LTERN Data Portal

Tropical Rainforest Plot Network: Tree Stem Density and Basal Area Associations with Phytophthora, Garrawalt, Northern Queensland, Australia, 1975–2009

Citation

Metcalfe, D (): Tropical Rainforest Plot Network: Tree Stem Density and Basal Area Associations with Phytophthora, Garrawalt, Northern Queensland, Australia, 1975–2009. Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://www.ltern.org.au/knb/metacat/ltern.197.18/html

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Identifier
docid
ltern.197.18
Data Creators
Individual
Dr. Daniel J. Metcalfe
Position
Senior Research Scientist
Organization
CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Abstract

These data show the change in basal area and stem number following infection by Cinnamon Water Mould (Phytophthora cinnamomi) at the Garrawalt permanent plot NW of Townsville between 1975–2009. It demonstrates the recovery in dieback areas in Australia's tropical rainforests. The data tables attached are used to generate the graph in Figure 5.11 on p133 of the book Lindenmayer et al. 2014 Biodiversity and Environmental Change: Monitoring Challenges and Direction. The CSIRO permanent rainforest plots are located within 60 km of the north Queensland coast between Mackay (21.5ºS, 149ºE) and the Iron Range on Cape York Peninsula (12.5ºS, 143ºE). The plots have a rainfall range of 1200 to 3500 mm, represent eleven vegetation types, six parent materials, and range from 15 m to 1200 m above sea level. Except for minor disturbances associated with selective logging on two plots, the plots were established in old growth forest and all plots have thereafter been protected. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Tropical Rainforest Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/tropical-rainforest.

Contacts for Questions on the Use and Interpretation of Data
Individual
Dr. Daniel J. Metcalfe
Position
Senior Research Scientist
Organization
CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Address
EcoSciences Precinct
41 Boggo Road
Dutton Park. Qld 4102
Australia
Phone
voice
07 3833 5529
Email Address
dan.metcalfe@csiro.au
Individual
Matt G. Bradford
Position
Senior Technical Officer
Organization
CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Address
P.O. Box 780
Atherton. Queensland 4883
Australia
Phone
voice
07 4091 8800
Email Address
matt.bradford@csiro.au
Project Information and Data Owners
Title
CSIRO Permanent Rainforest Plots
Personnel
Role
Data owner
Organization
CSIRO
Role
Principal Investigator
Individual
Dr. Daniel J. Metcalfe
Position
Senior Research Scientist
Organization
CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Role
Research Projects Officer
Individual
Matt G. Bradford
Position
Senior Technical Officer
Organization
CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Funding

Commonwealth Forest and Timber Bureau (1971-1978), CSIRO internal funding (since 1978), Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management and the Rainforest Cooperative Research Centres (1992-2006), Earthwatch (2006). The most recent censuses have been supported by the Long-Term Ecological Research Network sub facility, part of the Australian Government’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (http://www.tern.org.au/Long-Term-Ecological-Research-Network-LTERN-pg17872.html). These data were curated and published with strategic funds from a TERN initiative to publish long term data packages from the book Lindenmayer et al. 2014 Biodiversity and Environmental Change: Monitoring, Challenges and Direction. Since 2012 the Tropical Rainforest Plot Network Plot Network has been part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN). This work was supported by the Australian Government’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (www.tern.org.au) – an Australian research infrastructure project established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and Education Infrastructure Fund–Super Science Initiative through the (now) Department of Education and Training.

Methods and Sampling Information
Methods
Method Step 1
Description
Plot setup

CSIRO Experimental Plot 19 (18°30'S, 145°45'E, 620 m), known as the 'Garrawalt plot’, was established in June 1975 in unlogged rain forest on the eastern side of the Seaview Range in the Bargoo Logging Area, State Forest 750, inside what is now the Girringun National Park in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The forest was classified as simple notophyll vine forest.

— Metcalfe, D. J., and M. G. Bradford. 2008. Rainforest recovery from dieback, Queensland, Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 256:2073–2077.

Instrument
  • Plot boundaries were surveyed with prismatic compasses, 50 m steel survey band and Abney level.
Method Step 2
Description
Plot slope adjustment

The plot was surveyed to provide a slope corrected 100 m x 50 m, giving a plan-projected area of 0.5 ha, around which a 20 m buffer zone was established within which no logging activities took place by agreement with the Queensland Department of Forestry. Values in this paper are converted to a true ground area of 0.515 ha, which takes account of the slope within the plot. — Metcalfe & Bradford, 2008: 2074.

All data values in the attached tables are adjusted to plot slope (e.g. stem no in plot x 1.941748 to generate numbers per standardised hectare).

