Should Exotic Eucalyptus be Planted in Subtropical China: Insights from Understory Plant Diversity in Two Contrasting Eucalyptus Chronosequences

Abstract

Although Eucalyptus is widely planted in South China, whose effects on native biodiversity are unclear. The objective of this study was to quantify the richness and composition of understory plants in two contrasting Eucalyptus chronosequences in South China. One was in Zhangzhou City with plantation age of 2, 4, and 6 years after clear-cutting Chinese fir forests, while the other was in Heshan City with plantation age of 2, 3, and 24 years that reforested on barren lands. Results showed that the richness of understory plants and functional groups was not significantly altered in the Zhangzhou chronosequence, while increased in the 24-year-old plantations, with a significantly larger proportion of woody plants than the younger plantations for the Heshan chronosequence. Moreover, a higher richness of woody plants accompanied by a lower richness of herbaceous species was detected in the Zhangzhou chronosequence compared with the Heshan one. To balance the need for pulp production and plant diversity conservation, we suggest that intercropping approaches between exotic Eucalyptus plantations and native forests should be considered in the fast rotation Eucalyptus plantations. However, Eucalyptus plantations may be used as pioneer species to sustain ecosystem functioning for the degraded lands.

Exotic eucalypts: From demonized trees to allies of tropical forest restoration?

“…Several studies have found abundant and diverse regeneration of native woody species in the understory of commercial tree plantations across the global tropics (e.g. Brockerhoff, Jactel, Parrotta, & Ferraz, ; Pryde, Holland, Watson, Turton, & Nimmo, ; Wu et al, ), and highlight the potential of timber plantations to promote large‐scale forest restoration (Lugo, ; Parrotta, Turnbull, & Jones, ). However, we are not aware of any controlled or replicated experiments that rigorously assess the ecological and economic outcomes of interplanting commercial exotic species with a diverse suite of native species to facilitate regeneration of a diversity of tropical forest species and offset restoration implementation costs by harvesting exotic planted trees.…”

Estimations of evapotranspiration in an age sequence of Eucalyptus plantations in subtropical China

“…In China, studies of Eucalyptus plantations are usually focused on wood production or carbon sequestration [10, 11], nutrients sustainability [12, 13] and native biodiversity [14, 15]. Yet, there is little information on the effects of Eucalyptus plantations on water resources and hydrological processes [16].…”

Forest Company Dependencies and Impacts on Ecosystem Services: Expert Perceptions from China

“…That is to say, the spectrum of stakeholders' perceptions found in this study is relevant, but the frequencies of these perceptions in the population is something that only a quantitative study can provide. Nonetheless, the present study can be considered as a preliminary step to fill the pressing research void concerning the interactions between the forest industry and ecosystem services [37], and it confirms the relevance of ecosystem services thinking within corporate sustainability agendas, which is emerging in grey and scientific literature [13][14][15]102]. Similar investigation of other company stakeholder groups (e.g., employees and suppliers) could provide complementary information about forest company dependencies and impacts on ecosystem services [36].…”