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

This study investigated the composition of the soil seed bank and growing a nnual plant community in sheep-grazing exclosures. The effects of stock exc lusion on annual plant community structure was slight, and was different in the seed bank and in the growing community because of little correspondenc e between the two. Stock exclusion favoured a few species, but never decrea sed the abundance of invasive species. It had little or no effect on specie s diversity. We conclude that grazing exclusion of the order of a decade is not enough to reverse changes produced by long-term grazing. (C) 1999 Acad emic Press.