Responses of nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum) to simulated rainfall and depth and duration of experimental flooding
William Higgisson A B , Sue Briggs A and Fiona Dyer A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: will.higgisson@canberra.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 70(4) 493-503 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18161
Submitted: 16 April 2018 Accepted: 17 September 2018 Published: 13 November 2018
Abstract
Nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum (F.Muell.) is a woody shrub that occurs at the edges of floodplains and other intermittently flooded areas across the Murray–Darling Basin. No studies have been conducted on the hydrological requirements of nitre goosefoot, and the species is not considered in watering requirements of floodplain species of the Murray–Darling Basin. This study investigated the effects of simulated rainfall and depth and duration of experimental flooding on mortality, leaf production, biomass and seed production of nitre goosefoot. Nitre goosefoot plants were grown from seeds collected near Hillston, New South Wales, Australia. The plants were subjected to the following 14 hydrological treatments: dry (no water applied), rainfall (simulating rainfall conditions at Hillston) and 12 combinations of three water depths (10 cm, 50 cm, 75 cm) with four durations of inundation (5 days, 10 days, 20 days, 40 days). The study found that nitre goosefoot plants survived flooding, providing plants were not totally submerged, leaf production increased during flooding and after drawdown, and leaf production, biomass and seeding were highest under shallow flooding for approximately 1 month. The results of the study allow the hydrological requirements of nitre goosefoot to be considered in environmental watering programs.
Additional keywords: adaptation, biomass, environmental flow, floodplain, inundation, stress.
References
Argus, R. E., Colmer, T. D., and Grierson, P. F. (2015). Early physiological flood tolerance is followed by slow post-flooding root recovery in the dryland riparian tree Eucalyptus camaldulensis subs. refulgens. Plant, Cell & Environment 38, 1189–1199.| Early physiological flood tolerance is followed by slow post-flooding root recovery in the dryland riparian tree Eucalyptus camaldulensis subs. refulgens.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Armstrong, W. (1980). Aeration in higher plants. Advances in Botanical Research 7, 225–332.
| Aeration in higher plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Armstrong, W., Brändle, R., and Jackson, M. B. (1994). Mechanisms of flood tolerance in plants. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 43, 307–358.
| Mechanisms of flood tolerance in plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Armstrong, J., Kingsford, R., and Jenkins, K. (2009). The effect of regulating the Lachlan River on the Booligal Wetlands – the floodplain red gum swamps. Report from University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Auchincloss, L. C., Richards, J. H., Young, C. A., and Tansey, M. K. (2012). Inundation depth, duration and temperature influence fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) seedling growth and survival. Western North American Naturalist 72, 323–333.
| Inundation depth, duration and temperature influence fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) seedling growth and survival.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
AVH (2016). Occurrence records: Chenopodium nitrariaceum. In ‘The Australasian Virtual Herbarium’. (Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria.) Available at https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Chenopodium+nitrariaceum#tab_mapView [Verified 12 July 2016].
Benson, J. S. (2006). New South Wales vegetation and assessment: Part 1 Plant communities of the NSW Western Plains. Cunninghamiana 9, 383–450.
Blom, C., Bögemann, G., Laan, P., Van der Sman, A., Van de Steeg, H., and Voesenek, L. (1990). Adaptations to flooding in plants from river areas. Aquatic Botany 38, 29–47.
| Adaptations to flooding in plants from river areas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Briggs, S., Seddon, J., and Thornton, S. (2000). Wildlife in dry lake and associated habitats in western New South Wales. The Rangeland Journal 22, 256–271.
| Wildlife in dry lake and associated habitats in western New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bureau of Meteorology (2017). Climate statistics for Australian locations. Summary statistics Hillston Airport. Vol. 2017. Available at http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=139&p_display_type=dataFile&p_stn_num=075163/ [Verified 25 September 2016].
Campbell, C., Johns, C., and Nielsen, D. (2014). The value of plant functional groups in demonstrating and communicating vegetation responses to environmental flows. Freshwater Biology 59, 858–869.
| The value of plant functional groups in demonstrating and communicating vegetation responses to environmental flows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Capon, S., James, C. S., Williams, L., and Quinn, G. (2009). Responses to flooding and drying in seedlings of a common Australian desert floodplain shrub: Muehlenbeckia florulenta Meisn.(tangled lignum). Environmental and Experimental Botany 66, 178–185.
| Responses to flooding and drying in seedlings of a common Australian desert floodplain shrub: Muehlenbeckia florulenta Meisn.(tangled lignum).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Capon, S., Rolls, R., James, C., and Mackay, S. (2012). Regeneration of floodplain vegetation in response to large-scale flooding in the Condamine–Balonne and Border rivers. Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, Australia.
Capon, S., James, C., and George, A. (2016). Riverine trees and shrubs. In ‘Vegetation of Australian Riverine Landscapes: Biology, Ecology and Management’. (Eds S. Capon, C. James, and M. Reid.) pp. 119–135. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.)
