The value of reference areas in the study and management of rangelands.

Abstract

Plant populat~on data for the pass white-top (Daiithoriia ~acs[~l,itosa) and for bladder saltbush (Atriplcx i~esicaria) were collected for four years from a pasture continuously pared by either cattle or sheep (at equivalent stocking rates) at a site near Booligal. Neu South Wales. Dur~ng the four )ears of the ekpenment the cattle and sheep had different Impacts on the grass and scrub components of thc pnsture Sheep tended to deplete the numbers of pass plants far more than d~d cattle, whereas saltbush shrub numbers Rere llttle affected b) elther type of stock. The ranfall pattern experlcnced throughout the ezpenment had a far greater ~nfluence on the ~~~rv~val of both grass and shrub than did grazlnp.