Modelling riparian woodland response to altered and novel disturbance regimes in production landscapes

Reardon-Smith, Kate and Le Brocque, Andy and House, Alan (2011) Modelling riparian woodland response to altered and novel disturbance regimes in production landscapes. In: Annual Conference of the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA 2011): Ecology in Changing Landscapes , 21-25 Nov 2011, Hobart, Australia.

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Abstract

Understanding native ecosystem responses to altered and novel disturbances is a crucial foundation for policy development and management aimed at maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services in production landscapes. Remnant riparian woodland ecosystems in an intensively-farmed landscape in the northern Murray-Darling Basin are subject to significant changes in hydrological regimes and land use intensity, and exhibit dieback and limited recruitment of the dominant canopy species complex, Eucalyptus camaldulensis/tereticornis, widespread invasion by the introduced perennial herb Phyla canescens, and altered floristic composition and function. Current land and water management fails to address critical changes in this landscape, and hence curb ongoing degradation.
This study indicates the importance of systems-based empirical research to developing better understanding of the dynamics of remnant ecosystems in highly-modified landscapes. It uses a resilience-based state and transition modelling approach to synthesise results, highlighting key drivers of stability and critical change in the condition and function of these riparian ecosystems. Such research is vital to understanding the ecology of remnant native ecosystems and their role in the provision of important ecosystem services in production landscapes. Representation of this understanding in a simple conceptual model provides an important link to support evidence-based policy and adaptive management.

Statistics for this ePrint Item

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Commonwealth Reporting Category E) (Speech)
Refereed:	No
Item Status:	Live Archive
Additional Information:	Abstract and PowerPoint presentation only published.
Faculty / Department / School:	Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Biological and Physical Sciences
Date Deposited:	02 May 2012 04:34
Last Modified:	16 Sep 2013 00:23
Uncontrolled Keywords:	riparian woodland; response; production landscapes; Queensland
Fields of Research :	05 Environmental Sciences > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050103 Invasive Species Ecology 05 Environmental Sciences > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050102 Ecosystem Function 06 Biological Sciences > 0602 Ecology > 060202 Community Ecology(excl. Invasive Species Ecology) 05 Environmental Sciences > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity 05 Environmental Sciences > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050104 Landscape Ecology
Socio-Economic Objective:	D Environment > 96 Environment > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960807 Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity D Environment > 96 Environment > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960806 Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity D Environment > 96 Environment > 9613 Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas > 961305 Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas in Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Environments
URI:	http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/20280

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