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The impact of grazing by macropods on coastal foredune vegetation in southeast Queensland
Author(s) -
RAMSEY DAVID S. L.,
WILSON JOHN C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1997.tb00674.x
Subject(s) - foredune , grazing , abundance (ecology) , ecology , vegetation (pathology) , plant community , habitat , geography , ecological succession , biology , fishery , medicine , pathology , shore
The extent of grazing by two macropodids, the agile wallaby ( Macropus agilis ) and the swamp wallaby ( Wallabia bicolor ) on coastal foredunes on South Stradbroke Island in southeast Queensland was investigated to determine potential impacts on the principal sand colonizing species, sand spinifex grass ( Spinifex sericeus ). Grazing on spinifex grass on the foredunes of South Stradbroke island can be attributed principally to agile wallabies. Foraging activity by wallabies was higher in areas of high spinifex abundance, however, grazing intensity and impact on spinifex was only important on foredunes with low spinifex abundance. Spinifex consumption by wallabies was also related to a number of factors, especially composition and structure of vegetation in adjacent habitats. Spinifex consumption increased when the abundance of ground cover components (grasses, sedges, forbs) in adjacent habitats was low and structural complexity was high. Grazing on foredunes by wallabies significantly affects the species composition of the foredune community by excluding the establishment of a number of perennial foredune plant species. This may have implications for community succession in coastal ecosystems.