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New approaches to rangeland management which are directed at overcoming the problems caused by spatial and temporal heterogeneity in paddocks, must be applied in an integrated way. This will maximise their usefulness in improving management. Thus concepts such as the state - and -transition model, which is essentially a temporal model of vegetation change, must be applied at the scale of full -size commercial paddocks and must take account of spatial heterogeneity within paddocks. Ultimately however, computer -based spatial models of both animal distribution in paddocks and erosion must be integrated with temporal models of vegetation change. This paper demonstrates one simple example of how spatial aspects of grazing impact around a water point (ie. the piosphere) can be integrated with the state - and -transition model. It shows how different vegetation states occur as distance from water increases and how changes in state are reflected as changes in piosphere size. It describes these states and the transitions between states for saltbush (Atriplex vesicaria) in the chenopod shrublands of SA. The implications of this for rangeland management and research are briefly discussed.