Regional ecosystem details for 7.2.4
| Regional ecosystem | 7.2.4 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Of concern |
| Wetlands | Contains Palustrine |
| Biodiversity status | Of concern |
| Subregion | 2, 3, 1, (9), (7), (6) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 6000 ha; Remnant 2021 3000 ha |
| Short description | Eucalyptus spp. (often E. pellita or Corymbia intermedia) open forest and/or Lophostemon suaveolens open forest on swampy sand plains and Pleistocene beach ridges |
| Structure code | Open Forest |
| Description | Eucalyptus spp. (often E. pellita (red stringybark) or Corymbia intermedia (pink bloodwood) open forest and/or Lophostemon suaveolens (swamp mahogany) open forest. Occurs on swampy sandplains and Pleistocene beach ridges on a variety of soils including dark grey sands and grey sandy clay loam. Contains Palustrine. (BVG1M: 9e). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 7.2.4a: Corymbia intermedia, Eucalyptus pellita, Lophostemon suaveolens and Melaleuca dealbata woodland to open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4b: Eucalyptus tereticornis, Corymbia tessellaris, E. pellita, C. intermedia, Melaleuca dealbata, Lophostemon suaveolens, Acacia mangium and A. crassicarpa woodland to open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4c: Eucalyptus tereticornis, Corymbia tessellaris, E. pellita, C. intermedia, Melaleuca dealbata, Lophostemon suaveolens, Acacia mangium and A. crassicarpa, woodland to open forest with a very well-developed vine forest understorey. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4d: Eucalyptus pellita and Corymbia intermedia, +/- C. tessellaris, E. tereticornis, Lophostemon suaveolens, Acacia celsa, A. cincinnata, A. mangium and A. flavescens open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4e: Eucalyptus pellita and Corymbia intermedia, +/- C. tessellaris, E. tereticornis and Lophostemon suaveolens, woodland to open forest with a very well-developed vine forest understorey. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4f: Lophostemon suaveolens +/- Corymbia tessellaris, Melaleuca viridiflora var. attenuata, and M. dealbata woodland to open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4g: Melaleuca dealbata +/- M. leucadendra woodland to open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22b). 7.2.4h: Melaleuca dealbata, Lophostemon suaveolens, Corymbia tessellaris, Acacia mangium and Livistona drudei open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4i: Eucalyptus portuensis open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9d). 7.2.4j: Allocasuarina littoralis, Corymbia intermedia and Lophostemon suaveolens shrubland, woodland and open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 7.2.4k: Acacia mangium and A. celsa open forest to closed forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 28b). 7.2.4l: Melaleuca leucadendra, M. viridiflora, M. dealbata, Acacia leptocarpa, A. crassicarpa, Excoecaria agallocha, Hibiscus tiliaceus and Thespesia populnea woodland to low open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Palustrine. (BVG1M: 22b). 7.2.4m: Acacia celsa open forest to closed forest. Weathered relict beach dunes. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 28b). 7.2.4n: Eucalyptus tereticornis woodland to open forest. Weathered relict beach ridges. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). |
| Supplementary description | Stanton and Stanton (2005), D80, D80v, D119, D16g, D16gv, D221, D149, D105, D32, D15b, D12c, D13a, D12a, D91, D210, D16b, D16bv; Kemp and Morgan (1999), 8, 9, 12; Kemp et al. (1999), 10, 11; Tracey and Webb (1975), 17 (in part) |
| Protected areas | Gulngay NP, Girramay NP, Halifax Bay Wetlands NP, Hull River NP, Daintree NP (CYPAL), Hinchinbrook Island NP, Kurrimine Beach NP, Russell River NP, Paluma Range NP, Maria Creek NP, Girringun NP, Ella Bay NP |
| Special values | 7.2.4: Biogeographically significant as remnants of previous coastlines and for understanding chronosequences of primary soil profile development. 7.2.4i: The occurrence of Eucalyptus portuensis on dune sands is a very unusual association. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Begin burning after the wet season (April-May), but avoid hot, dry season unless a high intensity fire is required to manage thickening, then undertake storm burn. g, h: Early to mid-dry season. k,m: Do not burn deliberately. l: Mid- to late dry season. INTENSITY: Low, with occasional moderate or high intensity to manage thickening and/or stimulate germination. g, h: Low with occasional moderate. k,m: Do not burn deliberately. l: Low to moderate. INTERVAL: 2-5 years. g, h: 3-10 years. k,m: Do not burn deliberately. l: 5-15 years. INTERVAL_MIN: 2. INTERVAL_MAX: 15. STRATEGY: Mosaic burn 25-60%. Begin burning early in the fire season, with progressive patch fires burnt through the year. Stop burning when the network of fires and other breaks is sufficient to impede fire spread later in the year. Storm-burning may be used to add further diversity to fire mosaic, promote perennial grasses and arrest woody thickening. g, h: Burn with anticipated rain as it will increase patchiness. Create burn mosaics using progressive burning. Do not deliberately burn submerged swamps but allow fire to carry into their edge. k,m: Maintain appropriate mosaic burning in surrounding country. Do not protect from fire but do not burn deliberately. l: Allow fires in surrounding fire-adapted communities to burn into these melaleuca communities if the soil is moist. ISSUES: In the absence of fire an abundance of rainforest pioneers (e.g., Melastoma spp., Chionanthus ramiflora, Mallotus philippensis, Alyxia spicata and Glochidion spp.) and bracken fern can establish. This development can be rapid (within about 15 years) after which system change is difficult to reverse. Thickening with rainforest species can be detrimental to habitat trees and endangered species (e.g., mahogany glider). Where fire is more common the understorey is usually dominated by tall grasses (e.g., Themeda triandra and Eriachne pallescens), herbaceous plants, lilies and sedges (e.g., Tricoryne anceps, Gonocarpus acanthocarpus, Lomandra longifolia, Dianella caerulea). g, h: Avoid peat fires and maintain awareness of high biomass grasses which can increase fire intensity and spread. Avoid burning ant plants. k,m: This is mainly a self protecting community. l: Burn more frequently if whipstick regeneration is an issue. Keep flame height low if ant plants are present. |
| Comments | 7.2.4: A very variable, and once extensive, vegetation complex, distinguished by the combination of old stranded dune systems with characteristic dark, loose sand near the surface, and the common occurrence of Corymbia intermedia, Lophostemon suaveolens, and Xanthorrhoea johnsonii. Some areas are subject to clearing for agricultural and residential development. Threatened by rainforest invasion. Occurs sporadically along the full length of the Wet Tropics coastline, particularly prevalent in the Tully-Murray River lowlands. Many areas in poor condition due to weed invasion, vehicular disturbance or previous clearing activities. 7.2.4c: Well-developed vine forest understorey is probably a condition state caused by infrequent burning. 7.2.4e: Well developed vine forest understorey is probably a condition state caused by infrequent burning. |
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.
