Site-specific climate analysis elucidates revegetation challenges for post-mining landscapes in eastern Australia

摘要: In eastern Australia, the availability of water is critical for successful rehabilitation post-mining landscapes and climatic characteristics this diverse geographical region are closely defined by factors such as erratic rainfall periods drought flooding. Despite this, specific metrics climate patterning seldom incorporated into initial design current land strategies. Our study proposes that a few common parameters can be combined rated using arbitrary thresholds to characterise bioregional sensitivity relevant these landscapes. This approach included assessments annual depth, average recurrence interval prolonged low intensity rainfall, intervals short or high events, median period without rain (or water-deficit) standard deviation in order address total availability, seasonality – which were selected potential proxies both short- long-term biological within context post-disturbance ecological development recovery. Following our survey available data, we derived site "climate sensitivity" indexes compared performance 9 ongoing mine sites: Weipa, Mt. Isa Cloncurry, Eromanga, Kidston, Bowen Basin (Curragh), Tarong, North Stradbroke Island, Newnes Plateau. The sites then ranked from most-to-least sensitive with natural patterns vegetation density mean NDVI. It was determined regular relatively water-deficit key having less found among more temperate inland mining locations. Whereas, variability, frequently occurring (or) seasonal primary indicators greater semi-arid central-inland sites. Overall, manner identified ultimately addressed managers practitioners could determinant achievable success at given locations planning stages design.