Tim Richards

Assessing the potential of Oldman Saltbush to support native bird species 

Revegetation is advocated as the primary means of addressing the detrimental effects of vegetation clearance and the associated loss of habitat. However these efforts are frequently constricted by a variety of factors and are subsequently of insufficient scale. Farming systems utilising native perennial species may provide an opportunity to foster landscape-scale biodiversity conservation by increasing the amount of vegetative cover in the agricultural landscapes. This research focuses on plantings of Oldman Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia nummularia) and will assess their potential to provide resources for and support populations of native bird species.

Tim’s research falls into CRC Program 4, Biodiversity and Water.

Objectives:

• Investigate the diversity and abundance of native woodland bird species inhabiting three broadly different habitats; mallee remnant vegetation with adjacent saltbush, isolated saltbush plantings, and isolated mallee remnants.
• Investigate the foraging resources provided to selected bird species in each of the three habitat types.
• Investigate the breeding resources provided to selected bird species by each habitat type and reproductive success within.
• Investigate the home range size and use patterns within of several selected sedentary native bird species representative of the region across the different habitats.

For more information, contact Tim