Towards a strategic revegetation & restoration recovery plan for the Brigalow

VAST - Tracking effects of land management on veg condition over time at sites

Richard ThackwayUQ

UQ, Brisbane 14-15 May 2012Workshop to promote Brigalow recovery plan

VAST (Vegetation States Assets and Transitions )

VIVIVIIIIII0

Native vegetationcover

Non-native vegetationcover

Increasing vegetation modification

Transitions = trend

Vegetation thresholds

Reference for each veg type (NVIS)

VAST - A framework for compiling & reporting vegetation condition

Condition states

ResidualNaturally bare

Modified Transformed Replaced -Adventive

Replaced - managed

Replaced - removed

Thackway & Lesslie (2008) Environmental Management, 42, 572-90

Diagnostic attributes of states/ classes :• Vegetation structure• Species composition• Regenerative capacity

NVIS

VAST national

Thackway & Lesslie (2008) Environmental Management, 42, 572-90

VAST provides a site score of the condition of a native

vegetation community

2009

Site histories within the Brigalow bioregion

• Land managers modify veg condition at the site level over time using management practices by operating on– Vegetation structure– Species composition– Regenerative capacity (ecological function)

to gain multiple benefits (ecosystem services) - public & private• Arguably for most of the Brigalow bioregion much of this

information is readily available

Understanding what land managers are doing over time

Regulation of hydrological regime

Generation of food and fibre

Regulation of climate / microclimate

Generation of raw materials

Recycling of organic matter

Creating and regulating habitats

Controlling reproduction and dispersal

Time

Modification

Frag

men

tatio

n

VAST and landscape alteration levels

Intact

>90%

Variegated

60-90% retained

Fragmented

10-60% retained

Relictual

<10% retained

Native

Unmodified

Modified and retained

Highly modified

Destroyed

VAST I ResidualVAST 0 Naturally Bare

VAST II Modified

VAST III Transformed

VAST IV Replaced – Adventive, VAST V Replaced – Managed VAST VI Removed

Intensifica

tion

Extensifi

cation

Time

Site level

Landscape level

Models of change in ecosystems V

eget

ation

va

riabl

e Settlement

Source: Adamson and Fox (1982).

Years10000

Reference

Occupation

Relaxation

Anthropogenic change

Net impact

Mo

dif

ica

tio

n

sc

ore

Reference

Years

0 100

Source: Hamilton, Brown & Nolan (2008).

1

3

10

22

VAST

D

iagn

ostic

attrib

utes

VegetationStructure

SpeciesComposition

VASTTRANSScore / year

Attrib

ute

grou

ps

RegenerativeCapacity

Overstorey

(3)

Understorey

(3) (2)

UnderstoreyOverstorey

(2)

Fire

(2)

Reprodpotent

(2)

Soil

Hydrology

(2)

Biology

(2)

Chemistry

(2)

Structure

(2) Indicators

VASTTRANS scores the impact of land management practices on the VAST diagnostic attributes (i.e. veg condition) over time

Approximate year

Source: Year

LU & LMP Source: LU & LMP

Effects of use and management on vegetation condition and

ecological function

Source: Effects

1800

1840

2010

Method: VASTTRANS

Pre-contact

First contact

Current year

LU = Land Use, LMP = Land Management Practices

Method: VASTTRANS

Spp compVeg structure

LU = Land Use, LMP = Land Management Practices

VAST Diagnostic attributes

LU & LMPYear

Time

Regen cap

ScoreVAST

Diagnostic attributes

Attribute groups

Departure from pre-European state assessed using 22 VASTTRANS indicators of vegetation condition

Vegetation Transformat

ion score (100%)

Change in key abiotic and

physicochemical processes affecting

REGENERATIVE CAPACITY (Function)

Fire regime1. Burnt area - (e.g. smaller to larger mosaics)

