Appendix 2 - Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems

3. Methods
3.1 Desktop Literature Review
A search of relevant literature and databases provided background information on the intensity
and results of previous survey, the presence and distribution of vegetation communities and flora
species in the broader region. Site data sourced from the Queensland Herbarium’s CORVEG
database provided information on the location of previous survey sites and data extracts sourced
from HERBRECS and the CORVEG database provided information on flora species distribution.
The method also included a review of previous studies completed by private organisations and
government agencies over relevant sections of the study area. Relevant publications included
project specific reports, state government biodiversity planning studies, regional management
strategies, as well as any useful academic studies.
A regional perspective of the vegetation communities across the Torres Strait Islands is limited to
the mapping carried out as part of the Cape York Peninsula Land Use Study (CYPLUS) in 1995
(Neldner and Clarkson 1995). This work produced pre-clearing mapping at 1: 250 000 scale
using Aerial Photograph Interpretation (API) only for islands north of Badu Island and a
combination of API and limited ground-truthing. Using the analysis of that work by Neldner
(1998), the regional analysis of vegetation prior to the current survey is as follows.
Table 1. Extent of amalgamated broad vegetation groups in the Torres Strait islands (Neldner 1998).
Amalgamated Broad Vegetation Groups
Area
(km 2 )
% of total
area
Corymbia/Eucalyptus spp. dominated woodlands, open-woodlands and
open-forests
231.7 25.9
Melaleuca spp. low open-woodlands, low woodlands and tall shrublands 105.0 11.7
Grasslands and grassy open-woodlands 59.7 6.7
Closed-forests (excluding mangroves) 156.1 17.5
Mangrove closed-forests 220.9 24.7
Heathlands 11.7 1.3
Other communities (littoral vegetation, sedgelands, saltpans and wetlands) 108.1 12.1
TOTAL 893.2 100.0
Table 2. Percentage and area of each structural formation in Torres Strait Islands (Neldner 1998)
Torres Strait Islands
Structural Formation No. of map
Area km 2 % of total area
Woodland
Low open-woodland
Tall woodland
Open woodland
Closed-forest
Open-heath
Open-forest
Closed-tussock grassland
Tussock grassland
Sparse-herbland
Low closed-forest
Low woodland
Low open-forest
Open-sedgeland
Tall shrubland
Lakes and lagoons
units
7
3
-
-
7
2
5
4
1
4
9
2
1
-
1
-
233.2
43.5
-
-
212.0
1.6
11.0
56.5
3.3
58.4
183.1
55.5
18.0
-
0.6
-
3d Environmental – Torres Strait Regional Ecosystem Mapping Project – August 2008
26.1
4.9
-
-
23.7
0.2
1.2
6.3
0.4
6.5
20.5
6.2
2.0
-
0.1
-
7