Agricultural legacy, climate, and soil influence the restoration and carbon potential of woody regrowth in Australia

Dwyer, John M., Fensham, Rod J. and Buckley, Yvonne M. (2010) Agricultural legacy, climate, and soil influence the restoration and carbon potential of woody regrowth in Australia. Ecological Applications, 20 7: 1838-1850.

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Author Dwyer, John M.
Fensham, Rod J.
Buckley, Yvonne M.
Title Agricultural legacy, climate, and soil influence the restoration and carbon potential of woody regrowth in Australia
Journal name Ecological Applications  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2010-10
Sub-type Article
Year available 2010
DOI 10.1890/09-1690.1
Volume number 20
Issue number 7
ISSN 1051-0761
1939-5582
Start page 1838
End page 1850
Total pages 13
Place of publication Tempe, Ariz
Publisher Ecological Society of America
Collection year 2011
Language eng
Subject C1
050199 Ecological Applications not elsewhere classified
961203 Rehabilitation of Degraded Forest and Woodlands Environments
Abstract Opportunities for dual restoration and carbon benefits from naturally regenerating woody ecosystems in agricultural landscapes have been highlighted recently. The restoration capacity of woody ecosystems depends on the magnitude and duration of ecosystem modification, i.e., the ''agricultural legacy.'' However, this legacy may not influence carbon sequestration in the same way as restoration because carbon potential depends primarily on biomass accumulation, with little consideration of other attributes and functions of the ecosystem. Our present study simultaneously assesses the restoration and carbon potential of Acacia harpophylla regrowth, an extensive regrowth ecosystem in northeastern Australia. We used a landscape-scale survey of A. harpophylla regrowth to test the following hypotheses: (1) management history, in combination with climatic and edaphic factors, has long-term effects on stem densities, and (2) higher-density stands have lower restoration and carbon potential, which is also influenced by climatic and edaphic factors. We focused on the restoration of forest structure, which was characterized using stem density, aboveground biomass, stem heights, and stem diameters. Data were analyzed using multilevel models within the hierarchical Bayesian model (HBM) framework. We found strong support for both hypotheses. Repeated attempts at clearing Brigalow (A. harpophylla ecosystem) regrowth increases stem densities, and these densities remain high over the long term, particularly in high-rainfall areas and on gilgaied, high-clay soils (hypothesis 1). In models testing hypothesis 2, interactions between stem density and stand age indicate that higher-density stands have slower biomass accumulation and structural development in the long term. After accounting for stem density and stand age, annual rainfall had a positive effect on biomass accumulation and structural development. Other climate and soil variables were retained in the various models but had weaker effects. Spatial extrapolations of the HBMs indicated that the central and eastern parts of the study region are most suitable for biomass accumulation; however, these may not correspond to the areas that historically supported the highest biomass Brigalow forests. We conclude that carbon and restoration goals are largely congruent within areas of similar climate. At the regional scale, however, spatial prioritization of restoration and carbon projects may only be aligned where carbon benefits will be high. © 2010 by the Ecological Society of America.
Formatted abstract Opportunities for dual restoration and carbon benefits from naturally regenerating woody ecosystems in agricultural landscapes have been highlighted recently. The restoration capacity of woody ecosystems depends on the magnitude and duration of ecosystem modification, i.e., the “agricultural legacy.” However, this legacy may not influence carbon sequestration in the same way as restoration because carbon potential depends primarily on biomass accumulation, with little consideration of other attributes and functions of the ecosystem. Our present study simultaneously assesses the restoration and carbon potential of Acacia harpophylla regrowth, an extensive regrowth ecosystem in northeastern Australia. We used a landscape-scale survey of A. harpophylla regrowth to test the following hypotheses: (1) management history, in combination with climatic and edaphic factors, has long-term effects on stem densities, and (2) higher-density stands have lower restoration and carbon potential, which is also influenced by climatic and edaphic factors. We focused on the restoration of forest structure, which was characterized using stem density, aboveground biomass, stem heights, and stem diameters. Data were analyzed using multilevel models within the hierarchical Bayesian model (HBM) framework. We found strong support for both hypotheses. Repeated attempts at clearing Brigalow (A. harpophylla ecosystem) regrowth increases stem densities, and these densities remain high over the long term, particularly in high-rainfall areas and on gilgaied, high-clay soils (hypothesis 1). In models testing hypothesis 2, interactions between stem density and stand age indicate that higher-density stands have slower biomass accumulation and structural development in the long term. After accounting for stem density and stand age, annual rainfall had a positive effect on biomass accumulation and structural development. Other climate and soil variables were retained in the various models but had weaker effects. Spatial extrapolations of the HBMs indicated that the central and eastern parts of the study region are most suitable for biomass accumulation; however, these may not correspond to the areas that historically supported the highest biomass Brigalow forests. We conclude that carbon and restoration goals are largely congruent within areas of similar climate. At the regional scale, however, spatial prioritization of restoration and carbon projects may only be aligned where carbon benefits will be high.
Keyword Acacia harpophylla
Brigalow regrowth
carbon sequestration potential
hierarchical Bayesian models
landscape restoration
multilevel models
pastoralism
Queensland
Australia
Brigalow Acacia Harpophylia
Land
Queensland
Forests
Biodiversity
Ecology
Sequestration
Productivity
Ecosystems
investment
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Official 2011 Collection
School of Biological Sciences Publications
 
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