An Examination of Native Species:Eucalyptus Trees of Australia

International Forestry; 2014By: Brent Bybee, Travis Emerling, Chris Hale, Brie Kerfoot, Nathan Pauley

OverviewLineage and Paleo-climate: By Nathan Pauley

Biodiversity and habitat :By Brie Kerfoot

Cultural significance:By Chris Hale

Uses and products:By Brent Bybee

Silvicultural Management:By Travis Emerling

Lineage and Paleo-climateNathan Pauley

Lineage

•Fossil record is sparse and incomplete. •Fossil evidence of fruit, leaves, flowers etc. suggests that Eucalpyts evolved 35-50 My (Eocone).

•Morphological taxonomy shows monophyletic with six other genera: (Allosyncarpia, Stockwellia, Eucalyptosis, Arillastrum, Corymbia, Angophora,)

•Eucalyptus, Corymbia (Northern Australia), and Angophora (Eastern Australia), (collectively known as Eucalypts) account for 700 of the 5,500 global species.

•All but 15 are native to Australia, and 9 only occur in Oceania (Philippines, New Zealand, New Caledonia, New Guinea, and Indonesia).

•Eucalypts have evolved to fill specialized niches and range from tropical to arid regions, highland to lowland, can be classified as forest, woodland, or mallees.

Figure 1. Strict consensus tree.

Gandolfo MA, Hermsen EJ, Zamaloa MC, Nixon KC, et al. (2011) Oldest Known Eucalyptus Macrofossils Are from South America. PLoS ONE 6(6): e21084. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021084

MonophyleticAncestor ~50My

Tectonic History

Paleo-climate

Paleocene (65.5-55.8My) :•Gondwanaland has broken apart, Australia is an independent island. Located between 45ᵒ and 60ᵒ latitude.

•Major volcanism in the South. •Extreme differentiation between North and South regions. Northern Australia is arid to tropical, the South is temperate with high rainfall.

Mid-Miocene (13.8 My) :•Opening of Drake’s passage between Antarctica and the continent causing a substantial alteration to the Southern climate.

•Cooling of the Southern region and created temperate and humid climate, tropical climates still dominated the North.

•Continent collisides with the southern-most islands of Asia leading to flora and fauna exchange.

Quaternary (2.5Ma-present) :•Climate similar to present.•Tropical forests retreated to about the present day, grassland and aridification expanded North and South.

Summary:•Evolution driven by climatic pressures of the shifting continent.

•Ancestral seeds of were likely shade intolerant and grew on the fringes of rain forests that were inundated with volcanic eruptions and mudslides.

•Adaptation to poorer growing conditions allowed them to prosper and expand their range.

•Today they are the dominating tree of the region and serve an important role in the continents equally isolated ecology.

Biodiversity and HabitatBy Brie Kerfoot

Biodiversity

Habitat: Hollows of Eucalyptus

ExampleWildlife:•Yellow-bellied gliderCritical Habitat•Constructed as a consequence of fungal decay, insects and fire.•Trees must be at least 100 years old before hollows are substantial enough for use.

Habitat decline:•Deforestation•Agriculture• Increased fire regimes.

•Many of Australia’s species have co-evolved with Eucalyptus and have developed a specialized relationship with the ecosystem.

•Many marsupials including koalas and possums have evolved resistances the toxic oils produced by the trees.

•Many species only inhabit the Eucalyptus trees.

Cultural SignificanceBy Chris Hale

Cultural significance

•Aborigines are the indigenous people of Australia.•Over centuries they their culture has co-evolved with Eucalyptus trees.•Aboriginal culture has incorporated Eucalyptus in to food, medicine, tools, art, and music.

Aboriginal uses: Food and Medicine

Used to treat:• Fever, sore throats• Colds• Diarrhea• Bronchitis and pneumonia• Aching joints and stiffness• Snake and insect bites• Antibiotic properties

Aboriginal people used the oil of Eucalyptus leaves infused in drinks for medicinal purposes.

Aboriginal uses: Tools

•The bark was used to make canoes, bowls, and objects of art.•Seeds were eaten as dry bush food.•The hard wood was used to make musical instruments (didgeridoos) and tools (boomerangs) unique to the aboriginal culture.

Uses and ProductsBy Brent Bybee

Flooring and Furniture

Flooring• High density and durability.• Half the cost of traditional hardwood.• Stronger than oak flooring.• High variety of color choices.

Furniture• Great for outdoor furniture• Rot/decay resistant• High oil content repels water

Eucalyptus Oil

•Extracted from the leaves through steam distillation.•Has antiseptic/ Antibacterial properties.•Fragrance can act as deodorizer.•Has insect repellent properties.•Used in foods as a supplement; such as cough drops, toothpaste, and decongestant.

Pulpwood

•High regeneration rate (14yrs average/ 14”x120”).•Self regeneration at the roots.•Good plantation product.•Low coarseness makes it great for coated papers.•Slender and thick walled cells make the paper uniform and gives it high opacity.

Silviculture ManagementBy Travis Emerling

Clearfelling

Aggregated Retention

Shelterwood

Group Selection

Silvicultural Systems: Harvest• Harvest : The act of removing trees in a manner that promotes reestablishment.• Trees reach culmination at 30, but can be harvested as early as 7 years old for paper products.• Typically 400-500 trees per hectare at time of harvest.• Many different harvesting methods are practiced. Clearfelling is the most common.

Silvicultural Systems: Regeneration

•Regeneration: The act of establishing new trees either naturally or artificially.•Site preparation: High intensity broadcast burn to reduce fuels and create receptive seedbed.•Seeds collected from local sources and all tree species are present prior to harvest.•Seeds sown aerially via helicopter.•Typical stocking level: 2,000-12,000 trees per hectare.

Silvicultural Systems: Tending

• Tending: Activities performed to enhance the health of the trees.• Trees must be kept free of weeds for the first 2 years or until they are ~ 1.5m tall.• Indicator plots established after sowing to monitor germination problems.• Seedling regeneration survey conducted in the Summer of the year following seeding.

From To

Conclusion•The role that the Eucalyptus tree plays in the ecosystem of Australia is of great importance for wide variety of biodiversity that have evolved alongside these species.

•The trees plays an important role for both modern and aboriginal cultures who depend on the trees for its various uses.

•Eucalyptus forests are delicate in their uniqueness and require due-diligence on the part of those harvesting it to ensure that all aspects of the ecosystem remain intact.

Questions?