Publication Date

12-2001

Document Type

Report

DPIRD Collections

Natural resources

Publisher

Department of Agriculture

City

Perth

Abstract

In 1997, a program was established to monitor the long term, (a minimum of 10 years), impacts on remnant native vegetation, of Alkaloam bauxite residue used as a soil amendment on adjacent agricultural land Data collection is to be repeated on an annual basis for the duration of the program. This report presents pre-treatment site and vegetation data for 2001, the fourth year of sampling in the program. Overall results are compared with those from 1997, 1998 and 2000. Descriptions of monitoring sites and an outline of project design and methodology are provided so the report can be read independently of the preceding report.

Four permanent 20 x 20m plots were surveyed, Site A, C, D and E all of which are located on the Bassendean Dune System. Vegetation data collected relates to attributes of floristic composition and structural formation A vascular plant species list was compiled for each site plot in 1997 and species presence or absence was recorded as unchanged at each site in I 998. In the year 2000 this list was compared and changes were made as required, some new species were found, and due to the rime of year of sampling, many of the annual species seen in previous surveys were absent.

The density and frequency of herbs, grasses and sedges sampled in the lower stratum showed minor fluctuations between years from 1997 t0 2001. The structure, growth stage and health of trees and shrubs (recorded as intercepts along zig-zag transects within the site plots) was virtually unchanged between years. Measures of foliage abundance in upper and mid strata plants decreased slightly in the dry woodland in Site-plot B, and remained virtually unchanged in Site-plots A, D and E. The results provided a sample of year-to-year variability in vegetation within site-plots prior to treatment with Alkaloam.

Number of Pages

64

Keywords

Vegetation surveys Western Australia Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment, Bauxite Environmental aspects Western Australia Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment, Remnant vegetation Western Australia Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment, Environmental monitoring Western Australia Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment, Soils, Salts in Western Australia Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment.

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