Regional ecosystem details for 12.8.1
| Regional ecosystem | 12.8.1 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 1, (2), (3), (6), (11.31), (7) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 12000 ha; Remnant 2021 10000 ha |
| Short description | Eucalyptus campanulata tall open forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks |
| Structure code | Tall Open Forest |
| Description | Eucalyptus campanulata tall open forest with shrubby to grassy understorey. Other canopy species include Eucalyptus microcorys, Syncarpia glomulifera subsp. glomulifera, E. acmenoides, Corymbia intermedia, E. carnea and E. resinifera. Patches of Eucalyptus pilularis sometimes present on ridges and crests. Occurs in high rainfall areas above 580 metres altitude on Cainozoic igneous rocks especially rhyolite. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 8b). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 12.8.1a: Eucalyptus montivaga open forest +/- Corymbia intermedia, E. pilularis. Occurs on elevated Cainozoic igneous rocks. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 8b). |
| Supplementary description | Ryan, T.S. (ed.) (2012); Bean et al. (1998), G19 |
| Protected areas | Main Range NP, Mount Barney NP, Lamington NP, Springbrook NP, Wrattens NP |
| Special values | 12.8.1: Habitat for threatened plant species including Acacia saxicola (E) and near threatened species including Acacia acrionastes, Hibbertia hexandra, H. monticola. This ecosystem is known to provide suitable habitat for koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). 12.8.1a: This ecosystem is known to provide suitable habitat for koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Summer to winter. INTENSITY: Plan for low to moderate. Unplanned occasional high intensity wildfire will occur. INTERVAL: 4-8 years maintains a healthy grassy system. 8-20 years for shrubby elements of understorey. Maintain longer fire intervals for Springbrook Plateau; these mainly non-grassy ecosystems should generally be left unburnt. INTERVAL_MIN: 4. INTERVAL_MAX: 20. STRATEGY: Aim for 40-60% mosaic burn. Except for non-grassy versions of this RE, disturbance is needed to maintain RE structure (eucalypt overstorey with open understorey of predominantly non-rainforest species). ISSUES: Both grassy and non-grassy versions of the ecosystems exist; these different versions occur in varying proportion depending on location (e.g., on the Springbrook Plateau the non-grassy types are predominant). Where this RE occurs on rhyolite it tends to develop a shrubby wet sclerophyll understorey, while on porphyritic basalt it develops a shrubby to grassy understorey. Longer fire intervals will maintain shrubby understorey, while frequent fire will keep more mesic species low in the profile of the understorey so that other species can compete. On Springbrook Plateau this RE should generally be managed as a wet sclerophyll that would have a very long fire interval and left unburnt so that the more mesic species (many of these on Springbrook are at limit of distribution or endemic) can develop in the understorey. It is essential that wildfires are not the sole source of fire in this ecosystem. High intensity fires occur periodically through time, however frequent low to moderate intensity fires will create the disturbance required to keep the understorey diverse. A follow-up burn, soon after a high intensity wildfire, can be considered, to reduce germinating/resprouting mesic species. |
| Comments | 12.8.1: Mostly restricted to Scenic Rim. 12.8.1a: Elevated areas north of Toowoomba. |
1 Estimated extent is from version 13.1 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.
