Restoring Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra) to grassland and woodland understoreys: a review of establishment requirements and restoration exercises in south‐east Australia

Abstract

His research focuses on the effects of disturbance regimes and methods for managing and restoring endangered grassy ecosystems. Ian Cole is an Ecologist in theSummary Temperate grassy ecosystems are amongst Australia's most endangered ecosystems. Most remnants are small, fragmented and highly degraded. Practical methods for restoring native understorey species are urgently required. Dominant native grasses such as Kangaroo Grass ( Themeda triandra Forssk.) and Tussock-grasses ( Poa species) have been eliminated from many remnants by heavy grazing in the past. The reintroduction of these grasses is a critical step for understorey restoration. This paper (i) reviews the literature on Themeda seed biology and seedling establishment; (ii) summarizes the lessons learnt from three major attempts to establish Themeda stands in south-east Australia; and (iii) identifies the research needed to enhance Themeda restoration. Considerable information is available on Themeda seed and establishment biology, and restoration exercises have shown that Themeda stands can be readily established by surface-spreading awned seeds in seed-bearing hay. However, many practical challenges remain, including the need to identify optimal sowing periods, create better seedbed conditions, develop practical mulching techniques, and improve weed control. The use of seed-bearing hay has constrained restoration to relatively small areas in the past. Future trials may benefit by using more concentrated seed products such as seedbearing florets and pure seeds which permit larger areas to be restored at one time.

Developing strategies and methods for rehabilitating degraded pastures using native grasses

“…Some considerations include the time of year and weather conditions that are optimal for sowing including ground temperature, soil moisture levels and the phenology of undesirable species that may represent competition; whether seed‐bearing hay or cleaned seed should be used; whether prescribed burning would be advantageous; whether weed control measures should be employed (and if so, in what season, when, how and for how long); and, whether alterations (increase or decrease) should be made to soil nutrient levels (Hagon 1976; Hagon & Groves 1977; Semple et al . 1999; Cole & Lunt 2005; Prober et al . 2005).…”

A tropical grass resource for pasture improvement and landscape management: Themeda triandra Forssk

“…These findings demonstrate that T. triandra possesses a set of characteristics that make it a useful landscaping tool that can help to protect degraded pastures in both Africa and Australia from exotic invasions, and increasing numbers of successes are coming from this area (Prober et al ., ; Cole and Lunt, ). There is also interest in this species as an indigenous resource for the rehabilitation of various degraded environments, including quarries and mines (Windsor et al ., ; Windsor and Clements, ), salinized soils containing NaCl at concentrations up to 180 mol m −3 (Rogers et al ., ) , compacted and eroded soils (Bosch and Theunissen, ), ash disposals (Morgenthal et al ., ) and aluminium‐ and mercury‐contaminated soils (Bennet and Granger, ; Lomonte et al ., ).…”

Restoring grassy ecosystems – Feasible or fiction? An inquisitive Australian's experience in the USA

“…Low confidence in the core principle of restoration (Katz ) or in its application (Lunt ; Coor ; Cole & Lunt ; Huxtable et al . ; Prober & Thiele ; Smallbone et al .…”