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Lakebed cropping and biodiversity

Over 550 lakes in the Western Division of NSW are 100 hectares or larger in area. Crops are grown on seventy of these lakes, covering 38 per cent of their area.

Most cropping takes place on large freshwater lakes with areas greater than 2000 hectares, which flood intermittently from river systems. Eighty per cent of these lakes are cropped. The ecological effects of lakebed cropping range from minimal to substantial, depending on frequency of cropping and associated cultivation. Our research produced management guidelines for lakebed cropping.

Documents to download


Other references
  • Briggs, S. V. (1994) Ecological Management of Lakebed Cropping. Report to Environmental Trusts. NPWS, CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Canberra. (Out of print)
  • Jenkins, K. (1995) Growing crops in the land of the fairy shrimps. Rural Research 166, 7-10.
  • Briggs, S. V. (1996) Native small mammals and reptiles in cropped and uncropped parts of dry lakebeds in semi-arid Australia. Wildlife Research 23, 629-636.
  • Briggs, S. V. (1997) Small mammals in cropped and uncropped parts of dry lakes along the Darling Anabranch in south-western New South Wales. In Conservation Outside Nature Reserves. Eds P. Hale and D. Lamb. University of Queensland, Brisbane.
  • Jenkins, K. M. and Briggs, S. V. (1997) Ecological Management of Lakebed Cropping on the Lakes along the Great Anabranch of the Darling River. Report to Australian Nature Conservation Agency. NPWS, CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Canberra. (Out of print)
  • Seddon, J., Thornton, S. and Briggs, S. (1997) Inventory of Lakes in Western New South Wales. Report to Murray Darling Basin Commission. NPWS, CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Canberra.
  • Briggs, S. V. (1998) Communication and motivation - essential ingredients in working with landholders for wetland conservation. Natural Resource Management 1(2), 9-12.
  • Seddon, J. A. and Briggs, S. V. (1998) Lakes and lakebed cropping in the Western Division of New South Wales. Rangeland Journal 20, 237-254.
  • Briggs, S. V., Seddon, J. A. and Thornton, S. A. (2000) Wildlife in a dry lake and associated habitats in western New South Wales. Rangeland Journal 22, 256-271.

Page last updated: 27 February 2011