The abundance of hollow-bearing trees in urban dry sclerophyll forest and the effect of wind on hollow development

Anthropogenic change, particularly in urban landscapes, has resulted in the fragmentation of indigenous vegetation into often small isolated ‘remnants’. The persistence of arboreal fauna in small urban remnants in part depends on the distribution and abundance of habitat resources within the remnant. We surveyed 44 small (<2.5 ha) eucalypt remnants located within the south-eastern suburbs of metropolitan Melbourne to ascertain the abundance of hollow-bearing trees, an important ecological resource. The probability of a live or dead tree containing a hollow was investigated in relation to site variables that influenced exposure to wind, a factor thought to increase the propensity of hollow formation in eucalypt trees. A total of 2678 live and 224 dead eucalypt trees were surveyed, of which 350 live (12%) and 70 dead (31%) trees were hollow-bearing. The probability of a tree being hollow-bearing was strongly positively associated with the diameter of the tree, however, past management practices have lead to a paucity of large (>80 cm DBH) trees in small urban remnants. We found that variables that measured exposure to wind were correlated with the chance that a live tree will be hollow-bearing while reducing the chance that a dead tree will be hollow-bearing. Although highly variable, the number of hollow-bearing trees contained within small urban remnants (mean of 5.8 ha⁻¹) fell well below that contained in areas of un-logged non-urban forest. Our results indicated that large numbers of hollow-bearing tree are unlikely to be recruited into urban remnants for a significant time-span and as such there is an increased importance placed on maintaining the current inventory of hollow-bearing trees for the maintenance of biodiversity in urban areas.     

Impact of fire regimes,logging and topography on hollows in fallen logs in eucalypt forest of south eastern Australia

Log hollows provide important habitat for a range of vertebrate fauna. Despite this, little is known about the impact fire regimes have on this resource, or the role topography may play in preserving hollows through the mitigation of fire intensity. This study examined the effect different combinations of fire frequency and topography have on (i) the number of hollow bearing logs and (ii) the presence and size of hollows within logs. The influence of wildfire severity and logging were also examined. Hollow availability (i.e. density of hollow bearing logs and hollow presence within logs) was greatest at sites burnt at ‘low’ frequency. The density of hollow logs was greater in gullies, though the effect of fire frequency did not vary with topographic position. Hollows showing signs of internal fire charring typically had a greater entrance width than unburnt hollows, which suggests fire plays an important role in creating large hollows. The number of hollow bearing logs increased with logging intensity, due to unmerchantable timber being left in situ. Wildfire severity had little effect on log hollows. The results indicate that frequent burning may reduce hollow availability, though it is likely that gullies will still retain a high density of hollow bearing logs irrespective of burning, and may play an important role in preserving connectivity of this resource across landscapes.     

Nesting habitat of the glossy black-cockatoo in central New South Wales

The reliance of cockatoos upon large hollows for nesting makes them vulnerable to any reduction in this resource. Species inhabiting forests managed for timber production are at risk because logging has the capacity to reduce hollow abundance significantly. In this study I identified the factors significantly associated with the selection of nest trees and nest sites by glossy black-cockatoos. Glossy black-cockatoos nested in vertical spouts in large trees. Nests were more likely to be located relatively high in senescent trees or standing dead trees (snags), factors most likely related to hollow suitability. As the density of potential nest hollows increased within a site, so to did the relative probability of it being used for nesting. The number of potential hollows serves as an index for the availability of suitable hollows. The persistence of glossy black-cockatoos within the study area will require careful management of nesting resources. Maximising the available hollow resource within known nesting areas is desirable. This is most efficiently achieved by facilitating the recruitment of large trees. This will require the exclusion of logging from nesting areas. Snags are a critical nesting resource. Information on snag dynamics is required and active intervention, such as the erection of nest boxes, may be necessary if unsustainable snag loss is occurring.     

