Nutrient status of pasture ecosystems established on rehabilitated overburden and topsoil sites in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Soil Research ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. C. Brown ◽  
C. D. Grant
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Pasture Grass ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Disturbed Areas

The rehabilitation of disturbed areas at the Howick Coal Mine (Hunter Valley, New South Wales) involves re-creating pasture ecosystems. Some sites are rehabilitated using topsoil, whereas others are established directly into the overburden mine waste due to the low availability and poor quality of topsoil. Pastures on both substrate types are then maintained by periodic applications of fertiliser. A comparison was made between nutrient levels held in the soil and the roots and stems of the dominant pasture grass (Rhodes grass, Chloris spp.) in an overburden (rehabilitated in 1990) and a topsoil site (rehabilitated in 1991). Sampling was conducted in autumn 1998 at 3 random locations along 3 replicate transects established on both substrates. Laboratory analyses were conducted to determine levels of N, P, S, Ca, K, Mg, and Na for both soil and plants samples; Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Al for the plant samples only; and NO 3-N, PO 4-P, organic carbon, pH, and EC for the soil samples only. Multivariate analysis showed a distinct difference in the nutrient status of topsoil and overburden sites, across the 7 nutrients common to the roots, stems, and soil. The concentration of all macronutrients was significantly higher in the overburden compared with the topsoil sites. The majority of macronutrients were in greatest concentrations in the stems but the highest levels of micronutrients were found in the roots. There was a higher concentration of micronutrients in the overburden sites. Both of the rehabilitated sites had adequate macronutrient concentrations of S, Ca, Mg, and K. However, there were deficient concentrations of NO3-N in both the topsoil and overburden sites and a deficient concentration of PO4-P in the topsoil site. Long-term management options to improve the nutrient status of rehabilitated coal mines in the Hunter Valley include increased grazing, increasing fertiliser inputs, and burning the rehabilitated areas.

The impact of trampling on feldmark vegetation in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales

2004 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. McDougall ◽  
G. T. Wright
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Cushion Plants ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Westerly Winds ◽  
The Impact

A popular walking track in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales, passes through areas of feldmark vegetation, a windswept community of sparse dwarf shrubs, cushion plants and herbs. The prevailing westerly winds in this area prune the windward edges of the dominant Epacris gunnii shrubs. Layering on the protected side effectively means that the shrubs slowly move across the ridgetops. Twenty-five transects were placed perpendicular to the track in a patch of feldmark north of Mt Kosciuszko. The density of selected species and the total number of species were recorded in quadrats placed in the track centre, track edges and feldmark vegetation at 5 and 10 m from both sides of the track to determine whether the track has interrupted feldmark processes and affected species abundance. The abundance of all species and the number of species per quadrat was lowest in the track centre. Three species (including E. gunnii) were found to be less abundant on the leeward edge of the track than on the windward edge, suggesting that the track has indirectly interfered with feldmark processes. Two of the species were as abundant on track edges as at 5 and 10 m from the track. The area of affected vegetation is currently very small and it may take decades before the effect is obvious to people using the track. Management options for reducing or eliminating the impact are discussed.

Effect of timing of pasture grass removal on subsequent take-all incidence and yield in wheat in southern New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Kidd ◽  
G. M. Murray ◽  
J. E. Pratley ◽  
A. R. Leys
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
Gaeumannomyces Graminis ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Pasture Grass ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Take All

Winter cleaning is the removal of grasses from pasture using selective herbicides applied during winter. We compared the effectiveness of an early (June) and late (July) winter cleaning with an early spring herbicide fallow (September), spring (October) herbicide and no disturbance of the pasture on development of the root disease take-all in the subsequent wheat crop. Experiments were done at 5 sites in the eastern Riverina of New South Wales in 1990 and 1991. The winter clean treatments reduced soil inoculum of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) compared with the other treatments at all sites as measured by a bioassay, with reductions from the undisturbed treatments of 52–79% over 5 sites. The winter clean treatments also significantly reduced the amount of take-all that developed in the subsequent wheat crop by between 52 and 83%. The early and late winter clean treatments increased the number of heads/m2 at 3 and 1 sites, respectively. Dry matter at anthesis was increased by the winter clean treatments at 3 sites. Grain yield was increased by the winter cleaning treatments over the other treatments at the 4 sites harvested, with yield increases of the early winter clean over the undisturbed treatment from 13 to 56%. The autumn bioassay of Ggt was positively correlated with spring take-all and negatively correlated with grain yield of the subsequent wheat crop at each site. However, there was a significant site and site × bioassay interaction so that the autumn bioassay could not be used to predict the amount of take-all that would develop.

The plant nutrient status of granite soils from the Bendemeer area of New South Wales

1966 ◽  
Vol 6 (20) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
F McMullen
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
New South ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Calcium Sulphate ◽  
Plant Nutrient ◽  
First Order ◽  
South Wales

A factorial glasshouse pot trial was used to examine the supply of phosphorus, boron, zinc, copper, cobalt, magnesium, molybdenum, potassium, and manganese, to the Dwalganup strain of Trifolium subterraneum L. growing in virgin granite soils from Bendemeer, New South Wales. Calcium sulphate was applied as a basal nutrient. Significant dry matter responses were obtained on all four virgin soils to the application of phosphorus, molybdenum, and potassium; to copper on two soils; and to boron and cobalt on one soil. Phosphorus was so deficient that responses to other plant nutrients did not occur in its absence. On all soils, significant first order interactions were recorded between phosphorus and other deficient elements. In addition, significant interactions were recorded between molybdenum and magnesium, copper and molybdenum, boron and molybdenum, copper and cobalt, and potassium and molybdenum.

