Microcosm study of ion mobilization and greenhouse gas evolution in soils of a plantation-forested subtropical coastal catchment

This study examined the potential for Fe mobilization and greenhouse gas (GHG, e.g. CO2, and CH4) evolution in SEQ soils associated with a range of plantation forestry practices and water-logged conditions. Intact, 30-cm-deep soil cores collected from representative sites were saturated and incubated for 35 days in the laboratory, with leachate and headspace gas samples periodically collected. Minimal Fe dissolution was observed in well-drained sand soils associated with mature, first-rotation Pinus and organic Fe complexation, whereas progressive Fe dissolution occurred over 14 days in clear-felled and replanted Pinus soils with low organic matter and non-crystalline Fe fractions. Both CO2 and CH4 effluxes were relatively lower in clear-felled and replanted soils compared with mature, first-rotation Pinus soils, despite the lack of statistically significant variations in total GHG effluxes associated with different forestry practices. Fe dissolution and GHG evolution in low-lying, water-logged soils adjacent to riparian and estuarine, native-vegetation buffer zones were impacted by mineral and physical soil properties. Highest levels of dissolved Fe and GHG effluxes resulted from saturation of riparian loam soils with high Fe and clay content, as well as abundant organic material and Fe-metabolizing bacteria. Results indicate Pinus forestry practices such as clear-felling and replanting may elevate Fe mobilization while decreasing CO2 and CH4 emissions from well-drained, SEQ plantation soils upon heavy flooding. Prolonged water-logging accelerates bacterially mediated Fe cycling in low-lying, clay-rich soils, leading to substantial Fe dissolution, organic matter mineralization, and CH4 production in riparian native-vegetation buffer zones.

Thermal stability and decomposition kinetics of styrene-butadiene rubber nanocomposites filled with different particle sized kaolinites

A series of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) nanocomposites filledwith different particle sized kaolinites are prepared via a latex blending method. The thermal stabilities of these clay polymer nanocomposites (CPN) are characterized by a range of techniques including thermogravimetry (TG), digital photos, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. These CPN show some remarkable improvement in thermal stability compared to that of the pure SBR. With the increase of kaolinite particle size, the residual char content and the average activation energy of kaolinite SBR nanocomposites all decrease; the pyrolysis residues become porous; the crystal carbon in the pyrolysis residues decrease significantly from 58.23% to 44.41%. The above results prove that the increase of kaolinite particle size is not beneficial in improving the thermal stability of kaolinite SBR nanocomposites.

The darker side of green : plantation forestry and carbon violence in Uganda

In recent years, there has been a significant trend toward land acquisition in developing countries, establishing forestry plantations for offsetting carbon pollution generated in the Global North. Badged as “green economic development,” global carbon markets are often championed not only as solutions to climate change, but as drivers of positive development outcomes for local communities. But there is mounting evidence that these corporate land acquisitions for climate change mitigation—including forestry plantations—severely compromise not only local ecologies but also the livelihoods of the some of the world’s most vulnerable people living at subsistence level in rural areas in developing countries.

Sex-specific roost selection by bats in clearfell harvested plantation forest : improved knowledge advises management

To maximize energetic savings, female bats often roost communally whilst pregnant or with non-volant dependents, whereas male bats more often roost alone; however, differences in selection of roosts by sex have not often been investigated. Better understanding of female colony locations could focus management to protect the majority of bats. New Zealand's long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) roost in exotic plantation forest, where sex-specific roost selection has not been investigated, and therefore such management is not possible. We investigated sex-specific roost selection by long-tailed bats for the first time. Roosts and paired nonroosts were characterized testing predictions that males and females select roosts that differ from non-roosts, and males and females select different roosts. Females and males chose Pinus radiata roosts that differed from non-roost trees. Results suggest each sex chose roosts that maximized energetic savings. Female bats used roosts closer to water sources, that warmed earlier in the day, which allowed maintenance of high temperatures. Males appeared to choose roosts that allowed torpor use for long periods of the day. Males may be less selective with their roost locations than females, as they roosted further from water sources. This could allow persistence of male bats in marginal habitat. As all female long-tailed bats chose roosts within 150 m of waterways, management to protect bats could be focused here. To protect bats least able to escape when roosts are harvested, harvest of forest stands selected by female bats as roost sites should be planned when bats are not heavily pregnant nor have non-volant dependents.

