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The Ecology and Habitat Requirements of Saproxylic Beetles Native to Tasmanian Wet Eucalypt Forests: Potential Impacts of Commercial Forestry Practices

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The Ecology and Habitat Requirements of Saproxylic Beetles Native to Tasmanian Wet Eucalypt Forests: Potential Impacts of Commercial Forestry Practices The ecology and habitat requirements of saproxylic beetles native to Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests: potential impacts of commercial forestry practices Marie Yee B. Sc. (Hons.) School of Agricultural Science, University of TasmaniFt CRC for Sustainable Production Forestry A research thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy November 2005 Declaration I declare that this thesis does not contain any material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University of Tasmania or any other institution. To the best of my knowledge, this thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgment is made. Marie Yee 12th November 2005 Authority of Access This thesis may be made available for loan. Copying of any part of this thesis is prohibited for one year from the date this statement was signed; after that time limited copying is permitted in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 Marie Yee 12th November 2005 ii Abstract Large diameter Eucalyptus obliqua decaying logs are characteristic features of wet eucalypt forests in Tasmania. In production coupes, however, rotation lengths of around 80 years will eventually lead to their elimination. This thesis investigates the role of these features as habitat for saproxylic beetles, and thus whether their retention is warranted to maintain biodiversity. Large diameter (> 1OOcm) logs derived from commercially over-mature trees were compared with small diameter (30-60cm) logs derived from trees of an age approaching commercial maturity, in two forest types: mature, unlogged forest; and 20-30 year logged forest that had regenerated after clearfelling. Two field studies were conducted, in which a highly species rich fauna of360 saproxylic beetle species (representing 54 families) are first recorded. The first, destructive sampling study investigated whether small diameter logs follow similar decomposition processes to large diameter logs, and so support similar rot types and beetle assemblages. Eleven rot types were differentiated, each associated with a particular region within the log. Small diameter logs had a relatively high incidence of white rot towards their outer edges, probably originating from fungal colonisation after treefall. Large diameter logs had a higher incidence of brown rot towards their cores, probably originating from internal decay already present in older, living eucalypt trees prior to treefall. Some of the beetle species characteristic of this brown rot are possibly poor dispersers and may be of particular conservation concern in production forests. The second, log emergence trapping study examined the extent to which beetle assemblages differ between small and large diameter logs, and whether they respond in the same way to forest successional processes induced by stand level disturbance. Distinct suites of species were associated with large diameter logs irrespective of forest type, yet there were no apparent small log specialists. Assemblages differed significantly between the mature and logging regenerated forests; there was also significant variation among sites that could not be attributed to forest type. Small diameter logs in the logging regenerated forest lacked some apparent mature forest specialists that were present in large diameter logs in the same forest type. This research iii indicates that large diameter logs have unique habitat qualities for saproxylic beetles, and they are important in providing continuity of habitat for the re-establishment of certain species following stand level disturbances, whether induced by logging or by wildfire. A precautionary and multi-scaled approach towards dead wood management is advocated, with particular consideration of the temporal scale at which the dynamics of the forests operate. In line with current conservation management strategies employed and explored by Tasmanian forestry, retention of some trees during harvesting to improve stand structure complexity and future dead wood supply is strongly recommended as one means of mitigating potential negative impacts. The planning of tree retention should aim to provide sufficient oldgrowth features, and sufficient quantity and continuity of dead wood types, throughout successive forest regeneration cycles for conservation of dead wood dependent biota. At the landscape scale, managing the production forest matrix as a habitat mosaic through diversifying silvicultural regimes is also recommended. lV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The study of saproxylic beetles has given me new insights into the