RPF 2015/16: Forest Restoration and Climate Experiment (FoRCE)

The seed-funding has allowed us to complete the following work:- Establishment of 42 permanent forest vegetation sample plots along an elevation and degradation gradient in Tanzania (with at least 18 more to be established in August-November of this year);- Correlative data analysis to determine preliminary findings on tree and liana (woody climber) basal area patterns with elevation;- Acquisition of remote sensing data for upscaling findings to the broader study region (an internationally recognised hotspot of biodiversity);- Planning and data preparation for a first peer-reviewed publication directly from the work to be submitted in August;- Peer-reviewed paper accepted for publication based on pilot data gathered in preparation for the FoRCE work;- Piloting of methods for collection of climate, wood density, soil and invertebrate data.While only intended to build infrastructure in this first phase, we have made two preliminary findings:(1) The ratio of woody climber (liana) to tree basal area declines abruptly above 1,000m elevation (indicating that their impact on forest restoration is likely reduced above this elevation);(2) Tree basal area is consistently low where the liana:tree basal area ratio is greater than 10-20% (suggesting that restoration management may only be required where lianas exceed this threshold);(3) Soil quality did not differ significantly between degraded and closed canopy forest (indicating that light and climate [not soil] are likely to be the key abiotic drivers of competition between lianas and trees);(4) There was greater invertebrate biomass and biodiversity in closed canopy forests versus degraded forests (indicating their improved health and reduced desiccation).(Follow-up funding expected from the priming fund will allow firm conclusions to be drawn with the important additions of [1] biomass measurements, [2] species identifications, and most important [3] temporal information on change over time after experimental manipulation)OBJECTIVES UNDER THE RPF:(1) Finalise an evolving network of 60 systematically placed permanent forest tree monitoring plots in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park(partially complete - high elevation areas of degraded were hard to find in the intended study forest and hence we will relocate the remaining plots in August/Sept [awaiting new research permit clearance for this site])(2) Pilot sampling of microclimate, wood density, soil fertility and detritivore (millipede) species diversity(all complete - we now have methods for each of these - see some provisional findings above)(3) Trial modelling of tree and liana stem size/density versus environmental predictors and remote-sensing measures of vegetation cover(correlative environmental relationships assessed - see key finding regarding elevation above - remote-sensing assessment underway for imminent journal submission - see above).

I received a large grant from the Australian Research Council directly resulting from this fund (~$1 million), which now pays 5% of my salary at York for 5 years, and will enable me to recruit three PhDs and a postdoc in 2019. We also have funds from the African Wildlife Foundation, IUCN and United Bank of Carbon that will pay for an MSc by research student (~$42,500). Lots of papers and further collaborations in the pipeline. So it was a huge success!