- Title
- Pre-European distribution, structure and composition of semi-arid woodlands of the Victorian Mallee
- Creator
- Callister, Katrina; Westbrooke, Martin
- Date
- 2006
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/68160
- Identifier
- vital:166
- Identifier
- ISSN:0035-9211
- Abstract
- The semi-arid woodlands of the Victorian Mallee have been subject to extensive change since European settlement. To better understand the nature and extent of change, and to assist in planning restoration, research was undertaken to investigate (1) the likely pre-European distribution, structure and composition of semi-arid woodland in north-west Victoria, and (2) the extent of change since European settlement. Information on semi-arid woodlands from historical survey plans was entered into a Geo-graphical Information System (GIS). Historical data were compared with recent data from field surveys and vegetation maps to assess change. Data obtained from survey plans enabled the pre-European extent of semi-arid woodlands to be mapped. Historical tree density ranged from less than one to more than 500 trees per hectare, however, an overall decline in the density of remnants is apparent throughout. It is estimated that more than 260 000 ha (19% of the study area) originally supported semi-arid woodland species. Of this, more than 80% has been cleared within agricultural areas surrounding the Murray-Sunset National Park, highlighting the need for conservation and management to ensure regeneration within remaining areas.; C1
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Victoria
- Relation
- Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria Vol. 118, no. 2 (2006), p. 245-258
- Rights
- Copyright Royal Society of Victoria
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- 06 Biological Sciences; Belah; GIS; Historical; Pre-European; Survey plans
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