Deep ripping after topsoil return affects root proliferation and floristic diversity in a restored biodiverse forest after bauxite mining

Authors: Lardner, TD; Tibbett, M

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1352_30_Lardner

Cite As:
Lardner, TD & Tibbett, M 2013, 'Deep ripping after topsoil return affects root proliferation and floristic diversity in a restored biodiverse forest after bauxite mining', in M Tibbett, AB Fourie & C Digby (eds), Mine Closure 2013: Proceedings of the Eighth International Seminar on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Cornwall, pp. 363-376, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1352_30_Lardner

Download citation as:   ris   bibtex   endnote   text   Zotero


Abstract:
This study aimed to determine whether deep ripping following the placement of overburden and topsoil materials significantly reduced in-situ soil strength, encouraged root penetration/proliferation and altered floristic diversity in a rehabilitated bauxite mine pit. Three plots located within an area that was deep-ripped after overburden and topsoil return were compared with three plots within the same mine pit that received the conventional pit floor ripping/topsoil scarification treatment. All plots were reseeded with > 150 plant species from the local biodiverse forest. Topsoil ripping produced no significant overall effect on soil strength because the materials in the pit were very friable and had low soil strength regardless of topsoil treatment. Root abundance generally correlated better with depth than with penetration resistance. There was interaction between soil depth and ripping treatment with respect to root abundance, indicating that the vegetation responded differently in terms of root proliferation to depth depending on whether the topsoil was deep-ripped. Roots were significantly more abundant in the top 10 cm of scarified profiles, but in those that received the topsoil ripping treatment, root abundances were significantly higher between 50 and 60 cm depth. This differential response was also highlighted by multivariate analysis of floristic data, which revealed that community composition and structure differed between topsoil ripping treatments. After 12 years, scarified plots had greater species richness, total abundance and plant density on average, but the vegetation was larger in topsoil-ripped plots. The benefits conferred by topsoil ripping appear to be highly dependent on the physical properties of the soil materials but may affect floristic diversity of the restored forest. From this the conclusion is there is a direct link between the physical treatment of soils and rehabilitation success.

