Appendix 2 - Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems

Recommendations

Info

5.2.75 Regional Ecosystem 3.12.36 (New RE) Preliminary Description: Evergreen to complex evergreen mesophyll to notophyll vine forest and thicket on mountain ranges of Torres Strait Islands. Status: Of Concern Vegetation Communities: 1a, 1e, 1f, 1b, 1g, 1h Reference Sites: 3 Secondary (DA20, MO82, MO150) A new RE has been erected to accommodate evergreen vine forest and thicket communities of the Torres Strait Islands. Representation of vine forests is provided by VC1a, VC1e and VC1f, being thes most luxuriant development of vine forest in the island group and are assigned to the subtype RE3.12.36a. A number of evergreen vine thicket communities are also described under this classification, recognised under the sub-type RE3.12.6b. On Cape York Peninsula, evergreen forest on granitic upper slopes is recognised on Mt Cook and south into the ranges of the northern Wet Tropics Bioregion, on upland areas of the Melville Range, and on the granitic uplands of the McIlwraith Range. The communities recognised in the study area display significant floristic differences to the previously described Cape York RE’s and warrant individual recognition. These communities are mapped on a number of the more mountainous islands including Moa, Dauan, and Mt. Adolphus. Vegetation Community 1a: Vegetation Community 1a is mapped on the steep upper boulder slopes of Mt Cornwallis on Dauan Island where it forms an evergreen notophyll vine forest. The canopy is relatively low at 15 to 25m height and is windswept in exposed locations. Dominant canopy species include Ganophyllum falcatum, Arytera divaricata, Mangifera indica, Ficus microcarpa, Alstonia spectabilis, Celtis paniculata, Syzygium puberulum, Calophyllum sil, Buchanania arborescens, Dysoxylum oppositifolium, Acmenospermum claviflorum, Schefflera actinophylla, Endiandra impressicosta, Cryptocarya cunninghamii and Ficus destruens. Amongst the sub-canopy species, Garcinia warrenii, Endiandra impressicosta, Garcinia dulcis, Cupaniopsis anacardioides, Aglaia elaeagnoidea and Ficus virens var. sublanceolata were frequent. The shrub layer and ground cover was relatively complex with associated species including Pleomele angustifolia, Capparis lucida, Haplosticanthus fruticosus, Zanthoxylum rhetsa, Macaranga tanarius, Litsea glutinosa, Leea indica, Memecylon pauciflorum, Archidendron grandiflorum, Ptychosperma macarthurii, Trophis scandens, Chionanthus ramiflora, Glycosmis trifoliata, Alectryon repandodentatus (E), and Smilax australis. Epiphytes, climbing epiphytes and ferns are particularly abundant in response to the permanently moist upland environment with ferns such as Nephrolepis biserrata, Drynaria qeurcifolia, Drynaria sparsisora and Pyrrosia longifolia. Epiphyic orchids are a feature together with abundant Hoya and Dischidia species. The RE provides the only known ‘Australian’ habitat of Dischidia littoralis (Vulnerable NCA) (Forster and Liddle 1993) which was recollected on the survey (and also from Mabuiag Island). The record of Alectryon repandodentatus (Endangered NCA, Vulnerable IUCN) in the shrub layer is significant, being an extension of range and habitat for a species otherwise previously known in Australian territory only from the basaltic eastern islands and Lockerbie (Cape York) although it is widespread in PNG (see Conn et al. 2006+). The prominence of Mangifera indica (Mango) in the upper stratum of this forest also requires mention, as the species appears to be long established and naturalised. Information from traditional owners on Dauan Island suggests that the species was established as a potential food source for when under attack, the population retreated to the mountain tops. 3d Environmental – Torres Strait Regional Ecosystem Mapping Project – August 2008 160