Casanova, M. T. (2011). Using water plant functional groups to investigate environmental water requirements. Freshwater Biology 56, 2637–2652.
| Using water plant functional groups to investigate environmental water requirements.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Casanova, M. T. (2015). Review of water requirements for key floodplain vegetation for the Northern Basin: literature review and expert knowledge assessment. Report to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. Charophyte Services, Lake Bolac, Vic., Australia.
Catelotti, K., Kingsford, R., Bino, G., and Bacon, P. (2015). Inundation requirements for persistence and recovery of river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in semi-arid Australia. Biological Conservation 184, 346–356.
| Inundation requirements for persistence and recovery of river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in semi-arid Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chaves, M. M., Maroco, J. P., and Pereira, J. S. (2003). Understanding plant responses to drought: from genes to the whole plant. Functional Plant Biology 30, 239–264.
| Understanding plant responses to drought: from genes to the whole plant.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cunningham, G., Mulham, W., Milthorpe, P., and Leigh, J. (1981). ‘Plants of Western New South Wales.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.)
Doody, T. M., Benger, S. N., Pritchard, J. L., and Overton, I. C. (2014). Ecological response of Eucalyptus camaldulensis (river red gum) to extended drought and flooding along the River Murray, South Australia (1997–2011) and implications for environmental flow management. Marine and Freshwater Research 65, 1082–1093.
| Ecological response of Eucalyptus camaldulensis (river red gum) to extended drought and flooding along the River Murray, South Australia (1997–2011) and implications for environmental flow management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Driver, P., Lloyd-Jones, P., and Unthank, S. (2000). Responses of Lachlan wetlands and distributaries to 1999 environmental flows. Paper presented to the Lachlan River Management Committee, Land and Water Conservation, Forbes, NSW, Australia.
Driver, P., Chowdhury, S. H., Lloyd-Jones, T. P., Raisin, G., Ribbons, C., Singh, G., and Wettin, P. (2004). Natural and modified flows of the Lachlan Valley wetlands. NSW Department of Infrastructure, Central West Region, Resource Analysis Unit, Forbes, NSW, Australia.
Driver, P., Barbour, E., Lenehan, J., Kumar, S., Merritt, W., and Wise, N. (2013). Lachlan Wetland flow–response status: field observations, university research update and ecological condition assessment from the 18–22 February 2013 field trip for the Lachlan Riverine Working Group. Department of Industry and Investment NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Field, A. (2013). ‘Discovering Statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics’, 4th edn. (Sage: London, UK.)
George, A. K. (2004). Eucalypt regeneration on the Lower Murray floodplain, South Australia. Ph.D. Thesis, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia. Available at http://hdl.handle.net/2440/37706 [Verified 3 October 2018].
Greet, J. (2015). The marked flooding tolerance of seedlings of a threatened swamp gum: implications for the restoration of critical wetland forests. Australian Journal of Botany 63, 669–678.
| The marked flooding tolerance of seedlings of a threatened swamp gum: implications for the restoration of critical wetland forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Higgisson, W., Briggs, S., and Dyer, F. (2018). Seed germination of tangled lignum (Duma florulenta) and nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum) under experimental hydrological regimes. Marine and Freshwater Research 69, 1268–1278.
| Seed germination of tangled lignum (Duma florulenta) and nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum) under experimental hydrological regimes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Keith, D. A. (2004). ‘Ocean Shores to Desert Dunes: the Native Vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT.’ (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney, NW, Australia.)
Kingsford, R. T. (2000). Ecological impacts of dams, water diversions and river management on floodplain wetlands in Australia. Austral Ecology 25, 109–127.
| Ecological impacts of dams, water diversions and river management on floodplain wetlands in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kozlowski, T. (1984). Plant responses to flooding of soil. Bioscience 34, 162–167.
| Plant responses to flooding of soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kozlowski, T. (1997). Responses of woody plants to flooding and salinity. Tree Physiology 17, 1–29.
| Responses of woody plants to flooding and salinity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Laan, P., and Blom, C. (1990). Growth and survival responses of Rumex species to flooded and submerged conditions: the importance of shoot elongation, underwater photosynthesis and reserve carbohydrates. Journal of Experimental Botany 41, 775–783.
| Growth and survival responses of Rumex species to flooded and submerged conditions: the importance of shoot elongation, underwater photosynthesis and reserve carbohydrates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Leblanc, M., Tweed, S., Van Dijk, A., and Timbal, B. (2012). A review of historic and future hydrological changes in the Murray–Darling Basin. Global and Planetary Change 80–81, 226–246.
| A review of historic and future hydrological changes in the Murray–Darling Basin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGinness, H. M., Arthur, A. D., and Reid, J. R. (2010). Woodland bird declines in the Murray–Darling Basin: are there links with floodplain change? The Rangeland Journal 32, 315–327
McGinness, H. M., Anthony, A. D., Davies, M., and McIntyre, S. (2013). Floodplain woodland structure and condition: the relative influence of flood history and surrounding irrigation land use intensity in contrasting regions of a dryland river. Ecohydrology 6, 201–213.
