Vegetation responses to chaining in an isolated remnant in Western Australia's wheatbelt

Abstract

This study examines secondary succession in an isolated remnant following disturbance by chaining, where a chain suspended by two tractors was drawn along the ground knocking over the vegetation. The disturbance resulted in distinct zones within the chained area (chained and mulched, chained and cleared, and chained with vegetation piles burnt). Two to three years after disturbance distinct assemblages occurred within each zone, with high diversity in all three zones in the chained area compared with the intact remnant, and a number of abundant taxa restricted to particular zones. 4–5 years after disturbance some early colonisers were absent, but the plant assemblages were still distinct. The distribution and abundance of the Declared Rare species Boronia adamsiana occurring in the chained area was surveyed. The value of this managed disturbance within remnants in an agricultural landscape for rare and seral species is discussed.