Vegetation restoration after closure of sand mining operations

Abstract

Species-rich kwongan shrublands of SW Australia are a biodiversity treasure. Despite their global and national conservation value, little is known about which plant traits are most important for community assembly and diversity maintenance. This project will use plant functional traits related to nutrient and water acquisition to predict plant community assembly under different soil resource availabilities, and thus assist in successful rehabilitation of this native vegetation after closure of sand-mining operations. The project will improve the field of trait-based predictive restoration ecology, and will deliver management tools that will assist mining companies in meeting restoration targets.