The role of land use planning in semi-arid areas
Worldwide, the semi-arid grazing and cropping regions are being subjected to severe overuse. Australian semi-arid regions have been cleared on a vast scale for marginal cropping. Grazing land has been overused and shows widespread signs of vegetation and soil degradation. Ecological realism on land capability based on objective condition monitoring, is essential to land management if sustainable production is to be achieved. The Land Care Movement can markedly influence this achievement. The margins of semi-arid cropland and the application of ecologically-based animal stocking rates require attention in several States. Drought assistance policy requires amendment to safeguard natural pastures. Lease covenants have a potentially central role to play in land administration.
Vegetation ecology of the Soutpansberg and Blouberg area in the Limpopo Province
........................................................................................................ ii List of Tables and Figures ............................................................................. ix Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2: The study area ............................................................................. 7 Location ................................................................. 7 Topography ............................................................. 9 Climate .................................................................. 12 Soutpansberg Centre of Biological Diversity ...................... 15 Chapter 3: Methods ....................................................................................... 17 Introduction ............................................................. 17 Analytical phase ........................................................ 18 Synthetic phase ......................................................... 19 Mapping ................................................................. 23 Limitations on fieldwork and data analysis ........................ 23 Chapter 4: Major Vegetation Types of the Blouberg Nature Reserve and Soutpansberg Conservancy ......................................................... 25 Abstract .................................................................. 26 Introduction ................................................................................. 27 Study Area ................................................................................... 27 Methods ....................................................................................... 34 Results ......................................................................................... 35 Description of Major Vegetation Types ...................................... 36 1. Eragrostis lehmanniana–Sclerocarya birrea BNR Northern Plains Bushveld ..................................................................... 50 2. Euclea divinorum–Acacia tortilis BNR Southern Plains Bushveld ................................................................................ 51 3. Englerophytum magalismontanum–Combretum molle BNR Mountain Bushveld ............................................................... 53 4. Adansonia digitata–Acacia nigrescens Soutpansberg Arid Northern Bushveld ................................................................ 55
Impact of the southern oscillation on australian crops
Climate plays a major role in determining variations in Australian crop production. The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is an important mode of climatic variation affecting the Australian region. Interannual fluctuations of Australian crop production and ENSO might thus be expected to be quite closely related. Analysis of the limited data available at present suggests that fluctuations in some Australian crops are in fact associated with ENSO and may be predictable, well in advance of harvest, from observed sea-surface temperatures around northern Australia.