Spatial distribution and dynamic change monitoring of Eucalyptus plantations in China during 1994–2013

Key message: TheEucalyptusproductivity increase was mainly caused by the increased proportion of newly planted areas forEucalyptusafforestation and the decreasing area of originalEucalyptusplantations. Abstract: Eucalyptus tree is a major fast-growing species in South China. The ecological problems associated with quickly developing Eucalyptus plantations have been a focus of extensive debate. In this study, we used spatial analysis and geostatistical methods along with field survey data from four successive National Forest Inventories (NFI's) as well as terrain and meteorological data to analyze dynamics of the Eucalyptus plantation distribution in China. The Eucalyptus productivity levels were compared among the four inventories by measuring annual mean productivity in permanent sample plots to provide a basic description of Eucalyptus plantations. Results showed that the area of Eucalyptus plantations increased constantly in China, expanding from 60.7 × 10 ha in the 5th inventory to more than 445.5 × 10 ha in the 8th inventory. However, these changes did not necessarily indicate an improvement in the management quality of Eucalyptus plantations, since they were mainly caused by an increase in the proportion of newly planted Eucalyptus areas and the decrease of the original Eucalyptus plantation area. The productivity of Eucalyptus plantations was significantly positively correlated with temperature and rainfall, but negatively correlated with elevation.