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https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/20116
Title: | Growth and carbon sequestration by remnant 'Eucalyptus camaldulensis' woodlands in semi-arid Australia during La Nina conditions | Contributor(s): | Smith, Rhiannon (author) ; Renton, Michael (author); Reid, Nick (author) | Publication Date: | 2017 | DOI: | 10.1016/j.agrformet.2016.10.014 | Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/20116 | Abstract: | Recent research has shown the value of native vegetation in semi-arid regions for sequestering large amounts of carbon (C), particularly in La Ni˜na years. In 2011, above-average rainfall led to significant vegetation growth and a 'greening' of inland Australia. During the period 2008-2012, we measured aboveground growth rates, biomass accumulation and C sequestration by river red gums ('Eucalyptus camaldulensis'), a commonly occurring tree species in riparian and floodplain ecosystems in semi-arid inland Australia. We measured trees representing the full range of ages, stand densities, canopy conditions and landscape positions. Our data suggest that river red gums can grow up to 6 cm (diameter at 1.3m aboveground) per year, with most trees growing at a rate of <3 cm per year and sequestering on average, just over 2.5t C ha-¹yr-¹ in aboveground woody biomass during high-rainfall and flood conditions. In general, trees in riparian zones grew faster than trees on the floodplain and trees in dense stands grew more slowly than widely-spaced trees. Sites with high aboveground woody biomass at the start of the study had the highest growth and C sequestration rates, indicating that those sites had not reached their C carrying capacity. Healthy crown condition was associated with faster growth in trunk diameter. While stem increment decreased with tree size, C sequestration increased in aboveground woody biomass, illustrating the importance of mature and old-growth trees as C sinks. This study highlights the contribution of semi-arid riparian woodlands for sequestering large amounts of C in aboveground woody biomass during above-average rainfall periods and the need to factor this important sink into global C budgets. | Publication Type: | Journal Article | Source of Publication: | Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, v.232, p. 704-710 | Publisher: | Elsevier BV | Place of Publication: | Netherlands | ISSN: | 1873-2240 0168-1923 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: | 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity 050209 Natural Resource Management |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: | 410401 Conservation and biodiversity 410406 Natural resource management |
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: | 960907 Forest and Woodlands Water Management 961305 Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas in Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Environments |
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: | 180607 Terrestrial erosion 180699 Terrestrial systems and management not elsewhere classified 180604 Rehabilitation or conservation of terrestrial environments |
Peer Reviewed: | Yes | HERDC Category Description: | C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal |
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Appears in Collections: | Journal Article |
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