Regional ecosystem details for 3.5.9
| Regional ecosystem | 3.5.9 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 8, (6), (1), (7), (2.4), (9) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 535000 ha; Remnant 2021 535000 ha |
| Short description | Eucalyptus tetrodonta, Corymbia stockeri +/- C. setosa woodland on sand plains |
| Structure code | Woodland |
| Description | Woodland dominated by Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) with Corymbia stockeri (gum-topped bloodwood) and/or C. setosa (rough-leaved bloodwood). Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Cooktown ironwood) is also often present. The open subcanopy often includes E. chlorostachys, Grevillea glauca (bushman's clothes peg), G. parallela (silver oak), Neofabricia sericisepala and Petalostigma spp. (quinine). The sparse to open shrub layer consists mainly of regrowth canopy species. The ground layer is sparse to dense and dominated by grasses usually Schizachyrium spp. (fire grass), Sarga plumosum (plume sorghum),Aristida spp. (three-awned speargrass), Eriachne spp. (wanderrie grass) and Thaumastochloa spp. Occurs on Tertiary plains and sandplains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 3.5.9a: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 3.5.9. Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) is always present in the sparse canopy (13-22m tall). It usually predominates or is codominant with Corymbia stockeri subsp. peninsularis (gum-topped bloodwood) and/or C. setosa subsp. pedicellaris (rough-leaved bloodwood). Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Cooktown ironwood) is also often present in both the canopy and the very sparse to sparse sub-canopy tree layer (3-12m tall). Grevillea glauca (bushman's clothes peg), G. parallela (silver oak), Neofabricia sericisepala, Petalostigma banksii (smooth-leaved quinine), Adenanthera abrosperma (bead tree), Corymbia stockeri subsp. peninsularis, C. setosa subsp. pedicellaris, Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Melaleuca nervosa (woodland paperbark) are other frequent sub-canopy trees. A very sparse to sparse shrub layer (0.2-2.5m tall) is composed of a variety of young trees and shrubby regrowth. The ground layer is usually sparse to mid-dense and dominated by grasses usually Schizachyrium spp. (fire grass), Sarga plumosum (plume sorghum), Panicum spp. (panic), Aristida spp. (three-awned speargrass), Eriachne spp. (wanderrie grass) and Thaumastochloa spp. Occurs on sandridges and sandplains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). 3.5.9b: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 3.5.9. Melaleuca nervosa (woodland paperbark), Corymbia setosa (rough-leaved bloodwood) and Grevillea glauca (bushman's clothes peg) are usually codominant in the canopy (7-9m tall) and Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) and Corymbia clarksoniana (Clarkson's bloodwood) are common emergents (12-13m tall) trees. The shrub layer (0.5-4m tall) is dominated by Xanthorrhoea johnsonii (grass tree). The ground layer is usually sparse to mid-dense and dominated by grasses usually Schizachyrium spp. (fire grass), Sarga plumosum (plume sorghum), Panicum spp. (panic), Aristida spp. (three-awned speargrass), Eriachne spp. (wanderrie grass) and Thaumastochloa spp. Occurs on sandy depositional plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). 3.5.9d: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 3.5.36a. Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) +/- Corymbia stockeri, C. nesophila co dominate the sparse canopy. C. nesophila (Melville Island bloodwood) is present at most sites as a subdominant canopy tree. The very sparse to sparse sub-canopy layer is dominated by the same Eucalyptus spp. and Corymbia spp. which are found in the canopy and by Acacia rothii (Roth's wattle), Grevillea glauca (bushman's clothes peg), Parinari nonda (nonda) and Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Cooktown ironwood). The shrub layer varies from mid-dense to very sparse and is composed of a variety of species which may vary from site to site. The most commonly encountered species in this layer are Eucalyptus spp. and Corymbia spp. that also occur in the tree layer and Planchonia careya. The ground layer is sparse to mid-dense and dominated by the grasses Heteropogon triticeus (giant speargrass), Aristida spp. (three-awned speargrass), Schizachyrium spp. (fire grass) and Sarga plumosum (plume sorghum). Occurs on rolling plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14b). |
| Protected areas | Olkola NP (CYPAL), Muundhi (Jack River) NP (CYPAL), Oyala Thumotang NP (CYPAL), Olkola (Kurrumbila) RR 2 |
| Special values | 3.5.9: Habitat for the endangered golden-shouldered parrot, Psephotus chrysopterygius. |
| 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 | 3.5.9: The vegetation community 3.10.9e was amalgamated into this RE. At the northern extent of this community Corymbia novoguinensis can dominate the canopy and C.setosa is abent. Corymbia setosa is not always present but there is often a combination of mixed species, including heaths, in the community. C.stockeri is likely to be subsp. Peninsularis. Western side of Great Dividing Range to and Kalpowar Plains. Widespread in the southern half of the bioregion and occurs predominantly on the Holroyd Plain in close assocation with 3.5.37a. 3.5.9a: Western side of Great Dividing Range through to the west coast. 3.5.9b: Kalpowar Plains. 3.5.9d: Western & Central Peninsula. |
1 Estimated extent is from version 13 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.
