DEPARTM ENT OF PRIM ARY INDUSTRIES, WATER AND ENVIRONM ENT From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Edited by S. Harris and A. Kitchener First Published 2005 Text © Government of Tasmania 2005 Published by: Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , GPO Box 44, Hobart Tasmania 7001 Edit ors: S. Harris and A. Kit chener Phot ographs © Individual phot ographers list ed Design: Graphic Services, Inf ormat ion Land Services Division Images on t he cover, end and chapt er t it le pages are f rom original draw ings in t he DPIWE collect ion, by Georgina Davis. This book is subject t o copyright . Apart f rom any use permit t ed under t he Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendment s, no part may be reproduced by any means or processes w hat soever w it hout t he prior w rit t en permission of t he publisher and creat ors. The Crow n does not accept legal responsibilit y f or t he accuracy, complet eness, or relevance t o t he user’s purpose, of t he inf ormat ion herein and t hose using it f or w hat ever purpose are advised t o verif y it w it h t he Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment or ot her relevant source and t o obt ain any appropriat e prof essional advice. From f orest t o f jaeldmark : descript ions of Tasmania’s veget at ion. Includes index. ISBN 0 7246 6364 9. Copyright © 2005 Crow n in right of St at e of Tasmania. 1. Plant s–Tasmania–Ident if icat ion. 2. Plant communit ies–Tasmania. 3. Veget at ion monit oring–Tasmania. 4. Veget at ion mapping–Tasmania. 5. Plant conservat ion–Tasmania. I. Harris, St ephen. II.Kit chener, Anne. III. Tasmania. Dept . of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment . 581.9946 Cit e as: Harris, S and Kit chener, A (2005). From Forest t o Fjaeldmark: Descript ions of Tasmania’s Veget at ion. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Print ing Aut horit y of Tasmania. Hobart Edit orial assist ance provided by: Cassie St rain Zöe M agnus Vivienne M aw son Nepelle Temby Sophie Underw ood Updat es: For updat es on any inf ormat ion in t his book, please f ollow t he links f rom w w w.dpiw e.t as.gov.au t o t he TASVEG page. Contents Page iv Acknow ledgments v Contributors to the text vi Forew ord 7 Chapter 1 Introduction 11 Chapter 2 Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping 12 Hist ory of Tasmanian veget at ion mapping 14 TASVEG Version 1.0 16 Summary 19 Chapter 3 20 Climat e 21 Geology, geomorphology and soils 22 Humans and f ire 25 Chapter 4 26 List of mapping unit s 29 Explanat ion of f ormat 32 Int ersect ional key 34 The descript ions 34 Highland t reeless veget at ion 52 Scrub, heat hland and coast al complexes 116 M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peat land 146 Rainf orest and relat ed scrub 186 Ot her nat ural environment s 194 Agricult ural, urban and exot ic veget at ion 214 Dry eucalypt f orest and w oodland 300 Non-eucalypt f orest and w oodland 334 Wet eucalypt f orest and w oodland 380 Nat ive grassland 398 Salt marsh and w et land 416 Glossary and Abbreviations 424 Appendix 1 Charact erist ics of some f orest and w oodland def init ions 425 Appendix 2 Table of equivalence bet w een TASVEG ecological veget at ion communit ies and RFA f orest communit ies 428 Index Geographical and Environmental Context The Vegetation Descriptions Acknow ledgments The beginning of TASVEG (an int egrat ed veget at ion map f or Tasmania) coincided w it h t he f irst round of f unding f rom t he Aust ralian Government ’s Nat ural Herit age Trust . It originat ed as a proposal developed by DPIWE and t he t hen Environment Aust ralia. M r M ike Askey-Doran, M r Pet er Bosw ort h, Dr M ick Brow n, M r St eve Casey, M r Fred Duncan, M s Louise Gilf edder, Dr Gint aras Kant vilas, Prof . Jamie Kirkpat rick, M r Andy Nort h, Dr Richard Barnes, M s Penny Wells, M r David Pet ers, M r Colin Reed and M s Karen Ziegler provided t echnical advice in t he early st ages of t he project . TASVEG mapping incorporat ed t w o set s of veget at ion mapping. World Herit age Area mapping w as init iat ed and supervised by M s Jayne Balmer and Dr Jennie Whinam f rom t he end of 1989. M rs Sib Corbet t complet ed much of t his, w it h cont ribut ions by M s Rachel M ackie, M s M elinda Lambourne and Prof . Jamie Kirkpat rick. The f orest communit ies mapped during t he st udies (Comprehensive Regional Assessment ), leading t o Tasmania’s Regional Forest Agreement , provided t he basis f or anot her major component of t he mapping and t he cont ribut ions t o t hat mapping are acknow ledged separat ely in Environment and Herit age Report Volume II. Background Report Part C (1996). The veget at ion scient ist s w it hin DPIWE on w hom t he new Tasmanian veget at ion mapping program f undament ally depended, included: Dr M at t hew Appleby, M r Paul Black, M rs Sib Corbet t , M rs Helen Craw f ord (nee M cKenny), M s Joanna Edw ards, M r Robbie Gaff ney, M s Felicit y Hargraves, M s Anne M cEnt ee, Dr David Rankin, M rs Liz Quinn, Dr Richard Schahinger, and M r David St orey. Ot hers have cont ribut ed mapping t hrough ot her sources such as t he Privat e Forest Reserve Program, consult ant ’s report s and local government veget at ion planning report s. iv From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The veget at ion descript ions t hat f orm t he bulk of t his book have involved many cont ribut ors over a long period and it is diff icult t o at t ribut e most of t hese clearly t o one or t w o or even a f ew individuals. Those w ho have made a subst ant ial cont ribut ion t o t he t ext are list ed separat ely. Dr Anne Kit chener began t he major t ask of document ing descript ions of mapping cat egories, blending t he f ield observat ions of t he mappers w it h inf ormat ion f rom current lit erat ure and expert advice. M embers of t he TASVEG Scient if ic Advisory Commit t ee and t he M apping Users Ref erence Group are t hanked f or t heir considerable input and advice. In part icular t he w ork by t he Scient if ic Advisory Commit t ee, t hrough a series of w orkshops convened by M rs Liz Quinn, w as invaluable in improving our document at ion of t he mapping unit descript ions and keys. Const ruct ive comment s w ere also received f rom M s Penny Wells, M s Fiona Wells, M r St ephen Waight , M rs Naomi Law rence, Dr Phil Bell, Dr Richard Barnes, M r Chris Grose and M r Ian Household. M r M art in St one, M s Anit a Wild and Dr M ick Brow n ref ereed an earlier draf t of t his w ork and provided det ailed and const ruct ive comment s t hat prof oundly inf luenced t he current book. M s Gina Donnelly in t he Inf ormat ion Land Services Division, DPIWE, cheerf ully shouldered responsibilit y f or t he huge t ask of layout and design of t his book. Contributors to the text M atthew Appleby DPIWE, Conservat ion Policy & Planning Branch, Hobart Gintaras Kantvilas Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian M useum and Art Gallery, Hobart M ike Askey-Doran DPIWE, Land M anagement Branch, Hobart Naomi Law rence DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart Jayne Balmer DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart M ark Neyland Forest ry Tasmania, M elville St , Hobart Richard Barnes Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Pat rick St , Hobart Andrew North Nort h, Barker & Associat es, Nort h Hobart Phil Bell DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart Tom Pollard School of Geography & Environment al St udies, Universit y of Tasmania Stew art Blackhall DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart M ick Brow n Taroona Stephen Casey DPIWE, Conservat ion Policy & Planning Branch, Hobart Liz Quinn DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart David Rankin Aust ralian Bureau of St at ist ics, Hobart Richard Schahinger Sout h Hobart Sib Corbett DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart Nepelle Temby DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart Helen Craw ford DPIWE, Privat e Forest Reserve Program, Hobart M icah Visoiu DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart Phil Cullen West Hobart Jennie Whinam DPIWE, Biodiversit y Conservat ion Branch, Hobart Fred Duncan Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Pat rick St , Hobart Allison Woolley DPIWE, Conservat ion Policy & Planning Branch, Hobart Nicholas Fitzgerald Sout h Hobart Robbie Gaffney DPIWE, Privat e Forest Reserve Program, Hobart Karen Ziegler Low er Longley Louise Gilfedder DPIWE, Conservat ion Policy & Planning Branch, Hobart John Hickey Forest ry Tasmania, M elville St , Hobart Sue Jennings Forest ry Tasmania, Smit ht on Chapter 1 Introduction v Forew ord Aust ralia’s Nat ional Framew ork f or t he M anagement and M onit oring of Aust ralia’s Nat ive Veget at ion st at ed t hat “ Veget at ion mapping is arguably one of t he most valuable inf ormat ion requirement s f or conservat ion planning and nat ural resource management . Veget at ion mapping provides an underst anding of veget at ion t ypes and ext ent . Veget at ion maps also provide an import ant resource f or answ ering quest ions at local, regional, st at e, and nat ional scales.” The Tasmanian Government made a commit ment in 2001 t o cont inue support t o a veget at ion mapping program t hat began as a joint Tasmanian and Commonw ealt h Nat ural Herit age Trust Project . The f ruit of t his commit ment is a 1:25 000 scale, veget at ion map of Tasmania (TASVEG) suff icient f or nat ural resource management planning f rom t he regional t o t he nat ional level. TASVEG is w idely used and is under cont inual revision and improvement . The Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment is commit t ed t o providing reliable inf ormat ion resources t hat can inf orm land resource assessment s, assist environment al report ing, support nat ive veget at ion conservat ion programs on privat e land and assist st rat egic research. Part of t his undert aking is ensuring t hat t he inf ormat ion is w ell document ed, reliable, as accurat e as possible, and accessible. The signif icance of good qualit y dat a and veget at ion mapping is underscored by a recommendat ion of t he Aust ralian Government Product ivit y Commission Inquiry int o t he Impact s of Nat ive Veget at ion and Biodiversit y Regulat ions in 2004. The Commission, singling out veget at ion mapping, recommended t hat across Aust ralia “ ongoing eff ort s are required t o improve t he qualit y of dat a and science on w hich nat ive veget at ion and biodiversit y policy decisions are based” . vi From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This import ant book mainly comprises veget at ion descript ions f or t he ecological veget at ion communit ies on t he TASVEG map. The map is available as a base layer f rom t he Land Inf ormat ion Syst em Tasmania (LIST). I expect a broad range of Tasmania’s veget at ion pract it ioners w ill ref er t o t his book f requent ly t o remind t hemselves of t he def init ions of part icular veget at ion communit ies. This book aims t o minimise ambiguit y and conf usion w hen veget at ion-mapping cat egories (ecological veget at ion communit ies) are described. The met hods used t o compile t he St at e-w ide map are described. M ore det ailed inf ormat ion about t echnical and administ rat ive prot ocols used in Tasmania’s veget at ion mapping program are available f rom t he Depart ment . I ant icipat e t hat TASVEG w ill cont inue t o be w idely used and recognised, t o be cont inually updat ed and improved, and t o be easily accessible. M y vision is t hat TASVEG w ill provide an aut horit at ive veget at ion dat aset at a landmanagement scale, maint ained in a t ransparent and credible w ay by t rust ed cust odians, accredit ed t o mult iple purposes and available t o diverse users. Kim Evans Secret ary, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment . Chapter 1 Development of Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Introduction The principal aim of t his book is t o describe t he classif icat ion of mapping unit s, including ecological veget at ion communit ies used in TASVEG. How ever, t he hist orical cont ext of veget at ion mapping in Tasmania (Chapt er 2) is import ant because t he TASVEG map originat es f rom several mapping processes. An underst anding of t hese is necessary t o appreciat e how t he mapping in Version 1.0 has been int egrat ed. A brief descript ion of Tasmania’s biophysical environment (Chapt er 3) is given f or t he benef it of mapping users out side t he St at e. This w ill not duplicat e t he excellent publicat ions already exist ing, such as Veget at ion of Tasmania (Reid et al. 1999), t o w hich serious users of veget at ion mapping w ould be advised t o ref er f or addit ional inf ormat ion. publicat ions being produced t o support and explain t he f undament al nat ural resource inf ormat ion being developed and maint ained in Tasmania. The descript ion of each of t he 158 mapping unit s, most of t hem ecological veget at ion communit ies, f orm t he bulk of t his book and w ill be an essent ial ref erence f or t hose seeking t o int erpret t he mapping. The f ormat of t hese descript ions is consist ent , descript ive and crossref erenced w it h relevant lit erat ure and ot her processes. A phot ograph of each communit y is included t o assist t he user t o visualise t he communit y t ype. Each descript ion includes an example localit y, dist inguishing f eat ures and similar t ypes, a t humbnail dist ribut ion map, a list of t he bioregions in w hich t he communit y occurs, t he sit e charact erist ics, habit at and ecology, t he composit ion and st ruct ure of t he communit y and equivalent f lorist ic communit ies. Each of t hese sub-headings in t he descript ion is explained in more det ail at t he beginning of Chapt er 4. All t he mapping unit s are grouped in t his chapt er under 11 headings t hat ref lect major broad veget at ion t ypes or landscape t ypes. A key is provided f or det ermining w hich of t he 11 sect ions w ill cont ain t he descript ion being sought (page 32). The scale of t he mapping has import ant implicat ions. The 1:25 000 scale of t he current mapping is considered very det ailed f or most purposes. M aps are generalisat ions how ever, and must be used appropriat ely on t he ground. An experienced veget at ion scient ist w ould t ake a 1:25 000 map int o t he f ield and f ind it a usef ul guide. Experienced w orkers w ill appreciat e t hat veget at ion pat t erns change according t o t he scale of mapping and t hat draw ing a line bet w een communit ies is an exercise in judgement , not one alw ays f ollow ing a clear demarcat ion in t he veget at ion, part icularly w here t here is a gradual t ransit ion f rom one veget at ion communit y t o anot her. The procedures underpinning t he veget at ion mapping process, including it s GIS processes, are described in a separat e t echnical manual. M any improvement s have been made in t he mapping since it began. This book is one of a range of 8 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Veget at ion can be classif ied t o produce veget at ion maps, w hich assist in making sense of a complex cont inua. The imposit ion of boundaries t o delimit ecological veget at ion communit ies is a t ask requiring not only skilled prof essional judgement , but also a discipline t hat can apply a pre-det ermined set of cat egories on t he veget at ion layer. The t heory and pract ise of veget at ion mapping has been t reat ed ext ensively elsew here (Kuchler 1967, Kirkpat rick and Dickinson 1986), but some import ant principles are out lined below. The t erms mosaic and complex are used occasionally t o describe mapping unit s t hat may be made up of small pat ches of diff erent ecological veget at ion communit ies t hat f ell below t he t hreshold t o easily map at 1:25 000 scale. The t erms as used mean t he same t hing. The highly variable pat t erning of veget at ion t ypes ref erred t o as a complex or a mosaic can be due t o rapid changes in t opography and drainage over short dist ances (Heat hland scrub complex at Wingaroo, SCW ) or a complicat ed f ire hist ory leading t o int ricat e f ire pat t erning (Scrub complex on King Island, SSK). M apping t he Tasmanian veget at ion has been an it erat ive, as w ell as a gradual process, and more ref inement is expect ed in t he f ut ure. This book is a f undament al resource f or t hose pract it ioners w orking on Tasmania’s veget at ion and using TASVEG, t he St at e’s veget at ion map. Ot her publicat ions w ill cover t he support ing t echnical, and procedural document at ion and prot ocols f or maint aining, revising and providing access f or t he map. This is a t echnical document designed f or veget at ion w orkers in government and privat e indust ry, including NRM land management specialist s, and conservat ion planners. It does not pret end t o be accessible in underst anding f or t hose w it hout some scient if ic or t echnical background. If you are doubt f ul about int erpret at ion of veget at ion communit ies, you should seek expert advice. If f inal arbit rat ion is required, t he user should cont act t he Coordinat or of t he Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Program in DPIWE. This book provides a summary of each of the mapping units, but in the absence of this during much of the work done so far, the delimitation of vegetation communities has relied on individual perceptions of the vegetation mappers. Whilst moderation exercises were held through joint field trips, there inevitably have been some differences in interpretation in the absence of a guide like the present one. The understanding of how open woodlands, woodlands and forests are defined, for example, has also varied. In the preparation of the present work, we are mindful that we must describe the communities in a way that gives clear and unambiguous guidance to those in the native vegetation sector that require it. At the same time, we are conscious of the need to reflect the composition of the current vegetation map (TASVEG 1.0 at the time of writing). This has meant making some ecological vegetation community descriptions slightly more general in places than we might have otherwise expressed them if we were writing them at t he beginning of a new mapping program. Thus t he present w ork at t empt s t o describe w hat has previously been mapped, but also t o set t he paramet ers of mapping unit s clearly enough t hat t hey can be unambiguously dist inguished. This book is intended to reinforce stability for the mapping units but improvements are inevitable. Therefore, users should not be dismayed by the minor differences they will find between the names on the TASVEG 1.0 map and in this book. Some names were modified slightly for this book subsequent to the map release. For example: Lowland Themeda grassland (GTL) becomes Lowland Themeda triandra grassland (GTL) and Acacia melanoxylon on rises (NAR) becomes Acacia melanoxylon forest on rises (NAR) The current mapping unit descript ions t heref ore ref lect current mapping as w ell as providing a guide t o cont inued mapping. There is plent y of scope f or f urt her improvement in t he def init ions of mapping unit s and t his is part of t he ongoing business of t he Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Program. Ref erences and f urt her reading Brow n, M .J. (2005) Def init ions of f orest and w oodland in Tasmania. Report t o Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment . Limit ed dist ribut ion. Unpublished. Kirkpat rick, J.B. and Dickinson, K.J.M . (1986) Achievement s, concept s and conf lict s in Aust ralian small-scale veget at ion mapping. Aust ralian Geographic St udies. 24, 222–243 Kuchler, A.W. (1967) Veget at ion M apping. Roland Press, New York. Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. and Hovenden, M .J. (1999) Eds. Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. M onot one, Hobart Chapter 1 Introduction 9 10 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Chapter 2 Development of Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping Int roduct ion In t his Chapt er t he hist orical cont ext of veget at ion mapping in Tasmania is described. This is import ant because t he composit e TASVEG map has it s origin in several mapping processes. An underst anding of t hese is necessary t o appreciat e how t he f inal mapping has been int egrat ed and it s inf luence on t he composit ion of veget at ion communit ies described in t his book. This account of TASVEG mapping w ill only brief ly cover t he met hods relat ing t o t he diff erent mapping processes. A det ailed t echnical manual relat ing t o t he TASVEG mapping w ill be produced separat ely. Hist ory of Tasmanian veget at ion mapping The earliest veget at ion maps know n f or Tasmania are simple sket ches of part icular regions. In 1962, a German phyt ogeographer published a veget at ion map based on a brief reconnaissance of t he St at e (Schw einf urt h 1962). Follow ing t his Davies (1964) published a veget at ion map. These preparat ions had not been used t o guide conservat ion planning in t he current sense, but indicat ed broad pat t erns t hat may have been applied t o very general economic and agricult ural uses. Det ailed conservat ion planning based on veget at ion communit ies commenced w it h publicat ion of Jackson (In Specht et al. 1974). This included w hat w as t hen a monument al assessment of t he veget at ion t ypes in all t he nat ional parks of each st at e. Jackson carried out t he est imat e of veget at ion t ypes and t heir areas in Tasmania’s nat ional parks f or t his w ork. By t he mid 1970’s, w it h t he appoint ment of a phyt ogeographer in t he Universit y of Tasmania, det ailed veget at ion maps began t o be published w it h accompanying ecological process analysis (e.g. Kirkpat rick 1977, Harris and Kirkpat rick 1982). 12 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The f irst det ailed compilat ion f or a St at e veget at ion map based on air phot o int erpret at ion w as carried out by Kirkpat rick and Dickinson and published by t he Forest ry Commission (now Forest ry Tasmania) in 1984. This cont ained 49 veget at ion mapping communit ies. It w as used as t he basis f or conservat ion planning at a crit ical phase in t he expansion of t he Tasmanian reserve syst em. For example, it w as a key inf ormat ion source in t he report of t he Commission of Enquiry int o t he Lemont hyme and Sout hern Forest s (Depart ment of t he Art s, Sport , t he Environment , Tourism and Territ ories 1988), w hich led t o an expansion of t he World Herit age Area. M any ot her examples can be cit ed (Kirkpat rick and Brow n 1994, Pannell 1992, Williams 1989, and Wells 1989). Concurrent w it h convent ional veget at ion mapping, t he Forest ry Commission had, since 1947, been carrying out det ailed f orest st ruct ural mapping (or PI t yping) providing reliable inf ormat ion about t ree height s, grow t h st age, condit ion and crow n densit ies of eucalypt st and component s as a basis f or commercial f orest planning. Whilst PI maps generally do not at t empt t o ident if y species or veget at ion t ypes, broad f ormat ion-level cat egories dist inguish eucalypt s f rom acacias, rainf orest , scrub and agricult ural land cover (St one 1998). Some inf ormat ion crit ical t o veget at ion mapping arose f rom t his dat a source. For example, rainf orest dominat ed by myrt le w as accurat ely t yped and could be used in calculat ions of t he area of rainf orest in Tasmania (Hickey and Davis 1993) and rainf orest reserve planning (Hickey, et al. 1988). The Recommended Areas f or Prot ect ion (RAPs) process (Hickey and Brow n 1989) aimed t o capt ure represent at ive areas of f orest t ypes in reserves on public land. The veget at ion mapping of Dickinson and Kirkpat rick, supplement ed by t he more det ailed mapping cit ed above and f orest PI t yping w as it s basis. In 1997, a Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) w as signed f or Tasmania. The recommendat ions w ere based on det ailed scient if ic st udies carried out in a Comprehensive Regional Assessment f or Tasmania. An import ant part of t he process w as mapping of ecological f orest communit ies. The RFA Forest Communit ies M ap (1996) w as based on expert advice as t o mappable ecological f orest communit ies t hat could be a sensible basis f or f orest conservat ion planning. Once est ablished, RFA communit ies remained st able during t he course of t he mapping. This map used t he det ailed f orest PI t yping as it s basis, w it h rapid f ieldw ork by a t eam of veget at ion scient ist s and some modelling based on expert devised rule set s. The process is described in det ail in Tasmanian-Commonw ealt h Regional Forest Agreement Background Report Part C Environment and Herit age Report Volume 2 (1996). World Herit age Area (WHA) mapping began in 1989 using a synusia-based classif icat ion t hat t ook int o account diff erent veget at ion element s in t heir vert ical st ruct ure w it hin relat ively unif orm mapping unit s. The classif icat ion, described by Kirkpat rick (1990), w as lat er modif ied t o accommodat e diff erent veget at ion t ypes encount ered as t he project moved aw ay f rom exclusively alpine areas. Some 60 highly det ailed maps of t he east ern half of t he WHA, as w ell as some adjacent areas out side t he WHA, including M ount Field Nat ional Park, t he upper M ersey River, t he St at e Forest sect ion of t he Warra LTERM sit e and t he areas immediat ely nort h and w est of Cradle M t . are t he product of t his ‘WHA Complex’ mapping (Corbet t 1996). This mapping met hod has also been applied f or management purposes in some smaller areas peripheral t o t he WHA (part of t he St yx Valley, Cockle Creek) and elsew here. The met hod preserves inf ormat ion in t he cart ography on sub-dominant t axa and variat ions w it hin communit ies and w as based on aerial phot oint erpret at ion in conjunct ion w it h t horough f ield checking of bot h f orest and t reeless veget at ion. Due t o t he high level of resources required f or t his met hod (Kirkpat rick 1997), it w as changed during t he course of t he WHA project t o allow f ast er mapping of t he remaining (w est ern) WHA as w ell as t he Cape Sorell Peninsula and St at e Forest around Lake Gordon. This ‘Post 2000 WHA’ mapping is communit y-based, more consist ent w it h t he RFA. WHA mapping began w it h no preliminary cat alogue of veget at ion cat egories t o map – t hese w ere added during t he course of t he w ork. Equal at t ent ion w as given t o f orest and t reeless communit ies. The present St at e veget at ion map, called TASVEG Version 1.0, originat ed in t he f irst round of t he Nat ural Herit age Trust (NHT) in 1998. From 1998-2001, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment received Nat ural Herit age Trust f unds t o produce a St at ew ide veget at ion map at 1:100 000 scale f ocussing on Tasmania’s t reeless veget at ion and complement ing mapping complet ed during t he St at e’s RFA process. A decision w as made at t he St at e level t o begin mapping at 1:25 000 scale, w hich w as considered t o be t he ideal scale f or Tasmania’s purposes. TASVEG Version 1.0 is a product of t he int egrat ion of 3 principal st reams of mapping; t hat deriving f rom t he St at e’s RFA process, WHA mapping and t he recent Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Program (TVM P) mapping of primarily non-f orest (including non-nat ive) veget at ion (TASVEG2000). The RFA mapping incorporat ed t he f orest mapping f rom t he WHA veget at ion mapping. The f irst t w o mapping st reams have been described above; a brief descript ion of TASVEG2000 mapping f ollow s. TASVEG2000 maps, produced at 1:25 000 scale, cover Tasmania’s t reeless veget at ion, and