{"id":665,"date":"2026-10-08T14:09:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T03:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chapter.ser.org\/australasia\/?page_id=665"},"modified":"2026-10-17T12:24:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T01:24:46","slug":"restoring-topsoils","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chapter.ser.org\/australasia\/restoration-standards\/examples-and-case-studies-supporting-the-australian-standards\/restoring-topsoils\/","title":{"rendered":"10. Restoring Topsoils"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soils are living ecosystems whose recovery is integral to ecosystem restoration. Soil organisms and plant roots interact with soil structure, water and nutrients to support decomposition, nutrient cycling, plant establishment and resilience. Intact topsoils contain seeds of many of the native species in a vegetation community including soil microorganisms and soil fauna and can play a role in restoration.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Soil degradation<\/em> can result from contamination, altered nutrients, hydrological change and compaction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Re-establishing vegetation does not necessarily restore soil biodiversity or its functions. so below ground recovery should be explicitly considered in restoration planning, interventions and monitoring.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The four approaches outlined in the National Standards for the practice of Ecological Restoration in Australia apply to soils in the same way they apply to other elements of restoration sites.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Examples and resources<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Current knowledge on soil microbiota to improve ecosystem restoration<\/strong>
\nhttps:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/brv.13124<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. Keep it together: testing soil core translocation<\/strong>
\nhttps:\/\/besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/1365-2664.70474<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Restoring soil biodiversity study<\/strong>
\nhttps:\/\/www.cell.com\/current-biology\/fulltext\/S0960-9822(24)00177-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982224001775%3Fshowall%3Dtrue<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. Example of soil translocation to improve drought resilience in a keystone grass
\n<\/strong>https:\/\/www.authorea.com\/doi\/full\/10.22541\/au.173340921.11475885\/v1<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Study of soil microbial inoculation on performance of Wallaby Grass in South Australia
\n<\/strong>https:\/\/aff.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/FF_report_Guevara_D.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6. Three topsoil translocation case studies for restoring plant diversity <\/strong>(video \u2013 view from timestamp of 6.30)
\nhttps:\/\/www.aabr.org.au\/portfolio-items\/topsoil-translocation-25-years-whats-been-learnt\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

7. Tasman Highway rehabilitation project <\/strong>(video)
\n<\/strong>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eUfzHKzMgFk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recommended actions for restoration site assessment, treatment prescription, implementation and monitoring:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n