Regional ecosystem details for 9.8.3
| Regional ecosystem | 9.8.3 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Endangered |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | Endangered |
| Subregion | 5 |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 2000 ha; Remnant 2021 400 ha |
| Short description | Semi-evergreen vine thicket on Quaternary basalt soils |
| Structure code | Closed Forest |
| Description | Semi-evergreen vine thicket (5-10m) often including Notelaea microcarpa (native olive), Diospyros humilis (native ebony), Bridelia leichhardtii (scrub ironbark), Everistia vacciniifolia (small-leaved Canthium), Alectryon connatus (grey birds-eye), Erythroxylum australe (cocaine tree), Drypetes deplanchei (yellow tulip), Pleiogynium timorense (Burdekin plum), Gossia bidwillii (scrub-python tree), Geijera salicifolia (narrow-leaved wilga) and Brachychiton australis (broad-leaved bottle tree). Emergent trees (8-14m) include Eucalyptus granitica (granite ironbark), E. tereticornis (bluegum), B. australis and Gyrocarpus americanus (helicopter tree). There is a tall mid layer including canopy species as well as Pittosporum spinescens (wallaby apple), Ehretia membranifolia (peach bush) and Ficus spp. The shrub layer is absent to dense and Carissa ovata (currantbush), Solanum spp. Breynia oblongifolia and Capparis arborea are frequent lower mid layer species. The ground layer is dominated by forbs, though some sedge species, particularly Cyperus gracilis and the grass Ancistrachne uncinulata (hooky grass) can be common. The orchid Dockrillia bowmanii occurs regularly as do the vine species Secamone elliptica (corky milk-vine), Melodorum leichhardtii (zigzag vine), Cissus oblonga (native grape), C. reniformis (kidney-leaved water vine) and Parsonsia plaesiophylla. Occurs on Quaternary basalt soils on plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 7a). |
| Supplementary description | Galloway et al. (1970): Lukin; Fensham 1996 |
| Protected areas | Forty Mile Scrub NP |
| Special values | 9.8.3: Regional refuge for a large number of plant and animal species. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Do not burn deliberately. INTENSITY: Do not burn deliberately. INTERVAL: Fire return interval not relevant. INTERVAL_MIN: 100. INTERVAL_MAX: 100. STRATEGY: Do not burn deliberately. Early dry season, low intensity burns in surrounding country to limit possibility of fire encroachment. ISSUES: Considered fire sensitive. Generally protected from fire by location in the landscape and few flammable grasses in understorey. Scorching of margins notable where there is disturbance, invasive high biomass grasses or lantana. Late dry season fires are particularly deleterious, leading to attrition of vine thicket. |
| Comments | 9.8.3: Includes a number of floristic communities. There may be occasional emergent Eucalyptus crebra (sens. lat.), Corymbia erythrophloia or E. tereticornis (after Fensham 1994). Occurs mainly in the Forty Mile Scrub in the central bioregion. Lantana camara* is commonly found in the shrub layer. |
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.
