The effect of concentrated smoke products on the restoration of highly disturbed mineral sands in southeast Victoria

Abstract

Summary Recent studies have recognized the potential of broad‐scale surface application of smoke compounds for enhancing germination from the soil seed‐bank in fire‐prone vegetation communities. Results suggest that smoke technology may play, in the future, a significant role in the restoration and management of areas supporting indigenous vegetation. An important step in the development of smoke‐based restoration tools is the conduct of in situ field trials in a range of geographical locations and environmental conditions. However, most of the published work on the effectiveness of smoke products in promoting seedbank germination has been conducted at sites in southwestern Australia. The present study examines the effect of commercially available smoke‐water products on the regeneration of a highly disturbed former mine‐site at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, in southeastern Victoria. Various combinations of concentrated smoke products and topsoil harvested from a nearby heathy woodland community were applied to exposed, uniform mineral sands to test their effect on seedling density and species richness of regrowth. The trials showed that after 12 months a number of common, herbaceous species including Austrodanthonia setacea, Opercularia varia and Platysace heterophylla were recorded in significantly higher numbers in areas treated with a commercial smoke‐water. However, there was no overall improvement in the density of seedlings or the richness of species as a result of the application of the smoke products. Similarly, total seedling density and species richness were not affected by the addition of topsoil, either alone or in combination with smoke products.

Effects of smoke water and karrikin on seed germination of 13 species growing in China

“…Consequently, plant-derived smoke or aqueous extracts derived from smoke or smoke water (SW) may have broad applications as tools in natural agriculture or ecological restoration, or for enhancing the conservation of threatened or rare species [22][23][24][25].…”

Ecological history of Lachlan Nature Reserve, Centennial Park, Sydney, Australia: a palaeoecological approach to conservation

“…Key changes include the near-complete demise of the original swamp heath species that are adapted to nutrient-poor soils (Lamont 1972), the depletion of Restionaceae, a family highly prone to competition-induced local extinction following the influx of nutrients (Meney & Pate 1999), and the colonization of the Lachlan Swamp Reserve with hardy pollutant-and nutrienttolerant plants (including Cyperaceae, probably Gahnia sieberiana [Coates 2003], and Gleichenia dicarpa [Clarkson et al 2004]). The combination of these vegetation changes has caused the pre-parkland swamp-heathland communities to change to a novel Melaleuca quinquenervia low-forest unit (Benson & Howell 1994).…”

Mimicking Fire for Post-Mining Restoration Success

“…were sprayed directly onto soils from disturbed natural areas which were former mine sites in chaparral's Australian counterpart, mallee-heath (Coates, 2003). However experiment is distinct from the previous work in part because the dosage of L.S.…”

“…Only one study completed the entire experiment in the field (Coates, 2003). Coates (2003) applied L.S. directly to the soil, monitored the experiment for one year, and found significant increase in seed germination for herbaceous species.…”

“…Christensen and Muller (1975) collected soil samples, applied heat treatments in the laboratory, and placed the soil back into its original plot where some also had charate added. Only one study completed the entire experiment in the field (Coates, 2003). Coates (2003) applied L.S.…”