Factors affecting stand structure in forests - Are there climatic and topographic determinants?

Abstract

Multi-aged stands are not a common structural type of mountain-ash forest in the Central Highlands of Victoria, southeastern Australia, but they are nevertheless important, particularly as habitat for wildlife. Extensive field data and information generated from spatial models of climate, topography and radiation regimes were examined to identify factors which related to the occurrence of stands of multi-aged mountain-ash forest. The probability of occurrence of multi-aged stands increased significantly (p < 0.001) with the age of the forest. There also was evidence that multi-aged stands were more likely to occur on steeper slopes (p = 0.01). When actual on-ground field measurements were ig..