Restoration of plant biodiversity beneath tropical tree plantations in Northern Australia

Abstract

Understorey colonization by native species was assessed in timber plantations on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland Australia (latitude 17°S). We surveyed 151 plots (each 78.5 m2 in area) in plantation monocultures of the exotic Pinus caribaea and the natives Araucaria cunninghamii, Flindersia brayleyana and Toona ciliata ranging in age from 5 to 63 years. A total of 350 species, including 176 tree species, were found beneath the plantations. On similar sites, F. brayleyana had a significantly greater number of colonizing species than A. cunninghamii which, in turn, had significantly greater numbers than P. caribaea. Tree species richness and the number of species regarded as 'late ..