Uluru Plant Dieback: Drought-Avoidance Wins
A collaborative research project between Anangu traditional owners and scientists found that plant species using drought-avoidance strategies were more likely to survive extreme weather events in the Australian desert, with significant implications for conservation of culturally important keystone species
A record-breaking hot drought from 2018 to 2019 caused widespread plant mortality in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia, prompting a collaborative research project between Anangu traditional owners and plant scientists to understand the mass plant dieback at Uluru. The team surveyed nine species of desert plants over a mild-temperature spring season and an extreme-temperature summer season, focusing on keystone species in the Australian desert, including wanari (Acacia aneura, mulga), tjanpi (Triodia pungens, spinifex), and kurkara (Allocasuarina decaisneana, desert oak).
The research project, published in Conservation Physiology, found that plant species using drought-tolerance strategies tended to have higher dieback than those using drought-avoidance strategies. The team analyzed physiological traits, including leaf measurements, leaf water content, and leaf carbon-nitrogen ratio, to assess their impact on survival. Jay Nicholson, a coauthor of the study, noted that the Anangu traditional owners were concerned about the impacts of the mass plant dieback on culturally significant desert plants.
The Anangu traditional owners brought their knowledge of the land to the project, which was combined with a Western plant physiology framework to better understand how culturally significant desert plants respond to extreme heat and drought. The plants studied are part of the living cultural landscape that Anangu have cared for over millennia, and changes to their health have consequences beyond the plants themselves, extending to cultural practices and maintenance of knowledge.
## Why it matters The conservation of ecologically and culturally important keystone species in the Australian desert is crucial, as these plants provide food, habitats, and materials for tools. The study's findings have significant implications for the conservation of these species, particularly in the face of increasing extreme weather events. By understanding the physiological traits that help desert plants survive, conservation efforts can be targeted to protect these culturally significant species.
The collaborative research project demonstrates the importance of combining traditional knowledge with scientific research to understand and address environmental challenges. The study's results will inform conservation efforts and help to protect the unique cultural and ecological heritage of the Australian desert.
