How did heavy sheep grazing alter chenopod scrublands in Australia?

Over the past 150 years, intense sheep grazing has significantly altered Australia's chenopod scrublands, which are dominated by shrubs in the Chenopodiaceae family. This land-use practice has led to widespread degradation, with 90 percent of these rangelands affected to some degree and 25 percent suffering severe damage.1

The ecological impacts of this heavy grazing include:

• Loss of Biodiversity: Twenty-two plant species have become so rare that they face a high risk of extinction within the next 10 to 20 years if current practices continue.1
• Shift in Species Composition: There has been a noticeable decline in palatable plant species, particularly in areas near watering points. Conversely, some unpalatable shrub species have increased in prevalence.1
• Reduced Rangeland Value: The combination of these changes has greatly diminished the overall value of the vegetation for rangeland purposes.1

These changes reflect a broader pattern of environmental degradation across Australia's inland regions, where the introduction of domestic livestock has led to overgrazing and the impoverishment of native ecosystems.2