Regional ecosystem details for 4.3.4
| Regional ecosystem | 4.3.4 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Riverine |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 5, 4, 2, 3, 7, 6, (1), (1.1), (2.5), (1.3), (5.5), (9.5), (2.3), (11.26), (5.1), (6.6), (10.4), (6.9), (5.4), (5.3), (2.8), (5.2), (10.1), (10.2) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 1050000 ha; Remnant 2021 1028000 ha |
| Short description | Eucalyptus coolabah open woodland on fringing drainage lines in clay and limestone landscapes |
| Structure code | Open Woodland |
| Description | Eucalyptus coolabah (predominantly) and/or E. microtheca low open woodland to woodland. E. camaldulensis may occur in the canopy. A shrub layer may occur, including Acacia stenophylla and Eremophila bignoniiflora. The ground flora is variable with either grasses or forbs conspicuous depending on seasonal conditions. Occurs on fringes of drainage lines, sometimes braided, within clay and limestone landscapes. Soils deep, grey and brown cracking clays. Sand and silt bands may occur in profile. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 4.3.4a: Waterholes fringed by Eucalyptus coolabah or sometimes E. camaldulensis open woodland. Occurs in braided channel systems on floodplains. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). 4.3.4c: Eucalyptus coolabah low open woodland, occasionally with Acacia georginae, Lysiphyllum gilvum, Corymbia terminalis and E. camaldulensis. The ground layer is tussock grasses. Occurs on banks/fringes of minor braided watercourses through Tertiary clay or limestone landscapes. Cracking clay soils. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). 4.3.4d: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 4.3.2a. Mixed low woodland, with combinations of the species Eucalyptus coolabah, E. camaldulensis, Acacia cambagei, Lysiphyllum gilvum, E. leucophylla and A. aneura. Corymbia terminalis and C. aparrerinja may occur in the canopy. Occurs on fringes of minor watercourses in erosional landscapes with a mixture of coarse and fine grained parent materials. Loams and clays. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). 4.3.4e: Acacia georginae and/or Corymbia terminalis and/or Eucalyptus coolabah low open woodland. The ground layer is tussock grasses, including Eulalia aurea, Astrebla spp. and Chrysopogon fallax. Occurs on fringes of minor channels in undulating Cambrian limestone landscapes. Cracking clay soils. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). 4.3.4f: Eucalyptus coolabah and/or E. microtheca low open woodland. Occurs on drainage lines on Astrebla spp. undulating plains and braided channels on alluvial plains, particularly north-east. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). 4.3.4x1: Eucalyptus coolabah low open woodland to open forest, commonly with Acacia stenophylla, Acacia cambagei and Atalaya hemiglauca. A sparse shrub layer may occur. The ground layer is tussock grasses. Occurs on channel fringes in broad, braided alluvial systems in Cretaceous mudstone and Tertiary clay landscapes. Cracking clay soils. Riverine. (BVG1M: 16a). 4.3.4x2: Eucalyptus coolabah low open woodland to woodland, commonly with Acacia georginae, Acacia cambagei, Atalaya hemiglauca and Corymbia terminalis. Ventilago viminalis and Grevillea striata may occur in the canopy. A shrub layer may occur, including Acacia spp., Eremophila spp., Senna spp. and Eremophila bignoniiflora. The ground layer is tussock grasses, including Astrebla spp. and annual species. Occurs on active Quaternary alluvial plains, mainly with clay parent material. Cracking clay soils. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 16c). 4.3.4x2a: Eucalyptus coolabah low open woodland, commonly with Acacia georginae. A shrub layer commonly occurs, including A. georginae and Eremophila bignoniiflora. The ground layer is tussock grasses, including Astrebla spp. and annual species. Occurs on broad, active Quaternary alluvial plains with clay parent material in the north-west of the bioregion. Cracking clay soils. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 16c). 4.3.4x2b: Eucalyptus coolabah low open woodland, commonly with Acacia cambagei, Atalaya hemiglauca and Corymbia terminalis. A sparse shrub layer may occur. The ground layer is tussock grasses. Occurs on active, Quaternary alluvial plains associated with major watercourses in broad clay landscapes in the south-west of the bioregion. Cracking clay soils. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 16c). 4.3.4x2c: Mixed low open woodland, with combinations of the species Eucalyptus coolabah, Acacia aneura, A. cambagei, Atalaya hemiglauca, Ventilago viminalis, Grevillea striata and Corymbia terminalis. A shrub layer commonly occurs, including Eremophila spp., Senna spp. and Acacia spp. The ground layer is tussock grasses. Occurs on active, Quaternary alluvial plains of minor watercourses in erosional landscapes. A mixture of fine and coarse grained parent material. Loams and clays. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 16c). 4.3.4x2d: Eucalyptus coolabah low woodland, commonly with Lysiphyllum gilvum and Acacia cambagei. The ground layer is tussock grasses. Occurs on alluvial plains of northern flowing rivers, flooded drainage lines and flat plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 16c). 4.3.4x2e: Eucalyptus coolabah woodland to low open woodland, occasionally with Acacia cambagei, A. tephrina and A. stenophylla. A shrub layer may occur, including Eremophila bignoniiflora and Duma florulenta. The ground layer is tussock grasses. Occurs on active alluvial plains associated with major watercourses in broad clay landscapes in the east of the bioregion. Cracking clay soils. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 16c). |
| Supplementary description | Neldner (1991), 2b (64); Turner et al. (1993), A3 (24) in part |
| Protected areas | Diamantina NP, Bladensburg NP, Astrebla Downs NP, Lochern NP, Idalia NP, Wiliyan-ngurru NP, Combo CP 2, Combo CP 1, Welford NP |
| Special values | 4.3.4: Regional ecosystem of high fauna diversity. 4.3.4f: Vegetation community of high fauna diversity. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Wet to early dry season when soil is moist. INTENSITY: Low. INTERVAL: Fire return interval not relevant. INTERVAL_MIN: 100. INTERVAL_MAX: 100. STRATEGY: Burning in areas surrounding riparian vegetation can be used to reduce fuel loads and reduce impact of wildfire (e.g., on habitat trees for fauna). These fires can be allowed to trickle into fringing riparian vegetation. Burn surrounding vegetation at intervals compatible with fuel availability, seasonal conditions and grazing pressure. ISSUES: Riparian vegetation is critical refuge for fauna. Fire can be used to manage seedlings and saplings of woody weeds (e.g., parkinsonia, mimosa bush and noogoora burr), but mature plants may be fire resistant and top kill will result in resprouting. |
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.
