Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation Coarse Woody Debris Data 

This data contains diameter, volume and biomass measurements of all coarse woody debris pieces within the core 1 ha plot at the Daintree, Cape Tribulation site in 2014 - 2016. 

We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. 

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is a fundamental component of forested ecosystems, providing habitat for organisms and play an important role in nutrient cycling and carbon storage. 

Coarse woody debris sampling:
Coarse woody debris (CWD) was sampled at the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation core 1 ha site in 2014 - 2016. The core 1 hectare was subdivided in 25 (20 m x 20 m) subplots. Within each subplot, the diameter at the base (thickest part), the top (thinnest part) and the length of all CWD pieces (> 10 cm diameter) were measured. Void space was not recorded and was assigned a zero for all CWD pieces. Decay class classification and wood density based on Baker and Chao (2011) were recorded for each CWD piece.
Calculation of coarse woody debris volume, mass and biomass
The volume and biomass of CWD pieces were calculated using the formulas outlined in Baker and Chao (2011). The volume of the CWD segment was computed using the Smalian's formula: V = H x (S + s) / 2, where S and s are the diameters at the base and top of the segment, respectively and H is the length of the CWD piece. Biomass was calculated by the volume x wood density x the proportion of solid wood (S = 1 – proportion void space).