Restoration of Open‐Cut Mining in Semi‐Arid Systems: A Synthesis of Long‐Term Monitoring Data and Implications for Management

Abstract

Restoration is becoming an increasing global priority. Particularly in high impact developments like open cut mining, restoring ecosystems to pre‐disturbance states is difficult but essential. Successful restoration of vegetation communities requires complex achievements of cover, density, community composition, species richness, and structural elements. This study synthesises 10 years of monitoring surveys to measure restoration success in six mining operations in the semi‐arid Pilbara of Western Australia, with the goal of quantifying current and past restoration performance. We assessed composition, structure, cover, density, and richness. We found that each metric resulted in slightly different performance measures within mining operations. For example, native perennial grasses in restored sites fell short of reference density and cover, while woody species density and cover were regularly within the reference range. Richness was often much higher in restored than in reference sites. Finally, to explore the potential drivers of performance, we analysed the influence of restoration characteristics on each of the vegetation metrics. We found that older restoration had increased cover and density of all vegetation types compared to more recent restoration, while other variables had impacts on restoration results that shifted between metrics and monitoring periods. Compositional similarity with reference sites was higher when restoration occurred on low impact mining activities, when first year rainfall was higher, and when seeding treatments were not applied. Overall, this assessment of long‐term monitoring data highlighted where each performance measure was important to understanding overall restoration patterns in semi‐arid systems and paves the way for improving future restoration practice. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vegetation community composition along disturbance gradients of four typical open‐pit mines in Yunnan Province of southwest China

“…Some researchers have analyzed the correlations between vegetation characteristics and environmental factors in open‐pit mining areas. Shackelford, Miller, and Erickson () studied vegetation restoration process in six mining operations based on long‐term monitoring data in Western Australia. Guo, Zhang, Gong, Zhang, and Dong () analyzed the relationship between vegetation diversity and environmental factors using detrended canonical correspondence analysis in the Antaibao mining area in China.…”

A case study of seed-use technology development for Pilbara mine site rehabilitation

“…the seed management cycle in Figure 1). There has been a conscious effort to improve seed collection at scale, store seeds under controlled conditions, understand and apply seed pre-treatments, and further comprehend the regeneration biology of many species (see examples and discussions of improved seed-use in , Muñoz-Rojas et al 2016bLewandrowski et al 2017;Shackelford et al 2018). However, to date, it could be argued that accurate seeding rates and seed placement in the field (i.e.…”

Artificial refuges to combat habitat loss for an endangered marsupial predator: How do they measure up?

“…Restoring habitat complexity is often a focus of ecological restoration at disturbed sites, particularly following mining activities (Nichols & Nichols, 2003; Shackelford et al, 2018). Active restoration (e.g., revegetation, placement of logs, debris, and rock piles) following habitat loss can improve population connectivity and movement patterns for other species, including the closely related chuditch ( Dasyurus geoffroii ; McGregor et al, 2014).…”

“…Rocky outcrops and mesas provide crucial denning sites for northern quolls (Burbidge & McKenzie, 1989; Hernandez‐Santin et al, 2016), but are the focus of mining activities owing to their rich deposits of iron ore and gravel (Cramer et al, 2016; Ramanaidou & Morris, 2010). Mining companies are sometimes required to offset environmental damage by replacing or compensating for destroyed habitat (McGregor, Stokes, & Craig, 2014; Shackelford, Miller, & Erickson, 2018), and artificial refuges have been touted as one tool that could—along with other actions—help to offset the destruction of nonrenewable refuges (Cramer et al, 2016; Trulio, 1995). Artificial refuges comprised of rock, concrete, and gravel have been created by mining companies with the hope to rehabilitate previously destroyed habitat due to mining activities, as well as to provide off‐site refuge for northern quolls during mining operations, particularly by trying to replace lost natal dens (i.e., crevices where female quolls raise their offspring; Cramer et al, 2016; Table S1).…”