Wet Forest Research Articles

Humus Forms of Moist and Wet Forest Stands. A Review

The organic layer of forest soils (forest floor) provides important ecosystem functions and serves as a habitat for soil organisms. This review provides an overview of research on humus forms of moist and wet forest stands based on a systematic literature review. Detailed information was collected from around 80 articles and books. It was examined whether the articles include the chemical, physical, or biological properties of humus forms. In addition, selected topics associated with and often used in relation to moist or wet humus forms, like information on morphological properties or information on specific classification systems, are considered. In general, it was found that many articles include the importance of moist or wet humus forms in their classification system. However, there was less or insufficient explanation on morphological properties. The humus forms on poorly drained or even waterlogged sites differ from humus forms on well-drained sites because the water factor affects the processes and thus the morphology very much. High soil moisture (=water saturation) means periodically anaerobic conditions in mineral soil and also very often in organic layers. Hence, soil organic carbon and soil organisms are affected. Especially, the recent literature often deals with climate change and soil organic carbon in moist and wet forest stands.

A new species of Schlegelia (Schlegeliaceae) from wet montane forest of Colombia and a key for the species of the genus.

In this paper we describe and illustrate Schlegelialongirachis a new species from montane forest remnants (1200--1900 m) in the Western slope of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia ("Serranía de Las Quinchas" and Virolín county) in the Departments of Boyacá and Santander. A root-climbing liana, the new species is contrasted to S.fuscata, S.monachinoi and S.parviflora, the three most morphologically similar species of Schlegelia. This new species is differentiated from its putative close relatives by vegetative (texture, colour, pubescence and shape in leaves, bracts, bracteoles pedicel, calyx and corolla), inflorescences as well as floral characters (staminode absent). We provide an updated key to 24 known species of Schlegelia. For the identification key, S.fuscata and S.roseiflora are regarded here as different from S.parviflora. S.urbaniana is considered a synonym of S.axillaris, whereas S.fastigiata is separated from S.sulphurea as a recognizable species. Schlegelia has its center of distribution in Colombia, where 17 of the species are known to occur.

Factors determining the seasonal habitat use of Asian elephants in the Western Ghats of India

AbstractAsian elephants (Elephas maximus) are globally endangered, and their populations persist in several meta‐populations within fragmented landscapes across their distribution. Developing landscape‐level management plans for elephants requires reliable information on the pattern and determinants of their distribution across relevant spatial and temporal scales. The Brahmagiri‐Nilgiri‐Eastern Ghats Landscape (Nilgiri landscape) of peninsular India supports the largest breeding population of Asian elephants globally. The Wayanad Plateau, a wet forest tract in the dry forest‐dominated Nilgiri landscape, witnessed extensive forest fragmentation recently and evolved as a forest‐agriculture matrix. We predicted that habitat use by elephants in the Wayanad Plateau would be high during summer because of the availability of numerous perennial streams and associated swamps that retain water and soil moisture for plant growth over the dry season. We also hypothesized that elephants would use areas with greater forest cover that are removed from human settlements. We used an occupancy‐based approach that accounts for detection probability to understand factors influencing habitat use by elephants in summer (low rainfall, high temperature) and post‐monsoon (largely rainless winter conditions but with abundant forage and water) in 2019 and 2020. As expected, the intensity of habitat use was higher during the summer than during the post‐monsoon season. Elephants used habitats near perennial water sources and with greater forest cover, avoiding areas with high human disturbances. We emphasize the importance of areas that provide key resources for elephants during resource scarcity and the need to prevent habitat degradation for long‐term persistence of elephants and mitigation of human–elephant conflict.

A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions

Nowadays, wild grapevine populations are quite limited and sporadic mainly due to habitat destruction, land-use change, and the spread of pathogens that have reduced their distribution range. Palaeoecological, archaeobotanical, and genetic studies indicate that modern cultivars of Vitis vinifera are the results of the domestication of the dioecious, and sometimes hermaphrodite, wild species standing in riparian zones and wet environments. Wild grapevine populations have declined as a consequence of various forms of anthropogenic disturbance and were assigned by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to the Least Concern category. The River Crati Natural Reserve (Riserva Naturale Foce del Crati), located in southern Italy, hosts a population of Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris in a rewilding wet forest close to the Ionian Sea. These protected areas are of high scientific, biogeographic, and conservation interest in terms of Mediterranean biodiversity. Dendroecological and pollen morpho-biometric analyses of the wild grapevine are presented in this study. Palaeoecological perspectives for a landscape management strategy aimed at conserving and restoring the relic grapevine population are discussed.

