Regional ecosystem details for 8.5.1
| Regional ecosystem | 8.5.1 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Endangered |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | Endangered |
| Subregion | 6, 2 |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 5000 ha; Remnant 2021 1000 ha |
| Short description | Corymbia clarksoniana and/or C. intermedia open forest on Tertiary sand plains and rises including small areas of shale (mainly subregion 6) |
| Structure code | Open Forest |
| Description | Corymbia clarksoniana open forest to open woodland, sometimes with Eucalyptus drepanophylla, often with a secondary tree or shrub layer including species such as Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora, M. nervosa, Acacia julifera, Pandanus cookii, Acacia leptostachya, Grevillea parallela, Allocasuarina luehmannii and Persoonia falcata, and often a low shrub layer of Xanthorrhoea johnsonii. The ground stratum includes Eriachne triseta, Eremochloa bimaculata, Chrysopogon fallax, Eriachne rara, Cleistochloa subjuncea, Aristida acuta and Aristida queenslandica var. dissimilis. Includes low rises on fine sediments with Corymbia intermedia open forest, with a secondary tree layer of Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora, Grevillea parallela and some pioneering rainforest spp., as well as areas of shale supporting Corymbia clarksoniana +/- E. drepanophylla with a shrubby layer of Acacia leptocarpa, Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora, Lophostemon confertus and Acacia simsii. Occurs on low Tertiary rises on fine sediments as well as areas of shale. Underlain by fine grained sediments and areas of shale leading to minor impurities of land zones 9 and 10. Geology is primarily To (Tertiary coarse clayey sandstone, sandy claystone and conglomerate). The soil surface may be very sandy, or a coarse sandy loam +/- abundant ironstone nodules. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 8.5.1a: Corymbia intermedia open forest. Corymbia clarksoniana is a common associated species in the canopy. Hybrids or intermediates between C. intermedia and C. clarksoniana are occasionally present. Eucalyptus platyphylla is rarely present as a minor canopy component. There is often a sparse secondary tree layer of Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora, C. intermedia, C. clarksoniana, Lophostemon confertus and Grevillea parallela, and occasionally there are rainforest spp. saplings present. There is frequently a very sparse to sparse shrub layer of Lophostemon confertus, Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora, and Glochidion lobocarpum. The ground layer is species rich, and dominant and associated species include Eriachne triseta, Eremochloa bimaculata, Chrysopogon fallax, Desmodium pullenii, Fimbristylis acicularis, Flemingia parviflora, Lomandra spp., Urochloa polyphylla, Abildgaardia vaginata, Brunoniella acaulis, Scleria rugosa and Cyperus spp. Occurs on small, pronounced, low Tertiary rises of lowlands. Underlain by fine grained sediments and areas of shale leading to minor impurities of land zones 9 and 10 (mainly subregion 6). Geology is primarily To (Tertiary coarse clayey sandstone, sandy claystone and conglomerate). The soil surface is very sandy. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). 8.5.1b: Corymbia clarksoniana open forest to open woodland (12-22m tall). Other occasional to common canopy species are Eucalyptus platyphylla, E. drepanophylla and C. dallachiana. There may be a very sparse to mid-dense lower tree layer of Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora and/or M. nervosa and/or Acacia julifera. Other associated species in lower tree layers include Pandanus cookii, Acacia leptostachya, Grevillea parallela, Allocasuarina luehmannii, Persoonia falcata, Lophostemon confertus, Acacia simsii and Planchonia careya. The shrub layer is usually very sparse, with dominant species including saplings from upper layers as well as Xanthorrhoea johnsonii, Glochidion apodogynum and Coelospermum reticulatum. The ground layer is mid-dense to sparse and is very species rich. Dominants and associated species often include Eriachne triseta, Eremochloa bimaculata, Chrysopogon fallax, Eriachne rara, Cleistochloa subjuncea, Aristida acuta, Aristida queenslandica var. dissimilis (and other Aristida spp.), Abildgaardia ovata, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii, Fimbristylis dichotoma, Heteropogon spp., Lomandra spp., Desmodium pullenii (and other Desmodium spp.), Cyperus spp. and Fimbristylis spp. There are many ephemeral species present during the wet season. This ecosystem includes areas of shale supporting Corymbia clarksoniana +/- E. drepanophylla with a shrubby layer of Acacia leptocarpa, Melaleuca viridiflora var. viridiflora, Lophostemon confertus and Acacia simsii. Occurs on Tertiary sand plains and pediments on gently undulating plains and rises of lowlands. Underlain by fine grained sediments and areas of shale leading to minor impurities of land zones 9 and 10. Geology is primarily To (Tertiary coarse clayey sandstone, sandy claystone and conglomerate). The soil surface is a coarse sandy loam, and often has abundant ironstone nodules. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 9e). |
