Assessing ecosystem function of restoration plantings in south-eastern Australia

Munro, Nicola; Fischer, Joern; Wood, Jeff T.; Lindenmayer, David B.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2012.06.048

Cited by 20 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…The index has also been shown to be highly correlated with soil organic C and total N in studies in Australia (McR Holm et al, 2002, Tongway andHindley, 2003), Iran (Ata Rezaei et al, 2006) and Spain (Maestre and Cortina, 2004). Similarly, Munro et al (2012) demonstrated that values of the Nutrient Index increased with increasing age of tree plantings and found that the index was most strongly influenced by vegetation cover rather than more subtle soil surface features. Paz-Jimenez et al (2002) demonstrated strong links between the activity of some extracellular soil enzymes such as phosphomonoesterase and β-glucosidase, and agricultural practices, but did not report any effects of grazing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Grazing reduces the capacity of Landscape Function Analysis to predict regional-scale nutrient availability or decomposition, but not total nutrient pools

Eldridge

Delgado‐Baquerizo

2018

Ecological Indicators

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The Nutrient Cycling Index (hereafter 'Nutrient Index') derived from Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) is used extensively by land managers worldwide to obtain rapid and costeffective information on soil condition and nutrient status in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite its utility, relatively little is known about its reliability under different management conditions (e.g. grazing) or across different climatic zones (aridity). Here we correlated the Nutrient Index, comprising measures of biocrust cover, plant basal cover, soil roughness and three attributes of surface litter cover, with empirical data on measures of soil total nutrient pools (C and N), nutrient availability (labile C, inorganic N and P), and decompositionrelated enzymes at 151 locations from eastern Australia varying in grazing intensity and climatic conditions. Grazing intensity was assessed by measuring current grazing (dung production by the herbivores cattle, sheep/goats, kangaroos and rabbits), and historic grazing (the total area of livestock tracks leading from water). We used aridity (the relationship between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration) as a measure of climate. On average, the Nutrient Index was positively associated with total nutrient pools, nutrient availability and decomposition enzymes. However, further statistical modelling indicated that grazing intensity strongly reduced the link between the index and decomposition enzymes, labile C and inorganic P, but not with total nutrient pools. This grazing effect was predominantly due to cattle. Conversely, aridity had no significant effect on the predictive power of the index, suggesting that it could be used across different aridity conditions in natural ecosystems as a reliable predictor of soil health. Overall, our study reveals that the Nutrient Index is a robust predictor of total nutrient pools across different aridity and grazing conditions, but not for predicting nutrient availability or decomposition in environments heavily grazed by livestock.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Grazing reduces the capacity of Landscape Function Analysis to predict regional-scale nutrient availability or decomposition, but not total nutrient pools

Eldridge

Delgado‐Baquerizo

2018

Ecological Indicators

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“…Partially restored communities can have enhanced biodiversity values and ecosystem services compared with degraded pre‐restoration states (Rey Benayas et al ), so may be acceptable (as either transitional or persistent communities) in some restoration projects. However, more work is needed to understand the values of partially restored forests (Munro et al ). In our study, compositional differences may be age related and may decrease over time as invertebrate succession occurs in the planted forest.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re‐forestation restores native dominance in an island beetle fauna

Gardner-Gee

Stanley

Beggs

2015

Restoration Ecology

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Native re‐forestation is a widely used restoration tool, typically undertaken with the expectation that planting native trees will initiate succession processes (including the re‐establishment of native fauna) that will eventually return the ecosystem to a native‐dominated state. Invertebrate groups can be used to assess restoration progress, as their life history traits enable them to respond more rapidly to environmental change than many other organisms. In this study, we assessed beetle responses to re‐forestation. Using two trapping methods (flight intercept traps and pitfall traps), we compared beetle assemblages in exotic pasture (pre‐restoration state), <10‐year‐old planted native forest (restoration intervention) and approximately 40‐year‐old unmanaged regenerating native forest (reference state). Analysis of the flight intercept‐trapped beetles suggests that re‐forestation has initiated a transition from an exotic‐dominated pasture fauna toward a native‐dominated fauna: in planted forests, 75% of all flight‐intercept‐trapped beetles were native (compared with 22% in pasture and 87% in unmanaged forest). Flight intercept‐trapped beetles also had higher native diversity and abundance in both forest types than in pasture. Pitfall‐trapped beetle species were predominantly native in both forest types, but there were few statistically significant differences between the forests and pasture in the pit‐fall trap data set. Both trapping methods detected significant compositional differences between the beetle assemblages in planted forest and unmanaged forest. Replanting native forest has increased native beetle diversity, abundance, and dominance (compared with the pre‐restoration state), but convergence with the unmanaged reference forest has not yet been achieved.

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“…• High densities and/or functional diversities can promote water and nutrient capture and limit run-off, but drying of the soil layer and depletion of nutrients may occur in high-density stands. • Soil stability, water infiltration, and nutrient cycling in woodlot and ecological plantings (Munro et al 2012). • Planting densities, patch arrangement, and combinations of species that optimize water and nutrient cycling and limit erosion.…”

Section: Abiotic Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatially designed revegetation—why the spatial arrangement of plants should be as important to revegetation as they are to natural systems

McCallum

Lowe

Breed

et al. 2018

Restoration Ecology

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The spatial arrangements of plants, both within and between species, play a key role in natural systems and influence many fundamental ecological processes (e.g. survival, competition, facilitation, pollination, and seed dispersal) and ecosystem functions (e.g. habitat value, erosion, water, and nutrient capture). Despite this knowledge, fine‐scale planting arrangements are rarely considered during restoration plantings, yet manipulation of planting designs has the potential to aid the development of resilient and self‐sustaining ecosystems. Here, we outline how the spatial arrangement of plants can influence processes both at the vegetation level and more broadly at the ecosystem level. The review is focused on woodland systems, but also draws on key examples from grassland ecosystems. Following this synthesis, we identify research gaps in the revegetation literature that could usefully be addressed to help develop this understudied field of research. Finally, we outline components of population and community level arrangements (e.g. spacing, aggregation, community composition) that can be considered during restoration plantings—spatially designed revegetation—which are likely to lead to improved ecological outcomes of woodland and grassy woodland revegetation.

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Assessing ecosystem function of restoration plantings in south-eastern Australia

Cited by 20 publications

References 54 publications

Grazing reduces the capacity of Landscape Function Analysis to predict regional-scale nutrient availability or decomposition, but not total nutrient pools

Grazing reduces the capacity of Landscape Function Analysis to predict regional-scale nutrient availability or decomposition, but not total nutrient pools

Re‐forestation restores native dominance in an island beetle fauna

Spatially designed revegetation—why the spatial arrangement of plants should be as important to revegetation as they are to natural systems

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