The nature and function of log microenvironments in Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) - Red Gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi) woodlands

Yellow Box - Red Gum woodlands were once widespread in temperate south eastern tablelands and slopes of Australia. Since European settlement this region has been extensively cleared for grazing and agriculture.

An important component of these woodland systems is the presence of coarse woody debris (CWD). CWD is generally considered as dead woody material on the forest floor, including logs, snags and large branches. It is well established that CWD is an important component of energy flow and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems.

Logs are a key constituent of CWD and are suggested to provide many ecosystem services. There is little known about log microenvironments and their relationship to ecosystem function, especially in the Australian context.

The aim of this project is to quantify how logs influence the microenvironment in endangered Yellow Box - Red Gum woodlands, and to use this information to better understand the ecological function of logs in these systems. This will be particularly useful for current woodland restoration initiatives.