Regional ecosystem details for 3.2.22
| Regional ecosystem | 3.2.22 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Of concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | Of concern |
| Subregion | 2, 4, (1), (3) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 4000 ha; Remnant 2021 4000 ha |
| Short description | Mixed dwarf open heath on dunes and headlands |
| Structure code | Dwarf Open Heath |
| Description | Mixed dwarf open heath to dwarf shrubland including combinations of the species Grevillea pteridifolia (toothbrush grevillea), Neoroepera banksii, Dodonaea malvacea, Jacksonia thesioides and Leucopogon yorkensis. Occasional taller shrubs may be present in sheltered positions and include Syzygium suborbiculare and Petalostigma pubescens. The ground layer is frequently indistinct from the dwarf shrub layer. The sparse to dense ground layer often contains Triodia microstachya with Aristida holathera and Heteropogon triticeus sometimes present. Associated with windswept coastal dunes and headlands. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 29a). |
| Protected areas | Apudthama NP (CYPAL), Cape Melville NP (CYPAL), Bromley (Ampulin) NP (CYPAL), Lizard Island NP |
| Special values | 3.2.22: Potential habitat for NCA listed species: Dendrobium bigibbum. |
| 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 | 3.2.22: East coast dunefields from Cape Flattery to the Somerset. |
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.
