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Directions for Best Management of Kangaroo Grass (Themeda Triandra Forssk.) Re-Establishment in Southeastern Australian Native Grassland Remnants

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Directions for Best Management of Kangaroo Grass (Themeda Triandra Forssk.) Re-Establishment in Southeastern Australian Native Grassland Remnants Directions for best management of Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra Forssk.) re-establishment in southeastern Australian native grassland remnants Bram Derek Mason BSc (Hons), MSc Submitted in fulfilnnent of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University Melbourne 2005 STA THESIS 584.909945 MAS 30001008598973 Mason, Bram Directions for best management of Kangaroo grass CThemeda triandra Forssk.) Declaration This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any tertiary institution and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made. Bram Mason Dedicated to the loving memory of Les & Irene Mason and Brian & Doris Langdon. Themeda triandra in flower 11 Acknowledgements A Victoria University postgraduate scholarship, with additional funding provided by the Friends of the Striped Legless Lizard, contributed to the funding of this thesis. I would like to thank all the people who helped me in completing this research project: • Dr Colin Hocking for support, understanding, guidance and compassion. • My parents for making me aware that anybody can do anything if they put their mind to it and their support, tolerance and tireless interest. • To my grandparents to whom this thesis is dedicated for introducing me to Australian native ecosystems and providing me with the dedication, desire and enthusiasm to protect and serve the Australian natural environment. • To my partner Cheryl Maree Taylor for tolerance, endless enthusiasm, conceptual incites, encouragement, love and just being there. • The rangers at Parks Victoria (Organ Pipes National Park) for field and funding assistance. In particular, Mike Cussack and Parks Victoria burn crew for conducting controlled burns at Woodlands Historic Park. • Randall Robinson for conceptual incites, encouragement and friendship. • Steve Parker for his undying enthusiasm, encouragement and friendship. • The rest of my friends who have patiently put up with me during this project. • The following people helped during field work and I am eternally grateful to: Cheryl Taylor, Les Mason Snr., Steve Parker, Randall Robinson, Mark Scar, Paul (Caveman) Evans, Megan O'Shea, Craig Dodson, Luke Bijderveldt, Geoff Carson, Leanne Parfett, Meredith Stott and the Friends of the Striped Legless lizard & Friends of Organ Pipes. • Greybox and grasslands Indigenous Nursery for providing Kangaroo grass seed. Ill • Peter Wlodarczyk for comments on Chapter two and inspiration. • Margaret Langdon for proof reading most of the thesis. • To the building six science postgraduate students for keeping me sane and their friendship. • To the traditional owners of Australia. • My sisters Carolyn Mason and Leanne Parfett for support and love. • Dr Malcolm Goodall for not giving up on me in my early years of science. Formatting and Conventions The format style and conventions used in this thesis are consistent with those required by the Journal of Ecological Management and Restoration. The exceptions to this are Chapters one and seven and Chapter five, which, has been formatted for the Journal Austral Ecology. The thesis is laid out in sections equivalent to a series of papers, for Chapters two to six to allow for ease of publication of the material. IV Abstract Western basalt Plains native grasslands, which extend from the west of Melbourne in Victoria to the South Australian border, are recognised as one of the most threatened ecosystems in Victoria (DC&E 1992). Ecosystem functions and their ability to support life are disappearing along with the remnant grasslands. The research project reported in this thesis aimed to develop methods to re-establish the dominant native grass. Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) in ways designed to out-compete invasive grassy weeds. In the past there has been some research done in re-establishing Kangaroo grass in Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma) infested grasslands but results have been variable. With the decreasing area of native grassland comes the problem of decreasing supply of native species seed available for re-establishment projects. The amount of Kangaroo grass seed harvested per gram of flowering material was found to be significantly greater (p<0.01) when a brush header was used in comparison with traditional bailing and harvesting with a sickle bar mower. Percentage germination of Kangaroo grass seed was not significantly different when two-month-old seed was compared with one year, two year, three year or four-year-old seed stored at room temperature. The percentage