way I view the forest, particularly in regards its complexity and the plethora of organisms that weave their way through this matrix. To have had this opportunity, there are many people I would like to acknowledge. First, I would like to thank my two primary supervisors, Dr. Caroline Mohammed (School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania (UTAS)) and Dr. Simon Grove (Forestry Tasmania). Simon joined the project mid-way after my industry supervisor, Dr. Rob Taylor left (formerly with Forestry Tasmania) to take up another job in Darwin. I greatly appreciate both Caroline's and Simons's support and guidance during my research, particularly for their contributions during the writing-up phase of the thesis. This project would not have been possible without the initial project outline, research questions and ideas proposed by Drs. Caroline Mohammed, Rob Taylor, Alastair Richardson (School of Zoology, UTAS), ZiQing Yuan (formerly with Cooperate Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry (CRC-SPF)) and Peter McQuillan (School of Geography and Environmental Sciences, UTAS). Special thanks are due to Sue Baker, for introducing me to the wide world of forest conservation, for her constructive ideas on my project and her willingness to help with almost all aspects of this project. Special thanks are also due to Dr. ZiQing Yuan, whom without his collaboration and field assistance, investigating log decomposition and rotten wood would not have been possible. I appreciate all those volunteers that provided assistance on field trips, particularly with their help constructing log emergence traps, collecting insect samples and removing these traps from the forest. These include Paul Harrington, Yuzuru Hyatake, Sue Baker, Bill Brown, Dean Vincent and his Green-corp crew, David Kolabinski, Rob Taylor, Stuart with the red beard who I met at Tahune one day, Tracey Barker, Georgie Miller, Yoav Daniel Bar-Ness, Gabriel Warren, Lizz Pietrzykowski and Andrew Muirhead. I also thank Gab for measuring the body lengths of each morphospecies without really understanding why, and Dru Haywood, who volunteered her time to help me sort through samples for beetles. v I am grateful for the taxonomic expertise of the many expert Coleopterists that were keen and willing to help with the identification of beetles. The list includes Mr. Tom Weir at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC, Canberra), and Drs. Rolf Oberprieler (ANIC), Richard Leschen (Landcare, New Zealand), Don Chandler (University of New Hampshire, United States), John Lawrence (formerly with ANIC), Peter McQuillan, Adam Slipinski (ANIC) and Chris Reid (Australian Museum, Sydney). I was fortunate to spend a few weeks at ANIC at various times to utilise their insect collection, as well as attend a beetle identification course funded by a Maxwell Jacobs Fund Award, Australian Academy of Science. Special thanks extend to Tom Weir, whom was always willing to help with the identification of the smallest, dullest, brown, pubescent and otherwise non-descript beetle. I acknowledge the statistical advice and help from Marti J Anderson (Univ~rsity of Auckland, New Zealand), who helped me better understand my experimental design for the application of PERMANOVA. I also appreciate the statistical advice from David Ratkowsky (School of Agricultural Science, UTAS) and Leon Barmuta (School of Zoology, UTAS). I am deeply indebted to the many people that have read drafts of my thesis chapters and provided constructive input to improving my written English. These have included Caroline Mohammed, Simon Grove, Alastair Richardson, Helen Nahrung, Sarah Richards, Martin Steinbauer, Paul Harrington, Giuliana Deflorio, Ronlyn Duncan, Sue Baker and Hilton Redgrove. Also, many thanks to the staff and students at the CRC­ SPF, the many resources and friendships they provided. Financial support was supplied by a University Strategic scholarship with additional funding from the CRC-SPF top-up scholarship. Project costs were provided by the Australian Research Council, Forestry Tasmania, and Gunns Ltd (then North Forest Products). I am also grateful to the School of Zoology, UTAS for providing conference funding to attend the XXII International Congress of Entomology held in Brisbane, 2004. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 THESIS AIMS AND STRUCTURE 6 2 GENERAL MATERIAL AND METHODS 8 2.1 STUDY SYSTEM 8 2.2 STUDY AREA 8 2.3 STUDY SITES 12 2.4 ENVIRONMENTAL AND STAND STRUCTURAL ATTRIBUTES 13 2.5 STUDY LOGS 14 2.6 SAPROXYLIC BEETLE SAMPLING METHODS 14 2.6.1 Destructive sampling 15 2.6.2 Emergence trapping 17 2.7 BEETLE SORTING AND IDENTIFICATION 19 2.8 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 20 2.9 APPENDICES 21 3 INVENTORY AND BIOLOGY OF SAPROXYLIC BEETLES USING TWO-SAMPLING METHODS . 24 3.1 INTRODUCTION 25 3.1.1 Study location 26 3.1.2 Sampling programme and methods 27 3.1.3 Beetle identifications 28 3.1.4 Biological
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