As reported in Science WA news:
For the first time in 15 years, sections of the tuart woodland within the national park, just south of Mandurah, have produced prolific amounts of buds and flowers which will eventually bear fruit in time for the Centre’s 2011 seed collection program.
An exciting mass flowering raises serious questions about forest health / Image: Istockphoto
While the flowering has received a jubilant welcome from the Centre and its team of volunteer seed collectors, senior research fellow Dr Katinka Ruthrof said it has also prompted questions about the overall health of the forest.“We know from past research that tuarts in the Yalgorup region have been in decline for quite some time so to find an area with some indication of life is a very unexpected surprise,” she says.
“It is difficult to tell if this is a sign that the forest is slowly repairing itself or whether these trees are producing flowers as a final attempt at reproduction.
“Those trees that are flowering are definitely healthier than those that are not but as long as there are still trees in the area that are dying, the population is by no means past its decline phase…”
For news about seed collection by Ruthrof’s team see http://www.sciencewa.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3103:mass-flowering-brings-a-ray-of-hope-for-the-yalgorup&catid=192:News&Itemid=200073