Vegetation changes in the Pilliga forests: a preliminary evaluation of the evidence

Norris, E. H.; Mitchell, P. B.; Hart, Diane

doi:10.1007/978-94-011-3264-0_16

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Thus, this method cannot be used to settle debates over the density of small trees and saplings at the time of European settlement (e.g. Norris et al. , 1991; Benson & Redpath, 1997 vs. Rolls, 1981; Ryan et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, there has been considerable debate concerning the pre‐settlement vegetation structure of temperate woodlands in southern Australia (Mitchell, 1991; Norris et al. , 1991; Ryan et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, 1995; Jurskis, 2000). Not surprisingly, many of these claims have been vigorously disputed (Mitchell, 1991; Norris et al. , 1991; Benson & Redpath, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of European colonization on indigenous ecosystems: post‐settlement changes in tree stand structures in Eucalyptus–Callitris woodlands in central New South Wales, Australia

Lunt

Jones

Spooner

et al. 2006

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim There has been considerable debate about pre-settlement stand structures in temperate woodlands in south-eastern Australia. Traditional histories assumed massive tree losses across the region, whereas a number of recent histories propose that woodlands were originally open and trees regenerated densely after settlement. To reconcile these conflicting models, we gathered quantitative data on pre-settlement stand structures in Eucalyptus-Callitris woodlands in central New South Wales Australia, including: (1) tree density, composition, basal area and canopy cover at the time of European settlement; and (2) post-settlement changes in these attributes.Location Woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus species and Callitris glaucophylla, which originally occupied approximately 100,000 km 2 in central New South Wales, Australia.Methods We recorded all evidence of pre-settlement trees, including stumps, stags and veteran trees, from 39 relatively undisturbed 1-ha stands within 16 State Forests evenly distributed across the region. Current trees were recorded in a nested 900 m 2 quadrat at each site. Allometric relationships were used to estimate girth over bark at breast height, tree basal area, and crown diameter from the girth of cut stumps. A post-settlement disturbance index was developed to assess correlations between post-settlement disturbance and attributes of pre-settlement stands. ResultsThe densities of all large trees (> 60 cm girth over bark at breast height) were significantly greater in current stands than at the time of European settlement (198 vs. 39 trees ha )1 ). Pre-settlement and current stands did not differ in basal area. However, the proportional representation of Eucalyptus and Callitris changed completely. At the time of settlement, stands were dominated by Eucalyptus (78% of basal area), whereas current stands are dominated by Callitris (74%). On average, Eucalyptus afforded 83% of crown cover at the time of settlement. Moreover, the estimated density, basal area and crown cover of Eucalyptus at the time of settlement were significantly negatively correlated with post-settlement disturbance, which suggests that these results underestimate pre-settlement Eucalyptus representation in the most disturbed stands.Main conclusions These results incorporate elements of traditional and recent vegetation histories. Since European settlement, State Forests have been transformed from Eucalyptus to Callitris dominance as a result of the widespread clearance of pre-settlement Eucalyptus and dense post-settlement recruitment of Callitris. Tree densities did increase greatly after European Journal compilation ª 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd settlement, but most stands were much denser at the time of settlement than recent histories suggest. The original degree of dominance by Eucalyptus was unexpected, and has been consistently underestimated in the past. This study has greatly refined our understanding of post-settlement changes in woodland stand structures, and will strengthen the foundation for management poli...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of European colonization on indigenous ecosystems: post‐settlement changes in tree stand structures in Eucalyptus–Callitris woodlands in central New South Wales, Australia

Lunt

Jones

Spooner

et al. 2006

Journal of Biogeography

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“…Early recognition of their value as a timber resource also facilitated retention of these forests in the Brigalow Belt, with large tracts being reserved for selective logging (Dargavel and Kowald, 2001). Cypress pine is highly fire-sensitive, and a number of studies report shifts in cypress pine stem densities since European settlement predominantly in response to changed fire regimes (Norris et al, 1991;Lunt et al, 2006;Fensham, 2008a;Cohn et al, 2011;Whipp et al, 2012). Consequently, in cypress pine forest timber production areas, much management effort is directed towards the exclusion of fire to protect the timber resource.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Long term thinning and logging in Australian cypress pine forest: Changes in habitat attributes and response of fauna

Eyre¹,

Ferguson²,

Kennedy³

et al. 2015

Biological Conservation

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“…This is the case for the Pilliga forest region described by Rolls (e.g. Norris et al ., 1991), however, it should be noted that there is also clear evidence of increased biomass of woody species within particular vegetation types in this region (e.g. Horne & Robinson, 1987).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Future eating and country keeping: what role has environmental history in the management of biodiversity?

Bowman¹

2001

Journal of Biogeography

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In order to understand and moderate the effects of the accelerating rate of global environmental change land managers and ecologists must not only think beyond their local environment but also put their problems into a historical context. It is intuitively obvious that historians should be natural allies of ecologists and land managers as they struggle to maintain biodiversity and landscape health. Indeed, ‘environmental history’ is an emerging field where the previously disparate intellectual traditions of ecology and history intersect to create a new and fundamentally interdisciplinary field of inquiry. Environmental history is rapidly becoming an important field displacing many older environmentally focused academic disciplines as well as capturing the public imagination. By drawing on Australian experience I explore the role of ‘environmental history’ in managing biodiversity. First I consider some of the similarities and differences of the ecological and historical approaches to the history of the environment. Then I review two central questions in Australian environment history: landscape‐scale changes in woody vegetation cover since European settlement and the extinction of the marsupials in both historical and pre‐historical time. These case studies demonstrate that environmental historians can reach conflicting interpretations despite using essentially the same data. The popular success of some environmental histories hinges on the fact that they narrate a compelling story concerning human relationships and human value judgements about landscape change. Ecologists must learn to harness the power of environmental history narratives to bolster land management practices designed to conserve biological heritage. They can do this by using various currently popular environmental histories as a point of departure for future research, for instance by testing the veracity of competing interpretations of landscape‐scale change in woody vegetation cover. They also need to learn how to write parables that communicate their research findings to land managers and the general public. However, no matter how sociologically or psychologically satisfying a particular environmental historical narrative might be, it must be willing to be superseded with new stories that incorporate the latest research discoveries and that reflects changing social values of nature. It is contrary to a rational and publicly acceptable approach to land management to read a particular story as revealing the absolute truth.

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Vegetation changes in the Pilliga forests: a preliminary evaluation of the evidence

Cited by 10 publications

References 3 publications

Effects of European colonization on indigenous ecosystems: post‐settlement changes in tree stand structures in Eucalyptus–Callitris woodlands in central New South Wales, Australia

Effects of European colonization on indigenous ecosystems: post‐settlement changes in tree stand structures in Eucalyptus–Callitris woodlands in central New South Wales, Australia

Long term thinning and logging in Australian cypress pine forest: Changes in habitat attributes and response of fauna

Future eating and country keeping: what role has environmental history in the management of biodiversity?

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