Appendix 2 - Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems

Photograph 88. Low
woodland/shrubland community 14r
on Moa Island. The photograph is
taken at Site MO65.
Vegetation Community 11b: Pandanus dominant shrublands and low woodlands are prominent
on drainage swamps and seepage zones is a range of localities, although they are most prominent
on Dauan and Mabuiag Island. These communities generally form tall shrublands, mixing with
Melaleuca viridiflora in some locations on Mabuiag Island, and have been classified as VC11b.
These communities present some classification difficulties, having frequently developed in
response to disturbance which may include intense fire or removal of previous canopy layers by
mechanical disturbance. In the broader landscape of the Torres Strait Islands, this community
appears relatively stable being maintained by regular fire and remnant status is warranted. It
should be noted that this community has been distinguished from the broad expanse of Pandanus
dominant woodland occupying alluvial systems on Saibai Island. This VC has been classified
under the broad RE sub-type 3.3.42a
Photograph 89. A Pandanus
dominant low woodland occupying a
freshwater seepage zone on Dauan
Island.
Vegetation Community 13b: North of Mabuiag Island, Melaleuca viridiflora is replaced by
Melaleuca cajuputi subsp. platyphylla as the dominant Melaleuca species. Melaleuca cajuputi
forms extensive shrublands and low open forests on Saibai Island, and Boigu Island to a lesser
extent. The shrubland VC13b is restricted to Saibai Island where it forms a vegetation unit that is
structurally similar to VC13a, although based on floristic affinities to vegetation communities
associated with the northern Torres Strait Islands (Saibai in particular), has been assigned to the
3d Environmental – Torres Strait Regional Ecosystem Mapping Project – August 2008
101