Publication Date
1993
Description
Under medium to heavy grazing of black speargrass (Heteropogon contortus) landscapes of south-east Queensland, "patchiness" has developed with a change from H. contortus to Aristida spp., Cllrysopogo11 spp. or a,inual grasses. This grazed patch development is associated with changes in soil hydrological characteristics which in turn affect runoff and soil erosion. T!\e soil hydrologic properties were studied using a rainfall simulator and disc permeameter. The remnant H. contortus areas had higher infiltration characteristics mainly due to the maintenance of larger mncropores (1-3 mm). In the Arlstida patches, the contribution of those large macropores has been greatly reduced. Th is effect is not consistent across the landscape, with the lower slopes of silver-leaved ironbark land class having higher infiltration valu\ls than the upper slopes of narrow-leaved ironbark land class.
Citation
Sallaway, M M.; Waters, D; Bridge, B; and Wandera, F P., "Variation in Hydrological Characteristics of the Soils Associated with Grazed Patches in Granitic Landscapes in Northern Australia" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 5.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session52/5
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Variation in Hydrological Characteristics of the Soils Associated with Grazed Patches in Granitic Landscapes in Northern Australia
Under medium to heavy grazing of black speargrass (Heteropogon contortus) landscapes of south-east Queensland, "patchiness" has developed with a change from H. contortus to Aristida spp., Cllrysopogo11 spp. or a,inual grasses. This grazed patch development is associated with changes in soil hydrological characteristics which in turn affect runoff and soil erosion. T!\e soil hydrologic properties were studied using a rainfall simulator and disc permeameter. The remnant H. contortus areas had higher infiltration characteristics mainly due to the maintenance of larger mncropores (1-3 mm). In the Arlstida patches, the contribution of those large macropores has been greatly reduced. Th is effect is not consistent across the landscape, with the lower slopes of silver-leaved ironbark land class having higher infiltration valu\ls than the upper slopes of narrow-leaved ironbark land class.
