Regional ecosystem details for 3.3.50
| Regional ecosystem | 3.3.50 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Palustrine |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 8, 7, 6, (1), (4), (9), (2), (5), (3), (2.4), (9.3) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 256000 ha; Remnant 2021 253000 ha |
| Short description | Melaleuca spp. woodland on swamps on floodplains and non-floodplain landforms |
| Structure code | Woodland |
| Description | Melaleuca spp. woodland to open forest in swamps on floodplains and non-floodplain landforms. Occurs in swamps on floodplains and non-floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 3.3.50a: Melaleuca viridiflora low open woodland to low woodland +/- Neofabricia mjoebergii +/- M. nervosa. Corymbia spp. Can occur as emergents. Where it occurs, a sparse subcanopy can contain Livistona muelleri and/or Lophostemon suaveolens. The very sparse shrub layer usually contains scattered juvenile canopy spp. The mid-dense to dense groundlayer can contain a range of grasses including Sarga plumosum, Eriachne spp. And sedge species. Occurs in swamps on floodplains. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50b: Melaleuca viridiflora low woodland to open forest and (sometimes) tall open shrubland +/- Lophostemon suaveolens +/- Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa. The emergent layer can include a range of Eucalyptus spp. Or Corymbia spp. Where it occurs a very sparse subcanopy can contains M. viridiflora. The very sparse shrub layer contains M. viridiflora +/- Petalostigma banksii. The ground cover ranges from bare to mid-dense and include various grass species, M. viridiflora seedlings, sedges and a range of hydrophilic forbs. Occurs in swamps on non-floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50c: Melaleuca saligna woodland +/- Leptospermum madidum +/- Calycopeplus casuarinoides. The very sparse to sparse subcanopy often includes M. saligna and Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa +/- M. viridiflora. The very sparse shrub layer usually contains juvenile canopy species. When it occurs, the very sparse ground layer can contain a range of sedges and hydrophilic forbs. Occurs in swamps on floodplains. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50d: Melaleuca saligna woodland to open woodland +/- Corymbia clarksoniana. The very sparse subcanopy and/or shrub layer often contains Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa +/- Calycopeplus casuarinoides +/- M. viridiflora. The very sparse to sparse ground layer can contain a range of grass and sedge species. Occurs in swamps on non-floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50e: Melaleuca saligna woodland +/- Barringtonia acutangula, M. viridiflora, Lophostemon suaveolens on in perennial swamps on floodplains. Occurs in perennial swamps on floodplains. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50f: Melaleuca clarksonii low woodland to low open forest +/- Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa +/- M. viridiflora +/- M. saligna. It may also occur as a tall shrubland. Emergents of M. clarksonii and/or M. saligna sometimes occur. A very sparse sub-canopy and/or shrub layer often occurs with canopy species +/- Calycopeplus casuarinoides +/ Hakea pedunculata. The very sparse to sparse ground layer often includes sedge species such as Fimbristylis spp. And Scleria spp. Along with a range of hydrophilic forbs. Occurs in swamps on non-floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22b). 3.3.50g: Melaleuca quinquenervia shrubland to closed heath +/- Asteromyrtus lysicephala +/- Gahnia sieberiana +/- Pandanus spp. Scattered emergents of Pandanus spp. And Grevillea pteridifolia can occur. The groundlayer can contain a number of sedges and hydrophilic forbs and may stay wet or inundated for a number of months. Occurs on swamps predominantly on floodplains. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22a). 3.3.50h: Melaleuca arcana (Cape York paperbark) low open forest. Scattered low shrubs are sometimes present. The ground layer is sparse and dominated by graminoids. The soil surface is generally covered with leaf litter. Occurs in swamps. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22b). 3.3.50i: Melaleuca cajuputi open forest to woodland +/- Lophostemon suaveolens. A sparse subcanopy often contains canopy species. The very sparse shrub layer and contain scattered juvenile canopy species. The often swampy ground layer can contain a range of sedges and hydrophilic forbs. Occurs on swamps. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22b). 3.3.50j: Melaleuca leucadendra open forest +/- Lophostemon suaveolens +/- Calycopeplus casuarinoides. The sparse subcanopy contains canopy species +/- Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa +/- Barringtonia acutangula. The very sparse to mid-dense ground layer frequently contains Pseudoraphis spinescens or Chrysopogon elongatus. Occurs in swamps on floodplains. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22b). 3.3.50k: Melaleuca quinquenervia woodland to open forest. A sparse subcanopy and/or shrub layer often contains canopy species and Acacia crassicarpa +/- Pandanus spp. The dense ground layer often contains sedge species and Lindsaea spp. Occurs in swamps on non-floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50l: Melaleuca spp. woodland to open forest in swamps on floodplains. Occurs in swamps on floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50m: Melaleuca spp. woodland to open forest in swamps on non-floodplain landforms. Occurs in swamps on non-floodplain landforms. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 3.3.50x1: Barringtonia acutangulata +/- vine thicket species low woodland to open forest. Occurs as a fringing woodland around swamps on coastal plains. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 28b). |
| Supplementary description | Neldner and Clarkson (in prep), 159p |
| Protected areas | Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP (CYPAL), Olkola NP (CYPAL), Oyala Thumotang NP (CYPAL), Muundhi (Jack River) NP (CYPAL), Apudthama NP (CYPAL), Alwal NP (CYPAL), Batavia NP (CYPAL), Cape Melville NP (CYPAL), Lama Lama NP (CYPAL), Ngaynggarr NP (CYPAL), Endeavour R |
| Special values | 3.3.50: Potential habitat for NCA listed species: Homoranthus tropicus. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Burn any time after the wet season when sufficiently dry to carry fire, with occasional storm. Avoid late dry season. INTENSITY: Low. INTERVAL: 4+ years. INTERVAL_MIN: 4. INTERVAL_MAX: 50. STRATEGY: Fire management in surrounding ecosystems will assist the prevention of late dry season wildfires which may burn with high intensity. Exclusion of fire not necessary. ISSUES: Avoid peat fires by burning when there is standing water or the ground is water logged. |
| Comments | 3.3.50: Grasslands and/or sedglands below the scale of mapping can occur in an open central area or a rim around the edge of swamps described in the vegetation communities of this RE. These swamps may also be ringed by mixed open woodlands below the scale of mapping, often with Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa. Widespread across Cape York Peninsula. 3.3.50e: Occurs on the Normanby river floodplain generally in perennial swamps. 3.3.50h: This was previously mapped as 3.3.67. Generally on floodplains, but may occur on non-floodplain landforms. 3.3.50i: Occurs on floodplains and non-floodplain landforms. 3.3.50k: May also occur on floodplains. 3.3.50l: These swamps are dominated by a variety of Melaleuca species. If the species is known refer to the appropriate vegetation community. 3.3.50m: These swamps are dominated by a variety of Melaleuca species. If the species is known refer to the appropriate vegetation community. 3.3.50x1: Most commonly occurs as a fringing woodland around wetlands but can also occur in dense stands 200m in diameter. Fringing woodlands around wetlands may be smaller than the mappbable scale. On west coast of bioregion. |
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.
