Restoration of native vegetation and re-introduction of Malva preissiana on Penguin Island – Preliminary findings

• Main Authors: Labbé, A.M.T., Dunlop, J.N., Calver, M., Shephard, J.M., van Keulen, M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Royal Society of Western Australia 2017
• Subjects: Penguin Island; Bower
• Online Access: https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/55427/

Penguin Island’s vegetation in southwestern Australia has been degraded by anthropogenic activities and breeding silver gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae). However, native vegetation cover is important for breeding seabirds such as bridled terns (Onychoprion anaethetus). This pilot project aimed to restore native vegetation cover around artificial nest tubes for bridled terns using tubestock of berry salt bush (Rhagodia baccata) and bower spinach (Tetragonia implexicoma), and to re-introduce the Australian hollyhock (Malva preissiana), an ornithocoprophilic coastal plant that disappeared from Penguin Island in the 1970s due to competition with introduced Malva spp. and other nitrophilous weeds (Rippey et al. 2002). A total of 80 R. baccata or T. implexicoma seedlings and 980 M. preissiana seeds were planted, but less than 4% of the tubestock survived and less than 1% of the M. preissiana seeds germinated. Disturbance by breeding silver gulls was identified as a major issue, therefore seedling protection from these birds is now being used for ongoing restoration projects.