augment ed t he RFA mapping by mapping remnant f orest pat ches and open w oodlands. They are communit y-based veget at ion maps based on st ruct ural dominance in t he st yle of Specht et al. (1974). General underst orey charact erist ics are recorded f or each polygon. Veget at ion communit ies are commonly def ined by t he dominant species. Chapter 2 Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping 13 Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping TASVEG2000 maps relied heavily on t he use of t he digit al RFA map f or areas of f orest ed veget at ion, part icularly in t he earlier phase of t he TVM P, w hen t he f ocus of TASVEG2000 mapping w as on assigning t he gaps in t he RFA map t o non-f orest veget at ion cat egories, w it h very lit t le modif icat ion t o RFA polygon boundaries. During t his phase large sect ions of RFA mapping w ere import ed w it h limit ed or no alt erat ions. In lat er phases of TASVEG2000, t he principal changes t o RFA f orest map polygons w ere aerial PI-inst ruct ed changes t o polygon boundaries and reclassif icat ion of polygon at t ribut es on t he basis of veget at ion densit y. Reclassif icat ion of RFA f orest polygons t o ot her f orest or w oodland communit y t ypes and somet imes t o TASVEG2000 t reeless communit y t ypes also occurred, w here f ield w ork permit t ed bet t er access, or w here ot her accredit ed inf ormat ion w as available. The except ion t o t hese generalisat ions is t he TASVEG2000 mapping of t he West Coast Range and part s of t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau, w hich f ollow s met hods similar t o t hat used in Post 2000 WHA mapping, and w hose f orest mapping is reint erpret ed rat her t han being based on t he RFA map. The f ollow ing inf ormat ion is a brief summary of t he mapping met hod used in TASVEG2000 nonf orest veget at ion mapping. An underst anding of t he met hod, w here it relat es t o t he veget at ion classif icat ion syst em adopt ed and t he f inal suit e of veget at ion communit ies included in TASVEG Version 1.0, is necessary in underst anding t he pot ent ial uses and limit at ions of t he mapping. TASVEG2000 non-f orest mapping is largely based on aerial PI of t he nat ure, locat ion and ext ent of veget at ion communit ies. An expert panel of veget at ion scient ist s, t he Scient if ic Ref erence Group (SRG) and lat er t he TASVEG Scient if ic Advisory Commit t ee (SAC), w as consult ed on an appropriat e veget at ion classif icat ion t hat w ould provide mapping unit s f or non-f orest veget at ion t hat could be consist ent ly ident if ied using remot e sensing and aerial PI t echniques. A f ield14 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation based pilot st udy t est ed t he reliabilit y of t he remot e-sensing met hods in ident if ying a sample of veget at ion communit ies and ref inement of t he cat alogue of TASVEG2000 veget at ion communit ies ensued. Aerial PI w as assist ed by st rat egic f ield verif icat ion. In addit ion t o t he RFA Forest Communit ies M ap and f orest PI t yping, a range of ot her dat a sources w as used, w here available, t o increase reliabilit y of polygon at t ribut e inf ormat ion. Ot her qualit y veget at ion maps and point dat a w ere included under guidance by t he SRG and SAC. The Geo Temporal Species Point Observat ions Tasmania (GTSpot ) dat abase (Pet ers & Thackw ay 1998) w as used in a limit ed capacit y t o assist validat ion of veget at ion communit ies ident if ied f rom aerial PI. Landsat -5 M SS images f or t he nort h coast , sout hw est and sout heast of t he St at e w ere used in a limit ed capacit y t o assist in diff erent iat ion of improved past ure f rom nat ive grassland. Veget at ion expert s w ere consult ed w here t heir experience could be draw n upon t o increase t he reliabilit y of a polygon’s at t ribut es. The cat alogue of TASVEG2000 veget at ion communit ies, once agreed upon, remained relat ively st able, especially f or sout h-east ern Tasmania. Some addit ional veget at ion communit ies w ere added as t he mapping program proceeded, part icularly w here less w ell surveyed veget at ion t ypes w ere encount ered. The underlying principles of accept ing a new veget at ion communit y int o t he TASVEG2000 cat alogue w ere t hat t he communit y is: scient if ically based, def ensible, at t he appropriat e resolut ion f or TASVEG, mappable, and verif iable on t he ground. TASVEG Version 1.0 TASVEG Version 1.0 is a complet e 1:25 000 spat ial veget at ion mapping coverage using 158 ecological mapping communit ies. The dat aset does not complet ely ref lect veget at ion ext ent and dist ribut ion at a single dat e. The nat ure of t he mapping t echnique requires t hat areas of t he St at e are revised at diff erent t imes, and t heref ore t he mapping ref lect s t he veget at ion at a range of dat es. The TASVEG Version 1.0 mapping is based on aerial phot ography ranging f rom 10 t o 2 years old (depending on availabilit y of suit able aerial phot ography) and on f ield verif icat ion undert aken bet w een 1998 and 2003. TASVEG Version 1.0 includes 2003-04 plant at ion dat a supplied by Forest ry Tasmania and Privat e Forest s Tasmania. The mapping resolut ion is f ine, w it h pat ches of nat ive veget at ion only 10 m diamet er being mapped. Relict pat ches in paddocks and w et lands are of t en discriminat ed at t his level but discriminat ing diff erent communit ies at t his scale w it hin larger blocks of nat ive veget at ion w as not unless f ield checked. Average minimum resolut ion w it hin large cont iguous nat ive veget at ion is 1 ha. Each polygon is ascribed a range of inf ormat ion relat ing t o t he mapping reliabilit y and condit ion of t he veget at ion w it hin t he polygon. The at t ribut es of each mapping polygon includes t he provision f or not at ion against 33 at t ribut es, 8 of w hich are essent ial and t he remainder opt ional. These at t ribut es include aspect s of t he canopy, f lorist ics and st ruct ure; polygon area; dist urbance charact erist ics; and reliabilit y. M any improvement s, principally in GIS processes used t o creat e TASVEG Version 1.0, have been made in t he mapping process since it began. While t his sect ion has provided background inf ormat ion f or t he mapping, it does not at t empt t o describe in det ail t he t echnical processes employed in creat ing and maint aining t he digit al inf ormat ion. A separat e document w ill be made available f or users int erest ed in t his det ailed inf ormat ion. While t he underlying principles of veget at ion mapping met hods used in each of t he 3 mapping st reams cont ribut ing t o TASVEG Version 1.0 are largely comparable, t here w ere some major diff erences in approach t hat have inf luenced t he f inal int egrat ed product . In part icular, t he veget at ion classif icat ion syst em and veget at ion communit ies included in TASVEG Version 1.0 have been st rongly inf luenced by t he classif icat ion syst ems of t he RFA and WHA mapping. The object ive of TASVEG2000 mapping w as t he preparat ion of a St at e-w ide veget at ion map, as w as t he int ent ion of RFA mapping, alt hough t he lat t er primarily considered f orest communit ies. In int egrat ing RFA f orest mapping int o TASVEG2000, t he suit e of f orest communit ies inherit ed f rom t he RFA process remained largely unalt ered. The veget at ion cat egories devised f or WHA mapping w ere in t he cont ext of preparing a regional veget at ion map rat her t han as part of a St at e-w ide veget at ion map, unlike t he int ended scope of TASVEG2000 and RFA mapping. WHA mapped f orest s in 1996 w ere incorporat ed int o RFA mapping. In int egrat ing WHA mapping, part icularly t he WHA Complex mapping, some amalgamat ion of mapping unit s w as needed t o reach a level of diff erent iat ion of veget at ion t ypes comparable t o t hat of TASVEG2000 and RFA mapping. To t his end a number of programmable script s w ere devised under expert inst ruct ion t o merge WHA mapping w it h TASVEG2000 mapping, t o produce TASVEG Version 1.0. As w it h previous addit ions t o t he TASVEG2000 cat alogue, addit ional veget at ion unit s arising f rom WHA mapping w ere considered by t he SAC and included w here appropriat e. TASVEG Version 1.0 has some charact erist ics t hat are a direct consequence of t he dat aset ’s hist ory of int egrat ion. While all care w as t aken t o achieve a comparable level of diff erent iat ion of veget at ion mapping unit s, some mapped polygons inevit ably represent only a subset of t he broader veget at ion t ype int ended by t he mapping unit . Chapter 2 Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping 15 Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping That a mapped polygon is not alw ays represent at ive of t he core veget at ion communit y int ended by t he descript ion in t his book is somet imes a direct result of mapping complet ed prior t o f inalisat ion of t he mapping unit ’s paramet ers. Such anomalies w ould nat urally be addressed during revision of t he mapping. Ref erences At t imes, mapped polygons may represent only a localised geographical range of a veget at ion communit y. This is part icularly t rue of some veget at ion polygons in t he WHA, w hich had been mapped using t he synusia-based classif icat ion syst em of t he WHA Complex mapping, and lat er amalgamat ed w it h an exist ing, and broader, TASVEG2000 veget at ion communit y. Depart ment of t he Art s, Sport , t he Environment , Tourism and Territ ories. (1988) Report of t he Commission of Inquiry int o t he Lemont hyme and Sout hern Forest s. Commonw ealt h of Aust ralia. Individual descript ions in t his book aim t o capt ure such inf ormat ion. Summary TASVEG Version 1.0 is a St at e-w ide map of Tasmania’s veget at ion. Derived principally f rom t he int egrat ion of 3 st reams of mapping, t his digit al spat ial layer is a signif icant updat e of t he Kirkpat rick and Dickinson (1984) map in t erms of t he currency of it s inf ormat ion, t he great er resolut ion of veget at ion communit ies and t he signif icant improvement of t echnical aspect s of mapping t hrough advances in GIS t echniques. TASVEG mapping is a live process t hat allow s incorporat ion of new mapping, including t hat by experienced bot anist s out side t he Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment . Corbet t , S (1996) Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau. Wildlif e Report 95/3. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment . Davies, J.L. (1964) A veget at ion map of Tasmania. Geographical Review . 54, 249–253 Harris, S. and Kirkpat rick, J.B. (1982) The veget at ion of Schout en Island, Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 116, 117-141. Hickey, J. and Brow n, M .J. (1989) Planning f or regional biological conservat ions of Tasmania’s f orest veget at ion t ypes. Pp 63-70. Proceedings of t he Inst it ut e of Forest ers Conf erence. Leura. Sept ember 18-22, 1989. Hickey, J and Davis, S. (1993) “ How much rainf orest is in Tasmania? A bet t er answ er t o a diff icult quest ion.” Tasf orest s. 5, 13-24. Hickey, J., Gibson, N. and Shepherd, S. (1988) Conservat ion st at us of rainf orest in Tasmania. Report t o t he Working Group f or Forest Conservat ion. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. Jackson, W.D. In: Specht , R.L., Roe, Et hel M ., and Bought on, V.H. (1974) Conservat ion of major plant communit ies in Aust ralia and Papua New Guinea. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. Supplement ary Series; No. 7. Kirkpat rick, J.B. (1977) The disappearing heat h: a st udy of t he conservat ion of t he coast al heat h communit ies of Nort h and East Tasmania and t he Furneaux Group. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust . Hobart . Kirkpat rick, J.B. (1990) A synusia-based mapping syst em f or t he conservat ion and management of nat ural veget at ion. Biological Conservat ion. 53, 93-104. 16 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Kirkpat rick, J.B. and Brow n, M .J. (1994) A comparison of direct and environment al domain approaches t o planning reservat ion f or f orest higher plant communit ies and species in Tasmania. Conservat ion Biology. 8, 217-224 Wells, P (1989) Conservat ion st at us of w et eucalypt f orest in Tasmania. Report t o t he Working Group f or Forest Conservat ion. Depart ment of Lands, Parks and Wildlif e, Tasmania. Kirkpat rick, J.B. and Dickinson, K.J.M . (1984) Tasmania: veget at ion map. Forest ry Commission. Hobart . Kirkpat rick, J.B. (1997) Report on a review of WHA veget at ion mapping. Unpublished Report , limit ed dist ribut ion. DPIWE f ile 044941. Pannell, J.R. (1992) Sw amp f orest s of Tasmania. Forest ry Commission of Tasmania. Hobart . Pet ers, D. and Thackw ay, R. (1998) A new biogeographic regionalisat ion f or Tasmania. Report prepared f or t he Nat ional Reserve Syst em Component of t he Nat ural Herit age Trust . Commonw ealt h of Aust ralia, Parks and Wildlif e Service. Tasmania. Schw einf urt h, U. (1962) St udien zur Pf lanzengeographie von Tasmanien. Bonner Geographische Abhandlungen. 31, 61, 32 plat es. Specht , R.L., Roe, E. M . and Bought on, V.H. (1974) Conservat ion of M ajor Plant Communit ies in Aust ralia and New Guinea. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. Supplement ary Series. Supplement No. 7. CSIRO. St one, M .G. (1998) Forest t ype mapping by phot o-int erpret at ion: a mult i-purpose base f or Tasmania’s f orest management . Tasf orest s. 10, 15-31. Tasmanian Public Land Use Commission and Commonw ealt h Forest s Taskf orce (1996) Tasmanian–Commonw ealt h Regional Forest Agreement Background Report . Part C Environment & Herit age Report Volume II. Williams, K. (1989) Dry sclerophyll f orest in Tasmania: recommended areas f or prot ect ion. Report t o t he Working Group f or Forest Conservat ion. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. Chapter 2 Development of Tasmanian Vegetation M apping 17 18 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Chapter 3 Geographical and Environment al Cont ext Geographical and Environmental Context This book deals w it h t he t errest rial veget at ion t hroughout Tasmania, including it s off shore islands, bet w een 39º12’ S and 43º 30’ S. Alt hough polit ically a part of Tasmania, subant arct ic M acquarie Island is beyond t he scope of TASVEG mapping and t heref ore of t his book. Tasmania comprises 6.723 million ha and is mount ainous and heavily f orest ed. The area of lakes is 110 000 ha, of w hich 91 600 ha result f rom art if icial impoundment . The lengt h of t he coast line is 4 790 km, w it h t he sout h east ern part of t he St at e being t he most highly indent ed. An ext ensive net w ork of rivers drains Tasmania, t he longest st ret ching 214 km. Alt hough t he Tasmanian mainland is separat ed f rom cont inent al Aust ralia by t he shallow w at ers of t he 250 km w ide Bass St rait t here are islands in Tasmanian w at ers t hat are 10 km f rom Wilsons Promont ory in Vict oria. Bass St rait has been bot h a barrier and a bridge f or migrat ion of humans and ot her animals and plant s, as successive glacial periods and int erglacials have caused sea level f luct uat ions. Tasmania’s climat e is conducive t o f orest veget at ion over most of t he island. How ever, ot her f act ors cont rolling veget at ion dist ribut ion creat e a complex and variable pat t ern of mainly disclimax veget at ion t ypes. These f act ors include geology, palaeoenvironment al hist ory (especially during t he Quat ernary Period), current climat e and t he int eract ions of humans, f ire, and sit e charact erist ics. Readers are especially ref erred t o Jackson (1999) f or a more det ailed descript ion of Tasmania’s environment t han is given here. Climat e The moderat ing inf luence of t he oceans on t emperat ure ext remes gives Tasmania a t emperat e marit ime climat e. Tasmania’s climat e is charact erised by mild w int ers, cool summers, 20 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation and rainf all in all t he seasons. Consequent ly, plant grow t h is possible everyw here. Tasmania’s climat e ow es much t o it s posit ion in t he Roaring Fort ies and t he consequent w est erly airst reams t hat deliver heavy rain and st rong w inds, part icularly t o t he sout hern and w est ern mount ain regions. There is a st rong w est t o east environment al gradient w it h t he w est being more mount ainous, w et t er, cloudier and cooler and support ing blanket moorlands, rainf orest and w et eucalypt f orest . The cent ral highlands have a slight ly cont inent al climat e due t o elevat ion and dist ance f rom t he sea. The alpine environment s are on t he w est ern mount ains, t he Cent ral Plat eau and t he nort h-east mount ains; condit ions on some are harsh enough t o result in f jaeldmark veget at ion (Kirkpat rick and Harw ood 1980). In t he east are more subdued f ert ile landscapes, w it h low er rainf all, higher t emperat ures and ext ensive areas support ing grassy w oodlands, dry f orest s and heat hland communit ies. The w est erly airst ream is st rongest and most persist ent in w int er, hence t here is a dist inct rainf all peak during w int er and early spring in t he w est . The east ern half of t he island f alls in a broad rain-shadow, w here rainf all t ends t o be low er and less reliable t han in t he w est . How ever, it is more evenly dist ribut ed over t he seasons (Bureau of M et eorology 1993). Average annual rainf all over t he w est ern half of t he island exceeds 1 000 mm, w hich is more t han t he minimum rainf all required (approximat ely 800 mm) t o support rainf orest (Jackson 1983). M ost of w est ern Tasmania receives an average of more t han 1 500 mm rainf all, w hile in many of t he mount ainous regions rainf all of over 3 500 mm per year is t ypical, making it one of t he w et t est part s of Aust ralia. This region support s many veget at ion communit ies and plant species unique t o Tasmania. The highest rat es of plant species endemism in Tasmania occur in t he w est and sout h-w est (Kirkpat rick and Brow n 1984). Rainf all is a crude indicat or of veget at ion t ype since in many areas, w hen evaporat ion is t aken int o account , t he eff ect ive rainf all is much less t han t he act ual rainf all. This is f urt her accent uat ed by t he eff ect s of aspect and soil propert ies. For example, nort h-f acing slopes and shallow or w ell–drained soils t end t o dry out quickly and t heref ore of t en have much low er moist ure availabilit y t han sout h-f acing slopes or gullies. Consequent ly, t here are of t en dist inct changes in t he veget at ion at t he local scale due t o diff erences in slope, aspect and geology. The heaviest snow f alls are in July and August and commonly result in snow lying above 900 m, alt hough ext ensive snow f alls can occur dow n t o 600 m and occasionally dow n t o below 150 m. No permanent snow occurs. Shallow highland lakes f reeze over in w int er. Glazing st orms aff ect t he high part s of t he w est ern mount ains. Frost s are common in w int er, and occasional in ot her seasons, even in most low land areas of Tasmania. In highland and inland regions, coldair drainage can creat e f rost hollow s and invert ed t reelines. The t emperat ure range is great er inland t han it is at t he coast . The mean maximum summer t emperat ures are in t he range of 18 ºC t o 23 ºC, and during w int er bet w een 9 ºC and 14 ºC. These are modif ied by alt it ude (cooler), proximit y t o t he coast (w armer) or high f requency of cloud cover in t he w est (cooler). The highest t emperat ure recorded is 40.8 ºC at Bushy Park and Hobart ; w hile t he low est recorded t emperat ure is –13 ºC at Shannon, Tarraleah and But lers Gorge. The Bass St rait islands t end t o have a milder climat e t han mainland Tasmania, ow ing t o t heir low er lat it ude, marit ime inf luence and low elevat ion. The f ar nort h east and t he east ern Bass St rait islands experience t he charact erist ics of a M edit erranean climat e w it h mild w et w int ers and a summer dry season. Ext raordinary and cat ast rophic climat icallyinduced event s occur periodically. Severe t hunderst orms accompanied by light ning are capable of st art ing bushf ires. Tornados are ext remely rare but one near Smit ht on in 1992 cut a sw at he several kilomet res long t hrough a suburb and some f orest (Fox-Hughes 2004). Landslides in w est ern Tasmania aff ect t he dist ribut ion and st ruct ure of King Billy pine f orest s (Cullen 1991). A severe f rost in t he mid 1800s result ed in a large area of t ree dieback in t he Cent ral Highlands (Calder 1850). Geology, geomorphology and soils M uch of t he Tasmanian landscape is st eep and rugged, ow ing t o t he ext ensive hist ory of mount ain-building, f olding and f ault ing upon t he result s of w hich glacial, periglacial and f luvial processes have lef t t heir mark. In t he w est ern half of t he St at e, t ermed t he ‘f old st ruct ure province’ (Davies 1965), t he basement rocks comprise Cambro-Ordovician and Precambrian met amorphic rocks. These have been ext ensively f olded and eroded result ing in a series of mount ain ranges composed of very resist ant rock and separat ed by broad valleys, of t en f loored by younger limest one or dolomit e and most ly mant led in siliceous gravels and ot her unconsolidat ed sediment s. Alt hough most of w est ern Tasmania is climat ically suit ed f or rainf orest , much of t he landscape is veget at ed w it h but t ongrass moorland, due t o t he eff ect s of soil and f ire. The siliceous rocks of w est ern Tasmania are highly resist ant t o w eat hering and are nat urally low in plant nut rient s. Consequent ly, soil f ormat ion is slow. High rainf all exacerbat es t his sit uat ion by increasing soil erosion and nut rient leaching. M uch of t he mineral nut rient inf lux is f rom cyclic salt s in rainw at er (M acphail et al. 1999). Relat ively f requent f ires in t he Holocene have cont ribut ed t o erosion and nut rient loss in a f eedback cycle t hat t ends t o promot e moorland and scrub veget at ion (Jackson 1968). Chapter 3 Geographical and Environmental Context 21 Geographical and Environmental Context Ext ensive areas of rolling hills and deep, f ert ile soils w here basalt or limest one occur are f ound in nort h-w est Tasmania. Basalt w eat hers readily t o produce deep red soils t hat are generally considered t he best in t he St at e f or agricult ural purposes. The deepest , most f ert ile soils are on nort h-w est met asediment s and t hose overlying Cambrian M t Read volcanics. These soils nat urally support t all closed f orest , but many areas have been cleared f or agricult ure. In t he sout h-east ern half of t he island, Permian and Triassic sediment s and Jurassic dolerit e overlie t he ancient basement rocks. The landscape of t his ‘f ault st ruct ure province’ (Davies 1965) is shaped by f ault ing and subsequent dissect ion by f luvial erosion. Dolerit e – chemically similar t o basalt – can give rise t o deep, relat ively f ert ile soils. Sediment ary rocks and Recent sediment s generally produce inf ert ile soils. The f ault st ruct ure landscape ext ends f rom submerged grabens of t he Derw ent and Tamar est uaries and Great Oyst er Bay, t o t he highest plat eaus and peaks. The Cent ral Plat eau is t he highest part of Tasmania, w it h elevat ion generally over 900 m and several peaks exceeding 1 400 m in alt it ude. The dolerit e bedrock produces podsolic soils t hat are deeper and more nut rient rich t han t hose on t he w est coast ; how ever, glacial and periglacial erosion has removed much soil leaving a rocky landscape. Glaciat ion has creat ed many lakes on t he ext ensive f lat areas of t he plat eau. A major graben f orms t he Nort hern M idlands, w hich are bordered t o t he w est by t he Cent ral Plat eau and t o t he east by t he East ern Tiers. The Nort hern M idlands, lying in t he rain shadow of t he Cent ral Highlands and w est ern mount ains, is t he driest region of Tasmania (less t han 600 mm annual rainf all). Low eff ect ive rainf all and periods of drought are major limit ing f act ors on t he veget at ion, part icularly on t he basalt hills. Soils f ormed on Quat ernary deposit s and sand dunes are common t hroughout t he M idlands. The relat ively dry climat e and high soil f ert ilit y is conducive t o grass grow t h and grasslands and 22 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation grassy w oodlands occur nat urally in t he M idlands. The East ern Tiers are a cont inuous range of hills f orming t he drainage divide of t he East Coast and composed almost ent irely of dolerit e, w it h podsolic soils support ing eucalypt f orest . The nort h-east highlands are very similar t o t he Cent ral Plat eau in t erms of elevat ion (w it h ext ensive areas over 1 200 m alt it ude and peaks exceeding 1 500 m), dolerit e geology, glacial and periglacial landscapes. The climat ic t reeline is highest in t he nort h-east ern highlands at just over 1 400 m and declines in alt it ude in a sout hw est erly direct ion across t he Cent ral Plat eau t o a minimum of around 700 m in t he sout h-w est (Kirkpat rick and Brow n 1987). Ext ensive sequences of met amorphosed sandst one and silt st one, know n as M at hinna Beds, occur in t he nort h-east ern low lands. Typically st eep and highly dissect ed granit e landscapes are common in t he nort h-east and Flinders Island, w it h deeply w eat hered soils. M ild, dry summers, combined w it h generally nut rient –poor sandy soils, support sclerophyllous veget at ion including heat hland. Coast al environment s are diverse, and t he nat ure of t he veget at ion is variable. Low lying coast al areas in t he sout h-east and t he nort hw est are suff icient ly shelt ered and gent ly graded in prof ile t o support ext ensive est uarine and salt marsh habit at . Humans and f ire The t ime of arrival of humans in Tasmania is st ill argued, but cert ainly humans have been present f or at least 35 000 years. The int eract ion of humans, climat e, veget at ion and soils has been prof ound, w it h t he f requency and int ensit y of f ires changing t hroughout t he period since human colonisat ion. The current broad veget at ion pat t ern is at t ribut ed largely t o a pat t ern of f ire use maint ained t hroughout t he Relief map of Tasmania M ineral Resources Tasmania and DPIWE Chapter 3 Geographical and Environmental Context 23 Geographical and Environmental Context period of Aboriginal occupat ion of t he island (Jackson 1986). Fire is cent ral t o an underst anding of Tasmania’s veget at ion ecology. There are complex successional pat hw ays t hat are manif est ed by various f lorist ic and st ruct ural changes in veget at ion, even over short dist ances. The f requency and int ensit y of f ires may have changed due t o t he t ransit ion f rom predominant ly indigenous management t o European management of t he landscape. Prior t o human occupat ion, it is likely t hat light ning st rikes generat ed some f ires, as t hey have been observed t o do since human set t lement . Ref erences Bureau of M et eorology (1993) Climat e of Tasmania. Aust ralian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. Burret t , C.F. & M art in, E.L. (Eds.) (1989) Geology and M ineral Resources of Tasmania. Special Publicat ion 15. Geological Societ y of Aust ralia Incorporat ed. Calder, J.E. (1850) Some account of t he count ry bet w een Hamilt on and t he Frenchman’s Cap. Hobart Tow n Courier. Sept ember 21, 1850. Cullen, P. (1991) Regenerat ion of At hrot axis selaginoides and ot her rainf orest t ree species on landslide f aces in Tasmania. In Banks, M .R. et al. (Eds) 1991 (31:iii): Aspect s of Tasmanian Bot any – A Tribut e t o Winif red Curt is. Royal Societ y of Tasmania, Hobart : 191-200. Davies, J.L. (1965) ‘Landf orms’ In: At las of Tasmania. (Ed. J.L. Davies). Land and Surveys, Hobart . Depart ment of Agricult ure, Tasmania (19781989) Land syst ems of Tasmania. [series of 7 volumes] Tasmanian Depart ment of Agricult ure, Hobart . 