Appendix 2 - Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems

Away from the coastal headlands Imperata cylindrica was often the dominant species and the
tendency for it to mosaic with Themeda triandra meant that differentiation based on species
composition could not be completed with any degree of confidence. As such, VC17b describes a
mosaic of grassland species which may include Themeda triandra, Imperata cylindrica and
Mnesithea rottboellioides, restricted to basic volcanic rock types.
Photograph 116. Vegetation
Community 17b with dominant
Themeda triandra (Site ER021, Erub
Island).
Secondary level survey was completed at sites considered from on ground examination to be in
good condition, however data from a number of additional Quaternary sites indicate the general
condition of the grassland on Erub to be extremely variable. Large areas, generally on the
margins of vine forest communities are dominated by Lantana camara where they are mapped as
VC17b(e), or have been invaded by a range of colonising native shrubs where they have been
represented as VC17b(r). Typical regenerating species include Micromelum minutum, Litsea
glutinosa, Cupaniopsis anacardioides, Wrightia pubescens subsp. penicillata, Melicope
peninsularis, Flagellaria indica, Jacquemontia paniculata, Annonaceae (DGF8739+), Abutilon
sp., Rubiaceae (DGF8741+), Thespesia populneoides, Ficus opposita, Barringtonia racemosa,
Atalaya sericopetala, Tabernaemontana orientalis, Morinda citrifolia, Clerodendron sp. and
Garuga floribunda var. floribunda. Exotics such as *Senna alata, *Calopogonium mucunoides,
*Sida retusa, *Sida rhombifolia, *Macroptilium atropurpurea, *Clitoria ternata and *Bambusa
spp. are frequent.
Considerable areas have also been subject to severe topsoil erosion which has thinned the ground
cover and these areas are represented as VC17b(s). In all cases, these communities have been
represented with remnant status. In the case of VC17b(e) and VC17b(s) remnant status has been
recognised given that an applied land management practice (i.e. appropriate fire regimes) is
capable of quickly re-establishing natural condition.
Native grassland communities on Mer Island were similar to those on Erub although they
generally demonstrated considerably more species diversity. At Site MU030, groundcover
composition was as follows; Mnesithea rottboellioides (40%), Themeda triandra (21%),
Imperata cylindrica (19%), Ipomoea pes-capre subsp. brasiliensis (13%), Premna dallachyana
(4%), Anisomeles malabrica (2%), Desmodium sp. (DGF8812+) (1%), Wedelia biflora (