The ecological roles of logs in Australian forests
Ground logs are incredibly important in a forests’ ecosystem. They add to the complex habitat for flora and fauna. They are used for nesting and shelter, are fantastic places for invertebrates and therefore feeding stations for reptiles and ground birds, are cosy hibernation hide-outs, are used as above ground ‘highways’ across thick understorey, provide moss havens, fungi haunts and sites for plant germination to mention a few of the many roles of logs.
Now there is a push to clearfell and hoover up as much ground ‘waste’ as possible for burning in electricity generators. As well as the other major impacts on forest ecosystems, this could be a new threat to the log dependent fauna in our forests. This paper examines logs as part of the essential structure of a forest.