Alison Skinner

Ecosystem Services from Grasslands: Investigating the Effects of Grassland States on Woodland Eucalypt Recruitment 

Alison’s research is examining the effects of soil compaction, nutrient enrichment, understorey composition and competition removal on germination, growth and survival of two common woodland eucalypts via a series of laboratory and field experiments.

Alison’s research falls into the CRC’s Program 4 research area.

Objectives:

• Investigate whether the potential for eucalypt recruitment differs between alternative grassland states in order to identify where natural regeneration of eucalypts is feasible as a method of woodland restoration.
• Investigate the mechanisms driving differences in recruitment between grassland states.

Results to date have shown that soil nutrient manipulations had no measurable effect on eucalypt survival or early growth, but seedlings were effectively suppressed at even the lowest levels of pasture biomass, regardless of botanical composition. Removal of understorey competition and increases in water supply both greatly increased tree survival and growth, but differences in soil characteristics had as large an influence on the successful establishment of tree seedlings as manipulations of pasture biomass and water availability.

Soil compaction at levels typical of many grazing properties decreased the depth of soil penetration by eucalypt roots in the weeks following germination. Land management practices can have a lasting impact on the potential for natural regeneration of eucalypts.

For more information, email Alison.