Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and con ....Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and conditions. This project will address these concerns. We will also be addressing the clear need for further training of PhD qualified researchers in the field of climate change. Read moreRead less
Pest Status and Management of a Creiss psyllid in Eucalyptus plantations. Research studies are required on the ecology and epidemiology of a Creiis psyllid, recently found causing significant damage in young Eucalyptus dunnii plantations. The susceptibility to psyllid damage to a range of selected clonal types will be examined. With increasing community concerns associated with insecticide usage and to reduce costs, exploitation of natural resistance is an avenue that counters economic threat f ....Pest Status and Management of a Creiss psyllid in Eucalyptus plantations. Research studies are required on the ecology and epidemiology of a Creiis psyllid, recently found causing significant damage in young Eucalyptus dunnii plantations. The susceptibility to psyllid damage to a range of selected clonal types will be examined. With increasing community concerns associated with insecticide usage and to reduce costs, exploitation of natural resistance is an avenue that counters economic threat from herbivorous insects. Since Australia is currently planting 100,000 ha of eucalypts per year results from this project are essential to build better management strategies for reduce the impact of this and all pests on tree survival and growth.Read moreRead less
The Sustainable Effluent Irrigation Project - Effects of effluent irrigation on soil sodicity and groundwater quality. The land application of recycled municipal effluent is now regularly practised by a number of local authorities and agencies responsible for centralised collection of wastewater, its treatment and disposal. Treated municipal effluent is often land applied and used to grow hardwood plantations. Hardwood plantations are very effective in producing large amounts of biomass and also ....The Sustainable Effluent Irrigation Project - Effects of effluent irrigation on soil sodicity and groundwater quality. The land application of recycled municipal effluent is now regularly practised by a number of local authorities and agencies responsible for centralised collection of wastewater, its treatment and disposal. Treated municipal effluent is often land applied and used to grow hardwood plantations. Hardwood plantations are very effective in producing large amounts of biomass and also assist agencies in off-setting wastewater treatment and disposal costs associated with advanced wastewater treatment to remove nutrients. This project will examine the effects of effluent irrigation on soil chemistry and groundwater quality at two hardwood plantations in the Hunter Valley, NSW. It is increasingly clear that large-scale reuse schemes, particularly those involving hardwood plantations, must be designed to be sustainable and have no significant impact on soil chemistry (increasing sodicity) and groundwater. This project will develop irrigation regimes for hardwood plantations which will promote soil productivity and optimize effluent application rates for pollutant removal and biomass production.
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Wood quality improvement for spotted gum. Eucalypts are one of the world's top sources of hardwood saw and pulp logs. This project will provide a model for accelerated tree improvement for wood quality. The aim is to link genes for wood formation with wood quality phenotypes in spotted gum, a priority hardwood eucalypt for Northern Australia. The significance of the approach is time and costs saved in the deployment of plantations of higher wood quality through the circumvention of delays to gen ....Wood quality improvement for spotted gum. Eucalypts are one of the world's top sources of hardwood saw and pulp logs. This project will provide a model for accelerated tree improvement for wood quality. The aim is to link genes for wood formation with wood quality phenotypes in spotted gum, a priority hardwood eucalypt for Northern Australia. The significance of the approach is time and costs saved in the deployment of plantations of higher wood quality through the circumvention of delays to generate populations required for alternative approaches and early selection available with molecular breeding.Read moreRead less
Mixed species plantations: does diversity help tropical eucalypts grow faster, better, longer? To test the assumption that mixtures are better than monocultures, using data from experiments (QFRI) and community plantings. Growth rate, habit (form, branching), timber and soil characteristics in Eucalyptus pellita (Red Mahogany) plantings should elucidate whether mixtures:
1. grow (above-ground woody biomass) faster than pure plantings;
2. have straighter trees with smaller branches;
3. improve ....Mixed species plantations: does diversity help tropical eucalypts grow faster, better, longer? To test the assumption that mixtures are better than monocultures, using data from experiments (QFRI) and community plantings. Growth rate, habit (form, branching), timber and soil characteristics in Eucalyptus pellita (Red Mahogany) plantings should elucidate whether mixtures:
1. grow (above-ground woody biomass) faster than pure plantings;
2. have straighter trees with smaller branches;
3. improve soil fertility; and whether
4. differences are accentuated in subsequent rotations.
E. pellita has valuable dark-red timber, and is widely planted in north Queensland, despite variable performance (3-30 m3/ha/yr, average 10m3/ha/yr). Analyses will reveal opportunities for conservation outcomes and sustainable timber production.Read moreRead less