Influence of stand size and quality of tree hollows on saproxylic beetles in Sweden

The habitat requirements of 11 beetle species associated with tree hollows were studied by correlating their occupancy with characteristics of the oaks and the number of hollow oaks in each stand. The species richness was higher in trunks with a large girth and in tree hollows with entrances situated high up on the trunks and not directed upwards. Several species occurred with higher frequencies in larger stands, which suggests that these species are sensitive to habitat fragmentation. In some cases at least, the present species richness may reflect higher densities of hollow trees in the past. It is therefore suggested that, in order to preserve the rare fauna in old oaks, the stand size must be increased at many sites. In this study two species,Elater ferrugineus and Tenebrio opacus, were absent from almost all stands with <10 hollow oaks, whereas the other species occurred at least to some extent also in smaller stands. Presence/absence data of E. ferrugineus, T. opacus and Osmoderma eremita may be used to evaluate to what extent the fauna in old trees is affected by habitat fragmentation today as well as in the past.     

Are nest boxes a viable alternative source of cavities for hollow-dependent animals? Long-term monitoring of nest box occupancy, pest use and attrition

Nest box programs have often been established to conserve hollow-dependent fauna but their effectiveness is unknown in many jurisdictions. We examined nest box effectiveness in a 10-year experimental study in the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of Victoria (south-eastern Australia) where the paucity of hollow-bearing trees is a significant conservation issue. We quantified occupancy by arboreal marsupials, infestation by pest invertebrates, and nest box attrition. We found a large proportion of nest boxes (68.8%) were never used, including by the endangered target species, Leadbeater’s Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri). Nest boxes were more often occupied in younger forests (58.3% cf 4.1% for old forest) but these sites were also where infestations by the introduced European Honeybee (Apis mellifera) were greatest and where the probability of nest boxes collapsing was highest. Our data suggest that it is important to carefully target the locations where nest boxes should be established, but these same places are also those where most effort is required to maintain them, either by removing pest invertebrates and/or by re-attaching them to trees after they have fallen down.We recorded reasonable levels of occupancy by arboreal marsupials in young forest ∼2-3 years after box establishment, but then high levels of nest box attrition (>51%) occurred after 8-10 years. This suggests an “effective occupancy time” for arboreal marsupials of only ∼5 years.A key consideration must be to weigh the ecological and economic effectiveness of nest boxes against other strategies such as implementing alternative silvicultural systems that result in the creation and retention of more hollow-bearing trees within logged areas.     

The habitat requirements of the rufous treecreeper (Climacteris rufa). 1. Preferential habitat use demonstrated at multiple spatial scales

Determining the habitat requirements of a species is fundamental to effective conservation, particularly if the species is declining in areas where its habitat is being modified. Multi-scaled investigations of habitat use are essential because different selection processes may operate at different scales. I examined the habitat use of a declining woodland passerine, the rufous treecreeper (Climacteris rufa), at three spatial scales (landscape, woodland and territory) in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. Preferential habitat use was exhibited at all scales. At the landscape scale, wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) woodland was used at a significantly greater rate than three other common vegetation types. Territory use within woodlands was positively related to the density of hollow-bearing logs, the density of nest sites, and tree age. Within an individual territory, nest sites (hollows) were favoured if they had a spout angle of ?50° to the horizontal and an entrance size of between 5 and 10 cm. The rufous treecreeper preferentially used habitat with traits characteristic of old-growth wandoo woodland. Degradation of wandoo through habitat modification (e.g. grazing, logging, fire and removal of deadwood) represents a significant threat to the persistence of treecreepers.     

The effects of human disturbance on a stingless bee community in a tropical rainforest

Human disturbance of tropical rainforests may change pollinator communities indirectly as a result of changes in resource availability. We studied the mechanisms by which human disturbance affects a community of major pollinators, stingless bees, in Sarawak, Malaysia. We surveyed forest structure and flowering activity, and conducted a nest census and a bait-trap survey of stingless bees, both in primary forests and in forests disturbed by logging and shifting cultivation. The densities of late successional trees and large trees (diameter at breast height >50 cm) were higher in the primary forests than in the disturbed forests. The density of flowering trees was lower one year after logging, but recovered in old disturbed forests because of the active flowering of pioneer trees that became established after the disturbance. Stingless bees nest only in large trees, and nest density was positively correlated with the density of large trees. However, we found no relationship between the numbers of foragers and floristic parameters. Some species preferred nesting in dipterocarps, while others preferred dead trees. The results of the bait-trap survey also indicated that some species were abundant in the primary forests, whereas other species were abundant in the disturbed forests. These results suggest that human disturbance alters the species composition of the stingless bee community. Such changes in the bee community may affect the reproductive success of plants, and ultimately forest composition.     