24 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Forest ry Commission, Tasmania (1990) A manual f or f orest landscape management . Forest ry Commission, Hobart . Fox-Hughes, P. (2004) Seen any t ornadoes lat ely? Tas Regions June 2004. DPIWE. Jackson W.D. (1968) Fire, air, w at er and eart h an element al ecology of Tasmania. Proceedings of t he Ecological Societ y of Aust ralia. 3, 9-16. Jackson, W.D. (1983) Tasmanian Rainf orest Ecology. In “ Tasmania’s Rainf orest s: What Fut ure” . (Eds R. Blakers and P. Robert son). pp 939. (Aust ralian Conservat ion Foundat ion: Hobart ). Jackson, W.D. (1999) The Tasmanian Environment (Chapt er 2) In: Veget at ion of Tasmania. (Eds. Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. and Hovenden, M .J.), Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. M onot one, Hobart . Kirkpat rick, J.B. and Brow n, M .J. (1987) The nat ure of t he t ransit ion f rom sedgeland t o alpine veget at ion in sout h-w est Tasmania. 1. Alt it udinal veget at ion change on f our mount ains. Journal of Biogeography. 14, 539549. Kirkpat rick, J.B. and Harw ood, C.E. (1980) Veget at ion of an inf requent ly burned Tasmanian region. Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Vict oria. 91(1), 79-107. Kirkpat rick, J.B. & Brow n, M .J. (1984) A numerical analysis of Tasmanian higher plant endemism. Bot anical Journal of t he Linnean Societ y. 88, 165-83. M acphail, M .K., Pembert on, M . & Jacobson, G. (1999) Peat mounds of sout hw est Tasmania: possible origins. Aust ralian Journal of Eart h Sciences. 46, 667-77. Chapter 4 The Veget at ion Descript ions List of mapping units Page Page Highland treeless vegetation Alpine conif erous heat hland (HCH) 40 Cushion moorland (HCM ) 122 Alkaline pans (M AP) 42 East ern alpine heat hland (HHE) 124 44 East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE) But t ongrass moorland (undiff erent iat ed) (M BU) 46 East ern alpine veget at ion (undiff erent iat ed) (HUE) 126 But t ongrass moorland w it h emergent shrubs (M BS) 48 West ern alpine heat hland (HHW) 128 East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE) West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW) 130 Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) 132 Pure but t ongrass moorland (M BP) 133 Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) 136 Sparse but t ongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) 138 Sphagnum peat land (M SP) 140 Subalpine Diplarrena lat if olia rushland (M DS) 142 West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW) 144 West ern low land sedgeland (M SW) 50 Scrub, heath and coastal complexes 60 Acacia longif olia coast al scrub (SAC) 62 Banksia marginat a w et scrub (SBM ) 64 Broad-leaf scrub (SBR) 66 Coast al complex on King Island (SCK) 68 Coast al heat hland (SCH) 70 Coast al scrub (SSC) 72 Coast al scrub on alkaline sands (SCA) 74 Dry scrub (SDU) 76 Heat hland on calcarenit e (SHC) 78 Heat hland on granit e (SHG) 80 Heat hland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW) 82 Heat hland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island (SHF) 84 Inland heat hland (undiff erent iat ed) (SHU) 86 26 M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland 38 Lept ospermum scrub (SLW) 89 Low land sedgy heat hland (SHL) 91 M elaleuca pust ulat a scrub (SM P) 93 M elaleuca squamea heat hland (SM M ) 95 M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) 97 Queenst ow n regrow t h mosaic (SQR) 99 Riparian scrub (SRI) 102 Scrub complex on King Island (SSK) 105 Seabird rookery complex (SRC) 107 Subalpine heat hland (SHS) 109 West ern subalpine scrub (SSW) 111 West ern w et scrub (SWW) 113 Wet heat hland (SHW) From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Rainforest and related scrub 152 At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF) 154 At hrot axis cupressoides open w oodland (RPW) 156 At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest (RPP) 158 At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) 160 At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) 162 At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) 164 Coast al rainf orest (RCO) 166 Highland low rainf orest and scrub (RSH) 168 Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) 170 Lagarost robos f ranklinii rainf orest and scrub (RHP) 172 Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) 174 Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) 177 Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L) Page 180 Page Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest (RM S) 244 Eucalypt us cordat a f orest (DCR) 246 182 Not hof agus gunnii rainf orest and scrub (RFS) Eucalypt us dalrympleana–Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland (DDP) 248 184 Rainf orest f ernland (RFE) Eucalypt us delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland (DDE) 250 Eucalypt us globulus dry f orest and w oodland (DGL) Other natural environments 188 Lichen lit hosere (ORO) 252 Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland (DGW) 190 Sand, mud (OSM ) 254 192 Wat er, sea (OAQ) Eucalypt us morrisbyi f orest and w oodland (DM O) 256 Eucalypt us nit ida dry f orest and w oodland (DNI) 258 Eucalypt us nit ida Furneaux f orest (DNF) Agricultural, urban and exotic vegetation 198 Agricult ural land (FAG) 200 Ext ra-urban miscellaneous (FUM ) 201 M arram grassland (FM G) 202 Permanent easement (FPE) 203 Plant at ions f or silvicult ure (FPL) 205 Pt eridium esculent um f ernland (FPF) 207 Regenerat ing cleared land (FRG) 209 Spart ina marshland (FSM ) 210 Urban areas (FUR) 212 Weed inf est at ion (FWU) 260 Eucalypt us obliqua dry f orest (DOB) 262 Eucalypt us ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV) 265 Eucalypt us ovat a heat hy w oodland (DOW) 267 Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland not on dolerit e (DPO) 269 Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DPD) 271 Eucalypt us perriniana f orest and w oodland (DPE) 273 Eucalypt us pulchella f orest and w oodland (DPU) Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland 224 Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland (DAC) 275 Eucalypt us risdonii f orest and w oodland (DRI) 226 Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DAD) 277 Eucalypt us rodw ayi f orest and w oodland (DRO) 228 Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one (DAS) 279 Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland not on granit e (DSO) 230 Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest on mudst one (DAM ) 281 Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland on granit e (DSG) 233 Eucalypt us amygdalina inland forest (DAI) 283 235 Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (DAZ) Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DTD) 285 238 Eucalypt us amygdalina–Eucalypt us obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest (DSC) Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e (DTG) 287 240 Eucalypt us barberi f orest and w oodland (DBA) Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO) 289 242 Eucalypt us coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO) Eucalypt us viminalis Furneaux f orest and w oodland (DVF) Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 27 List of mapping units Page 291 Page Eucalypt us viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG) 355 Eucalyptus globulusKing Island forest (WGK) 358 Eucalypt us globulus w et f orest (WGL) 293 Eucalypt us viminalis–Eucalypt us globulus coast al f orest and w oodland (DVC) 361 Eucalypt us nit ida f orest over Lept ospermum (WNL) 295 Eucalypt us viminalis shrubby/heat hy w oodland (DVS) 362 Eucalypt us nit ida f orest over rainf orest (WNR) 296 King Island eucalypt w oodland (DKW) 364 298 M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) Eucalypt us nit ida w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WNU) 366 Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum (WOL) 368 Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over rainf orest (WOR) 370 Eucalypt us obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) 372 Eucalypt us obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WOU) Non-eucalypt forest and w oodland 306 Acacia dealbat a f orest (NAD) 308 Acacia melanoxylon f orest on rises (NAR) 310 Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest (NAF) 312 Allocasuarina lit t oralis f orest (NAL) 314 Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest (NAV) 316 Banksia serrat a w oodland (NBS) 318 Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub (NBA) 320 Callit ris rhomboidea f orest (NCR) 322 Lept ospermum f orest (NLE ) 324 Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ) 326 Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest (NLA) 328 330 332 Eucalypt us regnans f orest (WRE) Eucalypt us subcrenulat a f orest and w oodland (WSU) 378 Eucalypt us viminalis w et f orest (WVI) Native grassland 384 Coast al grass and herbf ield (GHC) 386 Highland Poa grassland (GPH) M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E) 389 Low land grassland complex (GCL) Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest (NNP) 391 Low land grassy sedgeland (GSL) 392 Subalpine Lept ospermum nit idum w oodland (NLN) Low land Poa labillardierei grassland (GPL) 394 Low land Themeda t riandra grassland (GTL) Wet eucalypt forest and w oodland 396 Rockplat e grassland (GRP) 340 Eucalypt us brookeriana w et f orest (WBR) 342 Eucalypt us dalrympleana f orest (WDA) 344 Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum (WDL) Saltmarsh and w etland 402 Freshw at er aquat ic herbland (AHF) 404 Freshw at er aquat ic sedgeland and rushland (ASF) 346 Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest (WDR) 406 Lacust rine herbland (AHL) 349 Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) 408 Saline aquat ic herbland (AHS) 410 Saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS) Eucalypt us delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU) 412 Salt marsh (undiff erent iat ed) (AUS) 413 Succulent saline herbland (ASS) 415 Wet land (undiff erent iat ed) (AWU) 352 28 374 376 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Explanation of format This chapt er describes each of t he mapping unit s collect ed under eleven broad groups. All veget at ion is included, w it h most of t he exot ic veget at ion t ypes list ed under Agricult ural, urban and exot ic veget at ion. At t he beginning of each major group t here is a summary account of t he broad veget at ion cat egory, w hich at t empt s t o explain t he relat ionship bet w een t he mapping unit s. General management issues are brief ly described. This is f ollow ed by some key references t o t he scient if ic lit erat ure dealing w it h t hat veget at ion t ype. This is t hen f ollow ed by a key t o t he mapping unit s described under t he broad grouping. Each descript ion is subdivided in t he f ollow ing manner: The title of t he mapping unit and a t hree let t er unique code. A black and w hit e photograph show ing t ypical habit at . The phot ographer and t he locat ion of t he phot ograph are given. An example locality is nominat ed, w hich may be a relat ively accessible sit e or area, w here t he veget at ion communit y may be view ed. M ore t han one localit y is given if t here are dist inct f acies t hat could not be demonst rat ed by one sit e. The distinguishing features and similar communities describe t he key at t ribut es of t he mapping unit t hat dist inguish it f rom ot hers. It is part icularly salient w hen considering very similar communit ies. Where t he mapping unit is also a RFA f orest communit y, t he corresponding RFA code is supplied as a RFA mapping unit . The distribution of t he communit y is given as a general geographic descript or. Where t he unit has been mapped, t he map accompanies t he dist ribut ion descript ion. Nort hern Slopes (NS), Flinders (F), Ben Lomond (BL), Nort hern M idlands (NM ), Cent ral Highlands (CH), West (W), Sout hern Ranges (SR), and t he Sout h East (SE). Site characteristics, habitat and ecology are described in general t erms f or t he mapping unit . This is derived f rom t he experience of veget at ion mappers and also f rom t he scient if ic lit erat ure. Vegetation composition and structure are described according t o t he communit y f lorist ics and t he layers in t he communit y. Dominant species f or each layer are given w here possible. Somet imes it is necessary t o brief ly discuss successional st ages in t he veget at ion applicable t o t his communit y. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit are t he published descript ions of f lorist ic communit ies t hat are relat ed t o each TASVEG M apping Unit . Communit ies are limit ed t o t hose covered by St at e-w ide assessment s of t he respect ive veget at ion t ype. The prime ref erence has been Kirkpat rick et al. (1995) and t he communit ies list ed f irst under t his heading, if unat t ribut ed, are f rom t his source. The communit ies in Kirkpat rick et al. (1995) are compiled f rom various previous st udies, some being previously list ed in Kirkpat rick (1991). Subsequent st at ist ically-derived plant communit y associat ions include alpine veget at ion (Kirkpat rick 1997), heat hland (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) and riparian (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004). Communit ies f rom t hese st udies have been added alt hough t he heat hland communit ies (not named in t he document ) are ref erenced at t he dominance level only. The Forest Bot any M anual (Forest Pract ices Aut horit y 2005) is also ref erenced. Where f lorist ic communit ies occur in more t han one mapping unit t hen t his is indicat ed. Bioregional occurrence is a list of t he bioregions, given as abbreviat ions, w it hin w hich t he communit y has been mapped. The bioregions are t hose of IBRA Version 5.0 (Pet ers and Thackw ay, 1998). The bioregions are: King (K), Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 29 Explanation of format Ref erences and f urt her reading Forest Pract ices Aut horit y (2005) Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. Daley, E.A. & Kirkpat rick, J. B. (2004) Nat ive Riparian Veget at ion in Tasmania. Cunninghamia. 8(4), 409-430. Kirkpat rick, J.B. & Harris, S. (1999) The Disappearing Heat h Revisit ed. Tasmanian Environment Cent re, Hobart . Kirkpat rick, J.B. (1991) Reservat ion st at us of plant communit ies in Tasmania. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A management Handbook (Ed. Kirkpat rick, J.B.) Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc, Hobart . Kirkpat rick, J.B., Barker, P., Brow n, M .J., Harris, S. and M ackie, R. (1995) The reservat ion st at us of Tasmanian vascular plant communit ies. Tasmanian Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service, WIldlif e Scient if ic Report 95/4, Hobart . Pet ers, D. and Thackw ay, R. (1998) A New Biogeographic Regionalisat ion f or Tasmania. Commonw ealt h of Aust ralia and Tasmanian Parks and Wildlif e Service. Hobart . 30 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Figure. Biogeographic Regions of Tasmania (Version 5.0) Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 31 Intersectional key Page 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by nat ive t rees (w oody plant s w it h height s > 5 m t all w it h more t han 5% solid crow n cover). 2 M ost or all of t rees in t allest st rat um belong t o t he genus Eucalypt us 3 Underst orey includes any of t he f ollow ing: a) Not hof agus, At herosperma, At hrot axis, Eucryphia, Phyllocladus or Lagarost robos prominent as secondary t rees or shrubs; b) a t ree or t all shrub layer dominat ed eit her by species w it h leaves more t han 1 cm w ide or species of Lept ospermum or M elaleuca, c) a layer dominat ed by f erns ot her t han bracken. (For communit ies dominat ed by Eucalypt us amygdalina, E. coccif era, E. gunnii, E. ovat a or E. sieberi, see Dry eucalypt f orest and w oodland) Wet eucalypt forest and w oodland 334 3 Underst orey predominant ly hard-leaved shrubs, and/or a ground layer dominat ed by bracken, grasses or graminoids Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland 214 2 M ost or all of t rees in t allest st rat um belong t o t he f ollow ing genera: Not hof agus, At herosperma, At hrot axis, Eucryphia, Phyllocladus or Lagarost robos (includes short rainf orest w it h Lept ospermum prominent , and areas of Dicksonia ant arct ica or Hist iopt eris incisa surrounded by rainf orest ) Rainforest and related scrub 146 2 M ost or all of t rees in t allest st rat um belong t o t he f ollow ing genera: Acacia, Allocasuarina, Banksia, Beyeria, Bursaria, Callit ris, Lept ospermum, M elaleuca, Not elaea or Pomaderris (may include short er veget at ion dominat ed by M elaleuca ericif olia, Lept ospermum lanigerum/M elaleuca squarrosa, Lept ospermum scoparium/Acacia mucronat a, umbrageous Lept ospermum nit idum, or one or more of Lept ospermum lanigerum, L. scoparium, L. glaucescens or L. nit idum; cf. Scrub, heat hland and coast al complexes) Non-eucalpyt forest and w oodland 300 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by w oody shrubs (generally < 8 m t all); includes seabird rookeries. (For veget at ion w it h rainf orest species prominent see Rainf orest and relat ed scrub; f or veget at ion dominat ed by eit her M elaleuca ericif olia, Lept ospermum lanigerum/M elaleuca squarrosa, Lept ospermum scoparium/Acacia mucronat a, umbrageous Lept ospermum nit idum, or one or more of Lept ospermum lanigerum, L. scoparium, L. glaucescens or L. nit idum, cf. Non-eucalypt f orest and w oodland; f or veget at ion w it h a prominent but t ongrass component see M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peat land; f or areas w it hin t he alpine zone see Highland t reeless veget at ion) Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes 52 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by nat ive grasses (w it h cover > 25% nat ive species; includes low land grassy sedgelands dominat ed by eit her Lomandra longif olia, Diplarrena moraea or Lepidosperma spp.) Native grassland 380 1 Veget at ion eit her subject t o t idal inundat ion or submerged by w at er f or at least one mont h of t he year on average (includes marsupial law ns and herbf ields in areas subject t o short periods of inundat ion) Saltmarsh and w etland 32 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 398 Page 1 Veget at ion dominat ed or co-dominat ed by but t ongrass, sedges, rushes or Sphagnum (includes alkaline pans, daisy pans and areas dominat ed by Diplarrena lat if olia) M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland 116 1 Treeless veget at ion w it hin t he alpine zone (f or areas dominat ed by Poa spp. see Nat ive grassland; f or sedgeland/grassland dominat ed by Lepidosperma f ilif orme see M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peat land) Highland treeless vegetation 34 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by Dicksonia ant arct ica or Hist iopt eris incisa surrounded by rainf orest Rainforest and related scrub 146 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by eit her a) crops, past ure or orchards, b) exot ics (marram, rice grass, gorse, w illow, Af rican boxt horn et c), c) silvicult ural plant at ions, d) permanent easement s, e) urban or ext ra-urban development , f ) regenerat ing cleared land or g) bracken Agricultural, urban and exotic vegetation 194 Other natural environments 186 1 Wat er/sea, sand/mud or rock Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 33 Highland treeless vegetation Community name Community code Alpine conif erous heat hland HCH Cushion moorland HCM East ern alpine heat hland HHE East ern alpine sedgeland HSE East ern alpine veget at ion (undiff erent iat ed) HUE West ern alpine heat hland HHW West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland HSW Highland t reeless veget at ion communit ies occur w it hin t he alpine zone w here t he grow t h of t rees is impeded by climat ic f act ors. The alt it ude above w hich t rees cannot survive varies bet w een approximat ely 700 m in t he sout h-w est t o over 1 400 m in t he nort h-east highlands; it s exact locat ion depends on a number of f act ors. In many part s of Tasmania t he boundary is not w ell def ined. Somet imes t ree lines are invert ed due t o exposure or f rost hollow s. There are seven specif ic highland heat hland, sedgeland and moorland mapping communit ies, including one undiff erent iat ed class. Ot her highland t reeless veget at ion such as grasslands, herbf ields and sedgy grasslands are described in ot her sect ions. Alpine veget at ion is generally t reeless, alt hough t here may be some w idely scat t ered t rees, generally less t han t w o met res high. Several t ypes of veget at ion dominat ed by small t rees, part icularly conif ers or shrubs, may occur in shelt ered areas in t he alpine zone. These communit ies are dealt w it h in t he sect ion appropriat e t o t he veget at ion st ruct ure, f or example Rainf orest and relat ed scrub, Dry eucalypt f orest and w oodland or Scrub, heat hland and coast al complexes. Likew ise, some non-f orest communit ies w it h w ide environment al amplit udes, such as w et lands, may be f ound in alpine areas. 34 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The boundaries bet w een alpine veget at ion communit ies are usually w ell def ined, but communit ies may occur in a t ight mosaic. In t hese sit uat ions, mapping communit y boundaries at 1:25 000 may not be f easible. This is part icularly t he problem in t he east ern highlands; t he class East ern alpine veget at ion (undiff erent iat ed) HUE is used in t hose areas w here remot e sensing does not provide suff icient resolut ion. General management issues Fire is, at present , t he most serious t hreat t o Highland t reeless veget at ion in Tasmania. Very f ew of t he plant communit ies in t his sect ion can recover af t er f iring. Some t ake hundreds t o t housands of years t o recover, if t hey recover at all (Balmer 1991). Hist orically, large areas of t he Tasmanian alpine zone have been burnt and are now veget at ed w it h comparat ively species–poor heat hs. A serious but localised issue is t he pressure put on alpine veget at ion by bushw alkers and, in some areas, horses. Where t he t rampling is heavy, such as around campsit es and on everw idening alpine t racks, species diversit y and cover are considerably reduced. This impact is part icularly heavy in w et or w at erlogged areas (Gibson 1984, Balmer 1991, Whinam & Comf ort 1996, Whinam & Chilcot t 1999), w it h Cushion moorland (HCM ) part icularly suscept ible. Pug marks lef t on t he surf ace of t he plant s may t ake up t o a decade t o grow out , and can produce erosion (Balmer 1991). Livest ock grazing is an issue in some areas, as it removes palat able species of herbs, grasses and heat hs, changing t he species composit ion t o predominant ly unpalat able species (Kirkpat rick et al. 1988). Ref erences and f urt her reading BALM ER, J. (1991) Alpine Veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush; A M anagement Handbook. (ed. Kirkpat rick, J.B.), pp. 117–127. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . JARM AN, S.J., BROWN, M .J., & KANTVILAS, G. (1991) Florist ic and ecological st udies in Tasmanian Rainf orest , Tasmanian Nat ional Rainf orest Conservat ion Program Report No. 3. Hobart . BROWN, M .J. (1988) Dist ribut ion and conservat ion of King Billy Pine. Tasmanian Forest ry Commission. Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & BALM ER, J. (1991) The Veget at ion and Higher Plant Flora of t he Cradle M ount ain–Pencil Pine Area, Nort hern Tasmania. In: Aspect s of Tasmanian Bot any: A Tribut e t o Winnif red Curt is (eds. Banks et al.). pp. 119–148. Royal Societ y of Tasmania. CORBETT, S. (1995) The Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau –Tasmanian Wilderness World Herit age Area. Wildlif e Report 95/3, Parks and Wildlif e Service, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & BROWN, M .J. (1987) The nat ure of t he t ransit ion f rom sedgeland t o alpine veget at ion in Sout hw est Tasmania. 1. Alt it udinal veget at ion change in f our mount ains. Journal of Biogeography. 14, 539–550. CROWDEN, R.K. (1999) Alpine Veget at ion. In: Veget at ion Of Tasmania, Flora Of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series No. 8 (eds. Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J.), pp. 333–356. Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & DUNCAN, F. (1987) Tasmanian high alt it ude grassy veget at ion; it s dist ribut ion, communit y composit ion and conservat ion st at us. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 12, 73–86. CULLEN, P. (1991) Rainf orest . In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (ed. J.B. Kirkpat rick). pp. 24–34. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . DAVIES, J.B. & DAVIES, M .J. (1989) Plant communit ies of t he Ben Lomond Plat eau. Occasional Paper no. 1. Queen Vict oria M useum and Art Gallery. Launcest on. DUNCAN, A.M .R. (1991) M anagement of Rainf orest in Reserves. Tasmanian NRCP Technical Report No. 5. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania and t he Depart ment of Art s, Sport , t he Environment , Tourism and Territ ories, Canberra. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005) Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart . Tasmania. GIBSON, N., (1984) Impact s of Trampling on Bolst er Heat h Communit ies of M t . Field Nat ional Park. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 118, 47–52. GILFEDDER, L. (1988) Fact ors inf luencing t he maint enance of an invert ed Eucalypt us coccif era t reeline on t he M ount Wellingt on plat eau, Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 13, 495–503. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARWOOD, C.E. (1980) Veget at ion of an inf requent ly burned Tasmanian mount ain region. Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Vict oria. 91, 71–107. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1986) Conservat ion of alpine plant species alliances and associat ions of t he t reeless high count ry of Tasmania. Biological Conservat ion. 37, 43–57. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1997) Alpine Tasmania, an illust rat ed guide t o t he f lora and veget at ion. Oxf ord Universit y Press. M elbourne. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., GILFEDDER, L.A. & FENSHAM , R.J. (1988) Cit y Parks and Cemet eries: Tasmania’s remnant grasslands and grassy w oodlands. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust . Hobart . W HINAM , J. & COM FORT, M . (1996) The impact of commercial horse riding on sub–alpine environment s at Cradle M ount ain, Tasmania, Aust ralia. Journal of Environment al M anagement . 47, 61–70. W HINAM , J. & CHILCOTT, N. (1999) Impact s of t rampling on alpine environment s in cent ral Tasmania. Journal of Environment al M anagement . 57, 205–220. JARM AN, S.J., BROWN, M .J., & KANTVILAS, G. (1984) Rainf orest in Tasmania. Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service. Hobart . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 35 Highland treeless vegetation Key to Highland treeless vegetation Page 1 Woody species dominant , cushion plant s may be present . 