THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATTRIBUTES OF PLANTS REPRESENTED IN THE GERMINABLE SEED BANK AND STOCKING PRESSURE IN A SEMIARID SUBTROPICAL RANGELAND

A range of diaspore and mature plant attributes of the species represe nted in the germinable seed bank of a semi-arid subtropical Queensland sheep rangeland was investigated. The attributes of both the diaspore s themselves and the plants that produced them changed as distance fro m water increased. Close to the water source, species with prostrate o r erect growth habit and with low palatability and capsular fruits wer e common, whereas further from the water source plants with ascending growth habits, high palatability and mericarpic fruits were more frequ ent. At close proximity to water, species with diaspores that germinat ed rapidly, were unornamented, with unassisted dispersal and rounded i n shape were common, whereas at greater distance from water, species t ended to possess diaspores which germinated slowly, were ornamented (p ossessed awns, barbs, or hairs), with an elongated shape. Longevity of the plants (annual or perennial) was not significantly affected by di stance from water. The dormant, vegetative and reproductive phases of plants that are successfully incorporated into the germinable soil see d bank can, therefore, be related to success under the different stock ing intensities present at different distances from water.