Effects of sheep exclusion on the soil seed bank and annual vegetation in chenopod shrublands of South Australia

Abstract

This study investigated the composition of the soft seed bank and growing annual plant community in sheep-grazing exclosures. The effects of stock exclusion on annual plant community structure was slight, and was different in the seed bank and in the growing community because of little correspondence between the two. Stock exclusion favoured a few species, but never decreased the abundance of invasive species. It had little or no effect on species diversity. We conclude that grazing exclusion of the order of a decade is not enough to reverse changes produced by long-term grazing.