Designing food and habitat trees for urban koalas: identifying short ecotypes of Corymbia intermedia

Stephen J Trueman; Tracey V McMahon; Eryn L Grant; David Walton; Brittany B Elliott; Helen M Wallace

doi:10.1071/BT16235

Back

Designing food and habitat trees for urban koalas: identifying short ecotypes of Corymbia intermedia

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Designing food and habitat trees for urban koalas: identifying short ecotypes of Corymbia intermedia

Stephen J Trueman, Tracey V McMahon, Eryn L Grant, David Walton, Brittany B Elliott and Helen M Wallace

Australian Journal of Botany, Vol.65(4), pp.384-388

2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/BT16235

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1071/BT16235View

Published Version

Abstract

corymbia

eucalyptus

koala

phascolarctos cinereus

street trees

tree height

urban fauna

The eucalypt trees eaten by koalas are generally tall, but urban landholders prefer to plant shorter trees that pose less danger of limbs falling from a great height or damaging powerlines. Our aim was to develop shorter eucalypt trees to provide food and shelter for koalas and other fauna in urban areas. We identified short ecotypes of Corymbia intermedia (R.T.Baker) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson growing naturally on exposed coastal headlands, and tested whether their seedlings were shorter than the seedlings of nearby tall ecotypes when planted in cultivation. Trees raised from the short ecotypes were 22-43% shorter than trees raised from the tall ecotypes, being around 5-7 m tall rather than 8-12 m tall after 8 years. This demonstrated that there was a genetic basis for the short stature of C. intermedia trees on coastal headlands. These shorter C. intermedia trees could be valuable food and habitat trees for urban koalas and other fauna.

Details

Title: Designing food and habitat trees for urban koalas: identifying short ecotypes of Corymbia intermedia
Authors: Stephen J Trueman (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Tracey V McMahon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Eryn L Grant (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
David Walton (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Brittany B Elliott (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Helen M Wallace (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Publication details: Australian Journal of Botany, Vol.65(4), pp.384-388
Publisher: C S I R O Publishing
DOI: 10.1071/BT16235
ISSN: 0067-1924
Organisation Unit: Centre for Bioinnovation; Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems; School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; GeneCology Research Centre - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450415502621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

6 File views/ downloads

716 Record Views

3 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Web Of Science research areas: Plant Sciences

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

Source: InCites