The Influence of Drought on Tropical Rainforest Vegetation in Papua New Guinea

Johns, R. J.

doi:10.2307/3673514

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…PNG is susceptible to the ENSO which has cyclically induced drought in 1972, 1982, 1988, and 1998(Brown & Powell 1974, Johns 1989, Barr 1999). These droughts have caused large-scale rain forest fires in lowland areas (Johns 1989) and severe frosts in montane forests (Allen 1989, Waddell 1989. PSPs affected by the 1998 ENSO, and the fires they induced, indicated dramatically increased mortality of up to 25 percent of basal area (C. Yosi, pers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Aboveground Carbon in Primary and Selectively Harvested Tropical Forest in Papua New Guinea

Fox

Yosi

Nimiago³

et al. 2010

Biotropica

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Papua New Guinea (PNG) has become the focus of climate change mitigation initiatives such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, but defensible estimates of forest carbon are lacking. Here we present a methodology for estimating aboveground forest carbon, and apply it to a large Permanent Sample Plot system maintained by Papua New Guinea Forest Research Institute. We report the first estimates of forest carbon in lowland tropical forest in PNG. Average aboveground carbon in stems 4 10 cm diam. for 115 selectively harvested 1-ha plots in lowland tropical forest was 66.3 AE 3.5 Mg C/ha (95% CI) while for 10 primary forest plots the average was 106.3 AE 16.2 Mg C/ha. We applied ratios based on field observations, in-country studies, and the literature to estimate unmeasured pools of aboveground carbon (stems o 10 cm diam., fine litter and coarse woody debris). Total aboveground carbon was estimated at 90.2 and 120.8 Mg C/ha in selectively harvested and primary lowland forest, respectively. Our estimate for primary tropical forest is lower than biome averages for tropical equatorial forest, and we hypothesize that frequent disturbances from fire, frost, landslides, and agriculture are limiting carbon stock development. The methodology and estimates presented here will assist the PNG government in its preparedness for mitigation initiatives, are of interest to communities that are seeking to participate in voluntary carbon markets, and will encourage transparency and consistency in the estimation of forest carbon.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Aboveground Carbon in Primary and Selectively Harvested Tropical Forest in Papua New Guinea

Fox

Yosi

Nimiago³

et al. 2010

Biotropica

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“…Disturbance has been an integral part of dynamics of PNG forests. For example, fire has been shaping PNG's vegetation patterns through thousands of years of human settlement (Johns, 1989;Haberle et al, 2001). At high altitudes fire may result in permanent conversion of forests to grasslands (Corlett, 1987).…”

Section: Pngfri Permanent Sample Plots -Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest dynamics after selective timber harvesting in Papua New Guinea

Yosi¹,

Keenan²,

Fox³

2011

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…Fire has been shaping PNG's vegetation patterns through thousands of years of human settlement and cannot simply be understood as occasional acts by local farmers that result in long-term forest loss (Johns, 1989(Johns, , 1990Haberle et al, 2001). There is clear evidence that forests can recover from such events and the structure of forests prior to major fires has been, in some parts, determined by previous such events.…”

Section: Major Forest Firesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deforestation and forest degradation in Papua New Guinea

et al. 2009

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Abstract• The Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has played a prominent part in recent negotiations for "rainforest nations" to be compensated for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation or forest degradation (DFD).• A new report "The State of the Forests of Papua New Guinea" claims that rates of DFD in PNG are much higher than have previously reported. It suggests more than half of PNG's remaining forests will have disappeared or be damaged beyond recovery by 2021.• We argue that this claim is incorrect. The report overestimates the area of intact primary forest in 1972 and the impact of traditional land use practices on forest cover. Much of what the RSLUP report considers as deforestation is part of a cycle of traditional clearance for farming, fallow and regrowth that has been occurring for hundreds of years.• The assumption that areas impacted by harvesting or shifting cultivation will inevitably degrade and become non-forest is also not supported by observation of cutover forest in PNG. A considerable proportion of cutover forest areas will recover carbon stocks after harvesting.• It is argued that traditional land use practices and forest recovery processes need to be considered in assessing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation in countries with complex land use histories such as PNG. Mots-clés :forêt tropicale humide / télédétection / carbone / dynamique forestière Résumé -Déboisement et dégradation des forêts en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée.• Le Gouvernement de Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée (PNG) a joué un rôle important dans les récentes négociations pour que « les pays à forêt tropicale humide » soient indemnisés pour la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre provenant de la déforestation ou la dégradation des forêts (DFD).• Un nouveau rapport « L'État des forêts de Papouasie-Nouvelle Guinée » affirme que les taux de DFD en PNG sont nettement plus élevés que précédemment signalés. Il suggère que plus de la moitié des forêts de PNG auront disparu ou seront endommagées au-delà de la récupération d'ici 2021.• Nous sommes d'avis que cette affirmation est erronée. Le rapport surestime la surface de la forêt primaire intacte, en 1972, et l'impact des pratiques traditionnelles d'utilisation des terres sur le couvert forestier. Une partie importante de ce que le rapport RSLUP considère comme de la déforestation fait partie d'un cycle traditionnel de dégagement pour l'agriculture, la jachère et la repousse ce qui s'est produit pendant des centaines d'années.• L'hypothèse que les zones touchées par l'exploitation forestière ou la culture itinérante vont inévi-tablement se dégrader et ne pas devenir de la forêt n'est pas non plus soutenue par l'observation des déboisement en PNG. Une proportion considérable des zones forestières déboisées récupérera des stocks de carbone après la récolte.• Il est fait valoir que l'utilisation traditionnelle des terres et les processus de régénération forestières doivent être pris en considération dans l'évaluation des émissions de gaz à ef...

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The Influence of Drought on Tropical Rainforest Vegetation in Papua New Guinea

Cited by 16 publications

References 6 publications

Assessment of Aboveground Carbon in Primary and Selectively Harvested Tropical Forest in Papua New Guinea

Assessment of Aboveground Carbon in Primary and Selectively Harvested Tropical Forest in Papua New Guinea

Forest dynamics after selective timber harvesting in Papua New Guinea

Deforestation and forest degradation in Papua New Guinea

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