| Floodplain woodland structure and condition: the relative influence of flood history and surrounding irrigation land use intensity in contrasting regions of a dryland river.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Megonigal, J. P., and Day, F. P. (1992). Effects of flooding on root and shoot production of bald cypress in large experimental enclosures. Ecology 73, 1182–1193.
| Effects of flooding on root and shoot production of bald cypress in large experimental enclosures.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Merritt, D. M., Scott, M. L., LeRoy, P., Auble, G. T., and Lytle, D. A. (2010). Theory, methods and tools for determining environmental flows for riparian vegetation: riparian vegetation–flow response guilds. Freshwater Biology 55, 206–225.
| Theory, methods and tools for determining environmental flows for riparian vegetation: riparian vegetation–flow response guilds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mommer, L., Lenssen, J. P., Huber, H., Visser, E. J., and De Kroon, H. (2006). Ecophysiological determinants of plant performance under flooding: a comparative study of seven plant families. Journal of Ecology 94, 1117–1129.
| Ecophysiological determinants of plant performance under flooding: a comparative study of seven plant families.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Murray–Darling Basin Authority (2011). The living Murray story: one of Australia’s largest river restoration projects. MDBA publication number 157/11, MDBA, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Naiman, R. J., and Decamps, H. (1997). The ecology of interfaces: riparian zones. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 28, 621–658.
| The ecology of interfaces: riparian zones.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Newall, P., Lloyd, L., Gell, P., and Walker, K. (2009). Riverland Ramsar site ecological character description. Report (Project number LE0739) prepared for the Department for Environment and Heritage, Lloyd Environmental Pty Ltd, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Parsons, M., and Thoms, M. (2013). Patterns of vegetation greenness during flood, rain and dry resource states in a large, unconfined floodplain landscape. Journal of Arid Environments 88, 24–38.
| Patterns of vegetation greenness during flood, rain and dry resource states in a large, unconfined floodplain landscape.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
PlantNET (2017). Chenopodium nitrariaceum (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. In ‘New South Wales Flora Online’. (Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust: Sydney, NSW, Australia.) Available at http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Chenopodium~nitrariaceum [Verified 14 March 2017].
Roberts, J., and Marston, F. (2011). ‘Water Regime for Wetland and Floodplain Plants: a Source Book for the Murray–Darling Basin.’ (National Water Commission: Canberra, ACT, Australia.)
Roberts, J., Colloff, M., and Doody, T. (2016). Riverine vegetation of inland south‐eastern Australia. In ‘Vegetation of Australian Riverine Landscapes: Biology, Ecology and Management’. (Eds S. Capon, C. James, and M. Reid.) pp. 177–199. (CSIRO: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.)
Robertson, A., Bacon, P., and Heagney, G. (2001). The responses of floodplain primary production to flood frequency and timing. Journal of Applied Ecology 38, 126–136.
| The responses of floodplain primary production to flood frequency and timing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sauter, M. (2013). Root response to flooding. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 16, 282–286.
| Root response to flooding.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Seddon, J., and Briggs, S. (1998). Lakes and lakebed cropping in the Western Division of New South Wales. The Rangeland Journal 20, 237–254.
| Lakes and lakebed cropping in the Western Division of New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
SEWPaC (2011). Environmental water delivery: Lachlan River. Prepared for Commonwealth Environmental Water, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder for the Australian Government, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Shilpakar, R. L., and Thoms, M. (2009). The character and behaviour of floodplain vegetation landscapes. Hydrological Sciences 20, 42.
Striker, G. G. (2012). Flooding stress on plants: anatomical, morphological and physiological response. In, ‘Botany’. (Ed. J. Mworia.) pp. 1–28. Available at http://www.intechopen.com/books/botany/flooding-stress-on-plants-anatomical-morphological-andphysiological-responses [Verified 3 October 2018].
Thoms, M. C. (2003). Floodplain–river ecosystems: lateral connections and the implications of human interference. Geomorphology 56, 335–349.
| Floodplain–river ecosystems: lateral connections and the implications of human interference.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Voesenek, L., Colmer, T., Pierik, R., Millenaar, F., and Peeters, A. (2006). How plants cope with complete submergence. New Phytologist 170, 213–226.
| How plants cope with complete submergence.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Walker, K. F., Sheldon, F., and Puckridge, J. T. (1995). A perspective on dryland river ecosystems. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 11, 85–104.
| A perspective on dryland river ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ward, J., Tockner, K., and Schiemer, F. (1999). Biodiversity of floodplain river ecosystems: ecotones and connectivity. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 15, 125–139.
| Biodiversity of floodplain river ecosystems: ecotones and connectivity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