Long-term stability of temperate Australian wet forest-moorland mosaics despite recurrent fires associated with late Holocene climate change

ContextThe primary factors(s) responsible for the maintenance of Alternative biome states (ABS) in world forest biomes remains unclear and debatable, partly due to insufficient long-term ecological data from suitable ecosystem sites. The occurrence of moorland in southern and western Tasmanian wet temperate forest presents a suitable setting to test for ABS and understand the main stabilizing factors of ABS.ObjectivesWe use a palaeoecological approach to test for ABS and identify the degree of vegetation change and the effect of climate change and fire occurrence associated with ABS in southern Tasmania.MethodsSediment sequence from sink-hole lake in a forest and nearby pond in southern Tasmania were analysed for pollen and charcoal to reconstruct histories of forest, moorland and fire in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA). Reconstructions were compared to palaeoclimate record.ResultsMoorland and forest in southern Tasmania have occupied the same habitat for at least the last 2600 years, and neither past climate change nor fire occurrence affected the stability of the vegetation mosaic. We suspect that localized environmental settings, such as topography and edaphic conditions are the primary stabilizing factors of the forest-moorland mosaics.ConclusionsThe observed stable vegetation mosaics in our study is contrary to the dominant ecological paradigm of landscape dynamics currently used to manage the TWWHA, and there is a need to refine the ecological basis of fire management in the area. Similar targeted palaeoecological studies are needed to fully understand the underlying factors responsible for the persistence of treeless vegetation in world forest biomes.

Status of macrofungal diversity in the wet evergreen forests of Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats, India

Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is a part of Western Ghats (India), has diverse ecosystems and constitutes an important biogeographical ‘hotspot’ which is well known for its species richness and endemism. Since limited information was available on the mycoflora in this area, a survey was conducted to evaluate the macrofungal diversity in the wet evergreen forests of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve. The survey was carried out during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of 2021–2022 and revealed the existence of 62 macrofungal species belonging to 43 genera, 24 families, and eight orders. Out of the eight orders, seven orders belong to the division Basidiomycota and the other order Xylariales belongs to Ascomycota. The family Polyporaceae was identified as the dominant family. The survey also noted the presence of saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi. Among the identified species, the maximum density was of Panellus pusillus (6.08) followed by Microporus xanthopus (5.38). Microporus xanthopus (82.14%) exhibited the maximum frequency of occurrence and was identified as the most common species. Coprinellus disseminatus was the most abundant species among macrofungi. The assessment of macrofungal diversity using the Shannon biodiversity index resulted in a value of 2.99, indicating a rich and diverse fungal population within the forest. This finding emphasizes the significant role of the forest ecosystem in supporting a wide variety of fungi

Comparison of desiccation resistance in the litter-dwelling scorpion Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from dry and wet tropical forests

Comparison of desiccation resistance in the litter-dwelling scorpion Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from dry and wet tropical forests

Functional trait diversity of Cyclanthaceae and its convergent evolution with Araceae in Neotropical forests.

The Cyclanthaceae comprise a relatively small family of about 230 species and 12 genera in the Pandanales that is widespread in wet Neotropical forests. The great majority of species can be divided into three growth forms (understory herbs, epiphytes, and root-climbing hemiepiphytes) that share functional traits with similar growth forms present in the Araceae, a member of the Alismatales and not closely related. Our objectives were first to characterize the diversity, functional growth forms, and ecological traits of Cyclanthaceae at the La Selva Biological Station. Specific functional leaf and canopy traits of terrestrial herbs and epiphytes are very similar and associated with ecological success in both families. We further examined the functional traits of root-climbing hemiepiphytes, a specialized growth form that links the two families but rare in other families and argue that their specialized functional traits allow them to be considered as a distinct functional growth form. A key trait in distinguishing hemiepiphytes which are rare outside of the Cyclanthaceae and Araceae is the severance of the main stem hydraulic connection to the soil early in plant development. We used field data to examine the possible evolutionary pathways of developmental and ecological transition from terrestrial to hemiepiphyte growth forms. The broader ecological success of hemiepiphytic Araceae compared to Cyclanthaceae is hypothesized to result from the presence of heteroblasty in developing stems and leaves which allows more efficient utilization of complex canopy light environments of wet tropical forests.

A comparative study of cultured and field plants provides evidence for the shy male hypothesis in tropical genotypes of Bryum argenteum Hedw.

