LTERN Data Portal

Prof Joseph H. Connell (University of California at Santa Barbara) established a long-term forest dynamics plot in 1963, in tropical rainforest at Davies Creek National Park 25 km south west of Cairns. The plot is 1.7 hectare, and was established over an existing an existing 0.4 ha plot established by the Queensland Department of Forestry in 1951. This plot has never been logged.

Although a summary of methods employed in the study has been provided below, a full account of the field methods, with figures of the mapped study plots, is given in:

Connell, J.H., J.G Tracey & L.J Webb, 1984. Ecological Monographs 54: 141-164.

Connell, J.H. & Green P.T. 2000. Ecology 81: 568-584.

In summary, samples of trees in three broad size classes have been monitored on the plots over several decades. ‘Large trees’ (≥ 10 cm dbh) were first tagged, mapped and measured in 1963 across both plots. At the same time, ‘medium trees’ (2.5 cm dbh but < 10.0 cm dbh) were mapped and tagged along several belt transects 6.1 m wide running through the plot, centred on survey lines 20.1 m apart. The medium-tree belt transects comprise 30% of each plot. In 1965, ‘small trees’ (tiny seedlings to saplings < 2.5 cm dbh), were mapped and tagged along narrower transects either 1.8 or 3.6 m wide, centred on the same survey lines used to sample medium trees. Large trees rooted outside the plot boundaries, but whose canopies extended over the plots have also been monitored.

Further details relating to the methods employed by the Connell Rainforest Plot Network during this study can be found on the LTERN Plot Network site.

Surveys for canopy cover and understorey light environments.

Stand structure, canopy cover and variation in understorey light environments have not been measured systematically on the plots. Under LTERN, new surveys for canopy cover and understorey light environments using hemispherical photography are being be incorporated into regular plot monitoring.