Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Spatial patterns and dimensions: location, altitude, latitude, size, shape and continuity
1ha can consist of 600 large trees representing 150 species Location Found in tropical and temperate areas usually found in a region that straddles the equator PNG Altitude Montane forests = 1000-1400m Lowland = lower Latitude Lies between 3S and 11S the equatorial latitudes Size 70% of PNG is covered with TRF 460 000 km sq. Structure Only 2% of light makes it to the forest floor There are 4 layers each reduces the amount of light and energy to the layers below Emergents Canopy Shrub layer Forest floor Continuity No dominant species = forest continually varies PNG has only 40% of its original primary forests intact(1989) primarily due to traditional agriculture and natural disasters
Human impacts (both positive and negative) Traditional uses of the forest
With population doubling every 25 years these traditional uses are becoming unsustainable with a pop growth rate of 2.3% and current pop of 5 million. Using forest resources Used for building, food, fuel and medicine etc Sustainable due to small population and low pop growth Slash and burn techniques Used by the traditional bush-fallow farmers 10,000 sq. km of TRF have been converted into anthropogenic grasslands This is being extended by 200 sq. Km each year Ring-barking, felling and burning Forested areas = better to cultivate in Clear on average half a ha Incomplete tillage of soil still stumps left Main staples = yams and taros Shifting cultivation When crop yields diminish after a season or two = garden abandoned to fallow for up to 20 years It is now realised that fertility does not recover and continues use of TRF leads to long term decline in soil fertility
Primary TRF
Secondary TRF
Tall Grassland
Short Grassland
BIOPHYSICAL INTERACTIONS:
Atmospheric Processes o 1088mm pa. o 200 C - 130 C (small temp range) o Wind = sediment = peninsula. o Protected from harsh winds by landforms Geomorphic Processes: (how we got landform) o Fluvial sediments alternately with deposited marine sands 4000 7000 years ago. o The muddy sand flats damaged by coastal erosion. o Spit is actively extending with the sediment from the eroding beach. Hydrological Processes: o Dynamic equilibrium with the forces of wind and water (mostly wave action) o TIDES o Tidal range is between 0.1m to 2.0m. o The catchment area = extensive urban Bio geographical Processes: (limiting factor for each ecosystem = TIDES) o Continuous succession of plant communities = marine seagrasses mudflats mangroves salt marshes
Adjustments in response to Natural Stress: o o o o Salinity - Secreted to leaves Tidal Movement = Anaerobic soils soil = salty = no oxygen. Use pneumatophores to access oxygen Nutrient Deficiency - nutrients come from adjacent ecosystems (nitrogen in air), leaf litter/ detritus, pneumatophores Windstorm roots
Recreation Anchors and propellers Horse riding and bike riding in the nature reserve Desalination Plant - Requires metals and chemicals to treat the water. Dredging the bay to construct pipelines
-loss of sea grass beds -Highly saline, chemical and metal discharge water = Temperature fluctuations may also kills plant and animal species.
MANAGEMENT ISSUES:
UNDERFUNDED budget and labour. Its funds are part of the overall budget for Botany Bay National Park. Specific grants for specific projects only. eg. Beach nourishment funds for engineering project. o Overall lack of funding makes it difficult to commit to management objectives. Management is COMPLEX o Both Federal and State involvement and the large number of State Govt. depts. who have JURISDICTION over the area. This makes management very FRAGMENTED and difficult to achieve for the BIOREGION. There are CONFLICTS of INTEREST that jeopardise the future of TPIW. It appears that there will continue to be significant problems related to biodiversity and habitat. The recent beach nourishment program is helping to hold the line and there may be cause for cautious optimism about TPIWs future prospects. o