ABSTRACT Introduction The female-biased sex ratio is recurrently observed in bryophyte populations, although the sex ratio of spores is usually balanced. The results of several studies have suggested explanations for this observation, one of which is the shy male hypothesis. The shy male hypothesis predicts that the sex ratio of populations is balanced in the field, but due to a low or lack of sex expression of male plants, the populations present a female bias when the sex ratio is based on observations of sex-expressing plants. Methods We tested the shy male hypothesis using samples of the moss Bryum argenteum collected from Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forests and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Field sex ratios were determined by classifying shoots as male, female, or non–sex-expressing. Non–sex-expressing shoots were further analysed for sex expression after culture regeneration. Results and discussion Our results showed that populations of Bryum argenteum in the field had a low rate of sex expression, and that most of the shoots expressed were female. However, when shoots without sex expression were cultured, a greater number of male shoots were observed compared with in the field plants. Because more males appeared in the shoots cultured from non–sex-expressing field plants, our data for tropical B. argenteum tend to support the shy male hypothesis. Some genotypes from the wet forest were synoicous (i.e. had male and female gametangia in the same gametoecia), suggesting polyploidy.

Functional trait-based restoration alters nutrient cycling and invasion rates in Hawaiian lowland wet forest.

Many degraded ecosystems have altered nutrient dynamics due to invaders' possessing a suite of traits that allow them to both outcompete native species and alter the environment. In ecosystems where invasive species have increased nutrient turnover rates, it can be difficult to reduce nutrient availability. This study examined whether a functional trait-based restoration approach involving the planting of species with conservative nutrient-use traits could slow rates of nutrient cycling and consequently reduce rates of invasion. We examined a functional trait restoration initiative in a heavily invaded lowland wet forest site in Hilo, Hawai'i. Native and introduced species were chosen to create four experimental hybrid forest communities, in comparison to the invaded forest, with a factorial design in which communities varied in rates of carbon turnover (slow or moderate [SLOW, MOD]), and in the relationship of species in trait space (redundant or complementary [RED, COMP]). After the first 5 years, we evaluated community-level outcomes related to nutrient cycling: carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) via litterfall, litter decomposition, and outplant productivity and rates of invasion. We found that (1) regardless of treatment, the experimental communities had low rates of nutrient cycling through litterfall relative to the invaded reference forest, (2) the MOD communities had greater nutrient release via litterfall than the SLOW communities, (3) introduced species had greater nutrient release than native species in the two MOD experimental communities, and (4) within treatments, there was a positive relationship between nutrient levels and outplant basal area, but outplant basal area was negatively associated with rates of invasion. The negative relationships among basal area and weed invasion, particularly for the two COMP treatments, suggest species existing in different parts of trait space may help confer some degree of invasion resistance. The diversification of trait space was facilitated by the use of introduced species, a new concept in Hawaiian forest management. Although challenges remain in endeavors to restore this heavily degraded ecosystem, this study provides evidence that functional trait-based restoration approaches using carefully crafted hybrid communities can reduce rates of nutrient cycling and invasion in order to reach management goals.

New record of Hylobius (Callirus) pinastri (Gyllenhal, 1813) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) in Volyn Region

H. pinastri (small pine weevil) inhabits almost the entire Palearctic. Lives in coniferous and mixed forests, mainly in wet spruce forests on Picea abies, rarely Pinus sylvestris (Pinaceae). Larvae develop in bark of stumps, lower parts of trunks and cutted woods. In Ukraine, this species occurs mainly in the north-western part (Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk regions) and one record was published from the east of the country (Kharkiv region). In the Volyn region, one specimen of H. pinastri was found in the in the Shatskyi National Nature Park. The collection of material was carried out by counting animals on six test plots from 05.07.2022 to 09.25.2022. Three Barber traps were placed in each trial area. The traps were located at a distance of 50 m from each other. New finds of H. pinastri were registered in the Kivertsi National Park "Tsumanska Pushcha". 1 female was collected in a pine forest; 3 females and 2 males – on the border between the spruce forest and dry spruces; 1 male and 1 female – in dry spruces forest; 5 females was collected in a spruce forest with mixed hardwoods. The paper provides a key for the identification of two closely related species, H. pinastri and H. abietis. Current finds of this species confirm previously published data on its occurrence in the Volyn region and the contiguity of this species to spruce stands. It can be expected that H. pinastri can be found in other places of Ukraine.