Home range, movement and activity patterns, and bedding sites of Malayan sun bears Helarctos malayanus in the Rainforest of Borneo

Six Malayan sun bears were captured and radio-collared from June 1999 to December 2001 in Ulu Segama Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo to study home-range characteristics, movement patterns, activity patterns, population density, and bedding sites. A total of 343 locations were recorded. Home range sizes, calculated by the 95% adaptive kernel method, averaged 14.8 ± 6.1 (SD) km². Bears were found in both primary and logged forests. Daily movement distances from these bears averaged 1.45 ± 0.24 (SD) km, and were affected by food availability, especially availability of figs. Male Malayan sun bears were primarily diurnal, but a few individuals were active at night for short periods. The majority of the 26 bedding sites consisted of fallen hollow logs. Other bedding sites included standing trees with cavities, cavities underneath fallen logs or tree roots, and tree branches high above the ground. Malayan sun bears exist in primary and logged forests. Well-designed logging practices, maintenance of large trees with cavities, protection of fig trees, and strict control of poaching should be incorporated into forest management practices in logged forests.     

The effects of reduced-impact logging practices on soil animal communities in the Deramakot Forest Reserve in Borneo

The effectiveness of reduced-impact logging practices on the maintenance of biodiversity in Borneo has been recognized for some organisms (e.g., mammals). We investigated the effects of reduced-impact logging and conventional selective logging practices on biodiversity by using soil fauna as indicators of disturbance. The study sites were the production forests of the Deramakot Forest Reserve and the Tangkulap Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (5°14–30′ N, 117°11–36′ E). We compared macro- and mesofauna in a pristine forest with no logging, a reduced-impact logged forest in Deramakot Forest Reserve, and a conventionally logged forest in Tangkulap Forest Reserve.The mean density of soil macrofauna (excluding ants) did not differ significantly among the three forest categories (nested ANOVA, p > 0.05). This tendency was also seen in the density and species richness of Oribatida and Collembola, which showed little difference among forest categories. Nonmetrical multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination diagrams revealed a different community composition in conventionally logged forest sites compared with the other sites. The scores for the NMS first or second axis of soil fauna were correlated with one or more of the values for density, diversity, and species composition of trees. A RELATE test showed the congruence between trees and the Collembola and Oribatida community composition between sites. The results implied that the soil fauna community composition was related to tree communities. In conclusion, the impacts of logging on decomposers in the soil animal communities have been mitigated by the introduction of reduced-impact logging in Deramakot Forest Reserve through the protection of tree vegetation. It is important to consider monitoring the influence of selective logging on soil fauna with regard to the dynamics of the species (or group) composition because total density and species (or group) richness of soil fauna displayed only a marginal response to the different logging practices.     

Roost selection by barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus, Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in beech woodlands of central Italy: consequences for conservation

We investigated roost selection by Barbastella barbastellus in a mountainous area of central Italy. Twenty-five bats, mostly lactating females, were radio-tracked to 33 roost trees. Trees in unmanaged woodland were favoured as roost trees; woodland subject to limited logging was used in proportion to availability, and areas where open woodland and pasture occurred were avoided. Selection depended on tree condition (dead beech trees were preferred) and height (roost trees were taller than random ones). Cavity selection was based on cavity type, height and entrance direction: roost cavities were mainly beneath loose bark, at a greater height above ground and facing south more frequently than random cavities. Untouched areas of mature woodland should be preserved to provide roosting conditions for B. barbastellus. In logged areas, harvesting protocols should save dead and mature trees; frequent roost switching and small colony size imply that large numbers of roost trees are needed.     

