Linking Restoration and Ecological Succession (Springer ... - Inecol

80 Joe Walker and Paul Reddell
Figure 4.5 The top figure (a) shows a hypothetical five step succession to reduce water recharge. It comprises
plant species selected to increase surface soil organic matter with progressively deep-rooted plants; (b) shows the
vegetation types needed across the five landscape facets and (c) shows the vegetation types around an interceptor
drain.
et al. (1979) for the restoration of a military training area, the source–sink model
described by Ellis et al. 2006 and the tree planting in cropping land described
by Stirzaker et al. (1999). The hypothetical succession (4.5a) goes from bare
soil to annual grasses, perennial grasses, and forbs to shrubs to tree-dominated
areas. The sequence focuses on restoring the hydrological functioning of the
surface soil. Fig. 4.5a shows organic matter increasing and a gradual increase
in the depth to the salty water table. The idea is to design a landscape that
over time retains water, reduces leakage, and yet enables production farming
to continue. The landscape facets (geomorphic or terrain units) and the
successional stages are spread as a mosaic across the stylized landscape in
Fig. 4.5b.