Photograph 170. Evergreen notophyll vine forest near the summit of Mt Cornwallis. The boulder covered in epiphytes is typical. Vegetation Community 1e: Vegetation Community 1e which was sampled at Site MO82 occurs on the footslopes of Banks Peak (Moa Island), occupying often steep sheltered slopes with southern aspect and formed on coarse biotite granite. Weathering of the granite has produced a well-drained and relatively fertile sandy loam soil which has favoured development of a welldeveloped mesophyll vine forest. The canopy has a height range of 23 to 35m with the dominant species being Myristica insipida, Dysoxylum latifolium, Cryptocarya cunninghamii, Sterculia shillinglawii subsp. shillinglawii and Calophyllum sil. Canopy sub dominants include Maranthes corymbosa, Semecarpus australiensis, Aglaia tomentosa, Mimusops elengi, Buchanania arborescens, Aidia racemosa and Endiandra glauca. Sub-canopy species are typified by Endiandra glauca, Cryptocarya cunninghamii, Sterculia shillinglawii subsp. shillinglawii, Carallia brachiata, Cryptocarya hypospodia, Arenga australasica (V), Calophyllum sil, Psydrax sp. (DGF8955+), Epipremum pinnatum, and Entada rheedii. Photograph 171. Arenga australasica is prominent in the sub canopy and shrub layers in VC1e (Site MO083). Shrub layers are relatively well-developed and diverse with a complex array of species which include Arenga australasica (V), Ptychosperma macarthurii, Hydriastele wendlandiana, Flagellaria indica, Cryptocarya cunninghamii, Psydrax sp. (DGF8955+), Sterculia shillinglawii subsp. shillinglawii (R), Aglaia tomentosa, Calophyllum sil, Endiandra glauca, Cryptocarya hypospodia, Arytera divaricata, Dysoxylum latifolium, Smilax calophylla, Archidendron hirsutum 3d Environmental – Torres Strait Regional Ecosystem Mapping Project – August 2008 161
Page 1 and 2:
Vegetation Communities and Regional
Page 3 and 4:
Acknowledgments This project was fu
Page 5 and 6:
5.2.6 Regional Ecosystem 3.1.7 (New
Page 7 and 8:
1. Introduction Three (3)d Environm
Page 9 and 10:
Waral Kawa (Deliverance) Is. ARAFUR
Page 11 and 12:
Photograph 1. A deflation scar in t
Page 13 and 14:
3. Methods 3.1 Desktop Literature R
Page 15 and 16:
Plant taxonomy and distributional d
Page 17 and 18:
Table 5. Site survey effort in Stag
Page 19 and 20:
Legend Quaternary Ugar (Stephens) I
Page 21 and 22:
TORRES 0 5 10 15 20 N O T E : S Kil
Page 23 and 24:
3.4 Field Survey Procedure The exec
Page 25 and 26:
Queensland’s Vegetation Managemen
Page 27 and 28:
3.6 Scale of Survey In vegetation s
Page 29 and 30:
cover on both satellite formats cre
Page 31 and 32:
structural variations have been dif
Page 33 and 34:
Vegetation Community Description se
Page 35 and 36:
Vegetation Community Description Ge
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Regional Ecosystem Component Vegeta
Page 43 and 44:
Regional Ecosystem 3.3.14b 7fs 3.3.
Page 45 and 46:
Regional Ecosystem 3.12.20 3.12.21a
Page 47 and 48:
5.1.3 Land Zone 3 Difficulties with
Page 49 and 50:
corestones above the surface of wha
Page 51 and 52:
Zone classification more robust. Th
Page 53 and 54:
The mapping of VC24a as a complex r
Page 55 and 56:
Photograph 11. Mangrove woodland do
Page 57 and 58:
also forms a component of VC26b, ma
Page 59 and 60:
Eleocharis dulcis often with an eva
Page 61 and 62:
Photograph 20. The broken canopy ty
Page 63 and 64:
of Heritiera littoralis, Xylocarpus
Page 65 and 66:
Acacia crassicarpa woodland (RE3.2.