Nest site selection of the great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopus major in two oak woods in southern England and its implications for woodland management

Nest site selection of the great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopus major in two mature oak woods in southern England over an 11-year period is examined. Data describing the characteristics of 106 nest trees and sample surveys of available trees in the woods are used in the analyses. Although approximately equal numbers of nests were found in living and dead trees the latter were so rare in the study woods that this result represented an extremely strong selection for dead trees. Birch Betula spp. and elm Ulmus sp. were the major dead trees used. The smallest diameter tree used for nesting was 18 cm at breast height, although overall 90% of the nests were in trees of diameter 28 cm or greater. Apart from the minimum diameter, there was no strong selection for the use of large diameter trees for nesting, although this would probably not be expected in mature woodlands such as those in this study. The implications of the results for the management of woodlands for nesting woodpeckers are discussed.     

无人机机载激光雷达提取果树单木树冠信息

定株管理是未来果园精准生产管理的趋势，果树单木树冠信息的提取是定株管理的关键。该研究利用无人机采集的苹果园激光探测与测量数据（Light Detection and Ranging，LiDAR）检测和测量每棵果树的树冠面积和树冠直径，并评价空间分辨率对于果树单木树冠检测与提取的影响。该方法主要包括使用反距离权重插值法间接生成冠层高度模型（Canopy Height Model，CHM）；使用局部极大值滤波算法和标记控制分水岭分割算法（Marked-Controlled Watered Segmentation，MCWS）对果树进行单木树冠检测与提取，通过与参考数据的比较，评估了该方法的精度，并定量分析了空间分辨率对于单木树冠检测与信息提取结果的敏感性。结果表明，该方法有效地实现果树单木树冠检测与信息提取，代表果树检测精度的F1得分为94.86%，树冠轮廓提取准确率为86.39%，树冠面积的提取数据集和参考数据集的线性拟合结果决定系数和归一化均方根误差分别为0.81和20.56%，树冠直径的提取数据集和参考数据集的线性拟合结果决定系数和归一化均方根误差分别为0.85和14.79%，树冠面积和直径不同程度地被高估。此外，冠层高度模型的空间分辨率接近果树平均树冠直径的1/10时精度最高，可以有效检测果树单木树冠及提取树冠轮廓，从而准确提取果树单木树冠信息。     

Influence of tree characteristics and forest management on tree microhabitats

Higher densities of tree microhabitats in unmanaged forests may explain biodiversity differences with managed forests. To better understand the determinants of this potential biodiversity indicator, we studied the influence of tree characteristics on a set of tree microhabitats (e.g. cavities, cracks, bark features) on 75 plots in managed and unmanaged French forests. We hypothesized that the number of different microhabitat types per tree and the occurrence of a given microhabitat type on a tree would be higher in unmanaged than in managed forests, and that this difference could be linked to individual tree characteristics: diameter, vitality and species. We show that unmanaged forests contained more trees likely to host microhabitats (i.e. large trees, snags) at the stand level. However, at the tree level, forest management did not influence microhabitats; only tree characteristics did: large trees and snags contained more microhabitats. The number and occurrence of microhabitats also varied with tree species: oaks and beech generally hosted more microhabitats, but occurrence of certain types of microhabitats was higher on fir and spruce. We conclude that, even though microhabitats are not equally distributed between managed and unmanaged forests, two trees with similar characteristics in similar site conditions have the same number and probability of occurrence of microhabitats, whatever the management type. In order to preserve biodiversity, foresters could reproduce unmanaged forest features in managed forests through the conservation of specific tree types (e.g. veteran trees, snags). Tree microhabitats could also be more often targeted in sustainable forest management monitoring.     

基于无人机图像分析的树木胸径预测

树木胸径是林木资产评估中的重要参数,该文利用图像分析技术预测树木胸径可为资产评估提供参考。以银杏和法国梧桐为试验树种,通过拟合无人机正射图像中的单株树木树冠面积与胸径的关系预测树木胸径值。首先利用二型模糊聚类方法对无人机采集的纯林样地正射图像中的单株树冠进行分割,获取树冠像素面积,然后利用地面参照物计算出树冠的实际面积,并与测量的胸径值进行拟合,得出树冠面积与胸径的函数关系,林区中其他树木胸径值可基于该函数关系和其树冠面积计算得出。试验结果显示无人机正射图像中的银杏及法桐树冠面积与胸径均呈对数关系,且该文计算所得的银杏1.2 m处的胸径与实际胸径之间的平均误差约为0.31 cm,法桐1 m处的胸径与实际胸径之间的平均误差为0.27 cm,均在行业允许的1 cm误差范围内,该文提出的基于无人机正射图像分析技术预测树木胸径较为准确,可为中小尺度林地资产评估提供参考。     