germination of Kangaroo grass seed was found to be significantly lower (p<0.05) than initial germination percentage after storage for five years at room temperature. Under ideal germination conditions in a growth cabinet (see Chapter two). Kangaroo grass seed (unaltered) was found to achieve maximum germination percentage after seven days. Establishing Kangaroo grass during drought or a low precipitation year was investigated. The optimum conditions for using the "spray and hay" method of killing weeds and introducing Kangaroo grass seed to the ground were investigated. Kangaroo grass seedling density and percentage cover were significantly greater in soil tilled to a depth of five cm compared with no till treatments. By comparison during a close to average precipitation year, soil cultivation did not significantly affect Kangaroo grass seedling density or percentage cover. The soil seedbank and soil physical properties associated with Kangaroo grass re-establishment in cultivated areas was investigated. A trend was found of increasing density of Kangaroo grass seed available in the soil seedbank with increasing depth of cultivation to a maximum depth of five cm. This was considered likely to have been affecting the density of germinating Kangaroo grass seedlings and establishment. Treatments cultivated to five cm (similar to an agricultural fallow treatment) were found to produce a dense soil layer on the soil surface and a greater availability of soil moisture in the root zone below this layer, when compared with no-till treatments during a drought year. Soil nitrogen mineralization and its influence in weed invasion and native grass re-establishment were investigated in plots where Chilean Needle grass (A/, neesiana) was removed by a combination of herbicide application and tilling. In soil under Chilean Needle grass plants, net nitrogen mineralization was low compared with the net nitrogen mineralization in soil with no vegetative growth. This suggests that Chilean Needle grass has a potential large storage capacity for available forms of soil nitrogen. Mineralization of soil nitrogen was significantly greater in till re-establishment treatments when compared with no-till re-establishment treatments and in soil under alive Chilean Needle grass in in situ trials during spring. This suggests that vegetation in cultivated treatments have a greater potential to increase in biomass when compared to plants in un-cultivated treatments. The effects of cultivation, fertilization and irrigation on germination and growth of Kangaroo grass and Chilean Needle grass seedlings following removal of Chilean Needle grass by herbicide and tilling were investigated. Cultivation of soil gave the most substantial increase in biomass for newly established Kangaroo grass seedlings assessed after six months. Subsequent fertilization VI and irrigation had no significant influence on germination of Kangaroo grass seedlings at the rates trialed. Fertilization and irrigation did increase the average biomass of Kangaroo grass seedlings but this was not statistically significant at the rates investigated when compared with till no addition treatments. Vll Table of Contents Title Declaration Acknowledgements Abstract v Table of Contents viii List of Tables x List of Figures xiv Chapter One General Introduction 1 Aim 2 Format of Thesis 2 Chapter Two Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) seed characteristics from plants in the Western grassland Plains of Melbourne: Implications for revegetation Introduction 4 Methods 6 Results 9 Discussion 12 Conclusion 15 Chapter Three What works best in a normal and drought year? Introduction 17 Methods 20 Results 26 Discussion 47 Conclusion 55 Chapter Four Effects of soil disturbance on soil seedbank and soil moisture Introduction 57 Methods 59 Results 61 Discussion 69 Conclusion 75 Vlll Chapter Five Soil nitrogen and moisture availability associated with re-establishment over Nassella species Introduction 76 Methods 78 Results 81 Discussion 89 Conclusion 94 Chapter Six Effects of nutrient, water and Potassium-humate addition on aboveground biomass of seedlings and seed soil penetration Introduction 97 Methods 99 Results 102 Discussion 107 Conclusion 112 Chapter Seven Implications for Management of Kangaroo grass Re-establishment Research Kangaroo grass Seed 114 Kangaroo grass Establishment 114 Seedbank 115 Soil Moisture and Cultivation (Fallowing) 116 Soil Nutrients Available for Growth 116 Above Ground Biomass of Kangaroo grass 116 Affect of Cultivation and Humate Addition on Seed Soil Penetration 117 Areas for Further Research 118 References 119 Appendix One 132 Appendix Two 133 IX List of Tables Table Title Page number number Table 3.1 Location and brief description of trial sites used 21 in this investigation into Kangaroo grass re- establishment. VU = Victoria University - St Albans campus. Table 3.2 Average
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