Plant Physiology is a sub discipline of Plant Science concerned with the plants functioning and survivals.
Plant Ecophysiology describes physiological mechanisms underlying ecological observations.
Plant Restoration Ecophysiology is the science which studies the re-introduction and survival of native plants and other organisms into disturbed or degraded landscapes e.g. post mining or post farming sites.
The Restoration Ecophysiology group, co-funded by Rocla Quarry Products and the West Australian State Government, will allow mining companies for the first time an insight towards resolving the unacceptably high plant mortality, as currently observed post mining, where for some species less than 2% of scarce seeds survive to maturity. By understanding plant environment interactions at every stage through the plant production and outplanting system we can significantly improve our restoration techniques and overall restoration success.
Generally, restoration programs aim to mimic natural ecosystem functioning with site attributes placing constraints on rehabilitation success. To restore a stable landscape, allowances must be made for aspects of the prevailing climatic conditions whilst accounting for changes in climate.
Restoration Ecophysiology is understanding how environmental variables (orange circles) influence plant growth/development and inturn how this informs restoration practices (green circles) to improve restoration success.
Objectives:
- Translocation of expensive and rare plant material, raised from severely limited seed resources or from tissue culture material of species extinct in the wild, to establish new or expanded populations in the wild.
- Large scale nursery production of native plants for conservation, restoration and horticulture.
- Covering bushland, mining sites and farmland restoration across the state.