NPP Tropical Forest: Atherton, Australia, 1974-1985


[PHOTOGRAPH] Photograph: View across the forest canopy near Atherton (click on the photo to view a series of images from this site)

Data Citation

Cite this data set as follows:

Stocker, G. C. 2001. NPP Tropical Forest: Atherton, Australia, 1974-1985. Data set. Available on-line [http://www.daac.ornl.gov] from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Description

Litterfall was determined over 3-4 years (1974/5-1978) for two tropical rainforest sites and for 5 years (1980-1985) for a third study site near Atherton, Queensland, in northeast Australia. Although net primary production (NPP) was not determined, the extensive site description data and the rarity of measurements on tropical forests south of the Equator make these datasets valuable.

Two of the Atherton sub-sites, Wongabel (17.32 S 145.50 E) and Gadgarra (17.30 S 145.72 E), are located within State Forest Reserves of 635 ha and 15,280 ha, respectively, Wongabel being about 5 km south of the town of Atherton. The third sub-site, Tableland (17.28 S 145.57 E) is 12 km east of Atherton, on similar soils to Wongabel. Overall, the sites are situated about 24 km apart on the Atherton tableland, a flat to undulating plateau of about 700-800 m elevation, approximately 30 km due west of the coastline. The climate is mild, and the whole of this plateau was covered by rainforest prior to European settlement in the late 1800s. Much has now been cleared for maize and dairy farming, although patches remain in forest reserves, bearing signs of severe disturbance by a cyclone in 1918.

Litterfall was measured weekly or bi-weekly over four years (mid-1974 to mid-1978) at Wongabel, over three years (1975-1978) at Gadgarra, and weekly at Tableland (mid-1980 to mid-1985). In addition to the native rainforest, litterfall data are also available in the literature for plantations of Araucaria at the first two sub-sites. Mineral element analysis of litter (6 elements) and detailed soil samples were also determined. Total annual litterfall averaged 925 g/m2 at Wongabel and Gadgarra, and 1103 g/m2 at Tableland, giving a minimum estimate of above-ground net primary productivity in this region of Australia.

Contact Information

Contact: Dr. G. C. Stocker
c/o CSIRO Tropical Forest Research Centre
P.O. Box 780
Atherton
Queensland 4883
AUSTRALIA

Tel. +61 (07) 4091-8800
Fax +61 (07) 4091-3245
E-mail gstocker@fastinternet.net.au

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