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Deborah Reynolds of Iramoo will be guest speaker at an evening hosted by PLEG at Dunvegan Cottage in Melton.
Debbie has been studying the role of soil disturbance in the temperate lowland grassland communities of South-eastern Australia. Her studies reveal that regeneration of native grasslands could be improved by emulating the digging actions of native marsupials, ie “scratching like bandicoots.”
Native grasslands were originally the home of a great diversity of native wildlife. Mammals such as bandicoots and small wallabies were constantly digging over the grasslands, digging up food and thereby disturbing the soil surface.
These have long disappeared from this region but they can be seen in places like Mt Rothwell Sanctuary.
By disturbing the surface of the earth and breaking up the soil crust, a friable medium was created that was suitable for germination of seeds.
In this loosened soil structure the seeds of native plants were better able to germinate; and roots from newly germinated seedlings could penetrate the earth more readily. Rain was also more able to penetrate into the soil.
By imitating the actions of these long vanished marsupials we can assist those plants we have planted to reproduce.
Seeds have difficulty in germinating in undisturbed soil and their roots have difficulty in penetrating a hard soils crust.
By scratching the top 2-3 centimetres of soil “like bandicoots” we can assist in the regeneration of plants were have replanted, by creating a loosened soil in which their seeds can germinate and grow.
All local environmental groups and interested parties are invited to attend this interesting evening at Dunvegan Cottage at the Willows Historical Park in Melton.
Attendance is free.
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