Vegetation change 10 years after cattle removal in a savanna landscape
Jeanette E. Kemp A E and Alexander S. Kutt B C DA Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 8070, Subiaco East, WA 6008, Australia.
B Bush Heritage Australia, Level 1, 395 Collins St, Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia.
C Green Fire Science, School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
D School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Royal Parade, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: jeanette.kemp@australianwildlife.org
The Rangeland Journal 42(2) 73-84 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ19092
Submitted: 20 December 2019 Accepted: 6 June 2020 Published: 26 June 2020
Abstract
Following the establishment of a conservation reserve, changes in ground stratum vegetation following removal of cattle were examined in a northern Australian savanna over a 10-year period. The floristic composition of 40 vegetation plots in lowland savannas were surveyed shortly after acquisition of the property, and then surveyed twice in the following 10 years after cattle removal. Some notable ecosystem-transforming introduced species (weeds) such as Themeda quadrivalvis remained relatively stable, whereas the pasture legume Stylosanthes scabra increased in cover. The species richness of both native and introduced plants increased. Various plant functional groups changed in relative cover, with a decline in relatively unpalatable grasses and a corresponding increase in palatable grasses, responses that are consistent with recovery from grazing pressure. Our results show that removal of cattle in highly disturbed savanna ecosystems can have both positive and negative results for native ground stratum vegetation in the first decade of recovery.
Additional keywords: conservation, grazing, grader grass, ground cover, restoration, Stylosanthes, weeds.
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