Relative influence of compaction, PH and vehicle disturbance on
lifeforms within drylands of Yookamurra Sanctuary, River Murray
catchment, South Australia
Abstract
Vegetation patterns often affected by the soil pH, soil compaction and
human mediated disturbance. Several studies have explored how pH,
compaction and human disturbance have altered the ecosystem patterns,
functioning and services. These studies about semi-arid drylands,
explain how lifeforms and productivity resulting from soil acidity,
hardness and human disturbance in arid-land. To further enhance the
understanding of this correlation, we have surveyed five different
eco-system within Yookamurra Sanctuary (Murray lands of South
Australia), which is protecting over 5000 hectares of epidemic
vegetation and wildlife species. Data has been collected by random
sampling method with 150 quadrate samples for soil pH, soil compaction,
litter depth, disturbance (Animal or Human) and lifeforms within
Yookamurra region. Results suggest that the impacts of pH and compaction
are varying across five different ecosystems. Moreover, vehicle
disturbance has greater consequences at Roadside ecosystem. These
findings amend our understanding of the interaction of soil
characteristics with the vegetation patterns, especially in semi-arid
region, such as Yookamurra wildlife sanctuary.