Stephen Goosem

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identified trees, shrubs and vines ≥ 2.5 cm DBH in a chronosequence comprising 33 sites, aged 3-60 yr since the formation of closed canopy (9-69 yr since pasture abandonment) and compared them with eight sites in nearby mature forest remnants.

TL;DR: This work compared standard correlative species distribution models to highly accurate, fine-scale, distribution models and identified seven general principles that explain why the distribution modeling under- or overestimated habitat suitability, under both current and predicted future climates.

TL;DR: Moist tropical rainforests cover approximately 6-7% of the surface of the globe and occur in a band about 15-20° either side of the equator as discussed by the authors.

Abstract: Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum) is a shade-tolerant shrub or small tree invader in tropical and subtropical regions and is considered among the world's top 100 worst invasive species. Studies from affected regions report deleterious effects of strawberry guava invasion on native vegetation. Here we examine the life history demographics and environmental determinants of strawberry guava invasions to inform effective weed management in affected rainforest regions. We surveyed the vegetation of 8 mature rainforest and 33 successional sites at various stages of regeneration in the Australian Wet Tropics and found that strawberry guava invasion was largely restricted to successional forests. Strawberry guava exhibited high stem and seedling densities, represented approximately 8% of all individual stems recorded and 20% of all seedlings recorded. The species also had the highest basal area among all the non-native woody species measured. We compared environmental and community level effects between strawberry guava-invaded and non-invaded sites, and modelled how the species basal area and recruitment patterns respond to these effects. Invaded sites differed from non-invaded sites in several environmental features such as aspect, distance from intact forest blocks, as well as supported higher grass and herb stem densities. Our analysis showed that invasion is currently ongoing in secondary forests, and also that strawberry guava is able to establish and persist under closed canopies. If left unchecked, strawberry guava invasion will have deleterious consequences for native regenerating forest in the Australian Wet Tropics.

TL;DR: The NERP rainforest research theme comprised ten projects undertaken by researchers from James Cook University, Griffith University, the University of Queensland and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in collaboration with partner agencies as discussed by the authors.