2 > 50% cover of cushion species – any of Abrot onella f orst eroides, Pt erygopappus law rencei, Donat ia t asmanica, Dracophyllum minimum, Phyllacne colensoi Cushion moorland (HCM ) 40 2 Heat h on rocky siliceous sit es – any of Eucryphia milliganii, Agast achys odorat a, Cenarrenes nit ida, Lept ospermum nit idum, Orit es milliganii, Dracophyllum milliganii w ill be present Western alpine heathland (HHW) 48 2 Heat h t ypically on dolerit e w it h – Orit es acicularis, O. revolut a, Richea sprengelioides, Lept ospermum rupest re, Pent achondra pumila, Ozot hamnus backhousii, Boronia cit riodora, Baeckea gunniana Eastern alpine heathland (HHE) 42 2 Heat h dominat ed or co-dominat ed by dw arf conif ers – any of Diselma archeri, M icrocachrys t et ragona, M icrost robos niphophilus, Podocarpus alpina Alpine coniferous heathland (HCH) 38 2 Highland t reeless veget at ion t hat is an undiff erent iat ed mosaic of any of East ern alpine heat hland, East ern alpine sedgeland, Eushion moorland and Conif erous heat hland. It is mapped only on M ount Wellingt on and t he nort h-east ern highlands. All examples of t his mapping unit could be ref erred t o ot her described communit ies Eastern alpine vegetation (undifferentiated) (HUE) 46 1 Graminoid and/or herbaceous species dominant 2 Sedgeland/rushland on organic soils, generally on siliceous subst rat es – some or all of Dracophyllum milliganii, Isophysis t asmanica, Carpha alpina, Oreobolus spp., Epacris serpyllif olia. (Generally > 850 m alt it ude) Western alpine sedgeland/ herbland (HSW) 50 2 Sedgeland, rushland or f ernland dominat ed by one of Baloskion aust rale, Ast elia alpina, Gleichenia alpina. Somet imes emergent Richea scoparia. At hrot axis cupressoides absent or very sparse. (Generally > 700 m alt it ude) Eastern alpine sedgeland (HSE) 2 44 At hrot axis cupressoides scat t ered over any of sedgeland, f ernland, Sphagnum, w it h/w it hout mosaic East ern alpine heat h or Alpine conif erous heat hland see Rainf orest and relat ed scrubs Athrotaxis cupressoides open w oodland (RPW) 154 2 Sedgeland/grassland dominat ed by Lepidosperma f ilif orme (generally ~600–900 m alt it ude) see M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peat land Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) 130 2 Grassland and grassy herbland dominat ed by Poa spp., w it h a rich herb component and a f ew emergent shrubs. (generally > 600 m alt it ude) see Nat ive grasslands Highland Poa grassland (GPH) 36 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 386 Key to Highland treeless vegetation Page 2 Highland t reeless veget at ion t hat is an undiff erent iat ed mosaic of any of East ern alpine heat hland, East ern alpine sedgeland, Cushion moorland and Alpine conif erous heat hland. It is mapped only on M ount Wellingt on and t he nort h-east ern highlands. All examples of t his mapping unit could be ref erred t o ot her described communit ies Eastern alpine vegetation (undifferentiated) (HUE) Chapter 4 46 The Vegetation Descriptions 37 Alpine coniferous heathland (HCH) General description Long-unburnt alpine heat hland cont aining a signif icant cover of dw arf conif ers, w it h ot her alpine heat hland and graminoid species. There may be scat t ered emergent alpine Eucalypt us species and/or At hrot axis species. Sib Corbet t . East ern slopes of M t Ossa, nort h of M t Doris. Example localities Nort hern Travellers Rest Range; upslope f rom t he ski hut s on M ount Field. Distinguishing features and similar communities Alpine conif erous heat hland is dist inguished f rom East ern (HHE) and West ern alpine heat hland (HHW ) by t he large numbers of any of t he dw arf conif ers: M icrocachrys t et ragona, M icrost robos niphophilus, Diselma archeri and Podocarpus law rencei. HCH t ypically has many species in common w it h adjacent heat hlands, w hich do not have signif icant numbers of dw arf conif ers. At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) may occur in t he same areas as HCH (of t en on st eep slopes), w it h dense At hrot axis selaginoides t o 2–4 m, pot ent ially low At hrot axis cupressoides and a great diversit y of shrubs (somet imes w it h mat s of M icrocachrys t et ragona on t he f ringes). HCH can be dist inguished f rom RKS by it s heat hland f orm and f ew A. selaginoides plant s. In one f acies of HCH, Podocarpus law rencei spraw ls across block st reams (usually dolerit e) w here f ew ot her species can survive. Fjaeldmark areas have loose rock plat es spread across gravel w it h sparse veget at ion cover. These communit ies are mapped as West ern alpine heat hland (HHW ) or East ern alpine heat hland (HHE) unless conif ers predominat e. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution HCH is conf ined t o areas generally above about 900 m on east ern and w est ern mount ains. It occurs ext ensively on unburnt part s of t he w est ern Cent ral Plat eau, in Cradle M ount ain–Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park, t he sout hern ranges, sout h-w est mount ains, West Coast Range and t he Tyndall Range. 38 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M icrost robos niphophilus, Diselma archeri and Podocarpus law rencei. M icrocachrys t et ragona is t he most common conif er, f orming prost rat e mat s bet w een ot her low grow ing shrubs, herbs and grass. Diselma archeri may f orm scat t ered emergent s. M icrost robos niphophilus is conf ined t o a f ew small areas on dolerit e plat eaus, usually in associat ion w it h Diselma archeri and M icrocachrys t et ragona. Podocarpus law rencei may also be present . In some areas Diselma archeri may f orm a closed canopy. This is an uncommon communit y, know n f rom areas t hat have inf requent f ires. Bioregional occurrence On siliceous w est ern mount ains t he common associat ed species are Isophysis t asmanica, Oreobolus species, Carpha alpina, Dracophyllum milliganii, Sprengelia incarnat a var. mont ana and Epacris serpyllif olia. Donat ia novaezelandiae and Dracophyllum minimum are also of t en present . CH, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Alpine conif erous heat hland (HCH) occurs on exposed, w ell–drained, gent le slopes in high rainf all areas. On dolerit e mount ains, it s sit uat ion varies f rom highly exposed t o moderat ely shelt ered. Conif erous heat hland is f ound only in unburnt , high-alt it ude areas. HCH generally occurs in a mosaic w it h East ern alpine heat hland (HHE), West ern alpine heat hland (HHW ), East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE), Cushion moorland (HCM ) or West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW ). Conif erous heat hlands in t he east ern highlands (generally on dolerit e) are dominat ed by dw arf conif ers. The associat ed species commonly include Orit es acicularis, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Planocarpa pet iolaris, Richea sprengelioides, Pent achondra pumila, Lept ospermum rupest re, Boronia cit riodora and Poa gunnii. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Alpine veget at ion 15 Diselma archeri–Poa gunnii grassy conif erous heat h 22 M icrost robos niphophilus–Abrot anella f orst eroides conif erous heat h 23 Diselma archeri–Richea sprengelioides conif erous heat h 28 M icrocachrys t et ragona–Helichrysum milliganii conif erous heat h 37 Diselma archeri–Trochocarpa cunninghamii conif erous heat h 42 Podocarpus law rencei–Ozot hamnus rodw ayi conif erous heat h Vegetation composition and structure Low -grow ing conif ers dominat e t he heat hland, w hich is generally t reeless, alt hough t here may be a sparse occurrences of small Eucalypt us species or copses or scat t ered single t rees of At hrot axis species and/or Not hof agus gunnii. Dw arf conif ers associat ed w it h t his communit y include one or more of , M icrocachrys t et ragona, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 39 Cushion moorland (HCM ) General description Cushion moorland is alpine veget at ion in w hich > 50% of t he ground is covered by cushion plant s composed of at least one of t he f ive main bolst er heat h species. The associat ed veget at ion varies, depending on t he locat ion and geology of t he sit e. M any pure cushion plant beds t hat are t oo small t o be mapped separat ely occur w it hin alpine mosaics. scoparia and R. gunnii, w it h Baloskion aust rale, Carpha alpina, Empodisma minus, Epacris gunnii and herbs. This and similar communit ies, w here cushions w ere once abundant but are now suppressed, are not included in HCM . On w est ern mount ains, t here may be cont inuous variat ion f rom cushion moorland w it h > 50% cushion species t o West ern alpine sedgeland/ herbland (HSW ) w it h scat t ered cushions. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Cushion moorland generally occurs in small pat ches on mount ains. Louise Gilf edder. M ount Anne. Example localities Sarah Jane Plat eau; M ount Field West Plat eau. Distinguishing features and similar communities Broad, exposed slopes dominat ed by cushion–f orming species, w it h only minor overgrow t hs, are easily dist inguished f rom ot her plant communit ies. On east ern mount ains cushion plant s may be scat t ered in w et pat ches w it hin alpine heat hland, but rarely dominat e and are usually mapped as part of t he surrounding East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE). One variant of East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE) mapped on t he Cent ral Plat eau has Abrot anella f orst eroides heavily overgrow n by Richea 40 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Cushion moorland is generally f ound in high–rainf all, poorly–drained areas above about 1 000 m, alt hough small areas of cushions are know n in w et areas dow n t o about 800 m. HCM occupies poorly–drained, of t en peat y soils on all subst rat es; it can also occur on smoot h dolerit e on very exposed quart zit e ridges. Ponds and disrupt ed drainage caused by cushion plant grow t h modif y t he t opography at New degat e Pass (M ount Field Nat ional Park), Walled M ount ain and t he east ern slopes of M ount Sarah Jane. Pond w alls may be ent irely cushion species or part ly Empodisma minus and herbs or M illigania densif lora. Some cushion species, not ably Abrot anella f orst eroides, recover st rongly af t er f ires (f or example on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau, M ount Field and M ount Wellingt on), but ot her species develop best if unburnt f or long periods. On t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau above about 1 100 m t he cushion moorland has regrow n since ext ensive f ires in 1962. Elsew here HCM is a climax communit y, long unburnt . Vegetation composition and structure HCM is t reeless veget at ion dominat ed by up t o f ive species of cushion plant s, w hich cover 50% or more of t he ground surf ace. On t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau Abrot anella f orst eroides is t he principal cushion species, w it h minor int ernal mosaics of Pt erygopappus law rencei. In t he st able w est ern communit ies (Walls of Jerusalem and f urt her w est ), Donat ia novae-zelandiae and Dracophyllum minimum, somet imes w it h Phyllachne colensoi and Schizacme archeri, occur as a scat t er of rounded hummocks w it h marginal invasion by small herbs. M any of t hese cushion species are seen on t he dolerit e plat eau east of M ount Field West . The HCM communit y on t he glacially eroded M ount Anne plat eau is generally less rich in species t han t hose on quart zit e mount ains, but cont ains such herbs as Isophysis t asmanica, Ast elia alpina, Erigeron st ellat us, Celmisia ast eliif olia and C. saxif raga, Ranunculus species and Diplaspis cordif olia. Small shrubs associat ed w it h t he communit y are Orit es acicularis, O. revolut a, Richea pandanif olia, Coprosma nit ida, Sprengelia var. mont ana, Bellendena mont ana, Planocarpa pet iolaris, Exocarpos humif usus, Bauera rubioides and Ozot hamnus hookeri. There are int er-cushion grasses (Poa gunnii) and abundant herbs, including Chionogent ias species, Schizacme mont ana, Carpha alpina, Cyat hodes dealbat a, Erigeron st ellat us, Ew art ia planchonii, Drosera arct uri, Euphrasia gibbsiae and E. hookeri. Abrot anella f orst eroides is not common in HCM on t he w est ern (siliceous) mount ains, w here any or all of Dracophyllum minimum, Donat ia novae-zelandiae, Dracophyllum milliganii, Schizacme mont ana and Phyllachne colensoi may be present . Isophysis t asmanica, Carpha alpina, Oreobolus species and small plant s of Epacris serpyllif olia are ubiquit ous. Leucopogon milliganii and Sprengelia incarnat a are common, w it h t he herbs Helichrysum milliganii, H. pumilum, Euphrasia hookeri, Celmisia ast eliif olia, Chionogent ias species and St ylidium graminif olium, Eurychorda complanat a may occur in w et t er areas. HCM more of t en f orms small mosaic pat ches w it hin West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW ) or West ern alpine heat hland (HHW ) w here condit ions are f avourable. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Alpine veget at ion 7 Abrot anella f orst eroides–Baloskion aust ralis bolst er heat h 20 Phyllachne colensoi–Aciphylla procumbens bolst er heat h 21 Donat ia novae-zelandiae–Dracophyllum minimum bolst er heat h 26 Gleichenia alpina–Abrot anella f orst eroides f ernland/bolst er heat h; also occurs in HSE 29 Donat ia novae-zelandiae–Act inot us suff ocat a bolst er heat h 31 Dracophyllum minimum–Empodisma minus bolst er heat h 32 Donatia novae-zelandiae–Milligania bolster heath Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 41 Eastern alpine heathland (HHE) General description A f lorist ically variable heat hland usually dominat ed by Orit es species w it h Richea sprengelioides, Lept ospermum rupest re, Pent achondra pumilia, and grasses prominent . Emergent Eucalypt us coccif era is common. Eucalypt us coccif era is absent . Richea scoparia is nearly alw ays f ound in HHW but is not alw ays in HHE. HHE includes f jaeldmark, w hich diff ers f rom HHW in t hat it lacks Dracophyllum milliganii and Isophysis t asmanica and is poor in Empodisma minus and Carpha alpina. Alpine conif erous heat hland (HCH) shares many species w it h HHE, but diff ers by having dw arf conif ers. Subalpine heat hland (SHS) rarely occurs w it hout emergent eucalypt s (e.g. Eucalypt us delegat ensis) and has prickly and broad-leaf shrubs usually Lept ospermum lanigerum, Prot eaceae and Epacridaceae species – but lit t le grass. On very rocky ground SHS may be dominat ed by Lept ecophylla juniperina, w it h a f ew mid-st orey Hakea lissosperma. East ern alpine veget at ion (undiff erent iat ed) (HUE) includes HHE. St ephen Harris. Cent ral Plat eau w est of Liaw enee. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Example localities Distribution East ern Cent ral Plat eau; nort h of Clemes Tarn in M ount Field Nat ional Park. HHE is f ound t hroughout t he alpine areas in t he east ern half of Tasmania. The largest areas are on M ount Wellingt on, t he sout hern ranges, M ount Field and t he Cent ral Plat eau. Distinguishing features and similar communities East ern alpine heat hland (HHE) may be conf used w it h West ern alpine heat hland (HHW ) in some sit uat ions but can be dist inguished by t he markedly diff erent f lorist ics. HHE usually has one or bot h of Orit es revolut a and O. acicularis of t en w it h Richea sprengelioides, Lept ospermum rupest re, Pent achondra pumila, Poa gunnii, and emergent Eucalypt us coccif era. In cont rast HHW may cont ain some Orit es revolut a but rarely O. acicularis and t he Lept ospermum species is usually L. nit idum rat her t han L. rupest re as in HHE. Poa gunnii and Pent achondra pumila occur only on t he driest open ground in HHW and 42 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit CH, SR, W, BL. Alpine veget at ion Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs on rocky, w ell–drained, gent ly t o st eeply sloping ground on eit her dolerit e or sediment ary rocks. In M ount Field Nat ional Park t here is a zone bet w een about 700 m and 1 050 m in w hich bot h HHE and SHS can occur, depending largely on t he degree of shelt er. Vegetation composition and structure Drainage, exposure and f ire hist ory det ermine t he dominant species. Orit es revolut a is of t en t he most prominent shrub on w ell–drained slopes, w it h O. acicularis prominent in some w ell–w at ered areas but slow t o recover f rom f ire in ot hers. Ot her species include Grevillea aust ralis, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Cyat hodes st raminea, Boronia cit riodora, Lept ospermum rupest re, Baeckea gunniana, M onot oca empet rif olia and Epacris serpyllif olia. Very rocky areas are of t en dominat ed by Richea sprengelioides, w it h Exocarpos humif usus, Olearia erubescens, Leucopogon mont anus, Coprosma nit ida and Planocarpa pet iolaris. M any species are common t o bot h t hese f acies. Open ground is generally covered by prost rat e Epacridaceae species (e.g. Pent achondra pumila, Cyat hodes dealbat a), short Poa gunnii and herbs. As drainage decreases, Richea scoparia may be prominent w here heat hland is replaced by sedgeland. 9 Lept ospermum rupest re–Senecio gunnii heat h; also occurs in HHW 10 Ozot hamnus hookeri–Grevillea aust ralis heat h 11 Richea acerosa–Exocarpos nanus heat h; also occurs in GPH & HSE 12 Orit es acicularis–Poa gunnii grassy heat h 13 Richea sprengelioides–Pent achondra pumila heat h 14 Epacris serpyllif olia–Ozot hamnus rodw ayi heat h; also occurs in HHW 16 Ozot hamnus hookeri–Richea scoparia heat h 17 Orit es revolut a–Helichrysum rut idolepis heat h 19 Ozot hamnus rodw ayi–Gault heria depressa heat h; also occurs in HHW 24 Orit es revolut a–Olearia ledif olia heat h 25 Orit es acicularis–Pimelea sericea heat h 27 Richea scoparia–Orit es acicularis heat h 28 Richea acerosa–Coprosma pumila grassy shrubland; also occurs in GPH & HSC 30 Poa gunnii–Drapet es t asmanicus t ussock grassland; also occurs in GPH 34 Richea gunnii/R. acerosa–Ranunculus grassy shrubland; also occurs in GPH & M GH 41 Richea sprengelioides–Olearia pinif olia heat h 43 Richea sprengelioides–M onot oca empet rif olia heat h Grassland 32 Poa–Isolepis t ussock grassland; also occurs in GPH & HSE Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 1 Orit es acicularis–Baeckea gunniana–Richea acerosa–Hierochloe redolens–Poa cost iniana grassy heat h; also occurs in SRI & HSE HHE in all but t he w et t est areas can have sparse emergent Eucalypt us coccif era. Fjaeldmark heat hland occurs among unst able rock plat es and pat ches of M illigania species on w et rocky slopes. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 43 Eastern alpine sedgeland (HSE) General description East ern alpine sedgeland may be dominat ed by Baloskion aust rale or Ast elia alpina or a diversit y of plant s. Sedgelands are eit her t reeless or have scat t ered small emergent Eucalypt us gunnii. Fernf ield f acies show a carpet of Gleichenia alpina, w it h a f ew t all shrubs and scat t ered t rees in some areas. Sedgelands are commonly f ound in mosaics w it h alpine heat hland or f ringing At hrot axis cupressoides w oodland. HSE and HSW may be rich in Empodisma minus. The presence of Gleichenia alpina and paucit y of Lepidosperma f ilif orme and grasses in HSE separat es it f rom Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH). Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) in east ern areas is similar t o HSE but has Sprengelia incarnat a and usually some Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus, but may lack Gleichenia alpina, and does not ext end above about 750 m. HSE may share shrubby species, part icularly Richea scoparia, w it h East ern alpine heat hland (HHE), but shrubs never dominat e in HSE. Cushion plant s ext ensively overgrow n by Gleichenia alpina and Empodisma minus may be mapped as HSE on t he Cent ral Plat eau. Sphagnum may occur in HSE, but t he communit y is dist inguished f rom Sphagnum peat land (M SP) by having less t han 30% ground cover. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Andrew Crane. Wombat M oor, M ount Field Nat ional Park. Found in alpine areas t hroughout t he dolerit e and sediment ary bedrock alpine areas of cent ral, east ern and sout hern Tasmania. Not f ound on t he highly siliceous rocks of t he sout h-w est and w est . Example localities Upper Pencil Pine River (Gleichenia alpina); Lake Ball (Ast elia alpina); Balmoral M oor near Lake M acKenzie (Baloskion aust rale); Hart z Plat eau (diverse sedgelands). Distinguishing features and similar communities East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE) is dist inguished f rom West ern sedgeland/herbland (HSW ) by it s occurrence in plat eau depressions, shelves and valleys (HSE) rat her t han on rounded ridget ops (HSW ), as w ell as by t he prominence of Gleichenia alpina and t he absence of Isophysis t asmanica and Dracophyllum milliganii. Bot h 44 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence and low er alt it udes E. rodw ayi, may occur on t he margins. CH, SR, W, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology East ern alpine sedgeland on dolerit e and Permian sediment s occurs in exposed sit es bet w een about 700 m and 1 200 m on poorly–drained f lat s and plat eaus, w here f rost as w ell as poor–drainage may limit t ree grow t h. Vegetation composition and structure East ern alpine sedgeland in any one area is f airly unif orm, dense and up t o one met re high, depending on t he dominant species. Any of Gleichenia alpina, Ast elia alpina or Baloskion aust rale variously dominat e any part icular sit e. Empodisma minus is present at most sit es. Emergent shrubs are uncommon, but can include Baeckea gunniana and Richea scoparia. One f orm of sedgeland consist s of an open canopy of R. scoparia w it h Eurychorda complanat a and Empodisma minus bet w een t he clumps. Cushion plant s and/or Baloskion aust rale reed beds may occur in t he low est part s of HSE, t he edges dominat ed by Gleichenia alpina, somet imes w it h Richea acerosa. There may be sparse, of t en very short , Poa gunnii, w hile prost rat e Epacridaceae species such as Pent achondra pumila or Cyat hodes dealbat a may cover t he ground, increasing as drainage improves. There are scat t ered shrubs of Orit es species, Ozot hamnus species, Richea scoparia and R. acerosa – t hese t w o Richea species appear at bot h t he w et and dry ends of t he sedgeland spect rum. HSE may be t reeless or have heat hy t hicket s cent red on small Eucalypt us species grow ing on mounds w here drainage is good. Where drainage is poor, t here may be scat t ered, of t en st unt ed, Eucalypt us gunnii. These small t rees have predominant ly juvenile f oliage, even at an advanced age. E. coccif era, or in ot her sit uat ions Gleichenia alpina is t he dominant component of t he f ernf ield f acies of HSE. Richea scoparia and R. acerosa and any of t he sedges Lepidosperma f ilif orme and Eurychorda complanat a, Sporadant hus t asmanicus and Lept ocarpus t enax may be prominent . The w et t est part s have Sphagnum species, of t en overgrow n by Richea gunnii or R. scoparia and Baloskion aust rale. At hrot axis cupressoides may occur as small open st ands at t he cent res of t hese bogs, somet imes w it h Diselma archeri. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 28 Richea acerosa–Coprosma pumila grassy shrubland; also occurs in GPH & HHE 32 Poa–Isolepis t ussock grassland; also occurs in GPH & HHE 34 Richea gunnii/R. acerosa–Ranunculus grassy shrubland Alpine veget at ion 8 Gleichenia alpina–Empodisma minus f ernland 11 Richea acerosa–Exocarpos nanus heat h; also occurs in HHE & GPH 18 Carpha rodw ayi–M it rasacme archeri alpine sedgeland; also occurs in HSW 26 Gleichenia alpina–Abrot anella f orst eroides f ernland/bolst er heat h; also occurs in HCM Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 2 Subalpine conif erous mires; also occurs in RPW 4 Richea–Sphagnum bogs; also occurs in M SP 5 Richea pandanif olia–Sphagnum mires; also occurs in M SP Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 1 Orit es acicularis–Baeckea gunniana–Richea acerosa–Hierochloe redolens–Poa cost iniana grassy heat h; also occurs in SRI & HSE Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 45 Eastern alpine vegetation (undifferentiated) (HUE) General description This is a generic mapping unit w here a number of ot her veget at ion communit ies are subsumed and are t heref ore described elsew here. This communit y w ill be phased out w hen t he mapping is revised. It is generally t reeless and dominat ed by shrubby heat hland, w it h small areas of sedgeland and grassland. M ost areas mapped as HUE have a hist ory of repeat ed f iring and lack many of t he species t ypical of bet t erprot ect ed east ern alpine veget at ion. Example locality Ben Lomond. Distinguishing features and similar communities Over most of t he Tasmanian highlands, east ern alpine veget at ion has been divided int o several communit ies, each w it h it s dist inguishing f eat ures. The remaining east ern mount ains have been mapped as HUE, a mapping unit comprising undiff erent iat ed alpine veget at ion. HUE includes a number of dist inct communit ies and is def ined geographically. Ecological veget at ion communit ies included in t he HUE mapping unit include, but are not conf ined t o, East ern alpine heat hland (HHE), East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE), Alpine conif erous heat hland (HCH) and Cushion moorland (HCM ). RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Sib Corbet t . West ern Cent ral Plat eau. Distribution Nort hern part of t he West ern Tiers; t he nort heast mount ains; Wellingt on Range. 46 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology HUE occurs largely on dolerit e above about 700 m in exposed sit es on soils t hat vary f rom skelet al (on nearly bare rock) t o moderat ely deep and f ert ile mineral soils. Sit uat ions vary f rom undulat ing plat eaus t o ridges, block f ields and cliff s. M any areas mapped as HUE have apparent ly been burned repeat edly. Dolerit e mount ains such as Quamby Bluff , Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond and M ount Wellingt on are dominat ed by alpine heat hland, w it h a sparse canopy of Eucalypt us coccif era on a f ew f avourable sit es. Heat hlands may be f airly sparse, dominat ed by such species as Lept ospermum rupest re, Epacris serpyllif olia, Richea scoparia, R. sprengelioides, Planocarpa pet iolaris, Lept ecophylla juniperina subspecies parvif olia, Orit es revolut a, O. acicularis, Oxylobium ellipt icum, Olearia ledif olia, Ozot hamnus rodw ayi, and occasional Tasmannia lanceolat a. The ground cover includes Pimelea sericea, M onot oca empet rif olia and Exocarpos humif usus. In w ell –drained areas, groundcovers may include Cyat hodes dealbat a, Pent achondra pumila, Celmisia ast eliif olia, Poa gunnii and Helichrysum scorpioides. Where poorly–drained peat y soils have developed, Ast elia alpina and Empodisma minus dominat e, w it h Gleichenia alpina and Sprengelia incarnat a or herbs such as Ourisia int egrif olia and species of Chionogent ias and Euphrasia. In t he w et t est part s, Richea gunnii commonly grow s over a ground cover of Sphagnum. Cushion plant s, w here present , are composed of Abrot anella f orst eroides and Pt erygopappus law rencei. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a generic mapping unit and may include any of t he f lorist ic communit ies in t he east ern alpine areas. