Regional ecosystem details for 2.5.8
| Regional ecosystem | 2.5.8 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 7, (1) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 12000 ha; Remnant 2021 12000 ha |
| Short description | Eucalyptus tetrodonta woodland on plains on deep podsolic soils |
| Structure code | Woodland |
| Description | Eucalyptus tetrodonta woodland. Low tree layer includes Erythrophleum chlorostachys, Planchonia careya, Petalostigma banksii, Acacia spp., Melaleuca spp., Grevillea spp., Gardenia spp. and Lysiphyllum cunninghamii. Occurs on nearly flat Tertiary and Quaternary plains; lateritic podzolics and deep sandy yellow podzolics. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 2.5.8x70: Eucalyptus tetrodonta woodland, commonly with Erythrophleum chlorostachys, Corymbia confertiflora and C. curtipes. Eucalyptus tectifica, C. polycarpa, C. setosa and C. bella occasionally occur in the canopy. A secondary tree layer commonly occurs, including canopy species, Planchonia careya and Terminalia canescens. A variable shrub layer commonly occurs, including E. tetrodonta, Acacia spp. and Grewia savannicola. The ground layer is tussock grasses, including Heteropogon contortus and Schizachyrium fragile. Occurs on plains and low rises of ferricrete (Tertiary lateritic surface) with skeletal sandy cover. Shallow, red to brown sandy loams. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14a). |
| Supplementary description | Christian et al. (1954), Keighran, Westmoreland |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Burn in the wet season or very soon after when just dry enough to carry fire. INTENSITY: Low to moderate, although spinifex will naturally burn with high intensity in some areas. INTERVAL: 1-3 years or longer. Fire-killed acacias produce seed at 5 years, so some longer unburnt patches need to be retained. INTERVAL_MIN: 1. INTERVAL_MAX: 3. STRATEGY: Apply fire at sufficient intervals such that hummocks do not form a continuous fuel layer across the landscape. Use broad scale mosaic burning. Burn when the soil is moist as it promotes post-fire recovery of spinifex. ISSUES: Do not burn deliberately except in association with burns in surrounding country. Manage surrounding fire-adapted areas to create landscape mosaic of burnt and unburnt to mitigate against impact of wildfires. Spinifex is highly flammable and green spinifex will also burn readily. |
| Comments | 2.5.8: This RE is mapped as 2.5.8x70. This regional ecosystem poorly known and species require field verification. 2.5.8x70: Eastern extent of an ecosystem in the Northern Territory. |
1 Estimated extent is from version 13.1 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.
