The effects of burning, fertilizing and clipping on populations of Aristida armata, Thyridolepis mitchelliana and Monachather paradoxa in a mulga woodland pasture.

Abstract

The effects of burning, clipping, applying nitrogenous fertilizer, and protection from grazing on populations of three perennial grasses were monitored over four years in permanent quadrats in a mulga (Acacia aneura) woodland pasture near Charleville. Queensland. The grasses were the weedy invader Aristida armata (wiregrass), and two desirable species, Thyridolepis mitchelliana (mulga grass) and Monachather paradoxa (mulga oats). They comprised 70%, 16%, and 12%. respectively, of the pasture at the start of the experiment. Rainfall had a greater effect on plant numbers. especially of A. armata, than any treatment other than repeated clipping. The greatest mortality amongst A. armata plants occurred during a protracted dry period between March 1982 and April 1983 but the losses were more than compensated by mass germination during April 1983. The other two species responded similarly but less markedly. Repeated clipping caused attrition of all three species but failed to improve pasture composition. Pasture recovery after burning was slow and accompanied by a minor deterioration in pasture composition as measured by the proportion of A. armata plants. Burning caused greater mortality in A. armata plants than in the other two species but this was offset by greater A. armata seedling regeneration. Both initial survival and subsequent seedling recruitment were reduced by slashing a week prior to burning. When left ungrazed. T mitchelliana and M. paradoxa were more drought tolerant than A. armata and their relative numbers in the ungrazed plots increased over the four years of the experiment. Thus, protection from grazing offers the best prospect of improving pasture condition as none of the other treatments reduced A. armata numbers without adversely affecting those of T. mitchelliana and M. paradoxa.