Fine root morphological traits and production in coniferous- and deciduous-tree forests with drained and naturally wet nutrient-rich organic soils in hemiboreal Latvia

Fine root production is one of the key elements of carbon (C) turnover in soil in afforested peatlands and forest lands with organic soils. We estimated variability in fine root morphology traits and annual production in hemiboreal forests dominated by coniferous trees (Norway spruce) and deciduous trees (silver birch and black alder) with nutrient-rich organic soils in Latvia. In total, 23 research sites were established in drained and naturally wet forests of different ages, and ingrowth core techniques were used to sample fine roots and subsequently determine fine root morphology traits and annual production, and calculate C input through fine root litter. Significant differences in several fine root morphological traits between coniferous- and deciduous-trees-dominated stands were found. Fine root production tended to be higher in coniferous-trees-dominated stands and positively correlated with several forest stand characteristics: stand age, average tree diameter at breast height, basal area and average tree height, but negatively correlated with nitrogen and phosphorus content in soil. C input through fine root litter ranged up to 0.46 ± 0.16 t ha-1 yr-1. It is necessary to conduct further research, including multi-annual estimates in a wider set of forest stands with diverse dominant tree species and growing conditions, to improve estimates, patterns and understanding of C flows through fine root litter in drained and naturally wet organic soils.

Temperate forest understory vegetation shifts after 40 years of conservation

Understanding how vegetation composition and diversity respond to global changes is crucial for effective ecosystem management and conservation. This study evaluated shifts in understory vegetation after 40 years of conservation within Drawa National Park (NW Poland), to check which plant communities changed the most, and whether vegetation shifts reflect global change symptoms (climate change and pollution) or natural forest dynamics. Using ordination and generalized mixed-effects linear models, we assessed changes in alpha diversity metrics, accounting for taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic aspects within 170 quasi-permanent plots, surveyed in 1973–85 and resurveyed in 2015–19. We found an overall homogenization of forest vegetation and specific shift patterns in certain forest associations. In coniferous and nutrient-poor broadleaved forests, the overall number of species increased due to the replacement of functionally distinct or specialized species with more ubiquitous species that could exploit increased resource availability. In riparian forests and alder carrs we found either shifts from riparian forest to alder carrs or to mesic broadleaved forests. The most stable communities were fertile broadleaved forests. Our study quantified shifts in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity after 40 years of conservation and provides important insights into the shifts in vegetation composition in temperate forest communities. In coniferous and nutrient-poor broadleaved forests we found an increase in species richness and replacement of functionally distinct or specialized species by ubiquitous species, indicating increased resource availability. Shifts between wet broadleaved forests and transition into mesic forests suggest water limitation, which can be related to climate change. The most stable were fertile broadleaved forests fluctuating due to natural stand dynamics. The findings highlight the need for ongoing monitoring and management of ecological systems to preserve their diversity and functionality in the face of global changes.

Associations between wildlife observations, human-tick encounters and landscape features in a peri-urban tick hotspot

Zoonotic disease vectors, their wildlife hosts, and the surrounding landscape interact in complex ways that vary spatially, temporally and with anthropogenic change. Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are one of the most important vectors of human disease globally but managing the risk of tick bites in urban areas requires a detailed understanding of these complex vector-host-environment relationships at multiple spatial scales. Extensive knowledge gaps of these interactions in Australia limits options for managing ticks and exacerbates human-wildlife conflict. To address this, we used an online survey to determine the potential drivers of human-tick encounters operating at the local, yard scale and at the broader, landscape scale in a peri-urban area of Australia. We explored the relationships between reported tick encounters in yards and yard traits, host sightings (yard-scale) and broader landscape traits (landscape-scale). We found that sightings of potential hosts such as long-nosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta) and brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami), and broader landscape traits such as distance to wet sclerophyll forest, were important predictors of reported tick encounters. Yard traits such as garden mulching and leaf litter cover showed no relationships with tick encounters. However, garden mulching and the absence of pets were predictors of frequent bandicoot sightings in yards. Mulching over 20m2, moderate to dense leaf litter cover on lawns, and living adjacent to bush were predictors of frequent brush-turkey sightings in yards. Our results suggest that residents may be able to reduce tick encounter risk by making yards less attractive to potential hosts. The observed relationships provide a critical foundation for field studies that can determine underlying mechanisms and inform appropriate tick management in urban environments.Graphical abstract

Mechanical treatments and prescribed burning can reintroduce low-severity fire in southern Australian temperate sclerophyll forests