Method Step 3
Description
Tree surveys

In the plot all trees >= 10 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) were identified, measured and painted with a unique number.The plot was visited for recensus every 2 years from 1975 to 1991, and thereafter in 1998 and in 2005. — Metcalfe & Bradford, 2008: 2074

Method Step 4
Description
Measuring the impact of Phytophthora die back

At each census all trees that recruited into the >= 10 cm dbh size class were measured and all trees that died were noted. Trees that were documented as dead at a census event prior to the recording of dieback (i.e. dead 2–4 years before new dieback recorded) within a particular area were not counted as dieback fatalities. Trees that died up to 2 years after new dieback was recorded were included as dieback fatalities. Mortality rates were calculated as the number of deaths within a census period (i.e. 2 years) divided by the number of live trees which had been within the area affected at the previous census. — Metcalfe & Bradford, 2008: 2074.

Sampling
Study Extent Description

See: Metcalfe, D. J., and M. G. Bradford. 2008. Rainforest recovery from dieback, Queensland, Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 256:2073–2077.

Sampling Description

As for Study Extent.

Keywords and Subject Categories
Keywords List
  • Cinnamon Water Mould
  • Phytophthera cinnamomi
  • Dieback
  • Basal area
  • Stem count
  • Tropical rainforest
GCMD
  • Biological Classification > Plants
ANZSRC-FOR
  • 0501
  • 0602
LTERN Monitoring Themes
  • Vegetation structure
  • Plant species abundance
Temporal Coverage
Date Begin
1975
Date End
2009
Intellectual Rights, Licence and Usage Conditions

CC-BY-4_0 Special Conditions: None

Data Table
mtrf_veg_associations_with_phytophthora_1975-2009_p367t630.csv
Name
mtrf_veg_associations_with_phytophthora_1975-2009_p367t630.csv
Description
Data used to generate the graph in Figure 5.11 on p133 of the book Lindenmayer et al. 2014 Biodiversity and Environmental Change
Attribute Information
year
Name
year
Definition
Survey year
Measurement Type
dateTime
Measurement Domain
Format
YYYY
stems_whole_plot
Name
stems_whole_plot
Definition
Number of stems across the whole plot
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
whole
stems_per_ha_adjusted_whole_plot
Name
stems_per_ha_adjusted_whole_plot
Definition
Number of stems per standardised hectare (adjusted for surface area) for the whole plot
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Custom Unit
numberPerHectare
Number Type
real
basal_area_per_ha_adjusted_whole_plot
Name
basal_area_per_ha_adjusted_whole_plot
Definition
Basal area (m^2) per standardised hectare (adjusted for surface area) for the whole plot
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
dimensionless
Number Type
real
stems_pc_area
Name
stems_pc_area
Definition
Number of stems in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
whole
stems_per_ha_pc_area
Name
stems_per_ha_pc_area
Definition
Number of stems per standardised hectare (adjusted for surface area) in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Custom Unit
numberPerHectare
Number Type
real
basal_area_pc_area
Name
basal_area_pc_area
Definition
Basal area in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
squareMeter
Number Type
real
basal_area_per_ha_pc_area
Name
basal_area_per_ha_pc_area
Definition
Basal area (m^2) per standardised hectare (adjusted for surface area) in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
dimensionless
Number Type
real
stems_not_pc_area
Name
stems_not_pc_area
Definition
Number of stems not in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
whole
stems_per_ha_not_pc_area
Name
stems_per_ha_not_pc_area
Definition
Number of stems not in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Custom Unit
numberPerHectare
Number Type
natural
basal_area_not_pc
Name
basal_area_not_pc
Definition
Basal area not in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
squareMeter
Number Type
real
basal_area_per_ha_not_pc_area
Name
basal_area_per_ha_not_pc_area
Definition
Basal area (m^2) per standardised hectare (adjusted for surface area) not in the Phytophthora cinnamomi infected area (dieback area)
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
dimensionless
Number Type
real
Number Of Records
12
Physical Structure Description
Object Name
mtrf_veg_associations_with_phytophthora_1975-2009_p367t630.csv
Size
1435 byte
Text Format
Number of Header Lines
1
Record Delimiter
#x0A
Attribute Orientation
column
Simple Delimited
Field Delimiter
,
Distribution
Online
URL
ltern.199.1
Access
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Order
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PermissionPrincipal
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Additional Metadata Links
unitList
Additional Metadata : unitList
Metadata
unitList
unit
@id
numberPerHectare
@name
numberPerHectare
@parentSI
numberPerMeterSquared
@unitType
arealDensity
Number per hectare
additionalLinks
Additional Metadata : additionalLinks
Metadata
additionalLinks
url
@name
Tropical Rainforest Plot Network home page
http://www.ltern.org.au/ltern-plot-networks/tropical-rainforest
additionalProjectInfo
Additional Metadata : additionalProjectInfo
Metadata
additionalProjectInfo
This data package is comprised of data from the book Lindenmayer et al. 2014 Biodiversity and Environmental Change: Monitoring Challenges and Direction
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