A Community-based Survey of the Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, in the Eden Region of South-eastern New South Wales

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lunney ◽  
Carol Esson ◽  
Chris Moon ◽  
Murray Ellis ◽  
Alison Matthews
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Regional Survey ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Wales

A community-based postal survey (questionnaire and map) was undertaken in the Eden region of south-eastern New South Wales in 1991–92 to help determine the local distribution of koalas and to obtain information on which to base a regional plan of management for koalas. The 1198 replies from the II 600 households in the region represented all parts of the area surveyed. The survey responses suggest that koalas are rare in the Eden region, and that the number of koalas has been constantly low for the last four decades. The records are scattered both chronologically and geographically. National Parks and Nature Reserves have never been the stronghold of local koala populations, and freehold land, particularly farmland, is not a major reservoir of koalas. Most koalas reported were in, or adjacent to, State Forests, particularly Murrah–Berrnagui and Tantawangalo–Glenbog–Yurammie. These areas appear to contain the core of the surviving koala population of the region. An assessment of the vegetation where koalas were sighted indicated that dry forest is the preferred habitat. The once abundant and widespread local koala population of late last century has been reduced by habitat loss and fragmentation to a few small, isolated populations. This regional survey, which was undertaken by use of a carefully constructed questionnaire, revealed an invaluable source of records and contributed 70% of the records in the database used for this study. This study also laid a basis for assessing koala management options in south-eastern New South Wales.

Phytocapping of Mine Waste at Derelict Mine Sites in New South Wales

Spoil to Soil ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 215-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dane Lamb ◽  
Peter Sanderson ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
Mohammed Kader ◽  
Ravi Naidu
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Derelict Mine ◽  
Mine Sites

Studies of the Ground-Dwelling Mammals of Eucalypt Forests in South-Eastern New South Wales: the Effect of Environmental Variables on Distribution and Abundance.

1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 669 ◽  
Author(s):  
PC Catling ◽  
RJ Burt
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Slope Position ◽  
Eucalyptus Forest ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Gradient Type ◽  
Eucalypt Forests ◽  
Resource Gradient

The distribution and abundance of ground-dwelling mammals was examined in 13 areas within 500 000 ha of eucalypt (Eucalyptus) forest in SE New South Wales. Data are presented on the distribution and abundance of species in relation to 3 environmental gradient types involving 9 variables: 2 direct gradients (temperature, rainfall); 6 indirect gradients (aspect, steepness of slope, position on slope, landform profile around the site, altitude, season) and a resource gradient (lithology). Many species of ground-dwelling mammal of the forests of SE New South Wales were present along all gradients examined, although wide variation in abundance occurred for some species. Eight species were correlated with direct gradients and all species were correlated with at least one indirect gradient. There was wide variation and species diversity with lithology, but the variation was not related to nutrient status. Although variations in abundance occurred along environmental gradients, the composition of the ground-dwelling mammal fauna in SE New South Wales forests changed little. A fourth gradient type, the substrate gradient (biomass of plants), had the greatest effect, because in the short-term disturbances such as logging and fire play an important role. Disturbance can have a profound influence on the substrate gradient, but no influence on environmental gradients. The results are discussed in relation to the arboreal mammals and avifauna in the region and Environmental and Fauna Impact studies and forest management.

Management of the major chemical soil constraints affecting yields in the grain growing region of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia – a review

Soil Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 765 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Page ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
J. B. Wehr ◽  
Y. P. Dang ◽  
P. M. Kopittke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Multiple Constraints ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Structural Problems ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Soil Constraints ◽  
Growing Region

In the grain growing region of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, crop production occurs predominantly under semiarid, rainfed conditions. Vertosols dominate the soils used and many are prone to structural problems. In this region, providing that crop nutrition is adequate, optimising yield is largely dependent on maximising the infiltration, storage and plant use of soil water. Soil constraints such as sodicity, salinity, acidity, subsoil compaction and surface sealing can limit these processes, leading to high yield losses. This review examines management options to treat these constraints, focusing on management where multiple constraints exist, and where these occur in the subsoil. The main strategies reviewed include (a) use of gypsum to treat sodicity and lime to treat acidity, which can lead to yield increases of >100% in some circumstances, (b) cultivation or deep ripping to break up compacted sodic layers and surface seals, (c) incorporating soil organic matter to improve conditions for plant growth and (d) selecting species, cultivars and management practices most appropriate for constrained sites. Future research must be directed to improving the profitability of ameliorant use for sodicity by increasing our understanding of how to identify soils responsive to ameliorants, and which combination of ameliorants will be cost effective when sodicity occurs in combination with other constraints. In addition, research needs to target ways to economically apply ameliorants in subsoil environments, and better identify which crop species or cultivars are productive on constrained sites, particularly those with multiple constraints.

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