Structural development of vegetation on rehabilitated North Stradbroke Island: Above/belowground feedback may facilitate alternative ecological outcomes

Audet, Patrick; Gravina, A. J.; Glenn, V.; McKenna, P.; Vickers, H.; Gillespie, Melina

doi:10.1186/2192-1709-2-20

Cited by 23 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Although there is a consensus on the considerable physical disturbance of topsoil that is involved during mining operation, Bell () noted that most top/surface soils that are replaced during landscape reconstruction have fewer limitations to plant growth than the underlying overburden material. Water availability is among the critical factors that control vegetation distribution in Australia (Groves ; Mckenzie et al ; Audet et al ) and although knowledge of hydrological processes exists (Ticehurst et al ; van Tol et al ; Beven & Germann ), little is known about the impacts of reconstructed landscapes on soil water dynamics (storage and movement) or the capacity to restore native vegetation similar to adjacent unmined remnant forests (Audet et al ). This understanding is important because most coal mines in Australia are located within sub‐humid climatic zones (annual rainfall <800 mm and potential evaporation >1630 mm) (Bell ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil moisture dynamics and restoration of self‐sustaining native vegetation ecosystem on an open‐cut coal mine

Ngugi

Neldner

Doley

et al. 2015

Restoration Ecology

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Post-mining landscape reconstruction on open-cut coal mines aims to support restoration of self-sustaining native vegetation ecosystems that in perpetuity require no extra inputs relative to unmined analogs. Little is known about the soil moisture retention capacity of the limited layer of topsoil replaced (often <30 cm deep), impacts of deep ripping of the profile, and the combined impacts of these on plant available water during the mine restoration process. We examined changes in soil moisture parameters (soil water potential, , and soil water content, ) daily using automated soil sensors installed at 30 and 45-65 cm depths on mine restoration sites aged between 3 and 22 years and on adjacent remnant vegetation sites following heavy rainfall events at Meandu mine, southeast Queensland, Australia. Consistent patterns in soil moisture attributes were observed among rehabilitated sites with generally marked differences from remnant sites. Remnant site soil profiles had generally higher after drying than rehabilitated sites and maintained high for extended periods after rain events. There was a relatively rapid decline of on reconstructed soil profiles compared with remnant sites although the times of decline onset varied. This response indicated that vegetation restoration sites released soil moisture more rapidly than remnant sites but the rate of drying decreased with increasing rehabilitation age and increased with increasing tree stem density. The rapid drying of mine rehabilitated sites may threaten the survival of some remnant forest species, limit tree growth, and delay restoration of self-sustaining native ecosystem.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil moisture dynamics and restoration of self‐sustaining native vegetation ecosystem on an open‐cut coal mine

Ngugi

Neldner

Doley

et al. 2015

Restoration Ecology

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“…As Audet et al (2013) found, restored sites are travelling on a positive trajectory when the desired ecosystem characteristics are starting to establish there. Some of the desired ecosystem characteristics are now starting to establish in the restored Nurcoung sites.…”

Section: A Final Reflection: Natural or Novel?mentioning

confidence: 98%

Plant recruitment and survival as indicators of ecological restoration success in abandoned pasture land in Nurcoung, Victoria, Australia

Florentine

Gardner²,

Graz

et al. 2013

Ecol Process

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Introduction: One of the major impediments to developing better restoration strategies is the inadequate documentation of past restoration efforts. In 2008, Greening Australia commenced ecological restoration on the Nurcoung property in Victoria to enhance local biodiversity, and in this paper we report on the habitat restoration outcomes in the three Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC) found on this property.

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“…1). In this regard, and throughout this article, we refer to "ecosystem rehabilitation" as the process of attempting to reinstate ecosystem functions and services (Seastedt et al, 2008;Audet et al, 2013;Doley and Audet, 2013;Aronson et al, 1993) as opposed to "ecosystem restoration", which aims to reinstate the structure, functioning, and dynamics of historical (pristine) ecosystems (Aronson et al, 1993;Hobbs et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of the inevitable: the influence of soil macrofauna on soil water movement in rehabilitated open-cut mined lands

Arnold

Williams

2016

SOIL

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Abstract. Recolonisation of soil by macrofauna (especially ants, termites and earthworms) in rehabilitated open-cut mine sites is inevitable and, in terms of habitat restoration and function, typically of great value. In these highly disturbed landscapes, soil invertebrates play a major role in soil development (macropore configuration, nutrient cycling, bioturbation, etc.) and can influence hydrological processes such as infiltration, seepage, runoff generation and soil erosion. Understanding and quantifying these ecosystem processes is important in rehabilitation design, establishment and subsequent management to ensure progress to the desired end goal, especially in waste cover systems designed to prevent water reaching and transporting underlying hazardous waste materials. However, the soil macrofauna is typically overlooked during hydrological modelling, possibly due to uncertainties on the extent of their influence, which can lead to failure of waste cover systems or rehabilitation activities. We propose that scientific experiments under controlled conditions and field trials on post-mining lands are required to quantify (i) macrofauna-soil structure interactions, (ii) functional dynamics of macrofauna taxa, and (iii) their effects on macrofauna and soil development over time. Such knowledge would provide crucial information for soil water models, which would increase confidence in mine waste cover design recommendations and eventually lead to higher likelihood of rehabilitation success of open-cut mining land.

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Structural development of vegetation on rehabilitated North Stradbroke Island: Above/belowground feedback may facilitate alternative ecological outcomes

Cited by 23 publications

References 42 publications

Soil moisture dynamics and restoration of self‐sustaining native vegetation ecosystem on an open‐cut coal mine

Soil moisture dynamics and restoration of self‐sustaining native vegetation ecosystem on an open‐cut coal mine

Plant recruitment and survival as indicators of ecological restoration success in abandoned pasture land in Nurcoung, Victoria, Australia

Quantification of the inevitable: the influence of soil macrofauna on soil water movement in rehabilitated open-cut mined lands

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