Spinifex–mallee revegetation: implications for restoration after mineral-sands mining in the Murray–Darling Basin
Ian R. K. Sluiter A B E , Andrew Schweitzer C and Ralph Mac Nally DA Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Vic. 3350, Australia.
B Work address: Ogyris Ecological Research, PO Box 698, Merbein, Vic. 3505, Australia.
C Cristal Mining Australia Ltd, 138 Pinnacles Road, Broken Hill, NSW 2880, Australia.
D Institute for Applied Ecology, The University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: ian@ogyris.com.au
Australian Journal of Botany 64(6) 547-554 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT15265
Submitted: 23 November 2015 Accepted: 12 August 2016 Published: 20 September 2016
Abstract
Mineral-sands mining in the semiarid and arid zone of south-eastern Australia is now a widespread disturbance that may adversely affect large areas of remnant vegetation, including mallee (Eucalyptus spp.) with hummock grass or spinifex (Triodia scariosa) understorey. No broad-scale restoration projects have been undertaken to revegetate mallee Eucalyptus species with spinifex. We report on the survivorship and relative importance (spatial coverage) of hand-planted tubestock 10 years after establishment in 2001, which included mallee Eucalyptus, Triodia scariosa, Acacia spp. and Hakea spp. These taxa are the dominant plants in a semiarid dune–swale system on a former mineral-sands mine licence area in semiarid, north-western Victoria. Mean survivorship of tubestock was 0.58 ± 0.04. Spinifex (Triodia scariosa), needlewood (Hakea) and several mallee species (Eucalyptus spp.) survived substantially better than the average of all tubestock-planted species, although Acacia spp. had low survivorships. Although the plantings were undertaken in the early stages of the most severe drought in the instrumental record (the ‘Millennium drought’), several taxa survived well and species such as spinifex established and developed ground coverage greater than the benchmark values for the ecological vegetation class of the location. We conclude that hand-planting of tubestock can achieve restoration objectives for this component of spinifex–mallee vegetation, even under extremely arduous conditions associated with long-term drought. We also herald the importance of taking a long-term view to the assessment of revegetation success, in this case 10 years.
Additional keywords: dunes, planting viability, rehabilitation, tubestock.
References
Benson JS, Allen CB, Togher C, Lemmon J (2006) New South Wales vegetation classification and assessment: part 1. Plant communities of the NSW Western Plains. Cunninghamia 9, 383–450.BOM (2015) Bureau of Meteorology climate data online. Available at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/. [Accessed 18 May 2016]
DSE (2005) EVC 86: Woorinen Sands Mallee. Available at http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/. [Accessed 15 October 2015]
Erickson T, Turner S, Stevens J, Dixon K (2012) Seed supply for spinifex (Triodia wiseana) arid zone restoration: increased infloresence production under different irrigation regimes. In ‘Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia Conference Program and Conference Abstracts’, Perth, WA, p. 53.
Haslem A, Callister KE, Avitabile SC, Griffioen PA, Kelly LT, Nimmo DG, Spence-Bailey LM, Taylor RS, Watson SJ, Brown L, Bennett AF, Clarke MF (2010) A framework for mapping vegetation over broad spatial extents: a technique to aid land management across jurisdictional boundaries. Landscape and Urban Planning 97, 296–305.
| A framework for mapping vegetation over broad spatial extents: a technique to aid land management across jurisdictional boundaries.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Herath DN, Lamont BB, Enright NJ, Miller BP (2009) Comparison of post-mine rehabilitated and natural shrubland communities in southwestern Australia. Restoration Ecology 17, 577–585.
| Comparison of post-mine rehabilitated and natural shrubland communities in southwestern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jeffreys H (1961) ‘Theory of probability.’ (Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK)
Keith D (2004) ‘Ocean shores to desert dunes: the native vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT.’ (Department of Environment and Conservation, Hurstville (NSW 2220))
LCC (1987) ‘Mallee area review.’ (Land Conservation Council: Melbourne)
Leblanc M, Tweed S, Van Dijk A, 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 |
Lewandrowski W, Erickson T, Dixon K (2012) Optimizing seed germination to advantage direct seeding of Triodia (spinifex) species. In ‘Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia Conference Program and Conference Abstracts’, Perth, WA p. 68.
McLaughlin J, Sluiter IRK (1996) The feasibility of revegetating an arid mallee–spinifex ecosystem after mineral sands mining. Unpublished report to RZM P/L, Newcastle, NSW, 2300.
Mueller-Dombois D, Ellenberg H (1974) ‘Aims and methods of vegetation ecology.’ (John Wiley and Sons: New York)
Nimmo DG, Kelly LT, Spence-Bailey LM, Watson SJ, Taylor RS, Clarke MF, Bennett AF (2013) Fire mosaics and reptile conservation in a fire-prone region. Conservation Biology 159, 248–256.
Noble JC, Mulham WE (1980) The natural vegetation of aeolian landscapes in semi-arid south-eastern Australia. In ‘Aeolian landscapes in the semi-arid zone of south eastern Australia’ . (Eds RR Storrier, ME Stannard) pp. 125–139. (Australian Society of Soil Science: Riverina Branch, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2650.)
Robertson P, Bennett AF, Lumsden LF, Silveira CE, Johnson PG, Yen AL, Milledge GA, Lillywhite PK, Pribble HJ (1989) Fauna of the mallee study area. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series 87, 91 p, Dept. of Conservation Forests and Lands, Heidelberg, VIC 3084.
Sluiter IRK (2010) Establishment report on revegetation of overburden stockpile OB3 at the Bemax Resources Ltd, Ginkgo Mineral Sands Mine. Unpublished report to Bemax Resources Ltd. Broken Hill, NSW 2880.
Sluiter IRK (2013) Monitoring of hand-planting trials at the Overburden Stockpile OB3 rehabilitation site, Cristal Mining Australia Ltd, Ginkgo Mineral Sands Mine, October 2012. Unpublished report to Cristal Mining Australia Ltd., Broken Hill, NSW 2880.
Sluiter IRK, Schultz N (2016) Summary report of direct seeding revegetation undertaken at the Ginkgo and Snapper Mines in 2015. Unpublished report to Cristal Mining Australia Ltd., Broken Hill, NSW 2880.
Sluiter IRK, McLaughlin J, Robertson P, McGuckin J, Douglas F (1997) Flora and fauna considerations concerning the proposed Wemen mineral sands Mine. Unpublished report to RZM Pty Ltd., Newcastle, NSW 2300.
Squires H, Priest M, Sluiter IRK, Loch R (2012) Leading practice waste dump rehabilitation at the Ginkgo mineral sands mine. In ‘Mine closure 2012‘. (Eds AB Fourie, M Tibbett) pp. 59–72. (Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Crawley, WA 6009.)
Taylor RS, Watson SW, Bennett AF, Clarke MF (2013) Which fire management strategies benefit biodiversity? A landscape-perspective case study using birds in mallee ecosystems of south-eastern Australia. Biological Conservation 159, 248–256.
| Which fire management strategies benefit biodiversity? A landscape-perspective case study using birds in mallee ecosystems of south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
