The document describes plans to establish a continental-scale forest monitoring network called AusPlots-Forests in tall eucalypt forests across Australia. The network aims to improve understanding of tree growth and carbon dynamics in relation to climate gradients. It will build on existing permanent forest plot networks, with 40 new 1-hectare plots established across different climate zones. The plots will be remeasured every 5-10 years to monitor changes in forest structure and composition over time.

1. AusPlots Forests
Establishing a continental scale
monitoring network in the
tall eucalypt forests of Australia
Sam Wood, David Bowman, Jeff Foulkes, Claire Howell
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
University of Tasmania
University of Adelaide
ABARES

3. The Starting Point
• 2793 permanent inventory plots
with 275,000 trees maintained by
forestry agencies.
• Relationships between climate
variables, basal area and
diameter increment.
• ~24% decrease in stand basal
area increment and ~17%
decrease in diameter increment
under A2 climate change
scenarios (Prior et al. 2011).
Prior, L.P., Williamson, G.D. & Bowman, D.M.J.S. (2011) Using permanent forestry
plots to understand the possible effects of climate change on Australia's production
forest estate. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Canberra.

4. Aim of AusPlots-Forests
• Establish a continental-scale plot based monitoring network
• Improves our understanding of tree growth and carbon
dynamics in tall eucalypt forests in relation to macro-
environmental gradients across Australia.
• Provide infrastructure for regionally based forest research
• Build upon existing plot networks where possible.
Warren Plot: 1854 Karri Regrowth

5. Sampling the environmental domain
• Continental and regional climatic gradients

6. AusPlots-Forests in brief
• 40 plots of 1 hectare
• In mature tall eucalypt forests of
Tas,Vic,WA, NSW,Qld.
• Repeat measures every 5-10
years
• Co-locate with existing inventory
or research plots
• Target conservation reserves
• Focuson forest tree diversity and
dynamics and their relationship
to climate and site productivity
• ....but also understorey
biodiversity measures, soil
attributes etc.

7. Why Tall Eucalypt Forests?
• Cannot do it all, so lets do one
system really well!
• Spatially restricted: logistically
efficient and cost effective
• Spans macro-climates.
• Dominate existing Permanent
Inventory Plot infrastructure.
• Valued for timber, conservation,
recreation, carbon storage
Carey Plot: 1852 Karri Regrowth

8. What are we measuring?
All Trees >10cm DBH First Field Campaign:
100
Acacia
Atherosperma
Eucalyptus
Nothofagus
•Establish 100x100m grid, 25 subplots
80 Olearia
Pomaderris
Dicksonia
•Location, diameter, height, species for trees
60
>10cm DBH (i.e. RAINFOR)
40 •Canopy cover using digital photography
20 •Herbarium voucher specimens and leaf
samples (for genetics) for all species on plot
0
(e.g. AusPlots Rangelands)
0 20 40 60 80 100
•Soil metagenomics samples (e.g. AusPlots
Rangelands)
Subsequent Field Campaign:
• soil characteristics, coarse woody debris,
seedlings and saplings…….

9. Western Australia
Collins Plot: Mature Karri

10. Western Australia
Carey Sutton
Dom. Species: Karri Dom. Species: Karri
Tenure: National Park Tenure: National Park
Age: 1852 Cohort Age: 1917 Cohort
Measured: 1982;1987;1992;2000 Measured: 1981;1986;1991;1999
Warren Collins
Dom. Species: Karri Dom. Species: Karri
Tenure: National Park Tenure: Forest Reserve
Age: 1854 Cohort Age: Mature
Meas: 1981;1986;1991;1999;2007 Dombakup Measured: 1964;1971;1982
Dom. Species: Karri
Tenure: Forest Reserve
Age: 1857 Cohort
Measured: 1981;1986;1999
Warren Plot: 1854 Karri Regrowth

11. Western Australia
Dawson Mt Frankland
Dom. Species: Karri Dom. Species: Karri + Yellow Tingle
Tenure: Forest Reserve Tenure: Forest Reserve
Age: 1937 Cohort Age: Mature
Measured: 1982;1987;1995;2005 Measured: 2009 LIDAR
Mt Clare Giants
Dom. Species: Karri + Red Tingle Dom. Species: Karri + Red Tingle
Tenure: Forest Reserve Tenure: Forest Reserve
Age: Mature Age: 1937 Cohort + Mature
Measured: New Plot Measured:1964;1972;1981;1986;
1991;1999
Giants Plot: Mature + 1937 Red Tingle and Karri Regrowth

12. Tasmania
Dip River Warra 1
Dom. Species: Messmate Stringybark Dom. Species: Messmate Stringybark
Tenure: Forest Reserve Tenure: Forest Reserve
Age: 1920s Cohort Age: 1898/1934 Cohort
Measured: 1972;1976;1986;1998 Measured: 2007 (Warra Wildfire Plot)
Flowerdale Warra 2
Dom. Species: Messmate Stringybark Dom. Species: Messmate Stringybark
Tenure: Forest Reserve Tenure: Forest Reserve
Age: 1920s Cohort Age: 1898/1934 Cohort
Measured: 1970;1974;1985;1997 Measured: New Plot (Flux Tower
Supersite)
Warra 2: 1898/1934 Messmate Stringybark regrowth

13. The campaign rolls on……
• Tasmania: Autumn 2013
• Victoria: Spring 2013
• NSW: Summer 2013/14
• Queensland: Autumn 2014
• Upload to AEKOS database. Publically available
data.
• Tier Two Measurements: i.e. soils, coarse woody
debris, seedlings and saplings

14. A first step........
Other forest types
Other growth stages