N. and S.K. were additionally funded through the Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research (IFER) program of the Victorian government's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Additional funding was generously provided to A.S., S.K. and C.R.N. by Eucalypt Australia.