Regional ecosystem details for 7.3.8
| Regional ecosystem | 7.3.8 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Contains Palustrine |
| Biodiversity status | Endangered |
| Subregion | 1, 2, (8), (3), (6), (9), (5), (3.2), (4), (7), (11.1) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 39000 ha; Remnant 2021 15000 ha |
| Short description | Melaleuca viridiflora +/- Eucalyptus spp. +/- Lophostemon suaveolens open forest to open woodland on poorly drained alluvial plains |
| Structure code | Open Forest |
| Description | Melaleuca viridiflora (broad leaf tea tree) +/- Eucalyptus spp. +/- Lophostemon suaveolens (swamp mahogany) open forest to open woodland. Humic gleyed texture contrast soils with impeded drainage, on alluvial plains. Contains Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 7.3.8a: Melaleuca viridiflora open forest to open woodland. Includes areas of natural invasion onto former grasslands. Alluvial plains. Contains Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 7.3.8b: Melaleuca viridiflora open forest to open woodland with eucalypt emergents (or sparse eucalypt overstorey) of species such as Corymbia clarksoniana, Eucalyptus platyphylla, Lophostemon suaveolens and E. drepanophylla. Poorly drained alluvium, mostly on the coastal plains. Contains Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 7.3.8c: Melaleuca viridiflora, and Lophostemon suaveolens open forest to woodland. Poorly drained soils of coastal lowlands. Contains Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). 7.3.8d: Melaleuca viridiflora, Lophostemon suaveolens and Allocasuarina littoralis open shrubland. Poorly drained soils of coastal lowlands. Contains Palustrine. (BVG1M: 21a). |
| Supplementary description | Stanton and Stanton (2005), A118, A41, A78, A93; Kemp and Morgan (1999), 30, 31, 32; Kemp et al. (1999), 23, 24, 31, 32; Tracey and Webb (1975), 20 |
| Protected areas | Girringun NP, Paluma Range NP, Girramay NP, Hinchinbrook Island NP, Kuranda West FR, Macalister Range NP, Halifax Bay Wetlands NP, Mount Mackay NP, Koombooloomba South FR, Hull River NP, Djiru NP, Daintree NP (CYPAL), Kuranda NP, Gulngay NP, Maria Creek N |
| Special values | 7.3.8: Threatened plant species include: Calochilus psednus, Corunastylis tecta, Myrmecodia beccarii, Hypochrysops apollo apollo, Eulophia bicallosa and Pachystoma pubescens. There are many poorly known ground layer species, particularly in southern, drier areas. The vast majority of species occur in the very diverse ground layer, which may in places exceed 90 species in a 50x10 m plot. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Mid- to late dry season. b, c: Early to mid-dry season in normal season (March-May). Early to late season in wet year (March-Sep). INTENSITY: Low to moderate. INTERVAL: 5-15 years. b, c: 3-10 years. INTERVAL_MIN: 3. INTERVAL_MAX: 15. STRATEGY: Allow fires in surrounding fire-adapted communities to burn into these melaleuca communities if the soil is moist. b, c: Patch burn (<30% of area) early in the dry season to limit the extent and intensity of wildfires. Fires may, depending on the conditions and type of vegetation, burn areas larger than just the melaleuca ecosystem. Ensure secure boundaries from non fire-regime adapted ecosystems. Use topography to restrict spread of fire. Consider the needs of melaleuca ecosystems based on understorey (i.e., heath dominated, sedge dominated or mixed grass/shrub) when planning burns. High soil moisture (or presence of water on the ground) is required, as avoidance of peat-type fires must be maintained. ISSUES: Burn more frequently if whipstick regeneration is an issue. Keep flame height low if ant plants are present. b, c: Restrict extent and intensity of fires. High intensity and extensive fires degrade vegetation structure and destroy animal habitats. Melaleuca forests are fire-adapted, but too high an intensity or frequent fire will slow or prevent regeneration and lead to lower species richness (since these communities contain numerous obligate seed regenerating species that require sufficient fire intervals to produce seed). High intensity fires may kill trees and lead to whipstick regeneration. Too frequent fire may result in a net loss of nutrients over time from an already nutrient poor system. Fire associations are significantly influenced by understorey composition. |
| Comments | 7.3.8: The enormous variation displayed by this regional ecosystem across the bioregion suggests that it could be further divided into several regional ecosystems given further examination of soil, drainage and ground layer species differences. The greatest threat to this ecosystem now lies in gradual fragmentation (and resulting weed invasion) via clearing of fence, road and housing infrastructure, and the introduction of cattle grazing, on hobby farms, particularly in southern areas. In some areas many weeds occur in the ground layer after disturbance. These include Senna occidentalis (coffee senna), Cassia obtusifolia (sickle pod), Clitoria laurifolia, Chrysopogon aciculatus (Mackie's pest), Mimosa pudica (common sensitive plant), Sida cordifolia (flannel weed), Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (snakeweed) and Hyparrhenia rufa. Inappropriate fire regimes result in the conversion of the diverse ground layer to a simple grass layer, and the loss of life forms such as ground orchids. The exotic ant Pheidole megacephala is displacing the native ant Philidris cordatus from the ant plant Myrmecodia beccarii. This introduced ant does not tend the larvae of Hypochrysops apollo (the apollo jewel butterfly) or pollinate the ant plant. 7.3.8a: Widespread throughout the bioregion where most common on the coastal floodplains, but also found in upland areas. 7.3.8b: Widespread throughout the bioregion where most common on the coastal floodplains, but also found in upland areas. 7.3.8d: Formerly scattered across the Tully-Murray floodplain, now reduced to one small area in the Kennedy Valley. |
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.
