Management systems in climate regions of the world : Australia

![CDATA[The Australian landscape has changed dramatically after 200 yr of European settlement. Before settlement in 1788, most of the present cropping and grazing land of temperate Australia was covered in woodlands (with 10-30% crown cover). Within 100 yr, most of the plains of southern and eastern Australia were cleared to make way for sheep (Ovis aries) and cattle (Bos Taurus), and for cropping in arable areas. Trees have been cleared from 650 000 km2 with the cleared area used for extensive agriculture systems. Australian dryland farming systems have relatively low productivity per unit area on a world scale, due mostly to infertile soils and low and erratic rainfall. With low expectations of production, inputs have been kept low. However, despite low levels of inputs and low levels of subsidies or tariff protection, Australian agriculture has generally prospered through farmer ingenuity, low land prices, a high degree of mechanization and high labor efficiency.]]