Ploughing and grazing alter the spatial patterning of surface soils in a shrub-encroached woodland

摘要: Abstract Grazing is known to affect the spatial patterning of soil resources through biologically-mediated processes such as removal plant biomass and deposition dung. In dense shrublands, grazing thought reinforce concentration around shrubs (fertile island effect) by enhancing movement from interspace shrub hummocks. Shrub practices ploughing, which commonly used manage patches, has unknown impacts on distribution properties. this study we examined effects two land management practices, surface resources. At unploughed–ungrazed site, connectivity (autocorrelation range) cover was about 3.9 m there a well-defined pattern in labile C that related both litter. We also observed strong biological crust an autocorrelation range 2.5 m, similar mineralisable mineral N. unploughed–grazed reduced 1.9 m 1.8 m, respectively, although litter increased 4.4 m. Under treatment without less cover. Whilst ploughing slightly at sites were grazed, it obliterated any crusts. attribute changes patterns N under inputs animal dung rather than Our results indicate alone, or combination with leads cover, reduction patterning, marked shrub–litter–nutrient relationships. The notion shrublands likely have soils.