2. Number of fire starts – (e.g. higher or lower fire frequency)

Hydrological state

3. Reduction or modification of surface water (e.g. more run-off, floodplain drains)

4. Reduction or modification of ground water (e.g. rising water table, irrigation)

Soil physical state

5. Reduction or modification to the depth of A horizon (e.g. erosion or deposition)

6. Reduction or modification of natural soil structure (e.g. compaction, cultivation)

Soil chemical state

7. Run down of natural soil fertility

8. Excess soil nutrients including trace elements

Soil biological state

9. Reduction or modification of organic recyclers (invertebrate and native mammals)

10. Reduction or modification of locally indigenous surface organic matter, soil crusts

Reproductive potential

11. Reduction or modification of overstorey structuring species (e.g. viable of seed)

12. Reduction or modification of understorey structuring species (e.g. seed & vegetative)

Change in VEGETATION STRUCTURE

Overstorey structure

13. Reduction or modification of mean top height

14. Reduction or modification of mean foliage projective cover

15. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes

Understorey structure

16. Reduction or modification of mean top height

17. Reduction or modification of ground cover

18. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes

Change in dominant structuring species

affecting SPECIES

COMPOSITION

Overstorey composition

19. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. invasive native species, firewood vs non-firewood, millable vs non-millable, fodder vs non-fodder

20. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)

Understorey composition

21. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. woody vs non-woody, invasive native species, palatable vs non-palatable22. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)

Qld, Taroom Shire, site 1Reference pre-European Brigalow Woodland

Cropping

Shepherds light

grazing

Permanent fences, continuous stocking, high sheep numbers

Prickly pear

Ringbarking and burning

Brigalow ‘pulled’, burnt

and blade ploughed

Qld, Taroom Shire, site 2Reference pre-European Brigalow Woodland

Light grazing

Permanent fences, continuous stocking, high sheep numbers

Prickly pear

Prickly pear removed

Brigalow ‘pulled’ and burnt

Brigalow regrowth

Patch of Brigalow retained as unfenced shelter belt

http://aceas.org.au/portal/

http://aceas.org.au/portal/

Tran

sfo

rmat

ion

sco

re

Years

1800

2012

Reference

Brigalow futures - strategic revegetation & restoration

Modified

Transformed

Replaced/ managed

Residual

Replaced /adventive

VAST Classes

1850 19501900 2000 2050 2100

ScoreVAST

Diagnostic attributes

Attribute groups

Departure from pre-European state assessed using 22 VEG-TRANS indicators of vegetation condition

Vegetation Transformat

ion score (100%)

Change in key abiotic and

physicochemical processes affecting

REGENERATIVE CAPACITY (Function)

Fire regime1. Burnt area - (e.g. smaller to larger mosaics)

2. Number of fire starts – (e.g. higher or lower fire frequency)

Hydrological state

3. Reduction or modification of surface water (e.g. more run-off, floodplain drains)

4. Reduction or modification of ground water (e.g. rising water table, irrigation)

Soil physical state

5. Reduction or modification to the depth of A horizon (e.g. erosion or deposition)

6. Reduction or modification of natural soil structure (e.g. compaction, cultivation)

Soil chemical state

7. Run down of natural soil fertility

8. Excess soil nutrients including trace elements

Soil biological state

9. Reduction or modification of organic recyclers (invertebrate and native mammals)

10. Reduction or modification of locally indigenous surface organic matter, soil crusts

Reproductive potential

11. Reduction or modification of overstorey structuring species (e.g. viable of seed)

12. Reduction or modification of understorey structuring species (e.g. seed & vegetative)

Change in VEGETATION STRUCTURE

Overstorey structure

13. Reduction or modification of mean top height

14. Reduction or modification of mean foliage projective cover

15. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes

Understorey structure

16. Reduction or modification of mean top height

17. Reduction or modification of ground cover

18. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes

Change in dominant structuring species

affecting SPECIES

COMPOSITION

Overstorey composition

19. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. invasive native species, firewood vs non-firewood, millable vs non-millable, fodder vs non-fodder

20. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)

Understorey composition

21. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. woody vs non-woody, invasive native species, palatable vs non-palatable22. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)

1

3

10

22

Dia

gnos

ticatt

ribut

es

VASTTRANSScore

At a point in time

Attrib

ute

grou

ps

VegetationStructure

Overstorey

(3)

Understorey

(3)

SpeciesComposition

(2)

UnderstoreyOverstorey

(2)

RegenerativeCapacity

Fire

(2)

Reprodpotent

(2)

Soil

Hydrology

(2)

Biology

(2)

Chemistry

(2)

Structure

(2) Indicators

Monitoring progress following an intervention