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 47 Western alpine heathland (HHW) General description West ern alpine heat hland occurs on t he w est ern (quart zit ic) mount ains in places w here rocks provide some shelt er, bet t er drainage and some accumulat ed soil. Similar heat hland in very exposed rocky sit uat ions becomes f jaeldmark; t he scat t ered plant s are of t en small and def ormed but nont heless diverse HHW includes rainf orest species such as Eucryphia milliganii, Cenarrhenes nit ida and Agast achys odorat a, as w ell as Lept ospermum nit idum. Sib Corbet t . Tw ist ed Lakes, Cradle M ount ain area. Example localities West ern edge of Tyndall Range; M ount Norold f jaeldmark. Distinguishing features and similar communities West ern alpine heat hland (HHW ) is generally t reeless and conf ined t o rocky height s, unlike East ern alpine heat hland (HHE), w hich commonly has sparse Eucalypt us coccif era emergent s and occurs on broad alpine plat eaus as w ell as peaks and cliff s. The t w o have a number of species in common, but HHW is dist inguished by t he presence of any of Eucryphia milliganii, Agast achys odorat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Lept ospermum nit idum, Richea milliganii, R. alpina, Orit es milliganii or Dracophyllum milliganii. Richea scoparia is variable in east ern alpine areas, w here it is most of t en f ound associat ed w it h w et areas or sedgelands, but is also prominent in w ell–drained West ern alpine heat hland. Low West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW ) of t en f orms close mosaics w it h HHW and is also f lorist ically dist inct ive. In shelt ered areas HHW may grade in t o At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS). Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) has similarit ies w it h HHW , but ext ends t o low er alt it udes, grow s on slopes t hat are less rocky and exposed, has dead (and rarely live) At hrot axis selaginoides and a signif icant cover of Lept ospermum species. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The communit y is f ound only on siliceous subst rat es and is largely conf ined t o rocky mount ain t ops in t he w est and sout h-w est . 48 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation submut ica, Archeria serpyllif olia, Richea pandanif olia, R. milliganii, Bauera rubioides, Coprosma nit ida, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Podocarpus law rencei, Orit es revolut a, Exocarpos humif usus, Tet racarpaea t asmanica and Blandf ordia punicea. Eucalypt us vernicosa, Agast achys odorat a and Cenarrhenes nit ida may be present . Ground-layer species may include Isophysis t asmanica, Empodisma minus, Senecio lept ocarpus, Poa gunnii, Erigeron st ellat us, Anemone crassif olia, Euphrasia hookeri, Celmisia saxif raga, Dracophyllum milliganii, Ast elia alpina, Leucopogon milliganii and somet imes Pent achondra pumila and cushion plant s. Where signif icant shelt er is available, dw arf ed Not hof agus cunninghamii and Eucryphia milliganii may be present . Bioregional occurrence CH, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology West ern alpine heat hland is f ound above about 900 m in rocky sit uat ions on quart zit es, conglomerat e and acid volcanics, on t he mount ains in sout h-w est Tasmania and t he West Coast Range. Shelt er behind boulders or cliff s is import ant , but t he excellent drainage off ered by rocky sit es appears t o be crit ical f or t his communit y. Exposed shrubs usually suff er severe w ind-pruning. Fjaeldmark variant s grow in areas of loose rock plat es, of t en separat ed by gravelly def lat ion hollow s; t hey consist of scat t ered shrubs and graminoids, w hich are of t en dw arf ed, prost rat e or def ormed by exposure. Vegetation composition and structure West ern alpine heat hland is f lorist ically diverse. Richea scoparia and Epacris serpyllif olia are nearly alw ays present . The ot her species can include Persoonia gunnii, Oxylobium ellipt icum, Orit es spp., Tasmannia lanceolat a, Ozot hamnus rodw ayi, Trochocarpa cunninghamii, M onot oca Fjaeldmark has many dw arf ed shrubs f rom t he list above and may also have t he prost rat e alpine f orm of Richea X curt isiae and Epacris navicularis as w ell as M illigania species. It is usually rich in graminoid species such as Dracophyllum milliganii, Isophysis t asmanica, Blandf ordia punicea, Oreobolus species and Carpha alpina. Prionot es cerint hoides may be abundant in quart zit e boulder f ields w here shrubs and herbs f ind soil bet w een t he rocks. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Alpine veget at ion 9 Lept ospermum rupest re–Senecio gunnii heat h; also occurs in HHE 14 Epacris serpyllif olia–Ozot hamnus rodw ayi heat h; also occurs in HHE 19 Ozot hamnus rodw ayi–Gault heria depressa heat h; also occurs in HHE 33 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Eucryphia milliganii heat h; also occurs in RSH 35 Eucalypt us vernicosa–Isophysis t asmanica heat h 38 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Prionot es cerint hoides heat h; also occurs in RSH & SSW 39 Richea scoparia–Carpha curvat a heat h Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 49 Western alpine sedgeland/ herbland (HSW) General description West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland is charact erist ically low -grow ing veget at ion dominat ed by graminoids and prost rat e shrubs on exposed ridges and gent le slopes. Some cushion plant s may also be present . The communit y t ypically occurs on peat soils on quart zit e, sandst one or conglomerat e in w est ern Tasmania. Luke Temby. Ironbound Range, sout h-w est Tasmania. Example locality M ount Anne, Lake Shelf . Distinguishing features and similar communities West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW ) is a t reeless alpine communit y, dist inguished f rom East ern alpine heat hland (HHE) by a lack of shrubby species; a low, unif orm st ruct ure; and a suit e of def init ive species. Cushion plant s may be present in pat ches, but w here t hey dominat e over mappable areas t he communit y is Cushion moorland (HCM ). HSW may be similar in t ext ure t o East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE), but diff ers in t hat HSE occurs on f lat , poorly–drained sit es and is dominat ed by any of Gleichenia alpina, Baloskion aust rale or Ast elia alpina and can include Richea scoparia. While t hese species may be present in HSW t hey never dominat e. There is of t en a smoot h t ransit ion f rom HSW int o M elaleuca squamea heat hland (SM M ) in w hich some or all t he charact erist ic HSW species may occur in openings or in int erst ices bet w een Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus t ussocks and/or M elaleuca squamea and ot her shrub species. At low er alt it udes in w est ern areas, HSW grades int o West ern subalpine scrub (SM W ). Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) is a t reeless communit y occupying t he same alt it ude range as HSW, but dominat ed by Lepidosperma f ilif orme and species of Poa and Baloskion – HSW and M GH have f ew species in common. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland occurs in w est ern and sout h-w est Tasmania, generally above 950 m but low er in t he f ar sout h-w est . 50 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation common are Abrot anella f orst eroides, Pt erygopappus law rencei and Phyllachne colensoi. M icrocachrys t et ragona is scat t ered in long st rips of unburnt sedgeland (f or example part s of t he West ern Art hur Range). Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology HSW occurs almost exclusively on peat soils in high-rainf all, very exposed sit es overlying siliceous rocks on plat eaus and gent ly rounded slopes and ridge t ops. In rare inst ances, t he same species assemblage is f ound on dolerit e w here f ormat ion of mineral soil has been impeded, possibly by glacial erosion, and poor–drainage has allow ed peat soils t o develop. Such sit es usually lack any prot ect ion such as rock ridges. Part icularly rich HSW f loras occur on massive sandst ones and quart zit es; f or example on t he Norold Range, w hich, in addit ion t o t he t ypical species, has Euphrasia hookeri, E. gibbsiae, Anemone crassif olia, Richea alpina, Epacris navicularis, Leucopogon milliganii, Ew art ia species, M illigania densif lora, Xyris species and Baeckea gunniana. Wet f lat s w it hin HSW , as in t he cent re of t he Tyndall Range and part s of t he Art hur Ranges, may be dominat ed by very short Eurychorda complanat a w it h moss, single-f loret cushions, Oreobolus species, Empodisma minus, Xyris species and Isophysis t asmanica. HSW at it s low er alt it ude may cont ain Sprengelia incarnat a, Anemone crassif olia, Ast elia alpina, Bauera rubioides, Eurychorda complanat a, Erigeron st ellat us, Chionogent ias species, Pent achondra pumila, Blandf ordia punicea and Exocarpos humif usus. Where shelt er and drainage improve, species such as Persoonia gunnii, Cenarrhenes nit ida and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius may f orm low mounds or t here may be t aller shrubby t hicket s or w indrow s of t en cent red on At hrot axis selaginoides and/or Eucalypt us vernicosa w it h dw arf ed Not hof agus cunninghamii and Eucryphia milliganii. HSW is one of t he communit ies in sout h-w est Tasmania t hat host s mat s of t he rare f ern Gleichenia abscida. Vegetation composition and structure West ern alpine sedgeland/rushland veget at ion is dominat ed by Isophysis t asmanica, sedges (Carpha alpina, Oreobolus species and Empodisma minus), Dracophyllum milliganii and dw arf ed or prost rat e Epacris serpyllif olia, usually accompanied by Sprengelia mont ana and Helichrysum pumilum. There may be emergent Eucalypt us vernicosa. The cushion plant s Donat ia novae-zelandiae and Dracophyllum minimum may be present , usually in small pat ches. Less Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Alpine veget at ion 1 Calt ha phyllopt era short alpine herbf ield 18 Carpha rodw ayi–M it rasacme archeri alpine sedgeland; also occurs in HSE 30 Isophysis t asmanica–Dracophyllum milliganii alpine sedgeland Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 51 Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes Community name Community code Acacia longif olia coast al scrub SAC Banksia marginat a w et scrub SBM Broad-leaf scrub SBR Coast al complex on King Island SCK Coast al heat hland SCH Coast al scrub SSC Coast al scrub on alkaline sands SCA Dry scrub SDU Heat hland on calcarenit e SHC Heat hland on granit e SHG Heat hland scrub complex at Wingaroo SCW Heat hland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island SHF Inland heat hland (undiff erent iat ed) SHU Lept ospermum scrub SLW Low land sedgy heat hland SHL M elaleuca pust ulat a scrub SM P M elaleuca squamea heat hland SM M M elaleuca squarrosa scrub SM R Queenst ow n regrow t h mosaic SQR Riparian scrub SRI Scrub complex on King Island SSK Seabird rookery complex SRC Subalpine heat hland SHS West ern subalpine scrub SSW West ern w et scrub SWW Wet heat hland SHW Scrublands, heat hlands and t he diverse complexes t hat t hey can f orm w hen grow ing t oget her are, w it h a f ew not able except ions, t ypically dominat ed by scleromorphic species. The st ruct ure of t hese communit ies varies f rom very dense w it h 100% cover, t o open w it h as low as 30% cover. They range in height f rom a f ew cent imet res t o over eight met res in f avourable condit ions. While t his height is t he arbit rary divide bet w een f orest and scrub, t hese t aller communit ies t hat maint ain scrub-like appearance are dealt w it h in t his sect ion. A number of communit ies t hat appear t o be scrublike–M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E) 52 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation and Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ) – are covered in Non-eucalypt f orest and w oodland, as t hey commonly reach over 8 m in height . Scrubland and heat hland communit ies t ypically have only t w o st rat a; a dominant layer of shrubs t he diversit y of w hich ranges f rom monospecif ic t o highly diverse; and a ground layer of herbs, orchids, prost rat e shrubs and occasionally grasses. The ground layer is generally quit e sparse, alt hough it can be diverse and dense in open communit ies. Heat hland and scrub occur f rom sea level t o about 1 200 m and on a range of rock t ypes in all climat es. The mapped heat hland and scrubland complexes are conf ined t o low land coast al areas and off shore islands. Heat hland and scrubland in alpine areas are dealt w it h in Highland t reeless veget at ion, w hile scrub w it h a prominent rainf orest species component is classif ied w it h Rainf orest and relat ed scrub. The communit ies in t his sect ion are st ruct urally and f lorist ically variable and are divided int o mapping unit s largely on t he basis of t he nat ure or ident it y of t he dominant or common species, and t o a lesser ext ent on st ruct ure and habit at . Heat hland and scrubland complexes have been mapped in t hree areas w here it has been diff icult t o resolve t he mapping int o separat e component s. Wit h more resources, it w ould be possible in at least t w o cases – Heat hland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island (SHF) and Heat hland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW ) – t o map t he component s separat ely. Ext ensive f lorist ic st udies and classif icat ion w ork have been done on heat hlands in Tasmania (Kirkpat rick 1977, Kirkpat rick and Harris 1999). Scrublands have been largely neglect ed. Surveys and classif icat ions of but t ongrass moorlands (Jarman et al. 1988), riparian veget at ion (Askey-Doran 1993), sw amp f orest (Pannell 1992) and rainf orest (Jarman et al. 1984) have invest igat ed some of t he scrub communit ies. No syst emat ic St at e-w ide survey of scrub communit ies has yet been undert aken and classif icat ion of communit y t ypes is incomplet e. Seabird rookery complex (SRC) is somet imes heat hy in t he sense t hat w oody shrubs can be dominant , but t hey are diff erent species (e.g. Senecio spp., Olearia spp.) f rom t hose in t he ot her heat hland cat egories. Somet imes seabird rookery veget at ion is grassy or has a prominent cover of succulent creepers. This communit y is ecologically dist inct f rom t he ot her communit ies in t his sect ion and t here is somet imes only a superf icial resemblance. General management issues M ost scrub and heat h communit ies are seral communit ies dependent on some t ype of dist urbance regime f or t heir perpet uat ion. The f orms t his dist urbance t akes can include burning; st rong, salt -laden coast al w inds; st rong, abrasive w inds in alpine and subalpine areas; f lood event s; and sand blow -out s in coast al dune syst ems. Some scrub communit ies may represent climax veget at ion prevent ed f rom reaching f orest by edaphic or climat ic f act ors. In w est ern Tasmania, scrub has an int ermediat e f iref requency bet w een but t ongrass moorlands and f orest s (Jackson 1968, Brow n and Podger 1982). Fire is a signif icant management issue f or t he heat hs t hat rely on it t o maint ain species diversit y and a low st ruct ure. Changes in t he f ire regime w ill change bot h st ruct ure and diversit y, w it h low er-f requency regimes of t en convert ing a heat h t o a scrub communit y (Harris 1991, Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Clearing is, and has been, a signif icant issue f or many of t he ecological veget at ion communit ies covered by t his veget at ion cat egory, and part icularly f or t he t ypes t hat occur in coast al areas out side t he World Herit age Area (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999, Barnes et al. 2002). The land is cleared f or agricult ure, coast al development , and mining (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Coast al scrub (SSC) occurs on a dynamic geomorphological environment and t heref ore provides an import ant st abilising and successional f unct ion. In many areas it is t hreat ened w it h clearance f or coast al development , w it h associat ed problems such as slashing or burning t o maint ain sea view s and t he invasion of w eeds (Harris 1991). One of t he major t hreat s is posed by t he plant pat hogen Phyt opht hora cinnamomi. This pat hogen is part icularly damaging t o several plant f amilies t hat are key component s of heat hland and heat hland scrub mosaics. It is current ly w idespread in t hese communit ies t hroughout t he St at e, making areas t hat are f ree f rom t he pat hogen signif icant . The TASVEG communit ies t hat have been ident if ied as highly suscept ible t o t his pat hogen include many cont ained in t his sect ion (Schahinger et al. 2003). Suscept ible f amilies include Dilleniaceae, Epacridaceae, Fabaceae, Prot eaceae and Rut aceae, all of w hich are commonly ext ensively present in heat hland and heat hland scrub mosaics. In areas of Phyt opht hora cinnamomi inf ect ion, t he plant species diversit y can be signif icant ly reduced. In ext reme cases most of t he w oody species disappear, leaving sedge-rushdominat ed veget at ion, w hich is mapped as Low land sedgy heat hland (SHL) (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Weeds are rarely a problem in areas of undist urbed heat hland and scrubland. How ever, w here nut rient levels are increased such as by w at er run-off f rom roads, or w here w ast e is dumped, species such as boneseed (Chrysant hemoides monilif era) and Spanish heat h (Erica lusit anica) may pose a compet it ive t hreat f or nat ive species (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 53 Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes Ref erences and f urt her reading A SKEY-DORAN, M . (1993) Riparian veget at ion in t he M idlands and east ern Tasmania. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . BALM ER, J., BROWN, M ., CORBETT, S., KITCHENER, A. & HARRIS, S. (2003) Proceedings of TASVEG SAC Subgroup–meet ing out comes. Unpublished report , TASVEG SAC. Sept ember 23, 2003. BARNES, R.W., DUNCAN, F. & TODD, C.S. (2002) The Nat ive Veget at ion of King Island, Bass St rait . Nat ure Conservat ion Report 02/6. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Resource M anagement and Conservat ion, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . BROTHERS, N. & HARRIS, S. (1999) The eff ect s of f ire on burrow -nest ing seabirds part icularly short -t ailed shearw at ers (Puff inus t enuirost ris) and t heir habit at in Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 133(1),15–22. BROTHERS, N., PEM BERTON, D., PRYOR, H. & HALLEY, V. (2001) Tasmania’s Off shore Islands: seabirds and ot her nat ural f eat ures. Tasmanian M useum and Art Gallery, Hobart . BROWN, M .J. & PODGER, F.D. (1982) Florist ics and f ire regimes of a veget at ion sequence f rom sedgeland-heat h t o rainf orest at Bat hurst Harbour, Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 30, 659–676. CASEY, S. (1996) Tasman Highw ay bot anical survey: 1. Lake Leake M ain Road t o Brushy Rivulet . 2. Cranbrook t o Apslaw n. Unpublished report , Depart ment Of Transport and Works. CORBETT, K.D. (1980) A record of Aboriginal implement sit es in t he Queenst ow n area, Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 114, 191. DALEY, E.A. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (2004) Nat ive riparian veget at ion. Cunninghamia. 8(4), 409–430. DUNCAN, F. (N.D) Florist ic diff erences bet w een t he dry heat h communit ies and t he heat hs on King Island, and t he relat ionship bet w een t he w et heat h communit ies and t he w et scrubs on King Island. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y. Unpublished report . 54 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation DUNCAN. F. & DUNCAN, D. (1984) A dry sclerophyll w oodland mosaic; veget at ion of Cherry Tree Hill, near Cranbrook, Tasmania. Records of t he Queen Vict oria M useum, Launcest on. DUNCAN, F.D., pers. comm. November 3, 2003. DUNCAN, F. (1983) Plant Communit ies of t he Douglas River Region. Wildlif e Division Technical report 83/3. Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. DUNCAN, F.D., BARNES, R., A SKEY-DORAN, M ., KITCHENER, A., KNIGHT, R. (2003) Threat ened ecological communit ies–King Island. Unpublished paper prepared f or CARSAG November 3, 2003 FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005). Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. GILLHAM , M .E. (1960) Dest ruct ion of indigenous heat h veget at ion in Vict orian seabird colonies. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 8, 277–317. GILLHAM , M .E. (1961) Plant s and seabirds of granit e islands in sout h-east Vict oria. Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Vict oria. 74(1), 21–35. GILLHAM , M .E. (1965) IV Veget at ion: Addit ions and changes–t he Fisher Island f ield st at ion. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal t he Societ y of Tasmania. 99, 71–80. HARRIS, S. (1991) A summary of t he f lora conservat ion values and t heir management in Freycinet Nat ional Park. Unpublished report , Wildlif e Division, Parks and Wildlif e Service. Tasmania. HARRIS, S. & BALM ER, J. (1997) The veget at ion and f lora of Three Hummock Island, w est ern Bass St rait . Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 129, 43–51. HARRIS, S. & LAZARUS, E. (2002) A barren part of t he main? The veget at ion of Hunt er Island, Fleurieu Group, Bass St rait . Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 136, 107–126. HARRIS, S. & REIM ER, A. (1994) Flora and Fauna of Clarke Island, Furneaux Group. Unpublished report , Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. HARRIS, S., ZEIGLER, K., LAZARUS, E. & A RTHUR, C., (in prep.) Cloud f orest s and f ire st orms: t he veget at ion of St rzelecki Nat ional Park. HARRIS, S. & M CKENNY, H. (1999) Preservat ion Island, Furneaux Group: t w o hundred years of veget at ion change. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 133, 85–101. HARRIS, S., BUCHANAN, A. & CONNOLLY, A. (2001) One Hundred Islands: The Flora of t he Out er Furneaux. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment . Hobart . HARRIS, S. (1991) Coast al Veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook.(ed. Kirkpat rick, J.B. (Ed), pp. 128–147, Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . HARRIS, S. & SUM M ERS, S. (2000) The desert if icat ion of a Bass St rait island and a plan f or it s recovery: t he case of East Kangaroo Island, Furneaux Group. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 134, 83–90. HUGHES, J.M .R. (1987a) A st udy of riverine plant communit ies in Tasmania, w it h especial ref erence t o cent ral east coast rivers. PhD Thesis. Universit y of Tasmania. HUGHES, J.M .R. (1987b). Hydrological charact erist ics and classif icat ion of Tasmanian rivers. Aust ralian Geographical St udies. 25, 61–82. HUGHES, J.M .R. (1990) Lot ic veget at ion dynamics f ollow ing dist urbance along t he Sw an and Apsley Rivers, Tasmania. Journal of Biogeography. 17, 291–306. JACKSON, W.D. (1968) Fire, air, w at er and eart h–an element al ecology of Tasmania. Proceedings of t he Ecological Societ y of Aust ralia. 3, 9–16. JARM AN, S.J., KANTVILAS, G. & BROWN, M .J. (1988) But t ongrass moorland in Tasmania. Research Report No. 2. Tasmanian Forest Research Council, Inc. JARM AN, S.J., BROWN, M .J. & KANTVILAS, G. (1984) Rainf orest in Tasmania. Unpublished report , Tasmanian Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . JARM AN, S.J., KANTVILAS, G. & BROWN, M .J. (1994) Phyt osociological St udies in Tasmanian Rainf orest . Phyt ocoenologia. 22, 355–390. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1997) Alpine Tasmania, an illust rat ed guide t o t he f lora and veget at ion. Oxf ord Universit y Press. M elbourne. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1977) The impact of man on t he veget at ion of t he w est coast region. In: Landscape And M an (Eds. Banks, M .R. & Kirkpat rick, J.B., pp 151–156, Royal Societ y of Tasmania, Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1986) Conservat ion of alpine plant species alliances and associat ions of t he t reeless high count ry of Tasmania. Biological Conservat ion. 37, 43–57. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1999) The Disappearing Heat h Revisit ed. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1977) The Disappearing Heat h–A st udy of t he conservat ion of coast al heat h in nort h and east Tasmania and t he Furneaux group. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust , Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1991) Reservat ion st at us of plant communit ies in Tasmania. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (ed. Kirkpat rick, J.B.), pp. 277–291, Tasmanian Environment Cent re, Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1999) Coast al heat h and w et land veget at ion. In: Veget at ion of Tasmania (Ed. Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J.) Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series. 8. pp. 304–332, Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy, Environment Aust ralia. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., & HARRIS, S. (1995) The Conservat ion of Tasmanian Dry Coast al Vascular Plant Communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic report 95/1. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B., BARKER, P., BROWN, M .J., HARRIS, S. & M ACKIE, R. (1995) The Reservat ion St at us of Tasmanian Vascular Plant Communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/4. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., M ASSEY, J.S. & PARSONS, R.F. (1974) Nat ural hist ory of Curt is Island, Bass St rait , 2. Soils and veget at ion w it h not es on Rodondo Island. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 107, 131–144. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1999) The charact erist ics and management problems of t he veget at ion and f lora of t he Hunt ingf ield area, Sout hern Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 133(1), 103–113. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 55 Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes LYNCH, J. (1991) A bot anical survey along a lengt h of t he Tasman Highw ay: Lake Leake main road junct ion. Unpublished Consult ant s Report t o t he Depart ment Of Roads And Transport . NORTH, A., JOHNSON, K., ZIEGLER, K., HOPKINS, K., ZIEGELER, D., & W ATTS, S. (1998) Flora of Recommended Areas For Prot ect ion and Forest Reserves in Tasmania. Unpublished report , Forest Pract ices Board, Forest ry Tasmania and Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. PANNELL, J.R. (1992) Sw amp Forest s of Tasmania. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. PEM BERTON, M . (1991) The inf luence Short –Tailed Shearw at ers (Puff inus t enuirost rus) have on soil development at M aat suyker Island, Sout h West Tasmania. Unpublished Report , Depart ment of Parks, Wildlif e and Herit age, Hobart . PINKARD, G.J. & RICHLEY, L.R. (1982) Land Syst ems of Tasmania Region 2. Depart ment of Agricult ure, Tasmania. POLLARD, T., (in prep.): The Ecology of Dry Rainf orest in Tasmania. PhD t opic, Depart ment of Geography and Environment al St udies, Universit y of Tasmania. ROLLINS, E. (1999) Populat ion biology and vit al at t ribut es of rare serit onous species. BSc (Hons) Thesis, Universit y of Tasmania. RUDM AN, T. (2003) Tasmanian Beach Weed St rat egy f or marram grass, sea spurge, sea w heat grass, pyp grass and beach daisy. Nat ure conservat ion report 03/02. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . SCHAHINGER, R., RUDM AN, T. & W ARDLAW, T.J. (2003) Conservat ion of Tasmanian Plant Species and Communit ies Threat ened by Phyt opht hora cinnamomi: St rat egic Regional Plan f or Tasmania. Technical report 03/03, Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . SPECHT, R.L. (1970) Veget at ion. In: The Aust ralian Environment (4t h edn.) (ed. Leeper, G.W.), pp. 44–67 , CSIRO/ M elbourne Universit y Press, M elbourne. UNDERWOOD, S. (1998) Synecology and Conservat ion of Veget at ion of Aeolian Calcarenit e Flinders Island. BSc (Hons) Thesis. Universit y of Tasmania. 