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Myrmicholeva ligulata - graphite. |
Image: Melanie Evans |
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Scopodes tasmanicus - pen and ink. |
Image: Melanie Evans |
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Tychreus camelus - paint. |
Image: Melanie Evans |
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Project summary:
The silvicultural systems trial (SST) is investigating alternative silvicultural systems for the management of wet eucalypt forests for wood production. The component of this trial involving invertebrates aims to (1) characterise and compare invertebrate assemblage structure and diversity in treatment and control areas, and (2) monitor their successional pathways following disturbance following a range of silvicultural treatments. Within each coupe, monitoring sites have been established in each of two plots with contrasting floristics and topography. The illustration here is part of a set commissioned by Forestry Tasmania from Melanie Evans. The other projects undertaken at Warra which include further illustrations by Melanie are: WRA086 Dispersal ability of the beetle Prostomis atkinsoni.WRA097 Dispersal ability of the beetle Coripera deplanata.WRA121 Biology and conservation ecology of saproxylic beetle species.WRA136 Illustrations of some of Warra’s insects.
Methodology: Each site contains 10 pitfall traps arranged in regularly spaced pairs (1-2 m apart) along a 50 m transect. At the end of each transect, a Malaise trap has been set up in an open insect flight path. Light traps have also been erected in some coupes, and sample for two nights a month. The first sample phase took place over at least a year pre-logging. The second phase begins one year after logging and regeneration burning, with subsequent sampling periods planned for every three years as the forest regenerates.
Each sampling operation is conducted monthly in each treatment and control coupe. Invertebrates are sorted to Order in the first instance, with selected groups such sorted to species. The current focus is on the beetle families: Carabidae, Curculionidae and Leiodidae.
Datasets: None available.
Publications: Baker, S.C., Grove, S.J., Forster, L., Bonham, K.J. & Bashford, R. (2009). Short-term responses of ground-active beetles to alternative silvicultural systems in the Warra Silvicultural Systems Trial, Tasmania, Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 258: 444-459.
Bashford, R., Taylor, R., Driessen, M., Doran, N. & Richardson, A. (2001). Research on invertebrate assemblages at the Warra LTER Site.Tasforests 13: 109-118.
Forestry Tasmania (2009). A new silviculture for Tasmania’s public forests: a review of the variable retention program. Forestry Tasmania, Hobart.
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