Seed-bed assessments and resulting regeneration on two, high-elevation, mixed species logging coupes in East Gippsland.  G. R. Featherston and P. C. Fagg.  September 1983.  17 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

Following logging, slash burning, and aerial sowing in autumn 1977, the seed-beds of two coupes in the Bendoc, high elevation, mixed species eucalypt forest were assessed, using plots spaced on a 50 m x 50 m grid. Plots were delineated using a light steel frame subdivided into fifteen 0.25 m x 0.25 m subplots, each of which was designated as one of eight pre-defined seed-bed types. Several plots were also vertically photographed with a suspended 35 mm camera using black and white, colour print, and colour transparency films, and an assessment of the percentages of the eight seed-bed types was made on the colour prints. Five and eighteen months after sowing, the number of seedlings on each subplot was counted, and the relationship between seedling density and seed-bed type was examined.

The field survey method was found to be relatively quick and easy to carry out. Office-based measurement of seed-bed types on photographs provided results that compared favourably with those of the field technique, thus this method may be of value in certain situations.

The two coupes, which had slash burns described as 'good' and 'very good', had receptive seed-bed types covering 71% and 86% of the total coupe area, comprising 55% and 73% of burnt seed-bed (the majority only lightly burnt) and 16% and 13% of bare, loose or compacted mineral soil. Sheltered depressions, such as grooves left by bulldozer tracks, were very receptive, despite the compacted nature of the soil.

The seedling counts revealed much higher densities than would have been expected from the aerial sowing alone, and it was apparent from seedling species mixtures that a large amount of seedfall had occurred from standing cull trees and slash. This seedfall of unknown distribution obscured any possible correlation of seedling density with seed-bed type.

Although seedling distribution resulting from the aerial sowing was satisfactory, in this case substantial seedfall from natural sources made artificial sowing redundant.