Casuarina Pauper (Belah) Woodlands of Northwest Victoria: Monitoring and Regeneration
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CASUARINA PAUPER (BELAH) WOODLANDS OF NORTHWEST VICTORIA: MONITORING AND REGENERATION Katrina E. Callister, BAppSc(Hons) This thesis is submitted in total fulfilment ofthe requirements for the degree of PhD University of Ballarat PO Box 663 University Drive, Mount Helen Ballarat, Victoria 3353 Australia October 2004 ABSTRACT Casuariha pauper (Belah) semi-arid woodland is one of the highest priority communities for conservation in Victoria. Little is known about its pre-European distribution and structure, and the long-term future of remnants is threatened through failure of regeneration of overstorey species and perennial understorey. Research was conducted to determine the original structure and distribution of C. pauper woodland in northwest Victoria, the effectiveness and cost of alternate methods of monitoring condition, and the regeneration requirements of perennial components. Historical survey maps and other records were used to determine the likely distribution and structure of semi-arid woodlands at the time of settlement. High variability in woodland structure and composition at the time of survey (1860s-1930s) was found, suggesting the need for caution when applying benchmarks. More than 96 % of semi-arid woodlands on private land in the study area have been cleared, highlighting the conservation significance of remnants and the need to manage remnants to promote regeneration to ensure their continued survival. Remote methods of vegetation condition assessment were compared with field-based methods to determine the most cost-effective approach. Only two condition classes (good and poor) were reliably mapped using the remote techniques investigated (overall accuracy 87.1-94.9%). Whilst field techniques gave greater differentiation at survey sites, when interpolated across the study area, maps were no more accurate. The normalised differential vegetation index (NDVI) was highly correlated with many of the field condition parameters including the field vegetation condition index (0.81), and provides the most promising technique for remote assessment of vegetation condition. Remote survey techniques are unlikely to replace field-based methods, but are likely to provide valuable information when used in conjunction with them. Field and laboratory experiments were undertaken to examine the regeneration requirements of C. pauper woodland species. Abundant viable seed of C. pauper was found (>340 m"2) within transient soil seedbanks that are replenished most years. A field investigation of simulated high rainfall coupled with glasshouse experiments suggests C. pauper regeneration is likely to be inhibited most years by insufficient soil moisture for seedling survival, although germination under relatively low soil moisture conditions (35 % FC) suggests that germination events may occur most years. Soil seedbank studies found only low numbers of germinants for most other perennial species suggesting that regeneration may be limited by transient soil seedbanks. l EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Casuarina pduper (Belah) woodlands are extensively distributed through semi-arid south-eastern Australia. C. pauper woodlands have been used as indicators of suitable soils for cropping, and so have been preferentially cleared across their range. C. pauper woodlands have also been heavily utilised for stock grazing. The long-term future of C. pauper woodland remnants is now threatened through failure of regeneration of overstorey species and perennial understorey. This study focused on C. pauper woodland in northwest Victoria, an area where the recent establishment of the Murray-Sunset National Park (MSNP) provides an ideal opportunity to manage these woodlands to promote regeneration. Some information on the closely related Callitris gracilis - Allocasuarina luehmannii (Pine-Buloke) woodlands has also been collected, as many key species occur in both these woodland types in the study area, and similar regeneration problems have been noted. Following declaration ofthe MSNP in 1991, priorities for gathering baseline data and establishing a monitoring program to determine the effects of management were identified (NRE 1996). This research has investigated three main components of the ecology and assessment of semi-arid woodlands in northwest Victoria: 1. the pre-European distribution, structure and composition 2. methods for monitoring vegetation condition, comparing remote data sources with field survey techniques; and 3. the regeneration requirements of perennial components of C. pauper woodland; The main objectives of this research were to: 1. determine the pre-European distribution, structure and composition of semi-arid woodland by reference to historical survey plans, and hence; 2. develop appropriate benchmarks for vegetation condition assessment; 3. investigate techniques for remote vegetation condition assessment, and determine the most cost-effective techniques; 4. determine conditions required for regeneration of perennials in C. pauper woodland through field and laboratory experiments; 5. investigate if replication of rainfall quantities of the early 1970s may promote regeneration of perennial species in C. pauper woodland; and 6. investigate the effects of soil disturbance and fire on the regeneration of perennial species in C. pauper woodland. u Pre-European distribution, structure and composition of Casuarina pauper woodland To determine the likely pre-settlement distribution of Casuarina pauper and Callitris gracilis - A. luehmannh woodlands, historical survey maps and Parish plans (1860s-1930s) were used to create a geographical information system (GIS) database. Historical surveys of northwest Victoria were conducted principally to facilitate land selection and settlement, and now provide a wealth of information on the vegetation at the time of European settlement. Historical maps containing evidence of semi-arid woodland species were scanned and geo-registered to enable use in a GIS. This allowed production of maps showing woodland distribution and density and enabled calculation ofthe extent of clearing of semi-arid woodlands. The spatial database also provides a base to which any additional historical data could be added. Tests of the accuracy of the survey plans and derived maps show that they correlate well with current vegetation patterns. Historical survey plans were found to be a valuable data source for determining the pre-European distribution and structure of semi-arid woodlands. Maps produced from these data indicate the likely extent of semi-arid woodlands in northwest Victoria prior to European settlement. Results suggest over 250,000 ha (19 % of the study area) originally contained semi-arid woodland species. 'Pine' (Callitris gracilis) was the most frequently noted semi-arid woodland species. The survey plans and other historical records show that semi-arid woodlands in northwest Victoria were variable in both composition and density. Historically, semi-arid woodlands supported higher species diversity, with many species, such as C. gracilis, less frequently occurring today. Woodlands at the time of settlement were more likely to be described as open, than dense, although a number of dense woodland areas were noted. More than 96 % of semi-arid woodlands have been cleared in agricultural regions surrounding the MSNP. In addition, there has been an overall decrease in tree density within vegetation remnants throughout the study area, due to tree harvesting, thinning and senescence in the absence of regeneration. This highlights the need to conserve and manage remnants to ensure regeneration. Vegetation condition assessment Condition assessment is increasingly being used as a tool for monitoring vegetation that has been subject to disturbance. Remote methods of condition assessment (satellite imagery, aerial photography and the Treeden25 GIS layer produced by Department of Sustainability and Environment) were compared with field-based techniques to determine cost-effective methods for condition assessment in semi-arid woodlands. in Methods for remote vegetation condition assessment were developed through study of the literature, and investigation of a number of different analyses for each remote data source. Comparison of vegetation condition maps produced from remote assessment techniques showed that only two vegetation condition classes could be reliably mapped using the techniques investigated. However, maps of two vegetation condition classes provide limited information on the outcomes of vegetation management, and are unlikely to be sensitive to vegetation change. The normalised differential vegetation index (NDVI), calculated from Landsat imagery, was found to be highly correlated with the field vegetation condition index, and many other field condition parameters. This is understood to be due to the nature of vegetation clearance and disturbance within the study area. High grazing pressure, tree clearing and thinning have all resulted in a reduction of perennial vegetation cover, along with a decrease in native species richness, inhibition of perennial recruitment, and increase in cover and abundance of exotic annual vegetation. In the absence of exotic perennials, or woody weed problems in the study area, high perennial vegetation cover is strongly correlated with good vegetation condition. Costs for the remote condition assessments were very similar to that of the field based survey. This is in part due to the relatively low sample size for the field survey. However, the need for ground truthing of remote