Forest Ecology and Management
Forest Ecology and Management is one of the good ‘generic’ forestry journals.
Abstracts
A cash flow model to compare coppice and genetically improved seedling options for Eucalyptus globulus pulpwood plantations
Whittock, S.P., Greaves, B.L. and Apiolaza, L.A. Forest Ecology and Management 191: 267–274. (PDF paper 187 KB).
Coppice can provide a cheap alternative to replanting in the second rotation in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations. However, replanting with genetically improved stock may provide a more profitable alternative. A discounted cash flow model was used to compare the profitablity of coppice and seedling crops in second rotation E. globulus pulpwood plantations, using incremental net present value (NPV). Using the model presented in this paper as a framework it is possible to say that a gain of 20% over the original seedling crop in dry matter production from second rotation seedlings through genetic improvement and provenance selection would result in equivalent NPV for second rotation seedling and coppice crops. Sensitivity analysis showed that incremental NPV is strongly affected by the level of genetic gain available (and therefore the genetic quality of the first rotation stock relative to the available genetically improved stock), and the productivity of coppice relative to the first rotation crop. Any reduction in the basic density of coppice reduces the level of genetic gain required to make replanting with improved seedlings economically justifiable.
The birds of retained vegetation corridors: a pre- and post-logging comparison in dry sclerophyll forest in Tasmania
MacDonald, M.A, Apiolaza, L.A. and Grove, S. 2005. Forest Ecology and Management 218: 277–290. (PDF paper 345 KB)
Birds were surveyed before logging and approximately 10 years after logging in dry sclerophyll forest in Tasmania at a site where retained vegetation corridors in the form of wildlife habitat strips (WHS) of 100 m width and streamside reserves (SR) of 40 m width had been established. Similar surveys were done in nearby extensive forest. After logging, both categories of retained vegetation corridors had lower bird species richness (per count) and abundance that was not observed in the extensive forest. Compositional change was less obvious between the survey periods. Inferential statistics were not performed on individual species’ abundances, but absolute counts of some species are discussed. Logging-sensitive species, such as the golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis), satin flycatcher (Myiagra cyanoleuca) and the hollow-nesting green rosella (Platycercus caledonicus) persisted in corridors after logging. However, a small number of species, including the dusky robin (Melanodryas vittata), yellow wattlebird (Anthochaera paradoxa) and strong-billed honeyeater (Melithreptus flavicollis) declined in or disappeared from both logged areas and wildlife habitat strips. Retained vegetation corridors maintain a slightly depauperate version of the pre-logged avifauna, and differences in abundances might be expected to lessen as the surrounding matrix of native regeneration matures. Both wildlife habitat strips and streamside reserves are considered to have conservation value for avifauna in the study area, although we recommend more attention be paid to the provision and value assessment of wildlife habitat strips in upper slope habitat.