Regional ecosystem details for 3.3.31
| Regional ecosystem | 3.3.31 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 6, 1, 7, 4, (2), (8), (5), (9), (2.4) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 178000 ha; Remnant 2021 178000 ha |
| Short description | Eucalyptus tetrodonta +/- Corymbia spp. woodland on coastal plains |
| Structure code | Woodland |
| Description | Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) woodland +/- Corymbia clarksoniana (Clarkson's bloodwood). Eucalyptus phoenicea can sometimes occur as a dominant. Both the sub-canopy and shrub layers are sparse to very sparse. Occurs on alluvial plains on the coastal lowlands. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 3.3.31a: Eucalyptus tetrodonta woodland +/- Corymbia clarksoniana +/- Erythrophleum chlorostachys. The very sparse to sparse sub canopy contains canopy species +/- Grevillea glauca +/- Brachychiton diversifolius +/- Acacia spp. The very sparse to sparse mixed shrub layer also contains canopy species +/- Coelospermum reticulatum +/- Persoonia falcata. Dominant species in the sparse to mid-dense ground layer include Heteropogon triticeus, Schizachyrium fragile and Sarga plumosum. Occurs on alluvial plains on the coastal lowlands. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). 3.3.31b: Eucalyptus phoenicea (Scarlet Gum) woodland often with E. tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) +/- Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Cooktown Ironwood). A very sparse subcanopy and/or shrub layer can contain canopy species +/- Grevillea glauca (clothespeg Grevillea). Schizachyrium fragile and Panicum spp. Are common in the sparse ground layer. Occurs on floodplains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). 3.3.31c: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as part of 3.3.31a. Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) predominates forming a distinct but discontinuous canopy (9-25m tall). Corymbia nesophila (Melville Island bloodwood) is a subdominant to codominant canopy species. A very sparse to sparse sub-canopy layer (5-12m tall) is characterised by Asteromyrtus brassii, Neofabricia myrtifolia (yellow teatree), Grevillea glauca (bushman's clothes peg) and Acacia rothii (Roth's wattle). Scattered low trees (2-6m tall) are sometimes present and a very sparse to mid-dense shrub layer (0.5-2m tall) is dominated by heath shrubs such as Jacksonia thesioides, Neoroepera banksii, Choriceras tricorne (Cape choriceras), Asteromyrtus lysicephala (back to front bush) and Acacia calyculata (a wattle). These often occur at high densities. The ground layer is usually very sparse to mid-dense and dominated by the sedge Schoenus sparteus and the grasses Heteropogon triticeus (giant speargrass) and Eulalia mackinlayi (silky browntop). Occurs on alluvial plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). 3.3.31x1: [RE not in use]²: This regional ecosystem is now vegetation community 3.3.31b. Eucalyptus phoenicea (scarlet gum) dominates the sparse canopy (14-23m tall). Scattered E. tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark), Corymbia clarksoniana (Clarkson's bloodwood), C. stockeri (gum-topped bloodwood and Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Cooktown ironwood) trees are frequently present in the canopy. A very sparse sub-canopy tree layer (7-12m tall) is usually present with Grevillea glauca (bushman's clothes peg) and Melaleuca nervosa (woodland paperbark) prominent in this layer. The very sparse shrub layer (0.5-2m tall) consists of a variety of species. The sparse ground layer is dominated by the grasses, Aristida spp., Schizachyrium spp. and Thaumastochloa spp. Occurs on old alluvial sandy plains and ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14c). |
| Protected areas | Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP (CYPAL), Muundhi (Jack River) NP (CYPAL), Cape Melville NP (CYPAL), KULLA (McIlwraith Range) NP (CYPAL), Olkola NP (CYPAL), Ngaynggarr NP (CYPAL), Alwal NP (CYPAL), Oyala Thumotang NP (CYPAL), Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP (CYPAL), |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Commence planned burns early in the dry season, after the wet season when dry enough to burn. Use occasional storm burns but generally avoid periods of extremely hot, dry conditions. INTENSITY: Low to moderate with occasional high during storm burns. INTERVAL: 2-5 years. INTERVAL_MIN: 2. INTERVAL_MAX: 5. STRATEGY: Apply a mosaic across the landscape at a range of intervals to create varying stages of post-fire response. Burn 30-60% at the property level. ISSUES: To mitigate against the impact of late dry season fires, commence burning early in the season and continue through the dry to break up continuity of fuels across the landscape. Planned fire applied repeatedly early in the dry season may lead to woody thickening because fires are not of sufficiently high intensity; this may be exacerbated by stock grazing. Manage extent, intensity and frequency of fires judiciously, to avoid habitat tree loss. |
| Comments | 3.3.31: Widespread across the bioregion. 3.3.31a: On alluvial plains through-out the bioregion. 3.3.31b: This replaces another vegetation community originally mapped as 3.3.31b, which is now part of 3.3.31a. Mostly in the Laura Basin in the south-east. 3.3.31c: Mostly in the Laura Basin and in the lower Jardine River catchment. 3.3.31x1: C. stockeri is most likely subsp. peninsularis. Laura Basin. |
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.
2 Superseded: Revision of the regional ecosystem classification removed this regional ecosystem code from use. It is included in the regional ecosystem description database because the RE code may appear in older versions of RE mapping and the Vegetation Management regulation.
