Soil community structure and litter decomposition under irrigated Eucalyptus Globulus in South Western Australia

Plantations provide a range of benefits, including the potential to ameliorate salinity and soil erosion, enhance biodiversity, and provide timber and wood chips. They are increasingly important because of their role in carbon sequestration (Adolphson, 2000; Anonymous, 2005; Jones et al. , 2005; Kozlowski, 2002; Paul and Polglase, 2004). Recent research has highlighted the connection between plantation health and soil fertility (Johnston and Crossley Jr, 2002). Within an Australian context there is little published data on the composition of the soil and litter fauna and their contribution to litter decomposition under plantation systems (Adolphson, 2000). The Albany Effluent Irrigated Tree Farm provided an opportunity to research plantation (Eucalyptus globulus ) soil flora and fauna communities, rates of litter decomposition and to describe the impact of irrigation (both mains-water and effluent) on these communities.

Grantor dc:publisher

Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia

Year dc:date

2006

Author dc:creator

• Swarts, Derek J.

• soil
• soil moisture
• bacteria
• fungi
• nematodes
• acari litter decomposition
• irrigation
• eucalyptus globulus
• Forest Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/100

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ro.ecu.edu.au:theses-1100