Indigenous and modern biomaterials derived from Triodia (‘spinifex’) grasslands in Australia

Gamage, Harshi K.; Mondal, Subrata; Wallis, Lynley A.; Memmott, Paul; Martin, Darren J.; Wright, Boyd R.; Schmidt, Susanne

doi:10.1071/bt11285

Cited by 27 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…), commonly referred to as spinifex, are long‐lived perennial grasses unique to Australia. They dominate up to 26% of inland Australia, forming key elements within the main vegetation communities in the semiarid zone (Gamage et al ), and are the dominant grass species of the Pilbara bioregion of northwest Western Australia (Erickson et al 2016 a ). In some areas, a single species of Triodia can make up at least 95% of the aboveground plant biomass (Winkworth ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overcoming physiological dormancy in seeds of Triodia (Poaceae) to improve restoration in the arid zone

Erickson

Shackelford

Dixon

et al. 2016

Restoration Ecology

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Reinstating dominant Triodia grassland communities following disturbance has been a focus of arid land restoration practitioners for decades in Australia. Yet, seed quality and variable seed germination have seriously hindered the reestablishment potential of Triodia species to date. This study set out to examine diaspore quality, germination requirements, and seed dormancy in seven Triodia species to identify first, then resolve, germination impediments. Freshly collected florets from all species were cleaned to ensure that each floret contained a viable seed and then evaluated for their initial germination capacity. Very low germination from florets (<10%) indicated the presence of physiological seed dormancy (PD) in all species. However, germination was significantly improved (up to 57%) with the use of 0.67 m karrikinolide (KAR 1 ), and to a lesser degree with 289 m gibberellic acid (GA 3 ). When the covering floret structures (i.e. lemma and palea) were removed, germination increased up to 59%, which was further enhanced after exposure to GA 3 (up to 66%) and KAR 1 (up to 92%). Optimal germination temperatures varied from 20 to 35 ∘ C and were species specific. Dry after-ripening (DAR −30 ∘ C and 50% relative humidity [RH]) of florets and seeds promoted the progressive loss of PD over 12-24 months storage for most species. Germination, dormancy level, and response to incubation temperature differed amongst species, experimental units (florets and seeds), DAR treatments, and after exposure to germination stimulants (GA 3 and KAR 1 ). For use in restoration seeding programs, careful consideration of seed pre-treatments is necessary to improve germination in Triodia species. Implications for Practice• Many seed-based restoration programs fail to consider all aspects of seed quality, handling, and use. • Correctly processing and storing seeds under optimized conditions will maximize seed viability. Higher germination and establishment potential can then be achieved by correctly identifying the presence of dormancy mechanisms and applying specific pre-treatments prior to sowing. • Like many grasses, seeds of Triodia species are physiologically dormant. When seeds are removed from covering floret structures, dry after-ripened at 30 ∘ C and 50% RH for 12-24 months, and/or treated with karrikinolide or gibberellic acid, significant improvements in germination are achieved. • Implementing these key steps at larger scales will ensure that seeds are used more efficiently and plant establishment becomes much more predictable.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overcoming physiological dormancy in seeds of Triodia (Poaceae) to improve restoration in the arid zone

Erickson

Shackelford

Dixon

et al. 2016

Restoration Ecology

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“…If fire is not essential for maintaining plant diversity, localised harvesting could be an alternative to fire in managing spinifex grasslands. Harvested areas could act as fire breaks and plant biomass could be used as feed stock for green products [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indigenous Australians have long burned and locally harvested spinifex grasslands for the purpose of hunting and obtaining materials, food, and medicine [5][6][7][8]. This practice creates small-scale mosaics of burned and unburned patches at different serial stages [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Harvesting as an Alternative to Burning for Managing Spinifex Grasslands in Australia

