Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

A CSIRO research project on North Queensland is studying the role played by rainforest trees in the ranges in the water cycle of the region. Clouds are often low enough to enshroud the tops of  trees in the high ranges. When the clouds come in contact with the trees water collects on the leaves and stems and becomes part of the throughfall, the water that drips to the forest floor and trickles down the trunks of the trees. It has been estimated to be as much as 30 % of the water reaching high altitude sites. The trees use only a small amount, most of the water reaching the streams and rivers.

The trees can be thought of an 'ecosystem service providers' (White. 2003), giving them an economic value as part of the water resources of the area, so more reason to leave them in peace, safe from felling for any reason.

The research has already demonstrated that retaining the forests in the upland catchments, and restoring them on marginal agricultural land, is of a higher economic value than the returns from agriculture on marginal land.

Sources & Further reading

Mary E. White, Earth Alive, From Microbes to a Living Planet, Rosenberg Publishing Pty. Ltd., 2003