The landscape organisation and soil surface condition assessment criteria of the Landscape Function Analysis methodology were used to assess the effects of three cattle grazing pressures on sub- tropical pastures of the Aristida/Bothriochloa native pasture community supporting poplar box (Eucalyptus populnea) woodlands in the Maranoa. Three 50m transects, located in upper, middle and lower slope positions in 12 paddocks were recorded after seven years of continuous grazing by Brahman cross steers. There were cleared and treed treatments. The lengths of runon patches and runoff zones were measured and the soil surface condition criteria were converted to indices of patch area, stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling. The Landscape Function Analysis was a sensitive indicator of grazing pressure. The length of runon patches and the four indices were all ranked from highest to lowest in the order low, medium and high grazing pressure.
Kalgoorlie, Western AustraliaÂ
ISSN 0-9596923-3-9
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