The establishment of sustainable, low-intensity fire regimes is a pressing global challenge given escalating risk of wildfire driven by climate change. Globally, colonialism and industrialisation have disrupted traditional fire management, such as Indigenous patch burning and silvo-pastoral practices, leading to substantial build-up of fuel and increased fire risk. The disruption of fire regimes in southeastern Tasmania has led to dense even-aged regrowth in wet forests that are prone to crown fires, and dense Allocasuarina-dominated understoreys in dry forests that burn at high intensities.Here, we investigated the effectiveness of several fire management interventions at reducing fire risk. These interventions involved prescribed burning or mechanical understorey removal techniques. We focused on wet and dry Eucalyptus-dominated sclerophyll forests on the slopes of kunanyi/Mt. Wellington in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. We modelled potential fire behaviour in these treated wet and dry forests using fire behaviour equations based on measurements of fuel load, vegetation structure, understorey microclimate and regional meteorological data.We found that (a) fuel treatments were effective in wet and dry forests in reducing fuel load, though each targeted different layers, (b) both mechanical treatments and prescribed burning resulted in slightly drier, and hence more fire prone understorey microclimate, and (c) all treatments reduced predicted subsequent fire severity by roughly 2–4 fold. Our results highlight the importance of reducing fuel loads, even though fuel treatments make forest microclimates drier, and hence fuel more flammable.Our finding of the effectiveness of mechanical treatments in lowering fire risk enables managers to reduce fuels without the risk of uncontrolled fires and smoke pollution that is associated with prescribed burning. Understanding the economic and ecological costs and benefits of mechanic treatment compared to prescribed burning requires further research.

The high climate vulnerability of western Mediterranean forests

Understanding the effects of climate change is one of the most challenging goals for biodiversity conservation. The forests of Andalusia, in Southern Spain, are part of an important Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspot. However, great changes in climate are expected to occur in this region, and there is an increasing need to assess the vulnerability of its vegetation.We assess the vulnerability of twelve forest types in the region that are included in the European Directive 92/43/EEC as Habitats of Community Interest (HCI). HCI are natural habitat types which are in danger, have a small natural range, or present an outstanding example of a biogeographical regions in the European Union. We assessed vulnerability by analyzing the climate exposure level of each forest type under two global climate models (MRI-CGCM3, which predicts warmer and wetter conditions, and MIROC-ESM which predicts hotter and drier conditions), two emission scenarios (RCP4.5, a representative concentration pathway that predicts stable emissions of CO2, and RCP8.5, that predicts the highest CO2 emissions) by the mid- and end-century time periods. The vulnerability analysis also includes the sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the dominant tree species which compose each forest type. An overall vulnerability score was calculated for each forest type, model, scenario and time period.High-elevation forest types and those with high moisture requirements were more vulnerable to climate change, while forest types dominated by more thermophilic species were less vulnerable and more resilient. The worst climate impacts were predicted in the MIROC-ESM model and RCP8.5 scenario by the end of the century (2070–2100), while the least climatic stress was obtained in the MRI-CGCM3 model and RCP4.5 scenario by the mid-century (2040–2070), which still shows high potential stress for most forest types. By the end of the century, the climate exposure of the entire forest domain will range between 32 % in the least stressful situation (MRI-CGCM3 and RCP4.5), and 98 % in the most climatically stressful situation (MIROC-ESM and RCP8.5). However, the effects of climate change will be perceptible by the mid-century, with most of the HCI forest types suffering climate stress.The “Andalusian oak forest” and the “Corylus wet forest” types were the most vulnerable to climate change, while the “Mediterranean pine forest”, the “Olea and Ceratonia forests” and the “oak forests” were the least vulnerable.This assessment identifies the vulnerable forest types to climate change in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, and provides context for natural resource managers in making decisions about how to adapt forests to the impacts of climate change.

FOREST ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND THEIR VALUATION IN MIZORAM, THE EASTERN EXTENSION OF THE HIMALAYA

