Regional ecosystem details for 8.12.16
| Regional ecosystem | 8.12.16 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Of concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | Of concern |
| Subregion | 3, 11.2, 11.12 |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 4000 ha; Remnant 2021 4000 ha |
| Short description | Deciduous to semi-evergreen microphyll vine thicket +/- Brachychiton spp. +/- Araucaria cunninghamii emergents of foothills and uplands (western areas) on Mesozoic to Proterozoic igneous rocks |
| Structure code | Closed Forest |
| Description | Deciduous to semi-evergreen microphyll vine thicket. Deciduous examples are a low closed forest to closed scrub, and occur in the driest areas. These areas commonly include emergents of Brachychiton australis, B. rupestris, Pleiogynium timorense, Ficus rubiginosa and Gyrocarpus americanus, and have a canopy with species including Backhousia angustifolia, Diospyros humilis, Flindersia australis, Notelaea microcarpa, Archidendropsis thozetiana, Diospyros geminata, Atalaya rigida, Gossia bidwillii, Alectryon connatus, A. diversifolius, Alphitonia excelsa and Bridelia leichhardtii. Shrub layers may include Alyxia ruscifolia, Carissa ovata, Croton phebalioides and Abutilon oxycarpum var. oxycarpum, and the ground layer is very sparse to sparse and consists of species such as Solanum stelligerum, Ancistrachne uncinulata, Doryopteris concolor and Hypoestes floribunda. Vines are very common, and often include Glossocarya hemiderma, Cissus reniformis and Stigmaphyllon timoriense. Semi-evergreen examples of this ecosystem tend to be dominated by species such as Drypetes deplanchei and Gossia bidwillii, and often have emergents of Araucaria cunninghamii. Occurs on lopes, gullies, ridges and crests on rolling mountains of foothills and uplands, of the very dry to dry rainfall zone, on the western edge of the bioregion. Geologies mapped as Cvb (Broadsound Range Rhyolite), CPvl (Leura Volcanics), CPgsc (Stony Creek Granite), Cvw (Whelan Creek Volcanics) and Pr (Connors Arch). Early Permian - Late Carboniferous dacitic to rhyolitic ignimbrite and trachyandesite to dacite lava. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 7a). |
| Supplementary description | McDonald (1995), Group 2 |
| Protected areas | Homevale NP, Mount Abbot NP (S), Homevale RR |
| Special values | 8.12.16: Habitat for near threatened plant species Solanum sporadotrichum. Also habitat for some species which are poorly known in the Central Queensland Coast bioregion such as Cayratia japonica, species at the southern edge of their range such as Melodorum crassipetalum and Wrightia versicolor, species at the northern edge of their range such as Acalypha capillipes and Brachychiton rupestris. Also habitat for a whole suite of species which are common further west but rare in the Central Queensland Coast bioregion, such as Backhousia angustifolia, Diospyros humilis, Notelaea microcarpa, Alectryon diversifolius and others. |
| Fire management guidelines | INTERVAL: Fire return interval not relevant. INTERVAL_MIN: 100. INTERVAL_MAX: 100. ISSUES: A geographically restricted ecosystem. |
| Comments | 8.12.16: Distinguished from most other rainforest regional ecosystems on land zone 12 by occurring well inland and by being dominated by microphyll species. Closest to RE 8.12.3a which tends to occur in moister rainfall zones and which is usually notophyll dominated. Close affinities with araucarian microphyll rainforest of northern Southeast Queensland bioregion. Occurs in western parts of subregion 3. Mostly between the Denham Range (south of Credition) and Campbell Range 50km west of Marlborough. Also found on a hill near the Proserpine Dam and as an outlier near Mount Abbott (55km south-west of Bowen). This ecosystem is geographically restricted, and is very vulnerable to fire in dry times which can lead to irreversible damage and decline. Invasion from *Lantana camara poses a threat as it makes the ecosystem more fire prone. Current condition of stands is not well known. |
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.
