Regional ecosystem details for 11.3.40
| Regional ecosystem | 11.3.40 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Of concern |
| Wetlands | Riverine |
| Biodiversity status | Endangered |
| Subregion | 1 |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 600 ha; Remnant 2021 200 ha |
| Short description | Semi-deciduous notophyll to mesophyll vine forest, fringing or in the vicinity of watercourses, on lowlands (subregion 1). |
| Structure code | Closed Forest |
| Description | Semi-deciduous notophyll to mesophyll vine forest. Emergents occasionally occur, including Terminalia sericocarpa, Alstonia scholaris, Nauclea orientalis and Melaleuca leucadendra. The canopy composition is variable, including Aphananthe philippinensis, Cordia dichotoma, Castanospermum australe, Carallia brachiata, Cryptocarya hypospodia, Litsea leefeana and Melia azedarach. Livistona decora may be locally abundant in seasonally waterlogged depressions. The most common vines in the canopy are Cissus oblonga, Trophis scandens and Flagellaria indica. There are usually lower tree layers, frequently dominated by Chionanthus ramiflorus, Myristica insipida, Mallotus philippensis, Cryptocarya triplinervis, Arytera divaricata, Neolitsea brassii and Pittosporum ferrugineum. There may be a shrub layer of Mallotus spp., Brucea javanica and Murraya ovatifoliolata. The ground layer is usually very sparse and typical species are Oplismenus spp., Lomandra longifolia, Cordyline murchisoniae and Pseuderanthemum variabile. Plains and levees (fringing or in vicinity of watercourses) on level alluvial plains to undulating hills of lowlands and foothills. Geology mapped variously as Qa, Qf, Qha and Qf>Pc/v (Quaternary clay, silt, sand, gravel, rubble and soil, semi-consolidated in places; mainly alluvium, some colluvium and residual soil, active stream channels, low terraces, flood-out sheets and small fans). Riverine. (BVG1M: 4b). |
| Protected areas | Wongaloo CP |
| Fire management guidelines | INTERVAL: Fire return interval not relevant. INTERVAL_MIN: 100. INTERVAL_MAX: 100. STRATEGY: This vegetation requires protection from wildfire. Protection primarily relies on broad-scale management of surrounding country with numerous small fires throughout the year so that wildfires will be very limited in extent. Maintenance of fire breaks may be appropriate on flat country, but natural features will be useful as breaks in 'wild' country. ISSUES: Fuel reduction burning in the surrounding vegetation under low fire danger conditions and/or revegetation of cleared areas reduce the risk of damaging wildfires. Exotic grasses, such as Guinea grass and Buffel grass, can fuel fires that carry into and damage vine thickets. Maintain or re-establish native vegetation communities adjacent to this ecosystem. Herbicide control of exotic grasses, or short term grazing, on the edge of vine thickets will reduce the risk of wildfires damaging vine thickets. |
| Comments | 11.3.40: Distinguished from all other vine forest regional ecosystems and vegetation communities in the Brigalow Belt bioregion by its mesic appearance and dominance of species such as Terminalia sericocarpa, Alstonia scholaris, Castanospermum australe and Carallia brachiata. Sparsely distributed along coastal watercourses and occasionally alluvial fans throughout subregion 1, from Ayr to Mount Elliot. Lowland rainforest regional ecosystem now mostly cleared for sugar cane. Threatened by fire and weed invasion. Significant weeds include java plum (*Syzygium cumini), guava (*Psidium guajava) and african tulip (*Spathodea campanulata). Others include *Rivina humilis, *Passiflora suberosa, *P. pallida and *Lantana camara. |
1 Estimated extent is from version 13 pre-clearing and 2021 remnant regional ecosystem mapping. Figures are rounded for simplicity. For more precise estimates, including breakdowns by tenure and other themes see remnant vegetation in Queensland.
