PhD Student
Key Ameliorants for Nutrient Cycling Restoration: Soil Biota, Organic Matter and Vegetation. Case Study: Cowal Gold Mine, West Wyalong, NSW
E-mail: jessica.drakeATanu.edu.au

In highly altered landscape rehabilitation, it is critical to restore the three aspects of an ecosystem: Function, Structure and Composition. At early stages, the key elements of restoration are related to the ecosystems function. Function includes nutrient cycling, water holding capacity, capture and storage of resources and soil structural stability. Nutrient cycling is a key element of any ecosystem. It involves the breakdown of complex organic compounds into bio-available nutrients, which can then be used for the establishment, growth and maintenance of vegetation. By recreating nutrient cycling, we are increasing the function of an ecosystem. This leads to successful revegetation and the development of a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Three key factors related to nutrient cycling include soil biota, vegetation and organic matter. All three of these three elements are destroyed by mining operations, causing altered nutrient cycling. There is a scarcity of research describing how to combine all three factors for the restoration of nutrient cycling. The project will determine what applications are necessary for restoring nutrient cycling in highly altered landscapes. Nutrient cycling will also be used as an indicator for the trajectory of change towards a self-sustaining and resilient ecosystem.