A Long-Term Experimental Case Study of the Ecological Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness of Invasive Plant Management in Achieving Conservation Goals: Bitou Bush Control in Booderee National Park in Eastern Australia

摘要: Invasive plant management is often justified in terms of conservation goals, yet progress rarely assessed against these broader instead focussing on short-term reductions the invader as a measure success. Key questions commonly remain unanswered including whether removal reverses impacts and itself has negative ecosystem impacts. We addressed knowledge gaps using seven year experimental investigation Bitou Bush, Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. rotundata. Our case study took advantage realities applied interventions for Bush to assess it driver or passenger environmental change, quantified benefits relative costs different treatment regimes. Among treatments examined, spraying with herbicide followed by burning subsequent re-spraying (spray-fire-spray) proved most effective reducing number individuals cover Bush. Other regimes (e.g. fire spraying, two fires succession) were less even exacerbated invasion. The spray-fire-spray regime did not increase susceptibility treated areas re-invasion other exotic species. This significantly reduced species richness cover, but effects short-lived. was cost-effective approach controlling highly invasive facilitating restoration native levels characteristic uninvaded sites. provide decision tree guide management, where recommended actions depend outcome post-treatment monitoring performance objectives. Critical success avoiding partial sequences that may exacerbate also show value taking unplanned events, such wildfires, achieve objectives at cost.