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As human activities destroy and degrade the world's ecosystems at unprecedented scales, there is a growing need for evidence‐based methods for ecological restoration if we are to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. Mining represents one of the most severe anthropogenic disturbances, often necessitating intensive intervention to restore the most basic attributes of native ecosystems. Despite examples of successful mine‐site restoration, re‐establishing native vegetation in these degraded landscapes remains a significant challenge. Plant ecophysiology—the study of the interactions between plants and the environment—can provide a useful framework for evaluating and guiding mine‐site restoration. By understanding the physiological mechanisms that allow plants to establish and persist in these highly disturbed environments, practitioners may be able to improve restoration outcomes. Specifically, methods in plant ecophysiology can inform site preparation and the selection of plant material for restoration projects, aid in monitoring restoration progress by providing additional insight into plant performance, and ultimately improve our ability to predict restoration trajectories. Here, we review the challenges and benefits of integrating an ecophysiological perspective to mine‐site restoration in Western Australia, a global hotspot of biodiversity and mining operations. Using case studies and examples from the region's diverse ecosystems, we illustrate how an ecophysiological approach can guide the restoration of some of the world's most severely disturbed landscapes. With careful selection of study species and traits and consideration of the specific environmental conditions and stressors within a site, the restoration ecophysiology framework outlined here has the potential to inform restoration strategies across ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Regeneration dynamics in many arid zone grass species are regulated by innate seed dormancy mechanisms and environmental cues (temperature, moisture and fire) that result in infrequent germination following rainfall. This study investigated bet-hedging strategies associated with dormancy and germination in arid zone Triodia species from north-west Australia, by assessing (1) the effects of the mechanical restriction imposed by the indehiscent floral bracts (i.e. floret) covering the seed and (2) the impact of dormancy alleviation on florets and cleaned seeds (i.e. florets removed) when germinated under water stress., Methods: The initial dormancy status and germination for six species were tested on intact florets and cleaned seeds, across temperatures (10-40 °C) with and without the fire-related stimulant karrikinolide (KAR1), and under alternating light or constant dark conditions. Physiological dormancy alleviation was assessed by wet/dry cycling florets over a period of 10 weeks, and germination was compared against untreated florets, and cleaned seeds across a water potential gradient between 0 and -1.5 MPa., Key Results: Florets restricted germination (<45 %) at all temperatures and, despite partial alleviation of physiological dormancy (wet/dry cycling for 8 weeks), intact florets germinated only at high water potentials. Cleaned seeds showed the highest germination (40-90 %) across temperatures when treated with KAR1, and germinated at much lower water potentials (-0.4 and -0.9 MPa). Triodia pungens was the most responsive to KAR1, with both seeds and florets responding, while for the remaining five species, KAR1 had a positive effect for seeds only., Conclusions: Only after seed dormancy was alleviated by removing florets and when KAR1 was applied did germination under water stress increase. This suggests that seeds of these Triodia species are cued to recruit following fire and during periods of high precipitation. Climate change, driven by large shifts in rainfall patterns, is likely to impact Triodia recruitment further in arid zone grasslands., (© The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background and Aims: Karrikinolide (KAR(1)) is a smoke-derived chemical that can trigger seeds to germinate. A potential application for KAR(1) is for synchronizing the germination of weed seeds, thereby enhancing the efficiency of weed control efforts. Yet not all species germinate readily with KAR(1), and it is not known whether seemingly non-responsive species can be induced to respond. Here a major agronomic weed family, the Brassicaceae, is used to test the hypothesis that a stimulatory response to KAR(1) may be present in physiologically dormant seeds but may not be expressed under all circumstances., Methods: Seeds of eight Brassicaceae weed species (Brassica tournefortii, Raphanus raphanistrum, Sisymbrium orientale, S. erysimoides, Rapistrum rugosum, Lepidium africanum, Heliophila pusilla and Carrichtera annua) were tested for their response to 1 µm KAR(1) when freshly collected and following simulated and natural dormancy alleviation, which included wet-dry cycling, dry after-ripening, cold and warm stratification and a 2 year seed burial trial., Key Results: Seven of the eight Brassicaceae species tested were stimulated to germinate with KAR(1) when the seeds were fresh, and the remaining species became responsive to KAR(1) following wet-dry cycling and dry after-ripening. Light influenced the germination response of seeds to KAR(1), with the majority of species germinating better in darkness. Germination with and without KAR(1) fluctuated seasonally throughout the seed burial trial., Conclusions: KAR(1) responses are more complex than simply stating whether a species is responsive or non-responsive; light and temperature conditions, dormancy state and seed lot all influence the sensitivity of seeds to KAR(1), and a response to KAR(1) can be induced. Three response types for generalizing KAR(1) responses are proposed, namely inherent, inducible and undetected. Given that responses to KAR(1) were either inherent or inducible in all 15 seed lots included in this study, the Brassicaceae may be an ideal target for future application of KAR(1) in weed management.