early outcomes of topsoil transfer in banksia woodland restoration in western australia...
TRANSCRIPT
PhD Candidate: Paweł Waryszak
Early outcomes of topsoil transfer in Banksia woodland restoration
Supervisors: Dr Joe Fontaine, Prof. Neal Enright, Dr Phil Ladd, Dr Rachel Standish
Industry Partners: JAH DEC/DPaW
Old LandscapeNutrient poor soilsHeatFire
Mediterranean Type Ecosystems
We do not know how to propagate50% new to science since 19906759 plant species in SWA & still growing (Hopper 2004)80% of Banksia Woodlands have been cleared.
High Dormancy (Topsoil)
Soil Seed Bank Transfer in Restorative Operations
• Cost-effective biodiversity return versus planting
Time of the year is very important
Direct Transfer
• Pioneering work by Alcoa in Jarrah Forest (1963) but only in mine (clay) settings
• Important lessons:
Sandy Uncertainties!
Regional species pool
Local community
After Funk et al. 2008 TREE 23: 695–703.
Dispersal filter
Abiotic filter
Biotic filter
Community assembly | filter model
AIMS The role of transferred soil seed bank in restoration success of SCP farm land.
To investigate possibilities to optimize restoration success of topsoil seed bank
Dispersal Limitation
(depths treatment)
Abiotic Barrier (ripping
treatment)
Biotic Barrier (herbivory exclosures treatment)
2012-2014 ONGOING February Maypre-2012
BACKROUND DATA ANALYSIS SEEDLINGS SURVIVAL
DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION
SEEDLING EMERGENCE
Plant Traits & Soil Properties
Analysis
August
THESIS PROGRESS
HISTORY
EXPERIMENT rCHAPTER I CHAPTER III
CHAPTER II
2015June September December 2013-2014March 2012
Murdoch University
Jandakot Airport
Forestdale Lake
Anketell Road
June September DecemberMarch
OVERVIEW
June September December 2013-2014March
ripped
unripped
ripped
unripped
JuneMarch
Plot-size (4m²) Treatments
2015June September December 2013-2014March
1. Smoke Water Only2. S. Water + Plastic3. Plastic Cover Only
4. Heat
Weed Control
872.8
733.4
No summer storms
1905-47 1986-2011 2012 2013
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Germination of native perennials in year I (log-transformed, n=192)
Data: Site-scale Treatments
Error=95% CI
YEAR
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Germination of native annuals in year I (log-transformed, n=192)
Data: Site-scale Treatments
Error=95% CI
YEAR
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Germination of native perennials in year II (log-transformed, n>282)
Data: Site-scale Treatments
Error=95% CI
YEAR
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Germination of native annuals in year II (log-transformed, n>282)
Data: Site-scale Treatments
Error=95% CI
YEAR
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Data: Site-scale Treatments. SUMMARY.
Diversity Index ~ Plant Density (0.7)
YEAR
Error=95% CI
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Data: Site-scale Treatments. SYNERGY.
Error=95% CI
YEAR
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Data: Most Abundant Families
Year II Perennial:• Ericaceae• Fabaceae• Dilleniaceae
Year II Annual:• Asteraceae• Araliaceae• Crassulaceae
Year I Perennial:• Fabaceae• Ericaceae• Asparagaceae
Year I Annual:• Asteraceae• Araliaceae• Crassulaceae
Nr Species Year I Year II
Annual 28 26
Perennial 101 89
Total 129 115
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Data: % Composition of Growth Forms
Woody -86% highest in ripped
77-79% even
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Data: % Input of Nitrogen Fixers
N-fixers: 18-21% even
N-fixers: 55% highest in ripped
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Data: % Input of Resprouters
61%Fowler (2015)
Resp: 31-34% even
Resp: 22-27%
June September DecemberMarch
June September December 2013-2014March
Conclusions
• Emergence is high in both years since topsoil transfer (annuals respond to rip & depth treatments in year II)
• Deep & unripped treatment produce the highest seedlings’ density in Year I
• Heat treatment may stimulate extra germination in Year II
• Topsoil treatments can affect the environmental filters to some extent but overall survival is
Is very low.