Talk with the Experts

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Topic Grassland ecosystems
Question How do grasslands of the Western Volcanic Plains differ from other Victorian, Australian and overseas grasslands?
Expert Neville Walsh

Comparative Grasslands

Author: Sandra E

Question

Hi Neville
Is the soil composition of our local grasslands significantly different from that in other parts of the world?
Thanks
Sarndra

Written on: Friday, June 20, 2014 - 15:02

Answer

Hi Sarndra
I'm no soil expert (another field of inexpertness I claim), but I reckon ours (at least the volc plain), having originated from decomposed basaltic material rather than material deposited (as it is in the northern plains grasslands of Vic and the Gippsland Plain - or in the northern hemispere, mainly from glacial deposits, are going to be different in some respects. However, grasslands around Buchan are developed from limestone parent material (as are the chalk grasslands of england I guess), and are floristically similar (not identical) so, probably the chemical composition is similar.
The stresses incurred by the swelling, shrinking and cracking that characterise the volcanics aren't present, as far as I know, in other systems. This is a physical function of our clay soils and the shearing of roots of seedlings caused by these movements is one reason often given for the paucity of trees and other woody perennials.
There's some nice discussion about soils in relation to vegetation in Vol. 1 of the Flora of Victoria (by a proper expert).
Hope this helps.
cheers
Neville

Written on: Monday, June 23, 2014 - 12:18