Corrigendum to: A threatened ecological community: research advances and priorities for Banksia woodlands

Abstract

The rapid expansion of urban areas worldwide is leading to native habitat loss and ecosystem fragmentation and degradation. Although the study of urbanisation's impact on biodiversity is gaining increasing interest globally, there is still a disconnect between research recommendations and urbanisation strategies. Expansion of the Perth metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain in south-western Australia, one of the world's thirty-six biodiversity hotspots, continues to affect the Banksia Woodlands (BWs) ecosystem, a federally listed Threatened Ecological Community (TEC). Here, we utilise the framework of a 1989 review of the state of knowledge of BWs ecology and conservation to examine scientific advances made in understanding the composition, processes and functions of BWs and BWs' species over the last 30 years. We highlight key advances in our understanding of the ecological function and role of mechanisms in BWs that are critical to the management of this ecosystem. The most encouraging change since 1989 is the integration of research between historically disparate ecological disciplines. We outline remaining ecological knowledge gaps and identify key research priorities to improve conservation efforts for this TEC. We promote a holistic consideration of BWs with our review providing a comprehensive document that researchers, planners and managers may reference. To effectively conserve ecosystems threatened by urban expansion, a range of stakeholders must be involved in the development and implementation of best practices to conserve and maintain both biodiversity and human wellbeing.

Environmental Factors Driving Seed Hydration Status of Soil Seed Banks and the Implications for Post-fire Recruitment

“…Nevertheless, the model described was a powerful predictor of seed moisture, and it has the additional benefit of using commonly reported metrics that are easily calculated from nearby weather stations, rather than requiring more complex in situ soil sampling. This study was carried out in an ecosystem with characteristically sandy soils which contains little organic material, limiting the water holding capacity of ( Ritchie et al, 2021 ). The relationships between seed hydration status and weather variables here may likely vary in systems with different soil texture, organic matter content, and moisture retention characteristics, thus influencing how the model predictions perform.…”

“…Banksia woodlands occur across the Swan Coastal Plain and this vegetation type has recently been classified as a threatened ecological community, due to climate change, invasive species modified fire regimes, and land clearing for urban development, resulting in less than 60% of the original extent of Banksia woodlands currently remaining ( Department of the Environment, 2018 ). Because the current distribution of Banksia woodlands is comprised of remnant fragments, many within and around the Metropolitan area of Perth, local land managers are facing an increasing challenge managing bushfire risk to protect significant economic, cultural, and ecological values in and around Banksia woodlands ( Ritchie et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Options for the management of the fire risk in biodiverse woodlands across the southwest of Western Australia include the use of hazard reduction burns, where fires recur at approximately 10–20-year interval, with few areas remaining unburned for >50 years. The historical fire season is likely summer-autumn ( Ritchie et al, 2021 ), whereas to reduce the intensity of the fire and the risks of uncontained fire events, prescribed burning occurs during cooler and wetter months of March–November ( Burrows and McCaw, 1990 ), predominately during spring months (August–November), which may affect the persistence and recovery of some species following fire (Miller et al, 2020; Tangney et al, 2020a , b ; Miller et al, 2021 ). Further, surface fuels that contribute to soil heating can exceed an average of 10 Mg/ha −1 within 10 years following fire and exceed 15 Mg/ha −1 in longer unburnt areas of Banksia woodlands ( Tangney et al, 2021 ) which may be sufficient to yield soil temperatures that exceed lethal temperature thresholds in some seeds ( Tangney et al, 2020a ).…”

A New Approach to Inform Restoration and Management Decisions for Sustainable Apiculture

“…These features limit the available space and influence planting decisions in a number of ways (Section 8). In particular, land uses (including historic land uses) can alter the abiotic and biotic properties of the soil, affecting which species could potentially be established on the site [195]. For example, planted species may need to be tolerant of local conditions including waterlogging, salinization, and agricultural run-off.…”

Functional traits are used in restoration practice: a response to Merchant et al. (2022)

“…Restoration practitioners in the Pacific Northwest are currently leveraging phenological traits for restoration projects devoted to creating nectar resources for endangered butterflies (T. Roberts, personal communication). In Western Australia, diverse restoration groups are considering a wide range of both seed and plant traits in restoration efforts, including the use of prescribed fire with topsoil transfer practices to overcome seed physiological dormancy and sourcing seed based on species' genetic resilience to stress (Ritchie et al 2021). Similarly, in the restoration of shrub encroached Caldenal Woodlands in Argentina, palatable C3 shortgrasses are planted in areas with rolling treatments that have increased exposure, while unpalatable shade tolerant C3 and C4 midgrasses are planted in areas where tree and shrub canopies have been maintained (Adema & Babinec 2002).…”