56 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation W ALSH, D., KIRKPATRICK, J.B., & SKIRA , I.J. (1997) Veget at ion pat t erns, environment al correlat es and veget at ion change in a Puff inus t enuirost ris breeding colony at Cape Queen Elizabet h, Tasmania. Aut ralian Journal of Bot any. 45, 71–79. W ILLIS, J.H. (1958) II. Veget at ion of Fisher Island. In: The Fisher Island Field St at ion–w it h an account of it s principal f auna and f lora. (Eds. Guiler, E.R., Servent y, D.L. & Willis, J.H.), Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 92, 171–174. Key to Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes Page 1 Scrub 2 Scrub recolonising hills around Queenst ow n and some ot her w est ern Tasmanian mining areas; Acacia mucronat a, Rest io t et raphyllus commonly present Queenstow n regrow th mosaic (SQR) 97 2 Scrub in subalpine and highland areas, generally above 600 m alt it ude, in sout h-w est Tasmania; Lept ospermum nit idum commonly present Western subalpine scrub (SSW) 109 2 Coast al and low land scrub 3 Scrub along river banks and large creeks Riparian scrub (SRI) 99 3 M elaleuca–dominat ed scrub 4 Scrub on King Island; includes heat hland, sedgeland and scrub element s Scrub complex on King Island (SSK) 102 4 Scrub dominat ed by M elaleuca pust ulat a, occurs on cent ral east coast Tasmania M elaleuca pustulata scrub (SM P) 91 4 Scrub dominat ed by M elaleuca squarrosa, w idespread in w est ern Tasmania M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) 95 4 Scrub dominat ed by M elaleuca squarrosa or M . ericif olia in t he Wingaroo area on Flinders Island w it hin a complex of veget at ion t ypes Heathland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW) 80 4 Scrub dominat ed by M elaleuca ericif olia; mainly nort hern Tasmania see M elaleuca ericifolia sw amp forest (NM E) 328 3 Lept ospermum–dominat ed scrub 4 Scrub dominat ed by Lept ospermum lanigerum Leptospermum scrub (SLW) 4 86 Scat t ered Lept ospermum lanigerum cont inuously regenerat ing, over Bauera rubioides and rainf orest species seedlings see Leptospermum w ith rainforest scrub (RLS) 172 4 Scrub dominat ed by any Lept ospermum; L. lanigerum not prominent ; L. scoparium and L. glaucescens often prominent; well–drained sites; widespread Dry scrub (SDU) 74 4 Scrub w it h Lept ospermum nit idum and Acacia spp. prominent , w est ern Tasmania Western w et scrub (SWW) 111 3 Scrub not dominat ed by M elaleuca or Lept ospermum Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 57 Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes Key to Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes Page 4 Banksia marginat a dominat ed scrub; mainly w est ern Tasmania Banksia marginata w et scrub (SBM ) 62 4 Scrub dominat ed by broad-leaf shrubs such as Beyeria viscosa, Bedf ordia salicina, Pomaderris apet ala Broad-leaf scrub (SBR) 64 Acacia longifolia coastal scrub (SAC) 60 4 Scrub in close proximit y t o t he coast 5 Scrub dominat ed by Acacia longif olia 5 Scrub on alkaline sands and calcarenit es, commonly Flinders and ot her Bass St rait islands Coastal scrub on alkaline sands (SCA) 72 5 Scrub w it h obligat e coast al species on rocky cliff s and slopes on highenergy coast s of King Island Coastal complex on King Island (SCK) 66 5 Scrub on sand dunes or on rocky coast s, mixed dominant species but commonly species of Correa, Lept ospermum, West ringia and Planocarpa Coastal scrub (SSC) 70 M elaleuca squamea heathland (SM M ) 93 1 Heat hland 2 Veget at ion generally above 650 m 3 M elaleuca squamea dominat ed heat hland 3 Subalpine heat hland; Lept ospermum lanigerum prominent , f lorist ically diverse Subalpine heathland (SHS) 107 3 Wet heat hland, w it h M elaleuca squarrosa, M . gibbosa, Hakea spp., Callist emon viridif lorus Wet heathland (SHW) 113 2 Coast al and low land heat hlands 3 Veget at ion associat ed w it h seabird rookeries; may be grassy, scrubby or comprised of herbf ields or succulent prost rat e or scrambling shrubs; seabird burrow s common; succulent and ruderal species prominent Seabird rookery complex (SRC) 105 Wet heathland (SHW) 113 3 Wet heat hland (poorly–drained) 3 Dry heat hland (w ell–drained) 58 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes Page 4 Heat hland on calcareous sands and limest one; Furneaux Islands; possibly ot her Bassian coast s Heathland on calcarenite (SHC) 76 4 Heat hland on siliceous sands 5 Heat hland w it hin a mosaic of w et lands, sedgeland, scrub and f orest on t he Pet ibela and Nala soils count ry w est of Wingaroo Heathland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW) 80 5 Heat hland on siliceous gravelly soil on gent le t o st eep slopes around t he hills and mount ains on t he Furneaux Islands Heathland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island (SHF) 82 5 Heat hland on sand; prominence of shrubs belonging t o Fabaceae, M imosaceae, M yrt aceae, Ast eraceae, Dilleniaceae, Prot eaceae and Epacridaceae; of t en adjacent t o scrub and w oodland veget at ion Coastal heathland (SCH) 68 Low land sedgy heathland (SHL) 89 5 Heat hland w it h an ext ensive graminoid component 5 Heat hy sedgeland dominat ed by Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus see Eastern buttongrass moorland (M BE) 128 5 Heat hland w it hin an undiff erent iat ed complex of sedgeland, heat hland and scrub on King Island Scrub complex on King Island (SSK) 102 5 Heat hland w it hin an undiff erent iat ed mosaic of veget at ion t ypes in t he Wingaroo area, Flinders Island Heathland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW) 80 4 Heat hland on granit e, granodiorit e and relat ed rocks 5 Shrub-dominat ed; t ypically on skelet al soils Heathland on granite (SHG) 78 5 Graminoid-dominat ed heat hland; any of Gahnia microst achya, Lepidosperma concavum, Hypolaena f ast igiat a prominent Low land sedgy heathland (SHL) 89 4 Heat hland on dolerit e, sediment ary rocks or Permian rocks (w it h clay soils derived f rom t hose) 5 Shrub-dominat ed Inland heathland (undifferentiated) (SHU) 84 5 Graminoid-dominat ed; Lomandra longif olia and Lepidosperma spp. prominent Low land sedgy heathland (SHL) Chapter 4 89 The Vegetation Descriptions 59 Acacia longifolia coastal scrub (SAC) General description This communit y normally occurs in a narrow st rip along t he coast , usually on parallel dunes, w it h t he f ollow ing species dominant : Acacia longif olia subsp. sophorae, Leucopogon parvif lorus, Banksia marginat a, M yoporum insulare and Lept ospermum laevigat um. The communit y can vary f rom pure Acacia longif olia t o A. longif olia mixt ures w it h ot her species. The underst orey is generally sparse. Example locality M ount William Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished by near-coast al obligat e species such as Acacia longif olia and M yoporum insulare. It diff ers f rom Coast al scrub on alkaline sands (SCA), w hich has coast al species over a predominant ly grassy and herbaceous underst orey. SAC does not include f oredunes dominat ed by grasses or sedges, coast al w oodlands, f orest s or heat hlands, alt hough small pat ches of t hese communit ies may be included out of expediency because of t he mapping scale. Coast al scrub is mapped as SSC. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. St ephen Harris, Near St anley. Distribution The communit y is coast al and w idespread, but dominance varies. 60 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit F, K, SE, SR, W. Dry coast al communit ies Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Acacia longif olia coast al scrub occurs on sand dunes in a narrow but variable coast al zone. The major processes inf luencing t he veget at ion in t he coast al zone are desiccat ion by onshore salt laden w inds, and building and shaping of sand dunes by w ind and w aves. This veget at ion communit y is most ly f ound in areas w here t here is mobile or recent ly mobile sand. Vegetation composition and structure 10 Acacia sophorae–Helichrysum paralium shrubland 12 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Rhagodia candolleana shrubland; also occurs in SSC 20 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Lepidosperma concavum–Oxalis perennans heat h; also occurs in SSC 22 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Viola hederacea–Aust rost ipa f lavescens shrubland; also occurs in SSC 35 Correa backhousiana–Acacia sophorae–Lepidosperma gladiat um heat h 37 Acacia sophorae–Leucopogon parvif lorus–Poa poif ormis heat h/scrub The veget at ion in t his mapping unit is usually inland of t he act ively accret ing f oredunes; t ypically, t here is a st rong zonat ion f rom t he high w at er mark inland across t he sand dunes. The of t en-sparse underst orey of t he shrubs and small t rees may include Lepidosperma concavum and herbs such as Pariet aria debilis, Wahlenbergia species, Porant hera microphylla, Dichondra repens, Gnaphalium indut um, Helichrysum leucopsideum, Carpobrot us rossii, Act it es megalocarpa and Tet ragonia implexicoma. This mapping unit usually indicat es shrubland, w hich can be dense. Lept ospermum laevigat um, Leucopogon parvif lorus, Banksia marginat a, Allocasuarina vert icillat a and M yoporum insulare may be prominent element s in t his communit y. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 61 Banksia marginata w et scrub (SBM ) General description Banksia marginat a w et scrub (SBM ) is a dense w et scrub dominat ed by Banksia marginat a. It occurs in t w o recognised f acies: a sclerophyllous t ype and a rainf orest t ype, bot h represent ing successional st ages. The sclerophyllous t ype, w hich is f ound on creek f ringes w it hin sout hw est but t ongrass moorland, is rich in M elaleuca squarrosa, Lept ospermum scoparium and somet imes L. nit idum, of t en w it h Gahnia grandis and Empodisma minus or Calorophus species. A rainf orest f acies is dominat ed by B. marginat a w it h subdominant Not hof agus cunninghamii, Lept ospermum nit idum, abundant Eucryphia milliganii and somet imes Agast achys odorat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, M elaleuca squamea and Epacris serpyllif olia. Example localities Plains nort h of Sandf ly Creek; ridge sides east of Tyndall Range. Distinguishing features and similar communities One f acies of SBM is similar t o West ern w et scrub (SWW ). How ever, SBM generally lacks Acacia mucronat a and has lit t le Eucalypt us nit ida, but is richer in M elaleuca squarrosa and Blandf ordia. The f acies of SBM w it h rainf orest element s is variable but dist inct ive in it s combinat ion of B. marginat a w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii and Eucryphia milliganii. It may also enclose pat ches of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus or have openings w it h M elaleuca squamea heat hland (SM M ) and West ern subalpine scrub (SSW ) species. The prominence of B. marginat a separat es SBM f rom SSW . Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) has f ew B. marginat a, but has a prominent component of Rest ionaceae species and some Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus. In sout h-w est Tasmania SBM may grade int o t aller Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ), part icularly near rivers, w here M elaleuca squarrosa and Lept ospermum scoparium and somet imes L. glaucescens and/or L. nit idum, Nemat olepis squamea and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius dominat e. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Nepelle Temby, Edgar Bay, Scot t s Peak Road. 62 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Distribution Vegetation composition and structure West ern and sout h-w est Tasmania. Below t he Eucalypt us species (if present ), Banksia marginat a and somet imes Acacia mucronat a reach 3–4 m. Tall Lept ospermum lanigerum and ot her w et f orest species are also present in SBM w here it f ringes sw amps and creeks. There may be no dist inct canopy and t he st ruct ure is usually dense, w it h Agast achys odorat a and Cenarrhenes nit ida shelt ering just below t he B. marginat a crow ns and Lept ospermum species. Bioregional occurrence W, SR, CH. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology SBM is conf ined t o peat soils on quart zit es, conglomerat e and siliceous volcanic rocks in w est ern and sout h-w est Tasmania. It s alt it udinal range is bet w een near-sea level and about 600 m, somet imes as high as 900 m. The moorland f acies occurs as t hicket s on relat ively w ell–drained sit es, giving w ay t o but t ongrass or t eat ree sw amp as drainage decreases. The rainf orest f acies or West Coast Range f orm grow s on gent le t o moderat e slopes in relat ively shelt ered, high-rainf all areas. SBM on slopes east of t he Tyndall Range reaches about 3 m in height and is dominat ed by B. marginat a, w it h Eucryphia milliganii, Lept ospermum nit idum, dw arf Not hof agus cunninghamii, Cenarrhenes nit ida and Agast achys odorat a. Openings have Epacris serpyllif olia and somet imes Eucalypt us vernicosa and/or Orit es milliganii. M ore scrubby f orms have in addit ion M onot oca submut ica and some Richea scoparia. Nort h of Hent y M ine, SBM occupies ridget ops surrounded by At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest . It consist s of 3–4 m B. marginat a over Lept ospermum nit idum, M elaleuca squamea, Agast achys odorat a, Acacia mucronat a and M onot oca glauca, w it h a t angle of Bauera rubioides, Sprengelia incarnat a, Calorophus species and Epacris het erophylla and a f ew but t ongrass clumps. There are variat ions on t his f orm occurring f rom t he Hent y River near t he mine t o t he slopes of M ount Read; possibily t his is t he veget at ion t hat long ago replaced Not hof agus gunnii and At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest in f ire-prone areas. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit None ident if ied. No syst emat ic St at e-w ide bot anical survey has been carried out f or noncoast al scrub communit ies in Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 63 Broad-leaf scrub (SBR) General description Broad-leaf scrub (SBR) is a closed scrub communit y of sit es w it h low f requencies of f ire. The dominant small t rees are a combinat ion of any of Pomaderris apet ala, Beyeria viscosa, Nemat olepis squamea, Prost ant hera lasiant hos and Bedf ordia salicina. In coast al sand-sheet scrub, Pomaderris apet ala may share dominance w it h Cenarrhenes nit ida and somet imes M onot oca ellipt ica. Occasionally t here are emergent Eucalypt us species. diff ers f rom ot her coast al shrubland in having low diversit y, P. apet ala dominant or codominant , no Lept ospermum species and very sparse underst orey plant s. SBR diff ers f rom subalpine heat hland (SHS) in having a broader (and generally low er) alt it udinal range, low diversit y of vascular plant species and broad-leaf shrubs dominant . RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Some f acies of TASVEG SBR may occur in RFA NNP. Distribution Nepelle Temby, near Tarraleah. The communit y is prevalent as scat t ered pat ches t hroughout much of Tasmania, including t he Bass St rait Islands. In t he sout h and around t he Cent ral Highlands, SBR can occur in subalpine sit uat ions on rocky scree slopes but is also f ound in shelt ered places near t he coast . In t he nort hw est , a f acies of t his communit y occurs in dist urbed sit uat ions as recolonising veget at ion. The sand-sheet f orm of SBR is common around t he sout h coast and along t he sout hern half of t he w est coast . Example localities Apsley Gorge, Douglas Apsley Nat ional Park; east ern slopes of M ount Wellingt on; Spero Bay on t he w est coast . Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y has some f lorist ic similarit ies t o Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest (NNP), but is less t han 8 m in height . In w et f orest and on coast al cliff s, one of Pomaderris apet ala, Bedf ordia salicina or Olearia argophylla is of t en complet ely dominant and t here may be almost no ground layer. The sand-sheet coast al f orm 64 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence W, SR, CH, NS, K, F, BL, NM , SE. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y commonly occurs in gullies or on t alus slopes or boulder f ields on mount ainsides, near sea cliff s and in ot her f ire-prot ect ed sit uat ions bet w een sea-level and about 500 m (up t o 800 m in a f ew places). M any examples of t his communit y have an aspect f acing aw ay f rom t he nort h-w est , aff ording prot ect ion f rom bot h desiccat ing w inds and t he direct ion of advance of severe f ire-f ront s in Tasmania. Vegetation composition and structure The dominant small t rees in t his communit y are any of Not elaea ligust rina, Nemat olepis squamea, Prost ant hera lasiant hos, Bedf ordia salicina, Pomaderris apet ala and Beyeria viscosa. Pomaderris apet ala dominat es int ermediat e, rocky sit es, and may be associat ed w it h semibroad-leaved species such as Prost ant hera lasiant hos, Nemat olepis squamea and Pit t osporum bicolor or may f orm t all, nearly monospecif ic st ands w it h sparse f erns in t he underst orey. Sit es dominat ed by Bedf ordia salicina or P. apet ala can regenerat e af t er f ire. M ost f ires st imulat e vigorous re-sprout ing f rom epicormic and basal shoot s in P. apet ala and O. argophylla. Dist urbed ecot ones w it h eucalypt f orest also commonly cont ain t he t all shrubs; Zieria arborescens, B. salicina and, in sout h-east Tasmania, t he endemic Ast erot richion discolor. species, Geranium species, Hydrocot yle species and Orchidaceae are charact erist ic of t hese f orest s. Occasional grasses include Echinopogon ovat a, Poa labillardierei and species of Poa, Agrost is and Aust rodant honia. M onocot herbs common in t he ground layer are Lomandra longif olia, Lepidosperma species and Dianella t asmanica. The canopy of t his communit y is usually dense w it h a project ive cover of bet w een 50 and 70% . The canopy height is bet w een 4–8 m in height and consist s of eit her a dominant t ree species, or a combinat ion of N. ligust rina, P. apet ala, Beyeria viscosa, Bedf ordia salicina and Olearia argophylla. Occasional emergent t rees may be represent ed by old individuals f rom t he adjacent Eucalypt us f orest f or example Eucalypt us globulus, Eucalypt us viminalis, E. obliqua, E. dalrympleana, Callit ris rhomboidea or At herosperma moschat um. Ot her t ree species present include Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Banksia marginat a and Callit ris rhomboidea and Spyridium gunnii (on St rzelecki Peaks). The coast al sand-sheet f orm of SBR is usually dominat ed by Pomaderris apet ala and/or Cenarrhenes nit ida, somet imes also sparse M onot oca ellipt ica and perhaps w it h emergent Eucalypt us nit ida. The ground layer may comprise leaf lit er on sand. The underst orey is usually open and rocky, w it h a dense covering of bryophyt es on exposed rocks. Of t he f ew shrubs f ound in t he underst orey, Coprosma quadrif ida is t he most prominent in some areas, w it h Cyat hodes glauca, Lomatia tinctoria, Dicksonia antarctica and Pimelea drupacea also occuring in rocky places. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Beneat h canopy gaps, along drainage lines, and w here t he rock cover is less ext ensive, t here are diverse f ern covers, of w hich Polyst ichum prolif erum is common. 3 Pomaderris apet ala–Beyeria viscosa– Ast erot richion discolor closed f orest /scrub; also occurs in NNP 6 Bedf ordia salicina–Olearia argophylla closed scrub 7 Not elaea ligust rina closed–f orest ; also occurs in NNP Ground herbs such as Viola hederacea, Acaena novae-zelandiae, St ellaria species, Galium No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or non-coast al scrub communit ies in Tasmania, but t he f ollow ing are not ed: Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 65 Coastal complex on King Island (SCK) General description The communit y, comprising heat hland, scrub, springs and succulent herbf ields, occurs on coast al slopes and cliff s, and cont ains a suit e of highly salt -t olerant coast al species. Several f lorist ic communit ies co-exist w it hin a relat ively small area, w it h t heir dist ribut ion relat ing t o exposure, subst rat e t ype and lengt h of inundat ion. Example locality Seal Rocks St at e Reserve, King Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y has a high proport ion of obligat e coast al species associat ed w it h rocky areas along high-energy coast lines of King Island. SCK diff ers f rom Heat hland on calcarenit e (SHC) by being conf ined t o t he w est and sout h coast s of King Island and lacking t he dist inct ive species t hat occur in SHC in east ern Bass St rait . The limest one in areas mapped as SCK is localised. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution St ephen Harris. Seal Rocks, King Island. 66 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The communit y is f ound only on t he w est and sout h coast s of King Island, especially in t he f ar sout h near Seal Rocks, at t he mout h of t he Pass River and sout h of Quarant ine Bay in t he nort hw est . Bioregional occurrence species diversit y and densit y of cover increase on t he more prot ect ed sit es. K (endemic t o King Island). Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y is primarily associat ed w it h rocky areas along high-energy coast lines. The rocks consist mainly of granit e out crops int erspersed w it h met amorphic rocks. Plant s at t hese sit es are f ully exposed t o t he prevailing w est erly w inds and subject t o st orm surges and salt spray. The shoreline varies f rom low rock shelves and rocky beaches t o st eep sea cliff s w hich charact erise t he sout hern end of t he King Island w est coast . Some areas have soaks and creeklines, somet imes w it h spongy limest one deposit s (t uf a) dominat ed by a suit e of herbf ield plant s and occasional st unt ed shrubs such as Leucophyt a brow nii. Vegetation composition and structure The near-shore areas, w hich are subject t o ext reme salt spray and/ of t en inundat ion, support low -grow ing halophyt ic species such as Disphyma crassif olium, Carpobrot us rossii and Sarcocornia quinquef lora, w it h Leucophyt a brow nii and Alyxia buxif olia occurring int ermit t ent ly. Succulent s such as Tet ragonia implexicoma and Chenopodium glaucum, and herbs such as Apium prost rat um occur sporadically, w hile grasses such as Aust rost ipa st ipoides and Dist ichlis dist ichophylla are sporadic. Species of lichen encrust t he rocks. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No specif ic f lorist ic w ork has been done t o dat e in t his narrow ly dist ribut ed communit y due t o it s conf inement t o t he sout hern and w est ern coast s of King Island. Several f lorist ic communit ies in t his area, such as t he Tuf a herbf ields, have no f lorist ic equivalent s ident if ied. The f ollow ing communit ies may occur in SCK. Dry coast al communit ies 13 Rhagodia candolleana–Tet ragonia implexicoma succulent herbland; also occurs in SRC 14 M yoporum insulare–Alyxia buxif olia–Correa alba heat h; also occurs in SCA 15 Aust rost ipa st ipoides–Disphyma crassif olium t ussock grassland; also occurs in GHC 19 Banksia marginat a–Leucopogon parvif lorus– Pt eridium esculent um heat h/scrub; also occurs in SAC & SSC 25 Correa backhouseana–Leucopogon parvif lorus–Pt eridium esculent um heat h; also occurs in SSC 38 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Lobelia alat a–Isolepis nodosa shrubland; also occurs in SSC Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Coast al t ea-t ree dry heat h; also occurs in SHC Sw amp paperbark dry heat h; also occurs in SCH A lit t le f urt her f rom t he shoreline, shrubs such as Correa backhouseana, Alyxia buxif olia, M yoporum insulare, Olearia lepidophylla, Leucopogon parvif lorus, Ozot hamnus t urbinat us, Olearia glut inosa, Tet ragonia implexicoma and Rhagodia candolleana subsp. candolleana can be common. Leucophyt a brow nii and Carpobrot us rossii also ext end int o t his area. Herbs, including Pelargonium aust rale and Lepidium f oliosum, and graminoids such as Poa poif ormis and Isolepis nodosa are common at ground level. The Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 67 Coastal heathland (SCH) General description Coast al heat hlands are t ypically f lorist ically diverse and include species f rom M imosaceae, Fabaceae, M yrt aceae, Ast eraceae, Rest ionaceae, Orchidaceae, Cyperaceae and Prot eaceae. They may f orm a dense cover of unif orm height w it h scat t ered w oody emergent s, or be sparse and variable w it h openings of sedgy heat hland. This communit y is t he classic heat hland of t he sand sheet s and acid sandy soils near t he coast . sw amp scrub and f orest or sedgeland, w hile close t o t he coast small grasslands or grassy herbf ields (marsupial law n) (GHC) may int errupt it . Similar t o Wet healt hland (SHW ), w et pat ches of t he f ern Lindsaea linearis and clubmoss, Selaginella uliginosa can occur in SCH. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Alt hough it s dist ribut ion is coast al, t he communit y may occur as much as 10 km inland. Sib Corbet t . Rocky Cape. Example localities Friendly Beaches, Freycinet Peninsula; Bridport Wildf low er Reserve. Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities Coast al heat hland (SCH) is dist inguished f rom ot her heat h t ypes by it s f lorist ic diversit y and coast al locat ion, w here it is t he classic heat hland on sand sheet s and acid sandy soils on t he coast . The communit y may grade int o Coast al scrub (SSC). Low land sedgy heat hland (SHL) is dist inguished f rom SCH by t he dominance of monocot yledonous species. In w et t er areas, Coast al heat hland grades int o M elaleuca species 68 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation F, K, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Heat hlands w it h species and st ruct ure t ypical of Coast al heat hland may occur as much as 10 km inland on old sand dunes or w indblow n sand sheet s. The soils are acid and usually w ell–drained. Where sand sheet s are on cliff 18 Aust rodant honia–Xant hosia pusilla–Helichrysum scorpioides heat h 19 Selaginella uliginosa–Hypolaena f ast igiat a–Aot us ericoides heat h Vegetation composition and structure 20 Hibbert ia procumbens–Xant horrhoea spp. heat h Coast al heat hlands are t ypically f lorist ically diverse. The most diverse f amilies are Orchidaceae, Cyperaceae, Rest ionaceae, Ast eraceae, M yrt aceae, Fabaceae, Prot eaceae and Epacridaceae. Some scat t ered emergent s, including eucalypt species, Banksia marginat a, Leucopogon parvif lorus or Allocasuarina species, may be present . The ground layer may be sparse and include Lindsaea linearis, Selaginella uliginosa, Ehrhart a dist ichophylla, orchids, Drosera species and Lepidosperma concavum. The lit t er layer usually provides close t o 100% cover. 21 Allocasuarina monilif era–Hibbert ia acicularis–Brachyloma ciliat um heat h 22 Aot us ericoides–Lomandra longif olia heat h 23 Acrot riche serrulat a–Ast roloma humif usum heat h 24 Aust rodant honia spp.–Leucopogon parvif lorus heat h 25 Bossiaea prost rat a–M elaleuca gibbosa heat h; also occurs in SHG 26 Poa gunnii–M elaleuca gibbosa–Cent ella cordif olia heat h 27 Lindsaea linearis–M elaleuca gibbosa– Xant horrhoea spp. heat h; also occurs in SCW 29 M elaleuca gibbosa–Argent ipallium dealbat um–Drosera pygmaea heat h; also occurs in SCW 30 Gonocarpus t et ragynus–St ylidium graminif olium–Pt eridium esculent um heat h 33 Lepidosperma concavum–Gonocarpus t et ragynus heat h; also occurs in SHL 34 Pult enaea juniperina–Gonocarpus humilis heat h; also occurs in SHU 35 Lepidosperma f ilif orme–Hibbert ia riparia–Pent achondra involucrat a heat h; also occurs in SHU t ops, SCH may occur at alt it udes great er t han 300 m, but low er alt it udes are more usual. