The secrets of forests

Researchers are working to unravel some of these secrets in a large-scale, Australian first study, led by Associate Professor Stefan Arndt from the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science at the University of Melbourne’s School of Land and Environment.

“Forest ecosystems have the ability to trap and store huge amounts of atmospheric carbon and can therefore play a major role in mitigating the effects of climate change,” Associate Professor Arndt says.

“But forests can also release carbon when the plant matter that stores the carbon decomposes.

“The problem is we don’t know how effective our forests are at taking up versus releasing carbon, and this is important to know so we can work out whether our forests are actually acting as carbon sinks.”

Many factors such as fires, clearing, and changes in climate can influence a forest’s ability to take up carbon and knowing how these factors will influence the forest is essential to making appropriate management decisions, Associate Professor Arndt explains.

“We need to be sure that specific management techniques like prescribed burning and selective logging are not detrimental to a forest’s carbon uptake capacity, and that our forest systems are not only storing carbon but also taking up new carbon.”

The team, including researchers from the University of Melbourne, Monash University and the Department of Sustainability and Environment, has set their sights on the Wombat Forest in Victoria to explore these mysteries.

In a revolutionary Australian first study, they will compare the amount of carbon that goes into an entire forest with the amount of carbon the forest releases through decomposition.

A large tower in the middle of the forest canopy measures carbon fluxes of the entire forest system by looking at carbon exchange between the forest and the atmosphere – this is known as the Eddy Covariance technique.

The scientists also have glass chambers set up across the forest floor that measure the carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide released from the soil and plant matter into the chambers.

Together, the different experimental approaches will allow a better understanding of the processes that control the carbon and greenhouse gas balance in forest systems in Australia.

“This set-up will deliver data that will allow a thorough assessment of how vulnerable the carbon balance of this forest system is to environmental variability and climate change,” Associate Professor Arndt says.

“In the long run we will be able to identify at what times the forest is a strong carbon sink or a source and we can therefore predict how well forests of this type may behave in a future climate.”

This innovative research highlights how forest and ecosystem science has transformed over the past 100 years, allowing Victorian forest scientists to become world leaders in bushfire management, carbon capture, greenhouse emissions and sustainable forestry.

To celebrate the centenary of forest education in Australia, the University’s Creswick Campus will host a series of exciting events that will provide an opportunity for past and present graduates and staff, industry members and the community to come together and celebrate the achievements of the Department.

The Wombat Forest research site will be launched on Friday 15 October offering any welcome visitors the chance to look around the set-up to see the revolutionary research in action.

Following the launch of the Wombat Forest research site, weekend celebrations will kick off on the night of Friday 15 October with one of Victoria’s leading performing groups putting on a spectacular ‘Illuminated by Fire’ outdoor theatre show using smoke, shadow theatre, light and fire to explore living sustainably in the most bushfire-prone region of the world.

Creswick will also be buzzing with activity on the following Saturday and Sunday as visitors are welcome to witness the rich history of the school through a photographic and memorabilia museum on campus. Visitors can also go on guided tours of the forest, campus and research sites.

Head of the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, Gerd Bossinger says the exciting events will reflect on the rich history of the department as well as highlighting the future direction of forest science as we strive to meet the needs of future generations.

“We look forward to the next 100 years of forest science in Australia – it is bound to be an exciting time.”

For more information on the events, please see
http://www.forestscience.unimelb.edu.au/centenary/