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MAINTENANCE and DYNAMICS of RAINFOREST EDGES Yong Tang

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MAINTENANCE and DYNAMICS of RAINFOREST EDGES Yong Tang Maintenance and Dynamics of Rainforest Edges Author Tang, Yong Published 2008 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School School of Environment DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/3066 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367442 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au MAINTENANCE AND DYNAMICS OF RAINFOREST EDGES Yong Tang 2007 MAINTENANCE AND DYNAMICS OF RAINFOREST EDGES Yong Tang B.Sc, M.Sc. (CAS) Griffith School of Environment Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Engineering Griffith University Supervisors Prof. Roger L. Kitching Dr. Jacinta Zalucki Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2007 SYNOPSIS Deforestation and fragmentation of rainforest has become one of the major threats to global biodiversity and the massive loss of rainforest during the past decades has pushed the global biota to the edge of the global species extinction crisis. Despite the increasing public awareness and tremendous efforts made internationally to save the remaining rainforest, the deforestation rate continues to accelerate in many rainforest areas. This trend is due mainly to increasing human population and local or regional economical or political crises creating increased needs and demands on land use and rainforest products. In addition to the loss of large areas of wildlife habitat, a direct consequence of rainforest fragmentation is the increase in the extent of edges, through which “hostile” edge effects can have a profound impact on the dynamics of remaining rainforests. There is an urgent need to understand the underlying mechanisms that drive the dynamics of the rainforest edges and more important, the subsequent long-term impact on the local and regional rainforest. The main objective of the study described in this thesis has been to compare the patterns with which rainforest plants respond to the edge environment at different types of edges involving rainforests. The study was conducted within a fragmented subtropical rainforest complex in Lamington National Park, Southeast Queensland. Rainforest trees, lianas, seedling banks and soil seed banks were investigated at eucalypt forest/ rainforest, pasture/ rainforest and roadside rainforest edges. For each edge type, nine 100 m transects were established from the edge to rainforest interior and transects were extended 50 m into eucalypt forest and pasture for additional sampling of surrounding matrices. Vegetation surveys were conducted along the edge transects for the study of trees, lianas and seedlings. Soil seed banks were investigated by germination experiments conducted in a shade house, using soil samples collected along the edge transect. The results from the edge studies were compared with corresponding studies in a 1 ha rainforest reference plot located in a relatively undisturbed area within the rainforest interior. Studies focussed on the two factors to which rainforest plants near the edges respond. 1) Edge to rainforest interior gradients, driven by changes in microclimatic factors i and associated modified species composition, structure and ecological processes within rainforest near the edges. 2) The different disturbance regimes associated with the matrices that surround the edges. Both univariate and multivariate statistical approaches have been used to describe the underlying patterns and to identify plant species that respond to these patterns. The results demonstrated that the species composition and structure of rainforest has been largely modified near the edges in response to edge types and associated disturbances. These changes include a dramatic increase in the densities of small trees and lianas, a shift of shade-tolerant species to shade-intolerant species and a significant increase in the presence of fleshy-fruited plants. In addition, canopy lianas also showed a significant shift from twiners to tendril climbers. The distance from edge to rainforest interior over which the changes in forest composition and structure can be recognized, varied among edges, from a few metres at roadside rainforest edges to more than 80 metres at pasture/ rainforest edges. The results also suggest that the eucalypt forest/ rainforest edges have apparently developed a unique edge plant assemblage in response to long-term fragmentation and repeated burning. The changes in the forest canopy have also lead to corresponding changes in seedling banks that depend primarily on the species and microclimatic conditions maintained within the rainforest canopies. A significant decline in the density of rainforest tree seedlings was found at rainforest edges, compared with the rainforest reference plot. This decline followed a gradient from rainforest interior to the edges at eucalypt/ rainforest and pasture/ rainforest edges. In contrast, a dramatic increase in the density of liana seedlings was found at all three types of edges. The densities of liana and tree seedlings were found to be positively correlated within the rainforest reference plot, but this relationship became negative at rainforest edges. This implies that the edge effects may potentially favour the regeneration of lianas. A possible seed dispersal limitation has been suggested by the results from soil seed bank studies. This dispersal limitation may have contributed to a significant decrease of seed storages of rainforest species in the soil seed banks from the rainforest interior towards the edges and continued through to the surrounding matrices. Not a single ii native tree seed was germinated from soil samples taken within the pastures. Furthermore, large amount of seeds originating from the surrounding matrices have been brought into the rainforest. The distribution patterns of those non-rainforest seeds, decreasing linearly from edge to rainforest interior, has demonstrated the function of edges as an effective barrier preventing the penetration of species and material from the surrounding matrices. The analysis of the relationship between the soil seed bank and above-ground vegetation has emphasized the importance of ‘long- lived’ pioneer species in the dynamics of the subtropical rainforest and their potential for rainforest restoration. This study also suggests that a prolonged drought may have had a profound impact on the dynamics of the rainforest in the study area. These impacts include the drought- induced mass-fruiting of some species, such as Caldcluvia paniculosa and Derris involuta, and changes in the microclimatic conditions for seedling establishment, causing significant changes in the soil seed bank and seedling bank. A potential interaction of drought and edge effects may lead to a significant increase in liana seedlings at the expense of tree seedlings. This study also has discussed Australian rainforest fragmentation in a geological context with consideration of human induced disturbance prior to and after European settlement. This suggests that the Australian rainforest may be more resistant to fragmentation due to long term “adaptation” through repeated fragmentation across geological time and the absence of large scale agriculture prior to the European settlement. On the other hand, the high endemism and the long term isolation in a sea of highly flammable sclerophyllous vegetation suggest that the Australian rainforest remnants may be more vulnerable to projected climate change. The short-term intensive rainforest destruction after European settlement has contributed substantially to this vulnerability. Findings from this study have important implications for long-term trends in rainforest dynamics. A lack of large areas of secondary rainforest may become an obstacle to natural regeneration in deforested areas and compromise the conservation value of the remaining rainforest remnants. Rainforest edges are one of only a few places where large numbers of secondary rainforest species, especially those of iii fleshy-fruited trees and lianas, are well preserved. The edges may become important seed sources promoting natural regeneration in deforested areas. The existence of dispersal limitation near the edges, however, may limit the functioning of this natural service. Long-term monitoring of the dynamics of rainforest edges is needed which can be achieved by using rapid assessment of soil seed banks near the edges. iv STAEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I certify that this thesis is my original work and has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself. Yong Tang v vi TABLE OF CONTENTS SYNOPSISTU UT .......................................................................................................................... i STAEMENTTU OF ORIGINALITYUT ................................................................................... v TABLETU OF CONTENTSUT ................................................................................................ vii LISTTU OF FIGURESUT .......................................................................................................... x LISTTU OF APPENDICESUT ............................................................................................... xvii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSTU UT ........................................................................................xviii COLOURTU PLATESUT
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