Bat colony size reduction coincides with clear-fell harvest operations and high rates of roost loss in plantation forest

Clear-fell harvest of forest concerns many wildlife biologists because of loss of vital resources such as roosts or nests, and effects on population viability. However, actual impact has not been quantified. Using New Zealand long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) as a model species we investigated impacts of clear-fell logging on bats in plantation forest. C. tuberculatus roost within the oldest stands in plantation forest so it was likely roost availability would decrease as harvest operations occurred. We predicted that post-harvest: (1) roosting range sizes would be smaller, (2) fewer roosts would be used, and (3) colony size would be smaller. We captured and radiotracked C. tuberculatus to day-roosts in Kinleith Forest, an exotic plantation forest, over three southern hemisphere summers (Season 1 October 2006–March 2007; Season 2 November 2007–March 2008; and Season 3 November 2008–March 2009). Individual roosting ranges (100% MCPs) post harvest were smaller than those in areas that had not been harvested, and declined in area during the 3 years. Following harvest, bats used fewer roosts than those in areas that had not been harvested. Over 3 years 20.7% of known roosts were lost: 14.5% due to forestry operations and 6.2% due to natural tree fall. Median colony size was 4.0 bats (IQR = 2.0–8.0) and declined during the study, probably because of locally high levels of roost loss. Post harvest colonies were smaller than colonies in areas that had not been harvested. Together, these results suggest the impact of clear-fell harvest on long-tailed bat populations is negative.

Home range and habitat selection by a threatened bat in exotic plantation forest

Individuals' home ranges are constrained by resource distribution and density, population size, and energetic requirements. Consequently, home ranges and habitat selection may vary between individuals of different sex and reproductive conditions. Whilst home ranges of bats are well-studied in native habitats, they are often not well understood in modified landscapes, particularly exotic plantation forests. Although Chalinolobus tuberculatus (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera) are present in plantation forests throughout New Zealand their home ranges have only been studied in native forest and forest-agricultural mosaic and no studies of habitat selection that included males had occurred in any habitat type. Therefore, we investigated C. tuberculatus home range and habitat selection within exotic plantation forest. Home range sizes did not differ between bats of different reproductive states. Bats selected home ranges with higher proportions of relatively old forest than was available. Males selected edges with open unplanted areas within their home ranges, which females avoided. We suggest males use these edges, highly profitable foraging areas with early evening peaks in invertebrate abundance, to maintain relatively low energetic demands. Females require longer periods of invertebrate activity to fulfil their needs so select older stands for foraging, where invertebrate activity is higher. These results highlight additional understanding gained when data are not pooled across sexes. Mitigation for harvest operations could include ensuring that areas suitable for foraging and roosting are located within a radius equal to the home range of this bat species.

The importance of exotic plantation forest for the New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus)

Environmental certification schemes have stimulated increasing interest in biodiversity and its management within exotic plantation forests. These schemes expect management to be scientifically-based, even though little is known about how often, or which, native species use exotic plantation forests. Greater knowledge of the ecology of native species within exotic plantation forests is required to advise management and reduce risks to native species, particularly those that are rare, such as the New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus). Long-tailed bats use exotic plantation forests throughout New Zealand but need protection from the impacts of forest management, and particularly clear-fell harvest, that is achievable only through a better understanding of their biology. The consequences of the current reduced re-planting, and the conversion of plantation forests into pasture resulting in smaller forested areas, should not be ignored because they may be associated with reductions in long-tailed bat populations. We review the current knowledge of long-tailed bats' use of exotic plantation forests, and report for the first time which exotic plantations long-tailed bats are known to use. We make recommendations for the design of monitoring programmes to detect long-tailed bats within plantation forests, and for research into the effects of forest management, especially logging, and comment on the likely impacts of reductions in forested areas on long-tailed bats.

