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Species associations in a grassland on a heavy cracking clay soil in north‐west Queensland: their structure, soil associations and effects of flooding
Author(s) -
HALL T. J.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1982.tb01504.x
Subject(s) - grassland , agronomy , grazing , perennial plant , abundance (ecology) , relative species abundance , biology , ecology
Four plant associations were separated on the basis of relative abundance of species in an ungrazed area of open grassland on a heavy cracking clay soil in north‐west Queensland. They were correlated with soil pH, exchangeable potassium, available phosphorus, moisture content and particle size. Two associations were characterized by Iseilema spp., Astrebla spp. and Cyperus spp. and two by Eulalia fulva and Dichanthium fecundum. Flooding caused a significant decline in the relative abundance of all major perennial grasses except Eulalia fulva , an increase in Cyperus spp., a reduction in legumes, establishment of previously unrecorded forbs, and a reduction in the basal cover of all associations. Heavy grazing by cattle prior to flooding increased the proporton of particular forbs, almost eliminated Astrebla squarrosa and resulted in a basal cover of 1.8% compared with 4.4% in an adjacent exclosure.