Warra Long Term Ecological Research Site, Tasmania, Australia
Site description
Site information
Forest types
Site goals/objectives
History
Spatial data set
Broad research areas
Facilities
Research and data management
Contact details
Site description
The Warra Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site has been established to facilitate the understanding of ecological processes of Tasmania’s wet (E. obliqua) forests. These forests are part of the southern cool temperate wet forest biome. The programs foster multi-disciplinary research within a long-term framework. The site contains both working forests and conservation reserves. Appropriate management prescriptions and practices prevail in different parts of the site.
Site information
Location:
146° 40’ East, 43° 04’ South. Near the junction of the Huon and Weld Rivers in southern Tasmania, Australia.
Area:
15,900ha
Elevation:
37 – 1,260m
A typical aerial photograph of older wet E. obliqua forest in southern Tasmania.
Photograph provided by Leigh Edwards
Forestry Tasmania
Native forest types
Rainforest
Tall Open Eucalypt Forest
Principal biome (main communities):
Temperate broad leaf forest (mainly Eucalyptus obliqua wet forest) with some areas of moorland, alpine, temperate rainforest, riparian forests, conifer forest and scrubs.
Site goals/objectives
- to understand fundamental ecological processes in E. obliqua wet forests
- to assess and monitor biodiversity and geodiversity
- to determine the long term effects of different forest management regimes on natural diversity and ecological processes and thus assess their sustainability
- where necessary, to develop alternative management regimes
- to provide an integrated multidisciplinary focus which complements research programs elsewhere in Tasmania, and
- to link Tasmanian forest research with national and international programs having a long term ecological focus.
History of the site
The site is partly within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, which is managed for conservation, and partly within State forest, which is managed for multiple purposes including wood production. There has been a history of data collection for forestry purposes since the late 1960s. Parts of the area were first harvested in the early 1970s. The complete logging history, recent fire histories and vegetation survey data are available.
Spatial data sets
The following GIS layers have been collected at a 1:25,000 scale:
- Forest type maps (vegetation structure) derived from aerial photography.
- Geology
- Vegetation fire history
- Modelled climate surfaces (ESOCLIM)
- Satellite images
- Aerial videography
- Environmental stratifications
Non-spatial data sets
1. Hydrology and climate
- There are weirs constructed (or modified) and instrumented on Warra Creek, Swanson Creek and King Creek, sampling commenced in 1998.
- There is an operational weather station on Manuka Road and 17 fortnightly river sampling sites on Manuka, Warra and South Weld Roads.
- A second weather station is to be established at the top of the catchment.
2. Forest productivity
- Continuous forest inventory plots (CFI) have been established in the area since the late 1960s – early 1970s. These are measured at establishment, at 5 years, 10 years and then 10 yearly.
3. Biodiversity
- Species lists (and locations) are available for vascular plants, vertebrate fauna and some non-vascular plants and invertebrate groups.
- A stratified system of baseline long term vegetation monitoring plots is being established at Warra to complement the CFI plots.
Broad research areas
1. Aquatic
1.1 Hydrology: Water quality and flow through the three weirs pre- and post- harvesting of the King Creek catchment.
1.2 Aquatic invertebrate indicators of river health.
2. Biodiversity
2.1 Baseline biodiversity monitoring plots.
2.2 Decaying log habitat: Assessment of the similarity of fungal and invertebrate populations in decaying logs of different sizes and the development of prescriptions for the conservation of the decaying log habitat.
2.3 Effects of alternative silvicultural systems on biodiversity. Compares the relative impacts on biodiversity of partial logging with low intensity burning and clearfelling with high intensity burning with and without the retention of understorey islands. Studies include mammals, birds, selected invertebrate groups, vascular plants and selected non-vascular plants.
2.4 Effects of newly created edges on microclimates and epiphytes.
2.5 Earthworms as soil biodiversity indicators.
3. Silviculture
3.1 Native forest silvicultural systems-wet eucalypts: A replicated trial comparing clearfell, burn and sow treatment with a limited set of feasible alternatives. Aspects of the study include quality and quantity of eucalypt and special timbers regeneration, productivity, cost, worker safety, biodiversity retention and soil sustainability.
3.2 Long term response to thinning in E. obliqua forest.
Different harvesting and regeneration operations are being carried out in wet E. obliqua forest to better understand the silvicultural processes and define the effect on sustainability criteria of different forest practices. Photograph provided by Leigh Edwards, Forestry Tasmania
4. Soils
5. Modelling and remote sensing
5.1 Landscape dynamic modelling of the ecology/stand dynamics/fire history of E. obliqua forests.
5.2 Aerial videography.
5.3 Use of satellite imagery for productivity estimation.
Facilities
Access to site:
The Warra LTER site is 1½ hours drive from Hobart and has several major roads within its boundaries, which provide access to the eastern half. The western half of the area is effectively wilderness with access only by foot, or by river. Several permanent tracks have been established for long term monitoring within the area, both within the working forest and in the wilderness forest areas. Accessible control areas occur in the vicinity.
On site facilities:
Currently there are no on-site accommodation facilities or field stations in the area but there are shelter, toilet and barbecue facilities located on the Huon River at the entry to Warra. The Huon District Forestry Office is located at Geeveston, 40 minutes from the site.
Laboratory facilities:
There are no on-site facilities at Warra as yet. Laboratory space at Hobart may be available through negotiation with the Tasmanian land management and research agencies represented on the Policy Committee.
Research and data management
The site is managed by a cooperative which includes Forestry Tasmania, Parks and Wildlife, Forests and Forest Industry Council, Bureau of Rural Sciences, University of Tasmania, the CSIRO and the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Forest Management. Data are managed and curated by the individual research agencies, with common data sets on vegetation and biodiversity, climate, soil, water and geology, being held by Forestry Tasmania and the Parks and Wildlife Service. Data will eventually be available via the web site.
Mosses and rainforest species understories develop in wet eucalypt forest in southern Tasmania when not subjected to fire. Photograph provided by Leigh Edwards, Forestry Tasmania
Contact details
Dr Mick Brown, Coordinator
Forestry Tasmania
79 Melville Street
Hobart Tasmania 7000
Phone: +61 3 6233 8202
Fax: +61 3 6233 8292
E-mail: mick.brown@forestrytas.com.au
Visit the Warra website