Towards achieving functional ecosystem mimicry with respect to water cycling in southern Australian agriculture |
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| Authors: | T J Hatton R A Nulsen |
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| Institution: | (1) CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag, P.O, Wembley, 6014, Australia;(2) Agriculture Western Australia, 3 Baron Hay Court, South Perth, 6151, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The southern Australian landscape is characterised by large climatic variability and an old, weathered surface with generally
low hydraulic gradients. Many of these landscapes are prone to salinisation. The original ecosystems have strategies to cope
with this environment in ways which minimise runoff and groundwater recharge. Replacement of these ecosystems with conventional
agriculture has resulted in large-scale disruption of the natural water cycle with severe environmental, economic and social
consequences. Sustainable agricultural systems aimed at mimicking natural hydrology must either minimise groundwater recharge
over most of this landscape or intercept groundwater discharge in lower parts of the landscape prior to salinisation to restore
the original hydrological balance. Empirical and theoretical analyses suggest that however vegetation is managed in the landscape,
effective water balance control will be achieved only at a leaf area index approaching that of the natural state, indicating
revegetation of most or all parts of the catchment with either trees or plants with similar ecohydrological characteristics
as trees. There are at present few economically- attractive agricultural systems able to achieve hydrologic mimicry likely
to be adopted at the necessary scale.
This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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| Keywords: | dryland salinity ecohydrology groundwater hydrology |
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