Landcover change, 1788-1980, all causes combined. The change in area (x 1000km2) for eight broad landcover classes. The data were taken from figures supplied in the 'Vegetation' volume of the Atlas of Australian Resources, third series, AUSLIG (1990). It is reasonable to assume that ~50% of the large changes in forests, woodlands and tall shrublands are the result of agricultural clearing for cultivation. The conversion (thinning) of some categories to the next most open category can be interpreted as a consequence of the cumulative impacts of grazing by livestock.
