Regeneration Scores in Direct-seeded or Tube-stocked areas
Regeneration in the BCM method refers to natural regeneration from the existing seedbank. Therefore seedlings or juveniles that are present at the time of the assessment which have either been planted as tubestock, or have come up from direct seeding should not be included in scoring for the Regeneration indicator.
For plants derived from planted tubestock or direct seeding, we recommend that you make note of this in the comments section of the species diversity table.
How do you tell if a seedling has come up from the existing or augmented seedbank? When I have done sites like this in a direct seeded area, I have used several clues to help me decide.
1. Is the seedling coming up in or close to an obvious direct seeding furrow? If "yes", then it is likely to have come from the direct seeding
2. Is it a species that is already represented in the existing plants in the direct seeding furrows, but not elsewhere in the paddock / bushland? If "yes", then it is likely to have come from the direct seeding
3. Is it a commonly regenerating species e.g. Enchylaena tomentosa, Acacia pycnantha, and is it emerging from the inter-furrow spaces? If "yes", then it is likely to be natural regeneration.
The other question to consider, if you are lucky enough to be doing an assessment in mature direct seeding or tubestock planting is, is the seedling or juvenile I'm seeing derived from the directly seeded or tubestock plants, or is it long-dormant seed from the original direct seeding? There is always a chance that long-lived seed from direct seeding may come up after many years of dormancy, but in this case, it is again more likely to be found in or close to the furrow.
Regeneration from seed produced by mature direct seeded or tubestock plants is a true indicator of a site's regenerative capacity, because it means that all the conditions for recruitment, such as soil moisture, mycorrhiza, access to light and nutrients are being met. The site is then "doing its thing"...