| Special values | 8.5.1a: Potential habitat for the near threatened species Eulophia bicallosa. The ground layer is species rich and includes some species which are poorly in the Central Queensland Coast bioregion, such as Scleria tricuspidata, Urochloa polyphylla, Murdannia gigantea, Phyllanthus sulcatus and Scleria rugosa. This ecosystem is rare and restricted. 8.5.1b: Potential habitat for the near threatened plant species Habenaria xanthantha and Eulophia bicallosa. The ground layer is very species rich, and includes many species which are poorly known in the Central Queensland Coast bioregion, such as Aristida acuta, Mnesithea formosa, Panicum seminudum var. cairnsianum (here at the southern end of its range), Pseudopogonatherum contortum, Lysimachia ovalis, Buchnera gracilis, Chlorophytum laxum (here at the southern end of its range), Cyperus cuspidatus, Cyperus nervulosus, Mitrasacme nummularia, Phyllanthus simplex, Polygala wightiana and Rotala occultiflora. Habitat for the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) (recorded several times at the Proserpine Airport) which is listed as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Further survey is likely to reveal the presence of more flora and fauna species with local or State significance. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Late wet to early dry season, with occasional storm burns (Nov-Dec). Winter burns may be acceptable if conditions have not been appropriate for burning until winter. INTENSITY: Mainly low, but with some moderate and high. INTERVAL: 3-7 years. INTERVAL_MIN: 3. INTERVAL_MAX: 7. STRATEGY: Apply mosaic burns across the landscape at a range of intervals. At a fine scale attempt to create a spatial mosaic with multiple burn patches 20 ha or less; aim for a 30-50% burnt area. At the bioregion scale do not burn more than 20% within the same year. ISSUES: Lack of fire promotes overabundant pioneer rainforest species. Too frequent fire or inappropriately timed fire promotes weeds, including high-biomass grasses that lead to inappropriate fires. At least 7 years between burns is required to permit obligate seeding shrubs to reproduce. |
| Comments | 8.5.1a: Distinguished from 8.5.1b by presence of Corymbia intermedia, and tends to occur in slightly more elevated parts of the landscape. Could be confused with RE 8.3.5, though this occurs on alluvium and lacks the very sandy soil surface. Also 8.3.5 is dominated by C. clarksoniana instead of C. intermedia, and the ground layer tends to have a high cover of either Themeda triandra, Imperata cylindrica, Sorghum nitidum forma aristatum or Heteropogon triticeus, whereas the most dominant ground species of 8.5.1a are indicative of poorer soils - such as Eriachne spp. and Eremochloa bimaculata. Restricted to an area between Slater Creek (5km south-west of Proserpine) and the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Ten Mile Creek (15km north-west of Proserpine). Threatened by clearing and weed invasion. Being naturally restricted to small patches surrounded by more fertile land, it is also threatened by detrimental edge effects of the surrounding (often now cleared) land. Weeds of particular concern are *Mitracarpus hirtus, *Mimosa pudica, *Sida acuta, *Sporobolus jacquemontii, *Stylosanthes spp., *Triumfetta rhomboidea and *Chamaecrista rotundifolia. 8.5.1b: Distinguished from 8.5.1a by absence of Corymbia intermedia, and tends to occur in slightly less elevated parts of the landscape (though still elevated above alluvium). The RE 8.5.3b is similar but occurs closer to creeks or lower in the landscape and tends to have a less sandy soil (more alluvial influence), a co-dominance of Eucalyptus platyphylla and E. drepanophylla in the canopy, and Planchonia careya prominent in the shrub-layer. Could be confused with RE 8.3.5, though this occurs on alluvium and lacks the sandy soil surface with ironstone nodules. Also the ground layer of 8.3.5 tends to have a high cover of either Themeda triandra, Imperata cylindrica, Sorghum nitidum forma aristatum or Heteropogon triticeus, whereas the most dominant ground species of 8.5.1b are indicative of poorer soils - such as Eriachne spp., Eremochloa bimaculata and Aristida spp. Occurs in subregions 2 and 6. The present day extent is between White Cliffs on Edgecumbe Bay (20km south-east of Bowen) to the O'Connell River (20km south of Proserpine). It was also previously mapped near Munbura (15km north-west of Sarina). This ecosystem has always been fairly uncommon and is now severely reduced in area and fragmented. It is highly vulnerable to erosion. Weed invasion is a problem, with the most serious spp. being *Lantana camara, *Chamaecrista rotundifolia, *Stylosanthes spp., *Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, *Mitracarpus hirtus and *Urochloa subquadripara. This ecosystem is also very erodible and at risk from gully erosion. |
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.
