An Application of Plant Functional Types for Predicting Restoration Outcomes

Abstract

We evaluated the restoration of native plant assemblages by topsoil translocation in the Hunter Valley, south-east Australia. Species' responses were characterized by defining nine plant functional types (PFTs) based on combinations of four response mechanisms (seed bank persistence, germination cues, resprouting mechanisms, and longevity) through which species were predicted to persist or decline following translocation. The effects of community type and delay in topsoil restoration on restoration outcomes were tested in an orthogonal experiment. Changes in species' frequency were detected using Bayesian statistics with prior probabilities derived from pre-clearing data. Few species failed to reestablish following translocation; these were offset by recruitment of other native species not detected prior to clearing. Compositional changes were more pronounced when topsoil was stockpiled (cf direct reinstatement), although there was no trend related to the period of stockpiling. The PFT response model correctly predicted the rank probability of decline in three of the nine PFTs, while a further three were correctly placed in the top ranks but in the incorrect order. Three PFTs were incorrectly ranked because the response model was incorrect. Resprouters declined more frequently than seeders; however, species with physical seed dormancy declined less frequently than those with either transient seed banks or physiological, morphological, or morpho-physiological dormancy, irrespective of resprouting ability. Species with short juvenile periods were more likely to increase. We conclude that PFTs based on fire-response traits represent a practical means of predicting species' responses to translocation and a basis for prioritizing species for supplementary planting.

Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub: Rescuing an endangered ecological community

“…Regeneration after the creation of bare soil conditions, followed by rainfall, conforms to what would be expected of heath communities that are adapted to regenerate after being exposed to conditions created by wind and periodic fire (Gill 1981;Bradstock et al 1995;Hill & French 2004). The heath shrubs and subshrubs that regenerated were mainly soil seed-storing species rather than the whole suite of species, however, that might be expected to occur in fresh topsoils (Tozer et al 2011). Although some regeneration of two Banksia species did occur (Table 2), it is possible that the site may have previously contained resprouting species that did not survive the long period of degradation (McDonald 1996(McDonald , 2000.…”

“…1995; Hill & French 2004). The heath shrubs and subshrubs that regenerated were mainly soil seed‐storing species rather than the whole suite of species, however, that might be expected to occur in fresh topsoils (Tozer et al. 2011).…”

Dynamics of plant species during phytostabilisation of copper mine tailings and pyrite soils, Western Uganda

“…This was mainly due to the remarkable differences that still existed between the remediated soils and those at the undisturbed site. Failure to restore the original community on mine sites has been attributed by other authors to radical changes to almost every component of the landscape as well as persistent non-natural features [8,16,27,40,56]. The radical changes to the landscape and non-natural feature were still characteristic of the area under study.…”

Floristic Composition Analysis of Soil Transposition in a Seasonal Forest in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“…Soil transposition may increase the diversity of regional native species, genetic variability, and the chances of recruiting species adapted to adverse conditions (Reis et al, 2003;He et al, 2016). In this sense, many authors have emphasized the use of the seed bank as an efficient strategy for covering degraded or disturbed areas by including species of different forms of plant life (Tozer et al, 2012;Ferreira et al, 2015;Fowler et al, 2015).…”