Is fire a friend or foe of our native Victorian orchids? [05.05.2009]
Victoria is a hotspot for orchids, with over 400 unique species found nowhere else in the world. Over half are identified as threatened and will become extinct in the wild without immediate action. Researchers at RMIT’s Department of Applied Science are undertaking a three year study investigating whether fire is beneficial or detrimental to our native Victorian orchids, with the aim of saving the critically endangered Victorian Eastern spider orchid, and finding out how fire affects mycorrhizal fungi, which the orchids depend on for survival. The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust has provided a grant of $17,000 for costs in the second year of this $200,000 project.
Bushfires, controlled or wild, occur in orchid habitats but little is known of the effect of fire on native orchid populations and nothing is known of the effect of fire on mycorrhizal fungi. Without this information, threatened populations may become extinct and current conservation practices may be futile. Information gained in the study will be essential for improving land management practices, both locally and globally, in determining when and how often controlled burning should be conducted. Contributors to the project include the Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne), Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew, UK), Australian Native Orchid Society, Department of Sustainability & Environment, and the Arthur Rylah Institute.
The overall project will aim to extend beyond three years as a long term monitoring project by government and volunteer groups. With rising environmental concerns such as global climate change, drought and unpredictable wild bushfires, community awareness on the impact of land management practices on our native habitats will improve our understanding of the environment and its inhabitants. Ultimately, long term monitoring will be informative for resolving future environmental problems and can be applied to other flora and fauna communities.