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Heat h 6 Boronia parvif lora–Banksia marginat a– Lept ocarpus t enax heat h; also occurs in SHW & SCW 9 Xant horrhoea spp.–Dillw ynia glaberrima– Isopogon cerat ophyllus heat h; also occurs in SCW 36 10 Xant horrhoea spp.–Eucalypt us nit ida– Isopogon cerat ophyllus heat h; also occurs in SCW , SHF & SHG Epacris marginat a–Calyt rix t et ragona heat h; also occurs in SHU 37 Banksia marginat a–Lept ospermum scoparium heat h; also occurs in SSC & SHW 11 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia acicularis heat h; also occurs in SCW & SHG Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) 12 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia procumbens heat h; also occurs in SCW , SHG & SHU 13 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Lepidosperma concavum heat h; also occurs in SCW 14 Hibbert ia sericea–Leucopogon virgat us heat h Honeysuckle dry heat h 15 Gompholobium huegelii–Epacris lanuginosa heat h Sof t –f ruit ed t ea-t ree dry heat h; also occurs in SDU 16 Aust rodant honia spp.–Bossiaea cinerea– Calyt rix t et ragona heat h; also occurs in SHG M allee peppermint dry heat h; also occurs in SHF, SNF, DNI & DAC 17 Lepidosperma concavum–Cassyt ha glabella– Gonocarpus t et ragynus heat h; also occurs in SHL Heat h Bracelet honeymyrt le w et heat h; also occurs in SCW , SHU & SHW Dw arf oak dry heat h Sw amp paperbark dry heat h; also occurs in SCK Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 69 Coastal scrub (SSC) General description This communit y generally occurs on consolidat ed dunes and rocky headlands in exposed sit uat ions very close t o t he coast . It has a diverse variet y of shrubs and a somet imes uneven st ruct ure because of t he sit es’ highly variable t opography and degree of exposure t o w ind. The communit y may have a dense closed canopy due t o w ind pruning. smoot h, dense t ext ure or may exhibit a w indrow pat t ern. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Widespread, coast al. St ephen Harris. Clarke Island. Example locality Bioregional occurrence Coast at Wat erhouse. BL, CH, F, NS, SE, SR, W, K. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished f rom Acacia longif olia coast al scrub (SAC) by t he dominance of species ot her t han Acacia longif olia – t ypically Lept ospermum and Acacia species on acid sandy subst rat es and species of Cyat hodes, West ringia, Lept ocarpus, Planocarpa and Correa on rocky sit es. This communit y diff ers f rom Coast al scrub on alkaline sands (SCA) by it s occurrence on rocky subst rat es rat her t han sandy, highly alkaline sit es. The communit y may have a 70 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This mapping unit indicat es scrub t hat occurs on a variet y of rock and geomorphological t ypes in t he coast al zone, including sand sheet s and rocky cliff s. There is t ypically a st rong zonat ion f rom high w at er t o t he inner edge of t he coast al zone result ing f rom diff erences in t he coast al prof ile, geology and t he degree of exposure t o salt spray. The main causes of f lorist ic diff erent iat ion on cliff s and rocky coast s are diff erences in t he macroclimat e and t he f ert ilit y and chemical composit ion of t he bedrock. How ever, as exposure t o salt spray increases, t he communit ies t end t o become more alike, regardless of t he subst rat e and macroclimat e. Vegetation composition and structure Tall or w ind-pruned coast al scrub is generally bet w een 2 m and 8 m t all and includes many f lorist ic communit ies. It is of t en dense and w it h a w ind-pruned closed canopy or be st rongly w indrow ed in t he direct ion of t he prevailing w ind. Emergent Eucalypt us species are rare. Typical shrubs w it hin t he mapping unit are Banksia marginat a, Leucopogon parvif lorus, L. aust ralis, Lept ospermum scoparium, L. glaucescens, Acacia vert icillat a, Lept ecophylla abiet ina, Olearia lepidophylla, and West ringia brevif olia. Ot her species may include Pt eridium esculent um, Dichelachne crinit a, Lobelia anceps, Plant ago t riant ha, Samolus repens and Leucophyt a brow nii. An int erest ing st ruct ural variant of t his communit y is dw arf lit t oral f orest . For example, a rare short coast al f orest grow s on t he sout h side of Low Rocky Point and ot her part s of t he sout hern w est coast . Lept ecophylla juniperina, alone or w it h M elaleuca squarrosa, f orms a closed canopy at about 5 m it somet imes includes M onot oca glauca, Pomaderris apet ala and Dicksonia ant arct ica. 20 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Lepidosperma concavum–Oxalis perennans heat h; also occurs in SAC 21 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Lomandra longif olia–Pt eridium esculent um shrubland 22 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Viola hederacea–Aust rost ipa f lavescens shrubland; also occurs in SAC 24 Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia vert icillat a–Dichelachne crinit a scrub; also occurs in SDU 25 Correa backhouseana–Leucopogon parvif lorus–Pt eridium esculent um heat h; also occurs in SCK 26 Cyat hodes abiet ina–Lobelia alat a–Sarcocornia quinquef lora shrubland 27 West ringia brevif olia–Plant ago t riant ha– Samolus repens shrubland 30 Cyat hodes abiet ina–Dianella t asmanica– Nablonium calyceroides shrubland 31 West ringia brevif olia–Correa backhouseana–Poa poif ormis shrubland 32 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Banksia marginat a–West ringia brevif olia heat h/scrub; also occurs in SDU 33 Lept ospermum scoparium–Lept ecophylla juniperina scrub; also occurs in SDU 36 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Acaena novaezelandiae –Carpobrot us rossii shrubland 38 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Lobelia alat a–Isolepis nodosa shrubland; also occurs in SCK Heat h 37 Banksia marginat a–Lept ospermum scoparium heat h; also occurs in SCH & SHW Addit ional communit ies (Nort h et al. 1998) Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies OTHER–14 dw arf lit t oral f orest No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or scrub communit ies in Tasmania, how ever, t he f ollow ing have been not ed: Dry coast al communit ies 11 Spinif ex sericeus–Leucopogon parvif lorus grassland/shrubland; also occurs in GHC 12 Leucopogon parvif lorus–Rhagodia candolleana shrubland; also occurs in SAC 19 Banksia marginat a–Leucopogon parvif lorus–Pt eridium esculent um heat h/scrub; also occurs in SCK Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 71 Coastal scrub on alkaline sands (SCA) General description This communit y is variable in bot h canopy st ruct ure and dominant species, depending on f ire-f requency and species composit ion. Those f acies dominat ed by M yoporum insulare are dist inct f rom t hose dominat ed by Lept ospermum laevigat um. Younger f acies of t he f ormat ion may be dense scrub. In some older f acies t he underst orey may be open and grassy and t here may be small openings. In undist urbed examples, t he underst orey cover is of t en 100% . Naomi Law rence. Flinders Island. Example locality Wybalenna, Flinders Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities SCA is dist inguished by t he presence of a number of species dist inct t o t he alkaline subst rat es of t he Bass St rait islands, including Zygophyllum billardieri, Acacia ret inodes, M yoporum insulare and Beyeria lechenault ii. Coast al scrub on alkaline sands (SCA) has consolidat ed calcarenit e out crops or sand direct ly derived f rom such rocks. The communit y may adjoin ot her coast al scrub communit ies (e.g. Acacia longif olia coast al scrub (SAC) and Coast al scrub (SSC)) t hat of t en have acid soils and lack some of t he species ment ioned above. In addit ion t o t he st ruct ural diff erence bet w een heat hland and scrub, SCA diff ers f rom Heat hland on calcarenit e (SHC) by occurring on sandy rat her t han rocky subst rat es. There is an overlap in t he species composit ion of t hese t w o communit ies. Examples of t his communit y in w est ern Bass St rait are f lorist ically more similar t o scrubs on acid sands because of t he absence or rarit y of many species t hat charact erise t he calcareous scrub in east ern Bass St rait . This is generally at t ribut able t o t he diff erences in climat e and biogeographic hist ory at eit her ends of t he St rait . Regardless of locat ion, t he communit y is dist inguished f rom ot her scrubs by having coast al species over a predominant ly grassy and herbaceous underst orey on deep alkaline sands. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. 72 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Distribution Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is rest rict ed t o some of t he Bass St rait islands, especially along t he w est ern coast of Flinders Island. The dominant species in east ern Bass St rait are Allocasuarina vert icillat a, M yoporum insulare, Lept ospermum glaucescens, Acacia ret inodes and Eucalypt us ovat a. In w est ern Bass St rait Lept ospermum laevigat um, Acacia mucronat a and Acacia longif olia subsp. sophorae dominat e t he communit y. Leucopogon aust ralis is common. The underst orey is generally low (< 0.5 m) and sparse, and dominat ed by heat hland species such as Pt eridium esculent um, Boronia anemonif olia, Lepidosperma concavum and Zygophyllum billardieri. On Hunt er Island, scrub on calcareous sands has an underst orey of scat t ered t ussocks of Poa poif ormis and Isolepis nodosa and complet e leaf lit t er cover w here t here is a closed canopy. In openings, t he diversit y of small herbs and sedges is high and can include Gnaphalium indut um, Carex breviculmis, Ajuga aust ralis, Dichondra repens and Luzula campest ris. Bioregional occurrence F, K. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Dry coast al communit ies SCA is conf ined t o soils t hat are dist inct ively highly alkaline and usually reddish brow n. Some of t his communit y occurs on skelet al soils on out crops of calcarenit e on t he w est ern coast s of t he larger Bass St rait islands, but more commonly veget at es t he alkaline sand sheet s t hat have been deposit ed by w ind on t he w est ern coast s of t he islands. The pH can be as high as 9. 6 At riplex cinerea shrubland; also occurs in GHC 14 M yoporum insulare–Alyxia buxif olia–Correa alba heat h; also occurs in SCK Fire and w ind-pruning maint ain t he scrub f ormat ion, but in t he absence of f ires t he communit y can develop int o Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest (NAV) and Eucalypt us globulus f orest (DGL) and, in some cases Eucalypt us ovat a f orest (DOV), such as on t he Lughrat a Dunes on Flinders Island. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 73 Dry scrub (SDU) General description Dry scrub (SDU) has several f acies and occurs on a variet y of rock t ypes across t he St at e. It s sclerophyllous dominant s are predominant ly f rom t he f amilies M yrt aceae and Fabaceae. The canopy varies f rom dense t o open and uneven. The communit y is ext ensive and is most ly a f ireinduced disclimax. Agast achys odorat a, Cennarhenes nit ida and Eucryphia milliganii. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Widespread across t he St at e. St ephen Harris. Sout h Hummock. Example locality Gordon River Road. Bioregional occurrence BL, F, K, NS, SE, SR, W. Distinguishing features and similar communities Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is dominat ed by a canopy of species f rom t he f amilies M yrt aceae and Fabaceae, of t en Lept ospermum scoparium and L. glaucescens are of t en signif icant . On King Island, communit ies dominat ed by Lept ospermum laevigat um and current ly mapped as SDU should be re-at t ribut ed t o SCA. The communit y is dist inguished f rom Wet heat hland (SHW ) by t he absence of Lept ospermum lanigerum and Callist emon viridif lorus, and f rom West ern w et scrub (SWW ) by t he absence of such rainf orest species as 74 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The communit y occurs in bot h low land and upland areas across a range of rock t ypes and in a variet y of physiographic posit ions, including valley f loors, ridge t ops and slopes. The f lorist ic f acies of t his mapping unit vary w it h landf orm, geology, climat e and f ire-f requency. Some communit ies represent climax t ypes, w hile ot hers are a successional st age of ot her veget at ion communit ies, such as dry sclerophyll f orest . Consequent ly, t he scrub is of t en in small pocket s or mosaics w it h ot her veget at ion In t he w et t er part s of t he St at e, f erns and seedlings of rainf orest species may also be present . On dolerit e, Lept ospermum scoparium, M onot oca glauca, Oxylobium ellipt icum, Pult enaea juniperina and Acacia vert icillat a var. vert icillat a co-occur in a very dense communit y t hat is of t en a f ire disclimax. There may be Gahnia grandis and Gleichenia dicarpa and/or G. microphylla t angled in w it h t he dominant s. This f acies is of t en marginal t o w et eucalypt f orest . On dolerit e rock plat es, a sparse scrub may be dominat ed by Spyridium species. Vegetation composition and structure On inf ert ile or exposed sit es, species diversit y t ends t o be higher. communit ies. The f acies comprising t his mapping unit are maint ained by f ire-f requency int ermediat e bet w een t hose of heat hland and f orest . Scrubs on more f ert ile subst rat es w ill succeed more quickly t o f orest and w oodland communit ies t han t hose on inf ert ile subst rat es. The several f acies of t he communit y are linked t o geology, as det ailed below. On granit es in east ern Tasmania, t here are scrubs dominat ed by Lept ospermum glaucescens, w it h L. scoparium subdominant or occasional. On Flinders Island, t hese t w o species may be codominant , and Eucalypt us nit ida is f requent ly emergent as a low mallee-f orm t ree. The underst orey on Flinders Island may be dist inct ively charact erised by Isopogon cerat ophyllus, Lasiopet alum macrophyllum and Xant horrhoea aust ralis. The underst orey diversit y increases markedly af t er f ire. The underst orey of scrub on granit es of east ern and nort hern Tasmania have a dist inct ive and varying combinat ion of species, w hich may include Thrypt omene micrant ha, Ast roloma pinif olium and Callit ris rhomboidea. Where scrub or veget at ion has been cleared on colluvial f lat s of acid soils and siliceous gravels, t here may be dense regenerat ion of Kunzea ambigua. This is evident in M ount William Nat ional Park on some previously cleared paddocks. Somet imes Kunzea ambigua dominat es sparse communit ies on rock plat es around granit e hills and mount ains. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry coast al communit ies 24 Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia vert icillat a–Dichelachne crinit a scrub; also occurs in SSC 32 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Banksia marginat a–West ringia brevif olia heat h/scrub; also occurs in SSC 33 Lept ospermum scoparium–Lept ecophylla juniperina scrub; also occurs in SSC But t ongrass moorland B12 Dry copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW , DNI & SHU Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Sof t –f ruit ed t ea-t ree dry heat h; also occurs in SCH M anuka dry heat h No syst emat ic bot anical survey of non-coast al scrub communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. In areas of high rainf all on siliceous rocks in w est ern Tasmania, dry scrub is common and w idespread. It is dominat ed by Lept ospermum scoparium, M onot oca glauca and Banksia marginat a. There may be a sparse underst orey including Richea procera, Oxylobium ellipt icum and Epacris and Leucopogon species. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 75 Heathland on calcarenite (SHC) General description The communit y is low, usually w indsw ept , sclerophyllous veget at ion on alkaline sand or calcarenit e. It has a high proport ion of dist inct ive species, many of w hich do not occur f urt her sout h t han t he Bass St rait coast s. Example locality West ern slopes of Nort h Hummock on Prime Seal Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities Some species are common in Coast al scrub on alkaline sands (SCA), but t his heat hland communit y is dist inct ive by virt ue of it s f idelit y t o t he calcarenit es and limest one-derived sands on Bass St rait coast s and islands. Some of t he dist inct ive species are Beyeria lechenault ii var. lat if olia, Eut axia microphylla, Acrot riche cordat a, Threlkeldia diff usa, Zygophyllum billardieri, Lasiopet alum macrophyllum, Apalochlamys spect abilis and Pomaderris paniculosa. RFA mapping unit Sophie Underw ood. Flinders Island, Bass St rait . Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution It is conf ined t o t he islands of Bass St rait , not ably t he w est ern coast s of Flinders Island. 76 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence F. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology These communit ies occur on Tert iary limest one or on highly calcareous sands result ing f rom erosion of t he limest one. The sit es are somet imes very exposed, subject t o drought and desiccat ing w inds and have highly alkaline, rapidly draining soils. In some areas t he heat hland occurs on calcarenit e surf aces w it h very lit t le soil and a broken and rocky surf ace, as on some w est ern slopes of Prime Seal Island. Vegetation composition and structure Heat hlands on calcarenit e are usually open, and cont ain Threlkeldia diff usa, Eut axia microphylla, Beyeria lechenault ii var. lat if olia, Zygophyllum billardieri, Lept ospermum laevigat um, Leucophyt a brow nii, orchids and some herbs. Due t o st rong onshore w inds, bare ground is especially visible t ow ards t he shore. Allocasuarina vert icillat a and/or Lept ospermum laevigat um may grow on t he edge of t he communit y. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry coast al communit ies 34 Spyridium vexillif erum–Acrot riche cordat a heat h Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Coast al t ea-t ree dry heat h; also occurs in SCK Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 77 Heathland on granite (SHG) General description The communit y is low, sclerophyllous veget at ion of generally uneven height and high species diversit y grow ing on skelet al soils over granit e. Example locality M ount Amos, Freycinet Peninsula. Distinguishing features and similar communities Heat hland on granit e (SHG) shares many species w it h Coast al heat hland (SCH), but is dist inguished f rom t he lat t er by t he granit e or granit e–relat ed rocks and skelet al soils, w hich of t en leads t o an uneven canopy and open st ruct ure. SCH is classic coast al heat hland on sand sheet s, w hile SHG is on mainly quart zit e gravels. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. St ephen Harris. Freycinet Peninsula. Distribution Heat hland on granit e is common f rom Freycinet Peninsula nort hw ards along t he east coast and on t he Furneaux Islands. 78 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit BL, F, SE. Heat h Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs on acid, siliceous, skelet al soils over granit e and on colluvial quart zit e gravels w eat hered f rom granit e. M icrohabit at variat ion is ext ensive: f rom very dry areas, t ypif ied by Kunzea ambigua, t o poorly–drained basins w it h t hin, acid peat s t hat may have a f lora t hat includes Drosera species and Ut ricularia species. 8 Pseudant hus ovalif olius–Lepidosperma f ilif orme–St ylidium graminif olium heat h 10 Xant horrhoea spp.–Eucalypt us nit ida– Isopogon cerat ophyllus heat h; also occurs in SCW, SHF & SCH 11 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia acicularis heat h; also occurs in SCW & SCH 12 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia procumbens heat h; also occurs in SCW , SCH & SHU 16 Aust rodant honia spp.–Bossiaea cinerea– Calyt rix t et ragona heat h; also occurs in SCH 25 Bossiaea prost rat a–M elaleuca gibbosa heat h; also occurs in SCH 32 Acacia genist if olia–Senecio spp.– Lept ospermum scoparium heat h; also occurs in SHF Vegetation composition and structure Heat hland on granit e is generally uneven and open in st ruct ure, and up t o 2 m t all. Species diversit y is high, w it h t he Fabaceae, Epacridaceae and Prot eaceae f amilies w ell represent ed. Dominant species include Gahnia microst achya, Lept ospermum glaucescens, Allocasuarina monilif era, Bossiaea species, Acacia genist if olia, Lepidosperma concavum, Epacris species, Kunzea ambigua and Calyt rix t et ragona. At ground level t here are Drosera pygmaea, bot h subspecies of D. pelt at a, various orchids, Goodenia lanat a or G. humilis, Lindsaea linearis, Amperea xiphoclada and Dampiera st rict a. Somet imes mosses such as Grimmia species are present . Emergent t rees are scarce, but may include Eucalypt us amygdalina and Eucalypt us t enuiramis on t he east coast and Eucalypt us nit ida in t he Furneaux Group, and Banksia marginat a. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 79 Heathland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW) General description The communit y is f ound near Wingaroo on Flinders Island. It is a mixt ure of scrub, heat hland, herbf ield, sedgeland and f orest ed veget at ion. It is f ound on w et lands, sand ridges, siliceous rises and peat y f lat s. The communit y grow s in a zone bet w een higher granit e and colluvial gravel count ry t o t he w est and t he parallel Holocene sand-ridge syst em on t he coast t o t he east . RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. The communit y cont ains small pat ches of RFA CR, OV and M E. Distribution The Heat hland scrub complex at Wingaroo is conf ined t o an area in and around Wingaroo on t he cent ral nort h of Flinders Island. St ephen Harris. Flinders Island. Bioregional occurrence Example locality F. Wingaroo Nat ure Reserve nort h of Carnacs Flat . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Distinguishing features and similar communities This mapping communit y comprises recognisable communit ies t hat are mapped separat ely elsew here, but in t his mapping unit occur in a complex t hat has not been resolved int o individual mapping unit s. SCW is conf ined t o t he cent ral nort h of Flinders Island in and around Wingaroo Nat ure Reserve. 80 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The complex occurs mainly on t he Pet ibela and Nala soils, w hich also includes some sand ridges and lunet t es. It comprises an int imat e mosaic of several veget at ion communit ies such as Callit ris rhomboidea f orest (NCR), Heat hland on granit e (SHG), Wet heat hland (SHW ), w et land communit ies and Dry scrub (SDU). Vegetation composition and structure The complex f orms a mosaic of small, of t en individually unmappable pat ches of veget at ion (at t he present scale). It includes M elaleuca ericif olia closed scrub; scrub and f orest on lunet t e dunes; heat hland t hat includes Isopogon cerat ophyllus, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Bossiaea species, Pseudant hus ovalif olius, Banksia marginat a; w et land veget at ion w it h various f ringing communit ies including herbf ields; and low open w oodland dominat ed by Eucalypt us nit ida w it h heat hy underst orey. It also includes very rest rict ed localised pat ches of E. globulus– C. rhomboidea f orest w it h shrubby underst orey on w ell–drained sand ridges and E. ovat a scrub and w oodland w it h sedgy/heat hy underst orey. Scat t ered t rees include E. ovat a and E. nit ida, w hich are generally of an open mallee f orm except in t he leew ard of lagoons, w here f orest or dense scrub occurs. At such sit es, t here are E. globulus, C. rhomboidea, B. marginat a and Lept ospermum laevigat um occur. M elaleuca ericif olia is somet imes present in dense f ringing st ands around w et lands. 9 Xant horrhoea spp.–Dillw ynia glaberrima–Isopogon cerat ophyllus heat h; also occurs in SCH 10 Xant horrhoea spp.–Eucalypt us nit ida–Isopogon cerat ophyllus heat h; also occurs in SHF, SHG & SCH 11 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia acicularis heat h; also occurs in SCH & SHG 12 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia procumbens heat h; also occurs in SCH, SHG & SHU 13 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Lepidosperma concavum heat h; also occurs in SCH 27 Lindsaea linearis–M elaleuca gibbosa– Xant horrhoea spp. heat h; also occurs in SCH & SHW 28 Ast roloma humif usum–M elaleuca gibbosa heat h; also occurs in SHF 29 M elaleuca gibbosa–Argent ipallium dealbat um–Drosera pygmaea heat h; also occurs in SCH Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 4 Callit ris rhomboidea–Lept ospermum spp. closed–f orest /scrub; also occurs in NCR Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Bracelet honeymyrt le w et heat h; also occurs in SCH, SHU & SHW Black gum w et heat h; also occurs in DOW Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3a Sedgy Eucalypt us ovat a low w oodland Heat h 1 Leucopogon aust ralis–M elaleuca squamea heat h; also occurs in SHW 2 Schoenus t enuissimus–Epacris lanuginosa–Empodisma minus heat h; also occurs in SHW 3 M elaleuca gibbosa–Bauera rubioides heat h; also occurs in SHW 4 Sprengelia incarnat a–Bauera rubioides– Lepidosperma f ilif orme heat h; also occurs in SHW 6 Boronia parvif lora–Banksia marginat a– Lept ocarpus t enax heat h; also occurs in SHW & SCH Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 81 Heathland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island (SHF) General description Heat hland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island comprises a complex mosaic of heat hy and scrubby veget at ion dominat ed by mallee-f orm Eucalypt us nit ida, of t en associat ed w it h myrt aceous shrubs such as Lept ospermum species and Xant horrhoea aust ralis. The st ruct ure and composit ion depend on t he f requency of f ires. st ruct urally similar veget at ion on siliceous soils dominat ed by mallee-f orm Eucalypt us species occurs at Wat erhouse, Cape Nat uralist e and Freycinet Peninsula, but t hese are f lorist ically diff erent . The closest allied veget at ion is on t he near-coast al granit es and sands in nort h-east Tasmania w here rainf all is less t han 600 mm. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Heat hland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island occurs only on t he Furneaux and Kent Group Islands. St ephen Harris. The Pat riarchs, Flinders Island. Example locality St rzelecki Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities Heat hland scrub mosaic (SHF) occurs on t he east ern Bass St rait Islands. It is t ypif ied by a diverse st ruct ure – a result of f requent f ires t hat do not burn unif ormly across t he communit y. Eucalypt us nit ida is prominent , w hich dist inguishes it f rom ot her similar communit ies on mainland east ern Tasmania. It is dist inguished f rom Heat h scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW ) by not occurring on t he dist inct undulat ing sands immediat ely w est and sout h of t he Wingaroo propert y on Flinders Island. Some 82 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence F. