Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Offstream watering points for cattle as a method for riparian restoration

Auteur : Charmaine Malan Julie-Ann

Université de soutenance : Central Queensland University

Grade : Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2021

Résumé partiel
The cattle grazing industry contributes to land and water degradation both in Australia and internationally, particularly in countries such as the United States of America and Canada. Currently, 50% of the world’s cattle production is set to occur in tropical and subtropical climates by 2050, but research of sustainable management practices for cattle grazing in these areas is limited. Historically, environmental research conducted in agricultural areas have focused on the negative impacts on land and water resources, while the identification, implementation and evaluation of best management practices (BMP) to counter environmental impacts while sustaining agricultural production is an evolving field of research, particularly in the Australian context. River and floodplain habitats are vital ecosystems that bridge terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and cattle grazing land is often collocated with these environments. By implementing BMPs, riverine ecosystem services can be maintained or improved to provide benefits to both graziers and the environment. An example of a best management practice designed to protect riverine environments is the provision of an offstream watering point (OSWP, more commonly known as a water trough) to cattle as an alternative water source to instream water, thereby reducing the time cattle spend in streams. However, previous research investigating the effectiveness of OSWPs at reducing the time cattle spend in nearby river, stream or riparian habitats has delivered mixed results. This study investigated OSWP utilisation by cattle in the Fitzroy Basin, Queensland, Australia to better understand why the effectiveness of OSWPs is not uniform. This research investigated how utilisation of OSWPs by cattle may vary with environmental factors (e.g. temperature, water quality, etc.) by initially conducting a systematic literature review and then exploring relationships among key factors identified particularly relevant ii to the beef grazing industry

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