This paper examines forest ecosystem services and their valuation in Mizoram, the eastern extension of the Himalaya. This study was conducted by applying two approaches – qualitative and quantitative. The data were mainly gathered from secondary sources – the State of Environment Report of Mizoram, Aizawl, and the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Aizawl, Mizoram. Data on wetlands within the forest areas were also gathered from the Forest Survey of India 2019. Field observation was conducted to verify the data on the ground. The author visited several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and observed the rich forest ecosystem services. Mizoram obtains a rich floral diversity ranging from tropical wet forests to sub-temperate wet and dry forests and montane evergreen forests. About 86% of the total geographical area is covered by forest. Of which, 50% forest area is covered by bamboo forests. Here, bamboo has 27 species. The valuation of forest ecosystem services – tangible and intangible was carried out and benefits from different forest products were calculated. The study reveals that Mizoram has a very high value in ecosystem services. The annual valuation of tangible ecosystem services was noted from fuelwood, followed by timber, small wood, and poles. In terms of annual valuation of intangible ecosystem services, the highest was from pollination, followed by food and livelihood security, and prevention of soil erosion, and landslides. However, the use of ecosystem services is just negligible. Most of the services are unused. Even, tourism, mainly natural and eco-tourism has high potential but it is not developed yet. If the ecosystem services are used sustainably, the rural poor can enhance their livelihood, and the state government can earn sufficient revenue.

When bat eats bat: diet and roosts of the greater broad-nosed bat (Scoteanax rueppellii) across different regions and habitats

Roost selection and diet are fundamentally important to bats and can vary geographically and with habitat. The greater broad-nosed bat (Scoteanax rueppellii) is infrequently captured and poorly known, meaning appropriate conservation actions are difficult to determine. To assess variation across different habitats, we collected faecal samples for dietary analysis and radio-tracked individuals to identify roost trees at four different sites across New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of droppings verified beetles as the main prey in each study area except one dominated by mangroves, and confirmed for the first time carnivory in wild-caught individuals from the presence of hair from other bat species in its droppings. Very large, hollow trees were used as maternity roosts, being typically larger than neighbouring trees. Roosting habitat varied from wet sclerophyll forest in gullies to old-growth mangroves, and tree species used as roosts also varied. Colony size at maternity roosts was often 50–100 bats and fidelity to the maternity roost varied, with some being switched almost daily and others occupied for at least several days. One maternity roost was re-used 2 years later. Both the importance of beetles in the diet and roosts located in more productive landscapes suggest coastal plains and foothills may represent key habitat.

Browsing by non-native invasive sambar deer dramatically impacts forest structure

Large herbivores introduced to novel habitats can cause major ecosystem impacts. While impacts of overabundant deer have been documented around the world, there are few examples from Australia, where deer are non-native and natural predators are absent.Here, we outline the impacts of sambar deer in wet eucalypt forest understoreys of the Yarra Ranges National Park, south-eastern Australia. Using data obtained from a full and partial (permitting native herbivores) exclusion experiment over four years, we (i) demonstrate differences between native herbivore and introduced deer browsing, (ii) identify plant species commonly browsed by deer, and (iii) provide evidence that vegetation condition can recover in the absence of deer.While species richness and composition were unaffected, the exclusion of deer led to substantial recovery of several attributes of forest understorey vegetation. Treatments excluding deer (partial and full exclosures) saw increases in the cover of understorey trees, shrubs, ferns and climbers. Within the 1–2 m height class (the primary deer browse zone), vegetation cover-abundance increased 3–4 fold over time in full and partial exclusion plots compared to non-exclusion controls.Tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis) were particularly impacted by deer, and browsing impacts to tree ferns were dramatically reduced from ∼50% of fronds browsed to negligible levels with deer exclusion. Deer exclusion also saw substantial reductions in browsing to individual trees, shrubs and ground ferns. The growth of commonly browsed trees, e.g. Pomaderris aspera, were demonstrably higher in partial and full exclosures than unfenced control plots. The low levels of browsing on trees and shrubs that persisted in partial exclosures probably indicates the background levels of browsing pressure attributable to native herbivores in these forests.In the absence of effective deer control, commonly browsed understorey trees, shrubs and tree ferns are likely to decrease substantially in cover over coming decades, potentially leading to increased light availability, drying of the understorey, and increased susceptibility to wildfire. The potential cascading ecological effects of unabated and increasing deer impacts may be substantial and pose major challenges to forest management.Despite management culls and recreational hunting in recent years, deer populations are increasing across Australia. As sambar populations increase, ecological impacts are likely to exacerbate. It is therefore critically important to reduce sambar numbers, before negative and potentially irreversible changes occur to forest structure, composition and function.

A new species of Piper (Piperaceae) with peltate leaves from Serranía de las Quinchas, Colombia.

Piperquinchasense is described and illustrated as a new species occurring in the understory of wet montane forest of the middle Magdalena Valley in Colombia, the easternmost portion of the Chocó Region. Its relationships are discussed with related taxa from the Macrostachys clade. An identification key for 35 Neotropical Piper species with peltate leaves is provided.