Tree-grass relationships in open eucalypt woodlands of northeastern Australia: influence of trees on pasture productivity, forage quality and species distribution

Abstract

Pasture yield, quality and species distributions were compared between zones around live and killed eucalypt trees at two woodland sites in northeast Queensland which differed markedly in soil fertility. Trees affected pasture quality and yield on an individual tree basis: N concentration and dry matter digestibility tended to be higher under trees than in inter-tree areas at both sites and pasture yields declined with distance from killed trees at the lower fertility site. However, the distribution of individual species did not vary markedly with distance from trees. Trees also affected pasture yield on a woodland basis: yields were greater where the trees were killed than under intact woodland. Soil under trees had higher levels of organic carbon and greater litter cover than soil in inter-tree areas. However, pasture yields did not generally reflect this fertility gradient since growth was limited by moisture availability due to drought conditions during the study period. Pasture N concentration was higher under trees that in inter-tree areas since plants under trees produced a similar amount of biomass as plants in inter-tree areas, but had access to higher nutrient levels. Trees appeared to have a greater effect on soil nutrient availability at the low fertility site. Live trees depressed pasture yields to a lesser degree at the low fertility site, demonstrating that the effects of trees on soil water availability (on a woodland scale) are less important when soil nutrients are more limiting to growth. These results indicate that, while removing trees may enhance pasture productivity, this benefit may be offset by a reduction in pasture quality. Given the beneficial effect of trees on soil nutrients, tree removal may also have longer term implications for soil nutrient dynamics.