Themeda australis grasslands on the Basalt Plains, Victoria: floristics and management effects

The floristic composition of remnants of Themeda australis grasslands from basaltic areas of western Victoria was described using methods employed by the Zürich‐Montpellier school of phytosociology. Most sites sampled were managed by either regular burning (rail sites) or grazing, or were not subject to any regular management practices (roadside sites). Rail sites contained relatively open, species‐rich vegetation with a smaller proportion of introduced species than the other two types of site. Grazed paddock sites contained relatively open, species‐poor vegetation, whilst roadside sites contained relatively dense, species‐poor vegetation. Such site differences appear to be related to the effect of management practices upon the competitive ability of T. australis and to species tolerance of them.