Regional ecosystem details for 3.12.28
| Regional ecosystem | 3.12.28 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Of concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | Of concern |
| Subregion | 1, (2), (4) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 6000 ha; Remnant 2021 6000 ha |
| Short description | Leptospermum purpurascens tall shrubland on igneous hills |
| Structure code | Tall Shrubland |
| Description | Tall shrubland to open scrub of Leptospermum purpurascens (purple stemmed turkey bush) +/- Melaleuca viridiflora (broad-leaved teatree) +/- Acacia brassii +/- Psydrax spp. +/- Shonia tristigma. A. brassii and M. viridiflora emergents may also be present. A very sparse to sparse lower shrublayer contains similar species +/- Leucopogon yorkensis. The groundlayer is commonly rocky but a very sparse groundcover may include Schizachyrium spp., Cleistochloa spp. or Schoenus sparteus. Often occurs on or near pavements in granite hills. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 28c). |
| Supplementary description | Neldner and Clarkson (in prep), 163 |
| Protected areas | Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP (CYPAL), Cape Melville NP (CYPAL) |
| Special values | 3.12.28: Habitat for Leptospermum purpurascens that is endemic to this bioregion, and dominates the biomass of this ecosystem. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: August-September up to November depending on the season. INTENSITY: Patchy and low or moderate to high. Fires will tend to burn either with high intensity or at low intensity. INTERVAL: 5-10 years. INTERVAL_MIN: 5. INTERVAL_MAX: 10. STRATEGY: Apply a mosaic across the landscape at a range of intervals to create areas of varying post-fire response. Burn 10-20% of the landscape. ISSUES: These ecosystems typically have a longer fire interval than surrounding vegetation, so it is important to manage fire in surrounding country to avoid too frequent fire. Planned burns in and around heath will assist in breaking up the continuity of fuels across the landscape, preventing late season wildfires which have deleterious ecological effects. |
| Comments | 3.12.28: Occurs on the western edge of Iron Range. |
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.