References:
Anderson, M.J. and Robinson, J. (2003) Generalised discriminant analysis based on distances, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Statistics, Vol. 45, pp. 301–318.
Atwell, B.J. (1993) Response of roots to mechanical impedance, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Vol. 33, pp. 27–40.
Beazley, R., Dudley, A., Braimbridge, M.F., Ryan, M. and Tibbett, M. (2006) Phosphorus application on a rehabilitated bauxite mine: the optimal rate for two key Jarrah forest species – Acacia celastrifolia and Eucalyptus marginata, Centre for Land Rehabilitation, University of Western Australia.
Bengough, A.G., Bransby, M.F., Hans, J., McKenna, S.J., Roberts, T.J. and Valentine, T.A. (2006) Root responses to soil physical conditions: growth dynamics from field to cell, Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 57, pp. 437–447.
Bengough, A.G., McKenzie, B.M., Hallett, P.D. and Valentine, T.A. (2011) Root elongation, water stress, and mechanical impedance: a review of limiting stresses and beneficial root tip traits, Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 62, pp. 59–68.
daSilva, A.P., Kay, B.D. and Perfect, E. (1994) Characterization of the least limiting water range of soils, Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol. 58, pp. 1775–1781.
Davis, S. (2005) Rehabilitation of a post mining jarrah forest: native seedling establishment response to timing of fertiliser application, method of application and fertiliser type, Honours thesis, University of Western Australia.
Dell, B., Havel, J.J. and Malajczuk, N. (editors) (1989) The Jarrah forest: a complex Mediterranean ecosystem, Boston, Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Emerson, W. (1967) A classification of soil aggregates based on their coherence in water, Australian Journal of Soil Research, Vol. 5, pp. 47–57.
Emerson, W.W. (2002) Emerson dispersion test, in Soil Physical Measurement and Interpretation for Land Evaluation, N. McKenzie, K. Coughlan and H. Cresswell (eds), CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, pp. 190–199.
Gee, G.W. and Bauder, J.W. (1986) Particle size analysis, in Methods of Soil Analysis (Vol 1): Physical and Mineralogical Methods, A. Klute (ed), American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisc., pp. 383–412.
Hamza, M.A. and Anderson, W.K. (2002) Improving soil physical fertility and crop yield on a clay soil in Western Australia, Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 53, pp. 615–620.
Harrison, D.F., Cameron, K.C. and McLaren, R.G. (1994) Effects of subsoil loosening on soil physical-properties, plant-root growth, and pasture yield, New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 37, pp. 559–567.
Henderson, C.W.L. (1989) Using a penetrometer to predict the effects of soil compaction on the growth and yield of wheat on uniform, sandy soils, Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 40, pp. 497–508.
Hingston, F.J., Dimmock, G.M. and Turton, A.G. (1981) Nutrient distribution in a jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) ecosystem in south-west Western Australia, Forest Ecology and Management, Vol. 3, pp. 183–207.
Koch, J.M. (2007) Alcoa's mining and restoration process in South Western Australia, Restoration Ecology, Vol. 15, pp. S11–S16.
Lardner, T.D. and Tibbett, M. (2011) Fertiliser Application to Jarrah Forest Rehabilitation Field Trial 2 – Boddington Bauxite Mine Inception Report, Centre for Land Rehabilitation, University of Western Australia.
McArthur, W.M. (1991) Reference Soils of South-western Australia, Perth, W.A., Western Australia, Department of Agriculture.
McDonald, R.C. and Isbell, R.F. (1990) Soil profile, in Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook, R.C. McDonald, R.F. Isbell, J.G. Speight, J. Walker and M.S. Hopkins (eds), Inkata Press, Melbourne, pp. 103–152.
McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F., Speight, J.G., Walker, J. and Hopkins, M.S. (eds) (1990) Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Materechera, S.A., Alston, A.M., Kirby, J.M. and Dexter, A.R. (1992) Influence of root diameter on the penetration of seminal roots into a compacted subsoil, Plant and Soil, Vol. 144, pp. 297–303.
Mengler, F.C., Kew, G.A., Gilkes, R.J. and Koch, J.M. (2006) Using instrumented bulldozers to map spatial variation in the strength of regolith for bauxite mine floor rehabilitation, Soil & Tillage Research, Vol. 90, pp. 126–143.
Misra, R.K. and Gibbons, A.K. (1996) Growth and morphology of Eucalyptus seedling roots, in relation to soil strength arising from compaction, Plant and Soil, Vol. 182, pp. 1–11.
Moore, G. (2004a) Distinctive morphological features and their agricultural significance, in Soil Guide: A Handbook for Understanding and Managing Agricultural Soil, G. Moore (ed), National Landcare and Department of Agriculture, Perth, Western Australia, pp. 43–52.
Moore, G. (2004b) Water repellence, in Soil Guide: A Handbook for Understanding and Managing Agricultural Soil, G. Moore (ed), National Landcare and Department of Agriculture, Perth, Western Australia, pp. 53–63.
Purdie, B.R. (1998) Understanding and interpreting soil chemical and physical data, in Soil Guide: A Handbook for Understanding and Managing Agricultural Soil, G. Moore (ed), National Landcare and Department of Agriculture, Perth, Western Australia.
Rayment, G.E. and Higginson, F.R. (1992) Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods, Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Rengasamy, P. and Churchman, G.J. (1999) Cation exchange capacity, exchangeable cations and sodicity, in Soil Analysis: An Interpretation Manual, K.I. Peverill, L.A. Sparrow and D.J. Reuter (eds), CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, pp. 147–155.
Rokich, D.P., Meney, K.A., Dixon, K.W. and Sivasithamparam, K. (2001) The impact of soil disturbance on root development in woodland communities in Western Australia, Australian Journal of Botany, Vol. 49, 169–183.
Sinnett, D., Morgan, G., Williams, M. and Hutchings, T.R. (2008) Soil penetration resistance and tree root development, Soil Use and Management, Vol. 24, pp. 273–280.
Slattery, W.J., Conyers, M.K. and Aitken, R.L. (1999) Soil pH, aluminium, manganese and lime requirement, in Soil Analysis: An Interpretation Manual, K.I. Peverill, L.A. Sparrow and D.J. Reuter (eds), CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, pp. 103–125.
Taylor, H.M. and Burnett, E. (1964) Influence of soil strength on the root-growth habits of plants, Soil Science, Vol. 98, pp. 174–180.
Tucker, B.M. (1983) Basic exchangeable cations, in Soils, An Australian Viewpoint, CSIRO, Melbourne.
Turton, A.G., Marsh, N.L., McKenzie, R.M. and Mulcahy, M.J. (1962) The Chemistry and Mineralogy of Lateritic Soils in the South-west of Western Australia, Soil Publication No. 20, CSIRO Australia.
Uhrie, J.L. (2001) Evaluation of deeply ripping truck-dumped copper leach stockpiles, Mining Engineering, Vol. 53, pp. 54–56.
Walkely, A. and Black, I.A. (1934) An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method, Soil Science, Vol. 37, pp. 29–38.
Ward, S.C. (2000) Soil development on rehabilitated bauxite mines in south-west Australia, Australian Journal of Soil Research, Vol. 38, pp. 453–464.
Worthington, T., Lardner, T.D., Braimbridge, M.F., and Tibbett, M. (2011) Second assessment of the effects of different ripping practices on the physical properties of pit floor materials, Centre for Land Rehabilitation, University of Western Australia.




© Copyright 2024, Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au