High rock content enhances plant resistance to drought in saline topsoils
Successful mine site restoration in semi-arid regions is limited by availability of topsoil and water, and saline soils are a common feature of these regions and pose an additional stressor to vegetation establishment. We tested the growth and development of a salt-tolerant species on saline topsoil...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/IC150100041 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/87130 |
| Summary: | Successful mine site restoration in semi-arid regions is limited by availability of topsoil and water, and saline soils are a common feature of these regions and pose an additional stressor to vegetation establishment. We tested the growth and development of a salt-tolerant species on saline topsoil incorporating 25%, 50%, 75% and 88% waste rock, examining soil water content and plant water use to determine how waste rock content affected plant-water relations, growth and development. Under well-watered conditions higher percentages of waste rock lowered the volumetric water content of the total soil mix, causing a reduction in stomatal conductance. Under drought conditions, higher waste rock content reduced rates of water loss and allowed stomatal conductance to be maintained over a longer period. There was no significant or optimal relationship between waste rock content and plant growth, indicating that the addition of waste rock to topsoil has complex effects on plant-water relations and growth. We demonstrate that augmentation of limited topsoil resources with waste rock is a promising option for improving plant resistance to drought in mine site restoration. |
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