Understanding what drives vegetation to transition from rainforest to sclerophyll, and defining reliable and generalisable signals of this transition from ecological data, is important for better managing critical biodiversity assets in rainforests across NSW.

This project aims to examine how land management practices (fire history) may affect the persistence of rainforests in NSW using the boundary between rainforest and sclerophyll vegetation as an experimental and survey platform. The research will result in the development of indicators of change which are based on analysis of functional trait and physiological data that managers can use to diagnose compositional and ecological changes along rainforest-sclerophyll vegetation boundaries.

(Image: Adobe Stock Photo)