Page 67 and 68:
Photograph 29. Open forest with dom
Page 69 and 70:
5.2.11 Regional Ecosystem 3.2.5 Des
Page 71 and 72:
Vegetation Community 14t/16c: This
Page 73 and 74:
Photograph 39. Maximum development
Page 75 and 76:
5.2.14 Regional Ecosystem 3.2.8 Pho
Page 77 and 78:
5.2.15 Regional Ecosystem 3.2.10c D
Page 79 and 80:
are similarly sparse, dominated by
Page 81 and 82:
are also mapped on Badu Island wher
Page 83 and 84:
community where it is mapped as com
Page 85 and 86:
5.2.23 Regional Ecosystem 3.2.27 De
Page 87 and 88:
5.2.26 Regional Ecosystem 3.3.5c De
Page 89 and 90:
Photograph 61. Tall notophyll fores
Page 91 and 92:
5.2.29 Regional Ecosystem 3.3.9 Des
Page 93 and 94:
5.2.30 Regional Ecosystem 3.3.10 De
Page 95 and 96:
glauca, Rhodamnia macrocarpa, Sterc
Page 97 and 98:
occurs on drainage swamps, it has b
Page 99 and 100:
5.2.35 Regional Ecosystem 3.3.20c P
Page 101 and 102:
5.2.37 Regional Ecosystem 3.3.27 Ph
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Photograph 85. Shrubland dominated
Page 107 and 108:
Photograph 88. Low woodland/shrubla
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
RE is supported, which provides som
Page 115 and 116: Photograph 99. Maximum development
Page 117 and 118: 5.2.47 Regional Ecosystem 3.3.70 (N
Page 119 and 120: not differentiated from the broader
Page 121 and 122: Photograph 106. Vegetation Communit
Page 123 and 124: 5.2.52 Regional Ecosystem 3.5.19a D
Page 125 and 126: 5.2.54 Regional Ecosystem 3.5.29 De
Page 127 and 128: That this community is marginal to
Page 129 and 130: Photograph 117. Grassland community
Page 131 and 132: Vegetation Community 2j: Vegetation
Page 133 and 134: Pandanus sp, contribute roughly equ
Page 135 and 136: distinctive structural components.
Page 137 and 138: canopy species in most locations, a
Page 139 and 140: Photograph 131. Lighter coloured cr
Page 141 and 142: 5.2.63 Regional Ecosystem 3.12.13 P
Page 143 and 144: Photograph 137. Low rise in acid vo
Page 145 and 146: exposed to prevailing trade winds a
Page 147 and 148: Photograph 142. Vine Thicket Commun
Page 149 and 150: Vegetation Community 2x: A represen
Page 151 and 152: 5.2.69 Regional Ecosystem 3.12.29 P
Page 153 and 154: The extensive mosaic of grassland a
Page 155 and 156: Photograph 155. Shrubland community
Page 157 and 158: extent of this community greatly re
Page 159 and 160: Photograph 161. Bare pavements with
Page 161 and 162: Vegetation Community 2h: This commu
Page 163 and 164: idgelines, Acacia polystachya may f
Page 165: It is envisaged, as is the general
Page 169 and 170: This habitat is unique in the natio
Page 171 and 172: canopy forms a poorly defined strat
Page 173 and 174: Vegetation Community 5u: Similar to
Page 175 and 176: 5.3 Retrospective Classifications L
Page 177 and 178: RE: Native Regrowth Communities: Na
Page 179 and 180: 5.5 Other Classifications Areas Rep
Page 181 and 182: Regional Ecosystem Pre-clearing Are
Page 183 and 184: clarksoniana, Eucalyptus brassiana
Page 185 and 186: This includes 196 (15%) naturalised
Page 187 and 188: Species Island Ipomoea hederifolia
Page 189 and 190: Table 16. Summary of survey records
Page 191 and 192: Species Known Distribution Survey R
Page 193 and 194: Photograph 187. Regrowth mangrove s
Page 195 and 196: Saibai Island grasslands and other
Page 197 and 198: 10. Bibliography Abrahams, H., Mulv
Page 199 and 200: Galloway, R. W. and E. Löffler (19
Page 201 and 202: University, Darwin, Australia. 13-1
Page 203 and 204: Client Scale Legend Evergreen vine
Page 205 and 206: Melaleuca dominant open forests Cli
Page 207 and 208: Legend Successional vine forest com
Page 209 and 210: Legend - Land Zones of the Torres S
Page 211 and 212: Family_Name Botanical_Name BRI C’
Page 217 and 218:
Family_Name Botanical_Name BRI C’
Page 219 and 220:
Page 221 and 222:
Page 223 and 224:
Page 225 and 226:
Page 227 and 228:
Page 229 and 230:
Page 231 and 232:
Page 233 and 234:
Page 235 and 236:
Page 237 and 238:
Page 239 and 240:
show all

Appendix 2 - Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?