Grazing effects on plant cover, soil and microclimate in fragmented woodlands in south‐western Australia: implications for restoration

摘要: This study investigated the impacts of livestock grazing on native plant species cover, litter soil surface condition, physical and chemical properties, hydrology, near ground microclimate in remnant Eucalyptus salmonophloia F. Muell woodlands. Vegetation surveys were undertaken three woodlands with a history regular little or no grazing. Livestock was associated decline perennial cover an increase exotic annual reduced cryptogam loss microtopography, increased erosion, changes concentrations nutrients, degradation structure, water infiltration rates microclimate. The results suggest that woodland conditions disrupts resource regulatory processes maintain natural biological array E. Consequently resources many may be above below critical thresholds for species. implications these findings restoration diversity community structure are discussed. Simply removing from degraded is unlikely to result structure. Restoration will require strategies capture resources, their retention improve