Quantitative characterization of kaolinite dispersibility in styrene–butadiene rubber composites by fractal dimension

A fractal method was introduced to quantitatively characterize the dispersibility of modified kaolinite (MK) and precipitated silica (PS) in styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) matrix based on the lower magnification transmission electron microscopic images. The fractal dimension (FD) is greater, and the dispersion is worse. The fractal results showed that the dispersibility of MK in the latex blending sample is better than that in the mill blending samples. With the increase of kaolinite content, the FD increases from 1.713 to 1.800, and the dispersibility of kaolinite gradually decreases. There is a negative correlation between the dispersibility and loading content. With the decrease of MK and increase of PS, the FD significantly decreases from 1.735 to 1.496 and the dipersibility of kaolinite remarkably increases. The hybridization can improve the dispersibility of fillers in polymer matrix. The FD can be used to quantitatively characterize the aggregation and dispersion of kaolinite sheets in rubber matrix.

Influence of the structural characteristic of pyrolysis products on thermal stability of styrene-butadiene rubber composites reinforced by different particle sized kaolinites

A series of rubber composites were prepared by blending styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) latex and the different particle sized kaolinites. The thermal stabilities of the rubber composites were characterized using thermogravimetry, digital photography, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Kaolinite SBR composites showed much greater thermal stability when compared with that of the pure SBR. With the increase of kaolinite particle size, the pyrolysis products became much looser; the char layer and crystalline carbon content gradually decreased in the pyrolysis residues. The pyrolysis residues of the SBR composites filled with the different particle sized kaolinites showed some remarkable changes in structural characteristics. The increase of kaolinite particle size was not beneficial to form the compact and stable crystalline carbon in the pyrolysis process, and resulted in a negative influence in improving the thermal stability of kaolinite/SBR composites.

Influence of kaolinite particle size on cross-link density, microstructure and mechanical properties of latex blending styrene butadiene rubber composites

Cross-link density, microstructure and mechanical properties of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) composites filled with different particle sized kaolinites are investigated. With the increase of kaolinite particle size, the cross-link density of the filled SBR composites, the dispersibility and orientation degree of kaolinite particles gradually decrease. Some big cracks in filled rubber composites are distributed along the fringe of kaolinite aggregates, and the absorbance of all the absorption bands of kaolinites gradually increase with the increase of kaolinite particle size. All mechanical property indexes of kaolinite filled SBR composites decrease due to the decrease of cross-linking and reduction of interface interaction between filler and rubber matrix.

Domestic and export marketing of Auracaria timber

This article examines the need for a marketing approach to support the expansion of trade in Australian forest Products. Opportunities available for trade in hoop pine ( Araucaria cunninghamii), a Queensland species of timber, are examined. Markets within China and Japan are found to have substantial potential end product uses for the plantation timber.

The role of timber plantations in UK Investment portfolios

Although timber plantations and forests are classified as forms of agricultural production, the ownership of this land classification is not limited to rural producers. Timber plantations and forests are now regarded as a long-term investment with both institutional and absentee owners. While the NCREIF property indices have been the benchmarks for the measurement of the performance of the commercial property market in the UK, for many years the IPD timberland index has recently emerged as the U.K. forest and timberland performance indicator. The IPD Forest index incorporates 126 properties over five regions in the U.K. This paper will utilise the IPD Forestry Index to examine the performance of U.K. timber plantations and forests over the period 1981-2004. In particular, issues to be critically assessed include plantation and forest performance analysis, comparative investment analysis, and the role of plantations and forests in investment portfolios, the risk reduction and portfolio benefits of plantations and forests in mixed-asset portfolios and the strategic investment significance of U.K. timberlands.