Author(s)

T. Wiegand & S.J. Milton

Abstract

In arid regions, the effects of grazing or sparing management on natural com- munities of long-lived plants generally take decades to become evident. Event driven dynamic behaviour, unpredictable and low rainfall and complicated interactions between species make it difficult to gather sufficient understanding of plant community dynamics to be able to develop guidelines for sustainable management. To gain a better understanding of the main processes and mechanisms involved in vegetation change, we have developed a spatially explicit individual based model that simulates changes in plant communities over long time spans. The specific aim of the model is t

Keywords