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In many semi-arid pastoral systems, landscape processes easily become dysfunctional. Shifts to less functional states may be irreversible, and have long-term consequences for pastoral profitability and social viability of rural communities. Typically, shifts to lower functional states involve a decline in perennial grasses (Hodgkinson, 1994). Here we develop a conceptual basis for modelling the basal area of perennial grasses in a semi-arid grassland and validate the model using data from a 10-year grazing study.

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Modelling Basal Area of Perennial Grasses in Australian Semi-Arid Wooded Grasslands

In many semi-arid pastoral systems, landscape processes easily become dysfunctional. Shifts to less functional states may be irreversible, and have long-term consequences for pastoral profitability and social viability of rural communities. Typically, shifts to lower functional states involve a decline in perennial grasses (Hodgkinson, 1994). Here we develop a conceptual basis for modelling the basal area of perennial grasses in a semi-arid grassland and validate the model using data from a 10-year grazing study.