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Enhancing seedling survival on former floodplain grazing land in the Capertee Valley, Australia
Author(s) -
Baumber Alex,
Evans Huw,
Turner Richard J.,
Merson John,
Dixon Bill,
Crust David
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ecological management and restoration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.472
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1442-8903
pISSN - 1442-7001
DOI - 10.1111/emr.12273
Subject(s) - revegetation , endangered species , agroforestry , grazing , biodiversity , floodplain , invasive species , ecology , fencing , weed control , geography , introduced species , restoration ecology , biology , land reclamation , habitat , parallel computing , computer science
Summary Active revegetation is an essential component of biodiversity conservation for fragmented ecosystems and the species that depend on them. However, key knowledge gaps exist around the most cost‐effective revegetation strategies to employ in different contexts. This article reports on a revegetation trial undertaken in the Capertee Valley of New South Wales, Australia, to assist the conservation of the critically endangered bird, the Regent Honeyeater ( Anthochaera phrygia ). Seven treatments were compared to assess their cost‐effectiveness for enhancing plant survival at a floodplain site with a history of grazing on introduced pastures. While overall survival rates were low, treatments involving tree guards had higher survival rates and were more cost‐effective than treatments without guards. Weed growth, animal activity and water stress all appeared to play a role in the low survival rates at this site, with enhanced weed control emerging as a priority for future trials at similar sites.