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

Titre : Effects of cattle grazing on the biodiversity of cracking-clay gibber-gilgai systems in the arid South Australian rangelands

Auteur : Waudby, Helen P

Université de soutenance : University of South Australia

Grade : Doctor of Philosophy PhD Environmental Science) 2013

Résumé
Covering most of Australia, rangelands support extensive grazing enterprises. The arid Stony Plains region (SPR) of South Australia includes gibber plains and low chenopod shrublands with gilgais featuring cracking-clays, and larger expanses of cracking-clay plains. Australia has a greater area and diversity of these soils than any other country ; they are critical habitat for threatened species and host high mammal diversity. Little is known of the effect of cattle on cracking-clay gibber-gilgai systems. I examined the role of cracking clays in supporting biodiversity in cattle grazing areas, and particularly, how grazing might influence small vertebrate and plant populations, and diversity during wet La Niña conditions.

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