Gamage

Memmott

Firn

et al. 2014

Advances in Ecology

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Sustainable harvesting of grasslands can buffer large scale wildfires and the harvested biomass can be used for various products. Spinifex (Triodia spp.) grasslands cover ≈30% of the Australian continent and form the dominant vegetation in the driest regions. Harvesting near settlements is being considered as a means to reduce the occurrence and intensity of wildfires and to source biomaterials for sustainable desert living. However, it is unknown if harvesting spinifex grasslands can be done sustainably without loss of biodiversity and ecosystem function. We examined the trajectory of plant regeneration of burned and harvested spinifex grassland, floristic diversity, nutrient concentrations in soil and plants, and seed germination in controlled ex situ conditions. After two to three years of burning or harvesting in dry or wet seasons, species richness, diversity, and concentrations of most nutrients in soil and leaves of regenerating spinifex plants were overall similar in burned and harvested plots. Germination tests showed that 20% of species require fire-related cues to trigger germination, indicating that fire is essential for the regeneration of some species. Further experimentation should evaluate these findings and explore if harvesting and intervention, such as sowing of fire-cued seeds, allow sustainable, localised harvesting of spinifex grasslands.

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“…Given our focus on the physical collections of only four Australian museums and others (both in Australia and internationally) with online, searchable databases, it is possible that museums outside of our study may contain additional 'rare' spinifex objects, and hence there may be value in examining other such collections to determine if other categories of spinifex use can be identified. The ARC Spinifex Project exploring the potential of spinifex for use as a sustainable building material is already investigating the physico-chemical properties of select spinifex resins (e.g., Gamage et al 2012, physical properties of spinifex fibers (Flutter 2009, Gamage et al 2012 and ecological aspects of spinifex (e.g., Neave 2010); however there is considerable scope for further research in these areas, especially in relation to variability in resin production and properties among different resinous species.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Point of Spinifex: Aboriginal uses of spinifex grasses in Australia

Pitman

Wallis

2012

Ethnobot. Res. App.

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fall and drought where they can survive in a state of dormancy until favorable conditions return.Spinifex species are usually divided into two informal groups based on their different growth forms, distributions and physiology. The so-called 'hard' species (which include, among others, Triodia basedowii E.Pritz., Triodia irritans R.Br., Triodia longiceps J.M.Black and Triodia wiseana C.A.Gardner) have closely packed, rigid leaves which are almost impossible to touch, while 'soft' species (which include, among others, Triodia bynoei (C.E.Hubb.) Lazarides, Triodia helmsii (C.E.Hubb.) Lazarides, Triodia microstachya R.Br. and Triodia pungens R.Br.) have relatively loosely arranged, less rigid leaves that can be comparatively more easily handled. Soft species tend to be more common in the northern half of the continent where they form a more or less continuous cover, rather than the discrete, rounded hummock habit of the hard species (Moore 2005:210; see Figure 1). The primary difference between the soft and hard spinifex groups relates to their ability to produce resin. As detailed by Burbidge (1946), The Point of Spinifex: Aboriginal uses of spinifex grasses in AustraliaHeidi T. Pitman and Lynley A. Wallis Research AbstractFor thousands of years spinifex grasses were utilized by Indigenous Australians, most commonly for the production of resin that was then used as a hafting adhesive. While varying levels of knowledge about this particular use are retained in Indigenous communities, museum collections serve as a valuable repository of little known information about a multitude of other uses of spinifex including ornamental, medicinal, structural and ceremonial functions. In this paper we describe the range of uses of spinifex, based on examinations of objects and photographs held in various museum collections, coupled with reviews of the ethnographic and ethnohistoric literature. This study (1) brings together disparate sources of knowledge about Indigenous uses of spinifex that are not well known among the scientific community and (2) demonstrates the value of museum collections for Indigenous communities seeking to 'reconnect' with aspects of socalled 'lost traditional culture'.

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Indigenous and modern biomaterials derived from Triodia (‘spinifex’) grasslands in Australia

Cited by 27 publications

References 63 publications

Overcoming physiological dormancy in seeds of Triodia (Poaceae) to improve restoration in the arid zone

Overcoming physiological dormancy in seeds of Triodia (Poaceae) to improve restoration in the arid zone

Harvesting as an Alternative to Burning for Managing Spinifex Grasslands in Australia

The Point of Spinifex: Aboriginal uses of spinifex grasses in Australia

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