Cut logs and high stumps of spruce, birch, aspen and oak - nine years of saproxylic fungi succession

Managed stands generally contain little coarse woody debris compared to natural forests. This study addresses the potential of retained cut wood to increase the amount of substrate available for a variety of saproxylic fungi.Fruit bodies of fungi were recorded from 270 cut high stumps and logs of spruce, birch, aspen and oak over nine years of initial succession. A total of 1565 occurrences of 148 species, seven of which were red-listed, were found. Numbers of species were significantly higher on logs than on stumps. Annual diversity peaked four to seven years after logging, sooner on logs than on stumps. Numbers of species were positively related to substrate diameter, but not to the level of shade/sun-exposure, while the presence of some individual species were significantly affected by one or both of these factors. Comparisons with data from the literature indicated no fundamental differences between fungal communities on cut wood and on naturally dead substrates. We conclude that cut wood left on site, especially logs, may mimic dead wood from trees that die swiftly from natural causes and support diverse fungal communities, both in shaded stands and in open logging sites. Substrates generated by slow self-thinning processes in natural forests however, are probably difficult to mimic in managed stands.     

Lowland rainforest avifauna and human disturbance: persistence of primary forest birds in selectively logged forests and mixed-rural habitats of southern Peninsular Malaysia

We compared the composition and structure of primary forest avifauna among primary forests, selectively logged forests and mixed-rural areas (e.g. villages and agricultural areas) of Peninsular Malaysia. We found that forests that were selectively logged at least 30 years ago contained only 73-75% of the 159 species of extant primary forest birds, with an increased proportion of dominant species. We estimated that only 28-32% of the primary forest species utilized the mixed-rural habitat, and that the number of species that bred in the agricultural landscapes might be even lower. The microhabitat of different species most affected their vulnerability to disturbance. Most small, arboreal frugivores and omnivores, and insectivores that fed from tree trunks, showed greater persistence in the mixed-rural habitat than ground dwelling bird species, which were affected most by disturbance. Resource abundance and variables that were closely related to forest disturbance such as the density of large trees, density of dead trees, canopy cover density and shrub volume influenced the distribution of the primary forest birds. Large primary forest reserves and a revision of short-cycle logging regimes (ca. 30 years) are needed if we are to conserve the lowland rainforest avifauna of Peninsular Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.     

Impact of selective logging on genetic composition and demographic structure of four tropical tree species

Over-exploitation and fragmentation are serious problems for tropical forests. Most sustainable forest management practices avoid clear-cuts and apply selective logging systems focused on a few commercial species. We applied a simulation model to estimate the impact of such selective logging scenarios on the genetic diversity and demography of four tropical tree species from French Guiana. The simulations used data on genetic and demographic composition, growth, phenology and pollen and seed dispersal obtained for Dicorynia guianensis, Sextonia rubra, Symphonia globulifera and Vouacapoua americana at the experimental site in Paracou. Whereas Symphonia globulifera serves as a model for a species with low logging pressure, the other three species represent the most exploited tree species in French Guiana. In simulations with moderate logging, typical for French Guiana, with large cutting diameter (>60 cm diameter) and long cutting cycles (65 years), the two species V. americana and Sextonia rubra were not able to recover their initial stock at the end of the rotation period, with a large decrease in the number of individuals and in basal area. Under a more intensive logging system (cutting diameter >45 cm diameter, cutting cycles of 30 years) that is common practice in the Brazilian Amazon, only Symphonia globulifera showed no negative impact. Generally, the differences between the genetic parameters in the control scenarios without logging and the logging scenarios were surprisingly small. The main reasons for this were the overlapping of generations and the effective dispersal ability of gene vectors in all species, which guarantee relative homogeneity of the genetic structure in different age classes. Nevertheless, decreasing the population size by logging reduced the number of genotypes and caused higher genetic distances between the original population and the population at the end of the logging cycles. Sensitivity analysis showed that genetic changes in the logging scenarios were principally determined by the growth, densities and cutting diameter of each species, and only to a very small extent by the reproductive system including factors such as pollen and seed dispersal and flowering phenology.     

