Mineral cycling processes and system stability in the eucalypt forest

The effects of disturbance on the stability of the eucalypt forest are considered in terms of Bormann and Likens' (1979) schema of reorganisation, aggradation, transition and steady state phases of secondary succession.The difficulties of making reliable estimates of ecosystem nutrient reserves are discussed against a background of anisotropic nutrient distribution, inadequate knowledge of the volume of soil effectively exploited by roots, and the limitations of existing techniques for soil chemical analysis. The relative significance of the atmosphere and parent material for the accumulation of nutrient reserves is outlined and the overriding importance of the latter on soil phosphorus capital in the eucalypt forest is emphasised.The capacity of forest ecosystems to restrict changes in the ionic concentration of percolating soil water is indicated and some important facets of nutrient dynamics are described. Spatial and temporal patterns of substrate availability and microbial activity greatly complicate the measurement of organic matter decomposition and nutrient flux on the forest floor. Adaptations of eucalypts potentially significant in mineral cycling are mentioned.The role of natural agents of disturbance as determinants of pattern in plant communities is indicated, and the effects of man-induced disturbances such as clearcutting, burning of logging debris, and hazard reduction burning are discussed in the context of biogeochemical cycling. The importance of close operational control of management practices is stressed, together with the need for appropriate measures of functional stability.