Regional ecosystem details for 3.2.28
| Regional ecosystem | 3.2.28 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Of concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | Endangered |
| Subregion | 3, 2, 4, (5), (9) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 800 ha; Remnant 2021 600 ha |
| Short description | Semi-deciduous notophyll vine forest on beach ridges, coral atolls, shingle cays and sand cays |
| Structure code | Closed Forest |
| Description | Semi-deciduous notophyll vine forest often with Manilkara kauki (Wongai plum), Millettia pinnata and Terminalia spp. Restricted to beach ridges on the coral atolls, shingle cays and sand cays. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 3a). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 3.2.28a: Semi-deciduous notophyll vine forest. Manilkara kauki (Wongai plum) is the most common dominant species. Mimusops elengi (tanjong), Erythrina variegata (bat wing coral tree), Eugenia reinwardtiana, Terminalia arenicola (brown damson), T. muelleri (Mueller's damson) and Gyrocarpus americanus may frequently be codominant canopy trees. A sparse subcanopy and/or shrublayer sometimes occurs and can include canopy species, Diospyros spp., Micromelum minutum and Exocarpos latifolius. Abrus precatorius is a common vine. The ground layer is very sparse and composed of a variable mix of herb and graminoid species. Restricted to beach ridges on the coral atolls, shingle cays and sand cays. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 3a). 3.2.28b: Semi-deciduous notophyll vine forest. Dominant species include Manilkara kauki, Drypetes deplanchei, Diospyros maritima, Aglaia elaeagnoidea, Millettia pinnata and Erythrina variegata. A mid-dense subcanopy and/or shrublayer often contains canopy species plus Micromelum minutum. The sparse ground layer mostly contains seedlings of canopy species. Restricted to beach ridges on continental islands, coral atolls, shingle cays and sand cays. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 3a). |
| Protected areas | Lizard Island NP, Yamarrinh Wachangan Islands (Denham Group) NP (CYPAL), Three Islands Group NP, Wuthathi (Saunders Islands) NP (CYPAL), Possession Island NP, Flinders Group NP (CYPAL), Howick Group NP (CYPAL), Marpa National Park (CYPAL) |
| Special values | 3.2.28: Potential habitat for NCA listed species: Syzygium aqueum. |
| Fire management guidelines | INTERVAL: Fire return interval not relevant. INTERVAL_MIN: 100. INTERVAL_MAX: 100. STRATEGY: Protection relies on broad-scale management of surrounding country with numerous small fires throughout the year so that wildfires will be very limited in extent. ISSUES: Fire sensitive vegetation type. |
| Comments | 3.2.28: Included in Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Vine Thickets ecological community protected under the Commonwealth's EPBC act (1999). Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait Islands. 3.2.28a: Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait Islands. 3.2.28b: Was previously mapped as 3.2.2b. Erythrina variegata forms the dominant canopy on Gaboy Island. This vegetation community supports the threatened species Dendrobium bigibbum (Cooktown Orchid), Psydrax reticulata and Alectryon repandodentatus. Torres Strait Islands. Communities where they occur on Tudu and Aureed islands are reported to have been heavily impacted by firewood harvesting for the trepang industry. |
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.
