Assessing Disturbance and Vegetation Condition in Urban Bushlands

Abstract

Response of vegetation condition to severity of anthropogenic disturbance was investigated in three remnant bushlands in Perth, Western Australia. Vegetation condition was estimated using the Vegetation Condition Scale (VCS), a qualitative scale commonly used by community bushland care groups, and also by developing a quantitative Vegetation Condition Index (VCI). There was some evidence of poor vegetation condition being related to higher disturbance, however, disturbance severity and vegetation condition were not significantly correlated. Weeds are present throughout each bushland and on average contributed 17 per cent of the ground-layer cover. Higher native ground-layer cover and understorey cover was strongly correlated with both low weed cover and higher numbers of native plant species, suggesting that it is important to maintain intact native vegetation cover. The qualitative and quantitative assessments provided a very similar indication of vegetation condition. The qualitative method is fast and easy for community groups and other bushland managers to use when mapping and monitoring vegetation condition.