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
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