Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub: Rescuing an endangered ecological community

Abstract

On‐ground works prove an important mechanism for gaining knowledge about this near‐extinct ecological community, providing new insights into ways to manage and restore it.

Model‐based conservation planning of the genetic diversity of Phellodendron amurense Rupr due to climate change

“…Ex situ conservation measures, in which parts of the population are placed in a new location, could preserve the species in areas of low habitat suitability (Frankham 2010 ; Gong et al 2010 ; Vranckx et al 2012 ) and could be used to establish future environments while retaining existing genetic diversity. Although genetic diversity cannot be maintained in these areas due to the impact of climate change, it is important to allow them to shift away from their native range, that is, unsuitable habitats, to alternative, appropriate environments for culturing, in other words, ex situ conservation (Perkins et al 2012 ; Cires et al 2013 ; Dubey et al 2013 ). In situ conservation measures, which include nature reserves and various types of scenic areas, can be used to maintain the evolution and reproductive potential of the ecological system (Jiang et al 2013 ).…”

Progress with restoration and management of Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub on North Head, Sydney

“…Experiments with small fires at the York Rd ESBS community are yet to demonstrate statistically significant increases (Perkins et al . ). Evidence from our burn experiments suggests the fire can produce a greater increase in species richness in degraded scrub than in nondegraded scrub even in the short term, but that a full response from all species present in the soil may take years and a range of treatments.…”

“…The ESBS Recovery Plan (NSW Department of Environment & Conservation 2004) identified a need for public land managers of sites with ESBS to undertake management actions to protect, repair and expand remaining patches of this ecosystem. Potential for restoration after domination by Coastal Teatree is evidenced by encouraging results of restoration works at other ESBS sites (Perkins et al 2012). Works at the York Road ESBS site in particular have shown that carefully designed interventions can lead to incremental increases in plant diversity over periods of 5 years or more (including recovery of Characteristic ESBS species) although sites of longer degradation are slower to show increases in species (Parsons Brinkerhoff 2012;Perkins et al 2012).…”

“…Seventeen other species emerged. A species list for this intervention can be found in Appendix S2 of Perkins et al (2012). Coastal Teatree has been removed at yearly intervals, and some exotic species (remnants from plantings by the Army) have also been removed.…”

“…Potential for restoration after domination by Coastal Teatree is evidenced by encouraging results of restoration works at other ESBS sites (Perkins et al . ). Works at the York Road ESBS site in particular have shown that carefully designed interventions can lead to incremental increases in plant diversity over periods of 5 years or more (including recovery of Characteristic ESBS species) although sites of longer degradation are slower to show increases in species (Parsons Brinkerhoff ; Perkins et al .…”