Regional ecosystem details for 5.7.5
| Regional ecosystem | 5.7.5 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 4, 6, (2), (7), (4.4), (9), (5), (8), (4.5) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 871000 ha; Remnant 2021 870000 ha |
| Short description | Acacia sibirica open shrubland +/- Acacia aneura +/- Acacia shirleyi +/- Triodia spp. open shrubland on crests and tops of dissected tablelands and ranges |
| Structure code | Open Shrubland |
| Description | Acacia sibirica open shrubland. Occasionally scattered low trees of Acacia shirleyi, Acacia aneura, Acacia catenulata, Corymbia terminalis, Corymbia blakei and Corymbia aparrerinja may occur. Other low shrubs may be present. The ground cover is sparse and typically comprises short tussock grasses and forbs, in places Triodia spp. may be dominant. Exposed weathered rock (duricrust) is common and often forms rock pavements devoid of vegetation. Treeless and shrubless areas are common. Occurs on flat to undulating plains and crests of dissected tablelands with slopes of 1 to 10%. Soils shallow, stony, acidic, red, earthy loam and clay-loam lithosols. Silcrete stones and boulders spread throughout. Exposed weathered rock often common. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 24a). |
| Supplementary description | Neldner (1991), 32c (35); Wilson and Purdie (1990a), R1 (18); Turner et al. (1978), R2, R3 (65) |
| Protected areas | Diamantina NP, Goneaway NP, Pullen Pullen SWR, Bladensburg NP |
| Special values | 5.7.5: Potential habitat for NCA listed species: Indigofera oxyrachis, Ptilotus maconochiei, Solanum unispinum. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Various (storm season / wet season or winter). INTENSITY: Low - moderate. INTERVAL: Fire return interval not relevant. INTERVAL_MIN: 100. INTERVAL_MAX: 100. STRATEGY: Aim to exclude fire by fuel reduction in adjacent vegetation communities where possible. Undertake partial burns when necessary to reduce spinifex (and other) fuel loads and protect against severe wildfire. Burn with high soil moisture (i.e., after rain/storms) or in winter to reduce Triodia spp. dominance where necessary. ISSUES: To manage the spread of the highly flammable Triodia spp., winter and/or wet/storm season fire can be used. Note some Acacias can be fire sensitive (e.g., A. shirleyi, A. aneura) and may be killed by high intensity fires. Winter burns may favour shrubs over Triodia spp. and thus change the ground layer composition over time. Due to the sparse nature of the spinifex in these ecosystems, there is rarely enough fuel load to burn. |
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.