The influence of bark beetles outbreak vs. salvage logging on ground layer vegetation in Central European mountain spruce forests

Changes in the herb and moss layers of mountain spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forests after bark beetle (Ips typographus (L.)) outbreak were compared with and without forestry intervention. The study area is situated in the Šumava National Park (Czech Republic, Central Europe), where an extensive bark beetle outbreak occurred in the 1990s. Parts of forests were left without interventions, while salvage logging was applied in other areas. Altogether, 18 permanent research plots were established in: (1) climax stands with completely dead canopy, (2) climax stands where salvage logging was applied (clearcuts), and (3) waterlogged stands with only partly dead canopy. Vegetation composition of the ground layer and species numbers were evaluated in 1997 and 2002.The effect of salvage logging on vegetation was greater than that of the bark beetle outbreak itself. Forest herb species and partly also bryophytes survived relatively well under untouched dead canopy. The fewest changes occurred under the partly dead canopy in waterlogged forests. The herb layer expanded in clearcuts originated due to salvage logging, being dominated by grasses. Bryophytes were more susceptible to logging than herbs; their cover in clearcuts was markedly lower and composition changed towards pioneer species. The results show that a natural succession of mountain spruce forests after a bark beetle outbreak, if left without interventions, will probably avoid a pioneer stage and direct recovery of the forests will be possible. Salvage logging had negative effects on species composition of the spruce forests, delayed the forest recovery, and should not be permitted in the national park.     

厦门坂头林场生态风景林造林效果分析

厦门市坂头国有林场2007年在采伐迹地上营造香樟、小叶榕、木荷建设生态风景林,经过7年的生长观察,结果表明:香樟和小叶榕年平均生长量分别为:树高0.69m、0.59m,胸径0.86cm、0.75cm,蓄积总生长量49.03 m3/hm2、36.05 m3/hm2,年均生长量7.0 m3/hm2、5.15 m3/hm2,树冠体积52.47 m3、49.5 m3,林木生长旺盛,能迅速形成景观效果,是生态风景林建设的良好树种。木荷由于种植在立地条件相对较差的位置,其生长也较快,可作为生态风景林建设的树种,除作防护林带经营外,也可作为用材林。     

Foliar symptoms on norway spruce and relationships to magnesium deficiencies

Crown symptoms, foliar and soil nutrient status, disease and insect presence in Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) were evaluated in twelve plantations across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and New Hampshire during 1987 to 1988. The most obvious crown symptoms observed under plantation conditions were thinning and chlorosis. These symptoms were similar to those observed on this species throughout the past decade in central Europe and specifically in the Black Forest of the Federal Republic of Germany. A crown vigor index (CVI) was calculated for each tree to classify health status. Of the 180 trees sampled, 247 were healthy; 517 were intermediate, and 257 had severe crown symptoms. The symptoms varied from state to state, plantation to plantation, and from tree to tree. The most severe symptoms were noted on trees at Plantation 12, near Davis, WV. Severe symptoms were also noted on trees within Plantations 4 and 5 in the Tug Hill Plateau region, NY, and within Plantation 3 near Donegal, PA. Two entire branches were removed from the top crown and mid-live crown, respectively, of each sampled tree. Based on laboratory observations, the most common needle symptom was a uniform chlorosis. Chlorotic spots on needle surfaces were the second most common symptom. Thirteen major and trace foliar nutrient elements were determined. Average foliar Mg concentrations of symptomatic trees within several plantations ranged from 0.022 to 0.0637; levels less than the accepted deficiency threshold value. There were significant (negative) correlations between the mean foliar Mg concentrations for the trees and their corresponding CVI and mean discoloration indices of needles. Corresponding soil pH, available P, exchangeable cations, 7 saturation of K, Mg, and Ca of soils were determined for each tree. Soil pH, exchangeable Mg and 7 saturation of Mg were significantly lower in the more symptomatic Norway spruce.