ABSTRACT
A basic understanding of the autecology of native species is essential to restoration of mine sites. The soil seed bank of the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of Western Australia provides sufficient seed (101-1,579 seeds m-2), but the floristic composition was found to be inappropriate to reconstruct the speciesrich, shrub-dominated understorey of the native ecosystem. A phenology of seed availability facilitated efficient collection of appropriate seed and experiments on viability and germination stimuli ensured maximization of the re-establishment phase in bauxite and coal mining restoration. Characteristics of the native habitat (e.g. fire and soil pH) provided clues to expected tolerance of species to the post-mining environment. Knowledge that the 'initial floristic composition' model of forest succession best described the jarrah forest succession pattern lead to the realization of the importance of initially providing as many of the species of the native forest ecosystem as possible since plant establishment is limited to the first year following disturbance. Use of seed bearing topsoil, pre-treated understorey species seed, and nursery-stock tree seedlings ensures the most economical method to rapidly reconstruct damaged regions of the jarrah forest following bauxite and coal mining.
