Trajectory of change in land cover and carbon stocks following European settlement in Tasmania, Australia

Fire regime and vegetation change in the transition from Aboriginal to European land management in a Tasmanian eucalypt savanna

“…We found no significant change in the abundance of Eucalyptus pollen following European settlement. This lack of change in Eucalyptus was unexpected given the well documented loss of tree cover in the Midlands, which has occurred since European settlement (Fensham and Kirkpatrick 1989;Prior et al 2013;Romanin et al 2015) and may be an artefact of the amalgamation of data from multiple cores. In highly disturbed agricultural areas of New South Wales a similar lack of change in the pollen signature of Eucalyptus has been identified with the suggestion that clearing of woodland trees has been compensated by the planting of other species of eucalypts around homesteads or as windbreaks (Kershaw et al 1994).…”

“…The open vegetation proved ideal for sheep grazing, so the grassy lowlands of the Midlands were rapidly allocated to free settlers and by 1830, Aboriginal people were completely removed from the area (Fensham 1989;Morgan 1992;Benson and Redpath 1997). This transition resulted in tree clearance, establishment of exotic taxa and the transformation of a focal region of the indigenous economy (Ryan 2012;Prior et al 2013;Romanin et al 2015).…”

Impact of high-severity fire in a Tasmanian dry eucalypt forest

“…The natural vegetation of the Midlands comprises Eucalyptus viminalis, E. pauciflora and E. ovata open forest and woodland on Quaternary sands and alluvium, and E. amygdalina open forest and woodland on Tertiary deposits (Resource Planning and Development Commission 2003). This region was one of the first in Australia to be developed for agriculture, and like similar grassy woodlands elsewhere in temperate Australia, it has been extensively cleared (Fensham 1989;Kirkpatrick 1991;Romanin et al 2015). Most surviving remnants are <5 ha in size and concentrated on steep slopes, and on sand and Jurassic dolerite substrates (Gilfedder and Kirkpatrick 1998).…”

“…It is the second-oldest agricultural area in Australia. As in similar areas of dry eucalypt forest in mainland Australia, the vegetation has been largely cleared, and what remains is heavily fragmented (Kirkpatrick 1991;Bradshaw 2012;Romanin et al 2015). Only 16% of the Midlands remains under native vegetation, mostly in steep, rocky areas unsuitable for cultivation (Fensham 1989).…”

“…Only 16% of the Midlands remains under native vegetation, mostly in steep, rocky areas unsuitable for cultivation (Fensham 1989). Tree cover is continuing to decrease as a result of tree dieback, agricultural intensification and grazing pressure from introduced herbivores (Kirkpatrick 1991;Neyland 1999;Davidson et al 2007;Close et al 2009;Prior et al 2013;Romanin et al 2015). Climate change poses a further threat to the tree cover that remains (Williamson et al 2014).…”