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology SHF occurs largely on w ell–drained, deep, acid sands or sandy or gravelly soils on ridges and hills, somet imes on granit ic colluvium and peat y f lat s and in sw ales in sand dunes syst ems. Vegetation composition and structure This mosaic communit y may cont ain several heat hland f lorist ic communit ies. The mosaic cont ains heat hland, scrub and shrubland in int imat e associat ion, making separat e discriminat ion unw ieldy at t he TASVEG scale of mapping. The st ruct ure is a response t o bot h drainage and f ire pat t erning. Element s of t he heat hland, shrubland and scrub are given below, but t here is considerable local variat ion in f lorist ic composit ion. The heat hland component of t his communit y is variable. On t he cent ral port ion of Flinders Island, sparse Eucalypt us nit ida, Xant horrhoea aust ralis, Banksia marginat a and Lept ospermum scoparium share t he t allest st rat um, and are associat ed w it h Epacris impressa, Gompholobium huegelii, Euryomyrt us ramosissima, Dampiera st rict a, Plat ylobium t riangulare, Isopogon cerat ophyllus and Xant hosia pilosa, and t he graminoids Lepidosperma f ilif orme and L. concavum. Pt eridium esculent um and Tet raria capillaris. Isopogon cerat ophyllus is somet imes present . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Heat h 10 Xant horrhoea spp.–Eucalypt us nit ida– Isopogon cerat ophyllus heat h; also occurs in SCW , SHG & SHU 28 Ast roloma humif usum–M elaleuca gibbosa heat h; also occurs in SCW 32 Acacia genist if olia–Senecio spp.– Lept ospermum scoparium heat h; also occurs in SHG Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h M allee peppermint dry heat h; also occurs in SNF, DNI, DAC & SCH Purple honeymyrt le w et heat h; also occurs in SM M On Clarke Island and t he nort h of Flinders Island t he t all shrub mix is commonly of M elaleuca gibbosa (in w et sit es), or Lept ospermum scoparium (in drier sit es) and Banksia marginat a, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Hakea nodosa and Hakea t eret if olia associat ed w it h Persoonia juniperina and Hibbert ia empet rif olia. Pat ersonia f ragilis, Viola hederacea in drier areas and Gahnia radula, G. t rif ida and Lepidosperma f ilif orme in damper sit es are common component s of t he t all shrub mix. Flinders Island scrub is a f acies of dry scrub, part icularly closely relat ed t o t he dry scrub mapped on t he granit e in nort h-east Tasmania. It is dominat ed by Lept ospermum scoparium, L. glaucescens, Banksia marginat a, Callit ris rhomboidea and Eucalypt us nit ida. The underst orey is t ypically sparse, but may include Xant horrhoea aust ralis in a mid-layer at about 1–2 m, t oget her w it h Pult enaea daphnoides var. obcordat a. The ground layer has a high leaf lit t er cover, w it h occasional specimens of Xant hosia pilosa, Lepidosperma concavum, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 83 Inland heathland (undifferentiated) (SHU) General description These communit ies are prickly heat hs f rom 1–2 m high, w it h generally sparse, uneven st ruct ure. There are of t en emergent Eucalypt us species. In some localit ies t his communit y may be t he result of t rees having been removed, leaving t he heat hy underst orey. Lept ospermum scoparium and/or Fabaceae species such as Pult enaea juniperina dominat e. Example locality Track t o Cape Pillar, Tasman Peninsula. Distinguishing features and similar communities Not e t hat t his communit y is equivalent f lorist ically t o t he heat hs t ypically f ound w it hin heat hy dry sclerophyll f orest and w oodland. The communit y also occurs aw ay f rom t he coast and is of t en t he result of high f ire-f requency. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The communit y is w idespread, but most common in nort hern and sout h-east Tasmania. Nepelle Temby. Pet er M urrell Conservat ion Area. Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, F, K, NS, SE, SR, W. 84 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Inland heat hland (undiff erent iat ed) (SHU) t ypically occurs on clay soils developed on dolerit e or Permian sediment s, but not on sand, calcarenit e or granit e. SHU occurs in areas of moderat e rainf all, f rom near sea level t o about 450 m. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Heat h 12 Lept ospermum glaucescens–Hibbert ia procumbens heat h; also occurs in SCW , SCH & SHG 34 Pult enaea juniperina–Gonocarpus humilis heat h; also occurs in SCH 35 Lepidosperma f ilif orme–Hibbert ia riparia– Pent achondra involucrat a heat h; also occurs in SCH 36 Epacris marginat a–Calyt rix t et ragona heat h; also occurs in SCH 38 Callist emon viridif lorus–West ringia rubiaef olia heat h; also occurs in SHW Vegetation composition and structure This is a f lorist ically diverse communit y, w it h w oody shrubs dominant in open t o closed heat hland and emergent Eucalypt us species. Acacia species include Acacia myrt if olia, A. genist if olia, A. st rict a, A. t erminalis and A. vert icillat a and, in w et t er areas, t all A. riceana and Epacris species occur. Component species include Epacris myrt if olia and E. marginat a, Lept ecophylla divaricat a, L. juniperina, Cyat hodes glauca, Leucopogon collinus, L. ericoides, L. virgat us and M onot oca glauca. There is an abundance of Tet rat heca pilosa, Hibbert ia riparia, Pimelea nivea, Lept ospermum scoparium and in w et t er areas L. lanigerum and Callist emon pallidus. Boronia pilosa and Euphrasia collina are also common. Fabaceae species include Pult enaea juniperina, w hich may be dominant , P. daphnoides var. obcordat a, P. gunnii, P. st rict a, Bossiaea cinerea, B. prost rat a and Aot us ericoides. But t ongrass moorland B12 Dry copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW , DNI & SDU Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Rock pavement heat h Scent ed paperback w et heat h; also occurs in SM R & SHW Bracelet honeymyrt le w et heat h; also occurs in SCH, SCW & SHW In areas of high f ire-f requency, t he monocot yledons Diplarrena moraea and Lomandra longif olia may be prominent . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 85 Leptospermum scrub (SLW) General description Several f orms of Lept ospermum scrub are mapped as SLW . St ands of Lept ospermum lanigerum scrub occur in subcoast al regions of nort h-w est Tasmania (f or example t he Art hur River f loodplains), King and Flinders Islands. A higher alt it ude f acies dominat ed by L. lanigerum occurs in upland areas of t he Cent ral Highlands, as w ell as on Tasman Peninsula and t he nort heast (f or example on M ount Fost er). Highland SLW consist s of t hicket s and bands dominat ed by Lept ospermum lanigerum, w it h f ew or no ot her species in t he closed canopy; w hich is generally 3–5 m t all. The ground is nearly bare. Also included in SLW is mid-alt it ude sw amp veget at ion dominat ed by any of M elaleuca squamea, M . squarrosa or M . gibbosa and/or Lept ospermum lanigerum w it h Callist emon viridif lorus being prominent . At low er alt it udes, Lept ospermum lanigerum and ot her species such as L. scoparium, L. nit idum or L. glaucescens may be t he dominant species. DPIWE. 86 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Example localities A near-coast al example of t his communit y occurs w it hin 1–2 km of t he coast along t he w est ern side of King Island, w here it occupies creek lines and some dune-barred sw amps. Some of t he best examples of diverse SLW are seen in t he marshes w it hin and t o t he w est of Douglas/Apsley Nat ional Park. Typical highland pure Lept ospermum scrub is seen beside t he 14 M ile Road, sout h of t he Hornes Dam t urnoff . Similar pure st ands occur on basalt plains nort h of t he Cradle M ount ain link road. Distinguishing features and similar communities On King Island, SLW int ergrades w it h M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) and, w here drainage is poor, M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E). Lept ospermum laevigat um on st abilised calcareous dunes (SCA) is in bet t er-drained areas. Some SLW show s about equal dominance of Lept ospermum lanigerum and one or more M elaleuca species in a dense shrubland 2–6 m t all. This f acies is equivalent t o a short variant of t he highly diverse Lept ospermum lanigerum– M . squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ) cat egory. Diverse SLW most closely resembles SM R, but Lept ospermum lanigerum is co-dominant w it h M elaleuca squarrosa, and Hakea species and Banksia marginat a may be absent (t hey are prominent in SM R). SLW may be close t o Riparian scrub (SRI), but is more dense and unif orm and generally lacks key species such as M icrant heum hexandrum, Grevillea aust ralis, Epacris barbat a, Lept ospermum riparium, f erns and Callist emon pallidus. West ern w et scrub (SWW ) occurs on quart zit e and relat ed siliceous rocks and is def ined by it s const ant associat ion w it h Eucalypt us nit ida and dist inct ive f lorist ics, including t he presence of t hree Lept ospermum species (L. nit idum, L. glaucescens, L. scoparium) and one or t w o M elaleucas (M . squameum and of t en M . squarrosa). SLW , w hich is pure Lept ospermum scrub, is short er and less diverse t han Lept ospermum f orest (NLE), w hich may be dominat ed by L. lanigerum or by ot her Lept ospermum species. Lept ospermum shrubland w it h rainf orest saplings or seedlings in t he canopy or subcanopy is mapped as Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS). Not hof agus cunninghamii, Eucryphia lucida, Anopt erus glandulosus and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius rarely occur in SLW . RFA mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Lept ospermum scrub occurs in sw ampy areas dist ant f rom t he coast , at alt it udes bet w een sea level and about 1 000 m, usually at t he head of drainage lines. The subst rat e may be dolerit e, basalt , Permo–Triassic sediment s or Precambrian met asediment s; t he soil is usually f airly deep, peat y alluvium. Slopes are generally low (of t en along spring lines and seepages) t o very low w it h impeded drainage. Vegetation composition and structure Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution This is essent ially t reeless veget at ion, but t here may be a f ew small emergent Eucalypt us rodw ayi or E. ovat a. Fire boundaries are of t en evident . This communit y is f ound t hroughout Tasmania. The dominant species are L. lanigerum and M elaleuca squamea and/or M . squarrosa and M . gibbosa. Common associat es may include any of Callist emon viridif lorus, C. pallidus, Bauera rubioides, Hakea t eret if olia, H. epiglot t is, Gahnia grandis, Philot heca virgat a, Acacia vert icillat a or A. mucronat a. M ore open pat ches may have Lept ospermum scoparium, Epacris gunnii, E. lanuginosa, E. limbat a, Sprengelia incarnat a, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Sphaerolobium minus, Baloskion aust rale, Diplarrena moraea or Euphrasia species. Bioregional occurrence Scrub in w hich Callist emon viridif lorus is codominant w it h M elaleuca squamea and somet imes L. lanigerum is a rest rict ed communit y usually f ound along drainage lines in but t ongrass moorland. Highland L. lanigerum/ C. viridif lorus scrub along drainage lines in grassland or sedgy grassland are a variant of t he pure L. lanigerum st ands. CH, K, SR, W, NS, SE, BL, F, NM . On M ount St rzelecki, L. lanigerum scrub f orms st ands 4–5 m high t hat give about 80% cover. The mixed-shrub layer cont ains approximat ely 5% Tasmannia lanceolat a 1–2 m in height . The ground layer consist s of Blechnum nudum and Polyst ichum prolif erum up t o 1 m high, 80–90% cover. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 87 Leptospermum scrub (SLW) 19 No syst emat ic bot anical survey of non-coast al scrub communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. Lept ospermum lanigerum–Callist emon viridif lorus–Poa labillardierei–Carex gaudichaudiana grassy riparian w oodland; also occurs in SRI 20 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gnaphalium collinum–Poa labillardierei riparian scrubby herbf ield; also occurs in SRI But t ongrass moorland 21 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Eleocharis gracilis–Carex gaudichaudiana riparian shrubland; also occurs in SRI 22 Bauera rubioides–Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gahnia grandis closed riparian shrubland; also occurs in SRI Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit E1b East ern w oolly t ea-t ree; also occurs in M BE & SM R E3 Sedgy M elaleuca gibbosa; also occurs in M BE & SHW Heat h 7 Addit ional communit ies (Nort h et al. 1998) Lept ospermum scoparium–Selaginella uliginosa–Baumea acut a heat h Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies OTHER–13. Lept ospermum lanigerum–Epacris gunnii scrub Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies C4 Coast al t ea-t ree/Carex sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLE E1 Depauperat e mont ane t ea–t ree f orest ; also occurs in NLE 2 Lept ospermum glaucescens–L. scoparium closed–f orest /scrub; also occurs in NLE Riparian communit ies 88 10 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Callist emon pallidus–Epacris acuminat a–Lomandra longif olia closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI 11 M icrant heum hexandrum–Lept ospermum lanigerum–Lomandra longif olia t all riparian shrubland; also occurs in SRI 12 Acacia mucronat a–Lept ospermum lanigerum–M icrant heum hexandrum closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI 13 M icrant heum hexandrum–Acacia mucronat a–Not elaea ligust rina riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI 14 Acacia mucronat a–Pomaderris phylicif olia– Lept ospermum lanigerum–Lepidosperma lat erale riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI 15 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Acacia mucronat a closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI 17 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Poa labillardierei–Acaena novae-zelandiae grassy riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI 18 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Poa labillardierei–Carex gaudichaudiana grassy riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Addit ional riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 5 M elaleuca squarrosa–Lept ospermum lanigerum heat hy–f erny–sedgy closed scrub; also occurs in SRI, NLM & SM R Low land sedgy heathland (SHL) General description The communit y is in some places a t reeless heat hy sedgeland dominat ed by Lomandra longif olia. In many areas t he communit y has result ed f rom devast at ing inf est at ions of Phyt opht hora cinnamomi or ot her signif icant dist urbances. Aff ect ed f acies of SHL have a very dense cover of Lepidosperma concavum, Gahnia microst achya and ot her graminoid species. sequence, such as burned logs on t he ground, and low diversit y of obligat e-seeding species. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The communit y is ext ensive on Cape Barren Island and in scat t ered locat ions in east ern and nort hern Tasmania. M icah Visoiu. Lit t le M usselroe Bay. Example locality Robbins Island. Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities BL, F, K, NS, SE, SR, W. SHL is dominat ed by Lepidosperma species, Lomandra longif olia and Gahnia microst achya. High f ire-f requency may have eliminat ed most heat h, shrub and t ree species f rom originally more diverse veget at ion. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology SHL may be conf used w it h Regenerat ing cleared land (FRG), w here paddocks have been recolonised by Lomandra longif olia. SHL is dist inguished by evidence t hat t he communit y is a disclimax at t he end of a nat ive veget at ion Low land and coast al sedgy heat hs occur on very shallow soils, such as granit e or dolerit e headlands or sands or siliceous gravel, w here f ire-f requency has been high or w here Phyt opht hora cinnamomi has invaded. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 89 Low land sedgy heathland (SHL) Vegetation composition and structure The communit y can be a t reeless sedgeland dominat ed by Lomandra longif olia on coast al dolerit e or basalt soils w here f ires have been f requent . In ot her areas t here may be 100% ground cover of Lepidosperma concavum, Gahnia microst achya and ot her graminoid species. Isolat ed t rees such as Lept ospermum scoparium, Banksia marginat a and Allocasuarina vert icillat a may grow around t he periphery of t he communit y. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Heat h 17 Lepidosperma concavum–Cassyt ha glabella–Gonocarpus t et ragynus heat h; also occurs in SCH 33 Lepidosperma concavum–Gonocarpus t et ragynus heat h; also occurs in SCH Dry coast al communit ies 18 90 Lomandra longif olia–Ast roloma humif usum herbland From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M elaleuca pustulata scrub (SM P) General description The t all t o medium –sized, dense shrubby veget at ion of t his communit y is dominat ed by M elaleuca pust ulat a. It occurs along creeks and hill slopes on a variet y of soil t ypes over dolerit e. Example locality Wye, Sw an and Cygnet Rivers. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished f rom all ot hers by t he dominance of M elaleuca pust ulat a in t he canopy. This mapping unit incorporat es t he communit y as described below and ot her areas w here M elaleuca pust ulat a occurs as a t all t o medium undershrub in f orest s dominat ed by ot her t rees on a variet y of soil t ypes and aspect s. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Sophie Underw ood. Sout h of Sw ansea, east coast Tasmania. Distribution This communit y is conf ined t o t he cent ral east coast f rom around Sw ansea t o Cherry Tree Hill and inland t o t he low er slopes of t he East ern Tiers. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 91 M elaleuca pustulata scrub (SM P) Bioregional occurrence SE. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology SM P occurs on dolerit e soils, f rom poorly–drained deep black valley soils t o rocky, brow n soils on dry hill slopes. It becomes very dense on riverbanks and f lat s w here t here is impeded drainage and occasional inundat ion t hrough f looding. M elaleuca pust ulat a regenerat es prof usely af t er dist urbances such as clearing and f ire (w hich encourages t he suckering of root s and init iat ion of seed germinat ion). Vegetation composition and structure M elaleuca pust ulat a scrub can be w ell developed along east coast f lat s as a riparian communit y, w here M elaleuca pust ulat a becomes a dominant shrub. The M elaleuca pust ulat a individuals are usually no more t han 4–6 m in height . Emergent t ree species are commonly Eucalypt us amygdalina or E. viminalis. Callit ris rhomboidea. E. ovat a, E. pulchella and Banksia marginat a are somet imes present . The underst orey is of t en grassy, w it h 100% ground cover and a high proport ion of Tasmanian endemic species. Somet imes scat t ered shrubs up t o 1 m in height occur, including Ozot hamnus scut ellif olius, M icrant hum hexandrum, Lept ospermum lanigerum and Acacia mucronat a. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit None ident if ied. No syst emat ic bot anical survey of scrub communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania, how ever t here is unlikely t o be any equivalent f lorist ic communit y, as M . pust ulat a is an endemic rest rict ed t o t he east coast . 92 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M elaleuca squamea heathland (SM M ) General description This communit y comprises M elaleuca squameadominat ed veget at ion. Graminoid sedgeland or heat hland f orms t he underst orey or else is present in pat ches as a mosaic. The communit y occurs w idely on siliceous rocks slopes, ridges and bet t er-drained f lat s. small cushion plant s and/or M icrocachrys t et ragona. M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) is usually at low er alt it ude t han SM M . SM M is dist inguished f rom West ern w et scrub (SWW ) by having low er species diversit y and a lack of shrubs ot her t han M elaleuca. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution This communit y is w idespread in w est ern and sout hern Tasmania. Sib Corbet t . Summit of M ount Zeehan. Example localities Slopes of M t . Norold and ridges sout h of M t . Pict on. Distinguishing features and similar communities SM M is a dist inct ive communit y, w it h generally short M elaleuca squamea f orming an open canopy over graminoid sedgeland. It commonly grades int o West ern alpine sedgeland/heat hland (HSW ), w hich occurs at higher alt it ude and does not have M . squamea as a dominant . SM M w it h Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus is dist inguished f rom West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) by t he presence of Isophysis t asmanica, Dracophyllum milliganii, Epacris serpyllif olia, or in some cases a ground layer of Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs on slopes, ridge t ops and bet t er-drained f lat s at all alt it udes over predominant ly siliceous subst rat es, including quart zit e, conglomerat e and sandst one. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 93 M elaleuca squamea heathland (SM M ) Vegetation composition and structure The veget at ion included in t his mapping unit is dominat ed by shrubs (especially M elaleuca squamea t o 1.5 m), w hich are visible in a dist inct layer above any sedges in t he veget at ion. This communit y, w hich may be very dense, is t ransit ional bet w een but t ongrass moorland and w et scrub. It may include scrubby copses w it hin moorlands w here t he copses are large enough t o map. Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus may persist as sw at hes w it hin SM M or as scat t ered t ussocks, of t en overgrow n. Baeckea gunniana and Lept ospermum nit idum may be t he only ot her t all shrubs, or Orit es revolut a may be present . There may be f ew or many openings, occupied in w et areas by Gleichenia alpina, Eurychorda complanat a, Sprengelia incarnat a, Carpha alpina, Empodisma minus, Ast elia alpina and Blandf ordia punicea. On drier ridge t ops, openings cont ain prost rat e heat h species such as Pent achondra pumila, Cyat hodes dealbat a and somet imes M icrocachrys t et ragona, as w ell as Poa gunnii and a diversit y of small heat h, shrubs and herbs. In sout h-w est Tasmania t his unit may show high diversit y, w it h M elaleuca squamea, Eucalypt us vernicosa, Agast achys odorat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Lept ospermum nit idum, M onot oca submut ica, Richea milliganii and Epacris serpyllif olia as 2 m t all emergent s over such heat h and graminoid species as Dracophyllum milliganii and Isophysis t asmanica. In sout h-w est Tasmania Banksia marginat a, Lept ospermum nit idum and somet imes Eucalypt us nit ida occur in t he communit y as scat t ered t rees. Elsew here E. nit ida, E. coccif era or E. gunnii may be present . 94 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B4 Layered blanket moor; also occurs in M BS & M BW B14a Common mount ain moor; also occurs in M BS & M BW B14b Highland st andard peat ; also occurs in M BS & M BR E1a Common w et east ern heat hy; also occurs in M BE E8 Layered east ern moor; also occurs in M BE & M BS Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Purple honeymyrt le w et heat h; also occurs in SHF M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) General description The communit y is 2–3 (5) m high on poorly–drained peat or sandy peat soils over acidic subst rat es. M elaleuca squarrosa scrub is generally dominat ed by M elaleuca squarrosa–somet imes M . squamea. Banksia marginat a, Hakea epiglot t is and Acacia mucronat a may also occur. This communit y may have openings of but t ongrass or sedges such as Baloskion t et raphyllum, Lepyrodia t asmanica and Gahnia grandis. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Some f acies of TASVEG SM R may occur in RFA L. Distribution M elaleuca squarrosa scrub is w idespread, especially in low land areas of poor–drainage surrounded by heat hland and sedgeland. In addit ion t o t hese areas, t he communit y also occurs in t he nort h-east and f ar nort h-w est of Tasmania. M icah Visoiu. Sout hern King Island. Example locality Art hur Pieman Conservat ion Area. Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y could be t ransit ional (depending on f ire-f requency) t o t he much t aller (i.e. > 8 m) Lept ospermum lanigerum–M . squarrosa sw amp f orest s (NLM ). M elaleuca ericif olia dominat ed veget at ion of any height (NM E) is clearly discriminat ed on t he basis of t he dominant M elaleuca species. SM R may grade int o M BS upslope. The lat t er generally occurs on slopes rat her t han sw ampy f lat s, is co-dominat ed by Lept ospermum nit idum and Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus and has more M elaleuca squamea t han M . squarrosa. W, SW, K, NS, BL, F. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Typically, t his communit y occurs on f lat poorly–drained sit es across t he St at e generally below 400 m. These sw amps occur principally on marine sediment s underlain by shallow marine deposit s. The acidic sw amp soils vary considerably f rom grey sandy clays t o deep deposit s of almost pure sand. This communit y also occurs on dolerit e, f or example on t he east coast on f lat s of impeded drainage. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 95 M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) On drier sit es, t his communit y is most probably f ire-relat ed and f ire-promot ing. Vegetation composition and structure M elaleuca squarrosa 2–8 m t all, f orming a dense, closed canopy around t he edges, usually dominat e short paperbark sw amps. M . ericif olia, Lept ospermum scoparium and L. lanigerum may also dominat e t hese sw amps, more commonly t ow ard t he cent re. A t ypical communit y may consist of L. scoparium, M . squarrosa and Acacia mucronat a as dominant s over a t angled underst orey of Bauera rubioides, Gleichenia microphylla and/or Calorophus elongat us. Gahnia grandis, Baloskion t et raphyllum and Pt eridium esculent um are f requent and Banksia marginat a and M onot oca glauca may be prominent . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey of non-coast al scrub communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. But t ongrass moorland B13 Wet copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW , WNL, DOV & NLM E1b East ern w oolly t ea-t ree; also occurs in M BE & SLW Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Scent ed paperback w et heat h; also occurs in SHU & SHW Addit ional riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 5 96 M elaleuca squarrosa–Lept ospermum lanigerum heat hy–f erny–sedgy closed scrub; also occurs in SRI, NLM & SLW From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Queenstow n regrow th mosaic (SQR) General description Open sedgeland, shrubland or scrub charact erised by t ypically advent ive species t hat are common in w est ern Tasmania. Occurs on ot herw ise bare hills and valleys around Queenst ow n, Gormanst on and Rosebery. The east ern slopes of M ount Ow en and part s of M ount Lyell are covered in places w it h sedgy regrow t h and are mapped as Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR). RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution SQR has been mapped on t he hillsides around Queenst ow n, sout h t o M ount Huxley and east t o t he Linda Valley and t he slopes of M ount Ow en and M ount Lyell. Small pat ches have been ident if ied near Rosebery. Sophie Underw ood. Linda, Queenst ow n. Example locality East of Queenst ow n. Distinguishing features and similar communities Dist inguished by combinat ions of Acacia mucronat a, A. dealbat a, A. melanoxylon, and Baloskion t et raphyllum, w it h a high proport ion of bare ground and lit t le or no soil. The communit y int ergrades w it h and includes pat ches of Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest (NLA). M ore advanced regrow t h has been designat ed as ot her communit ies. Aw ay f rom t he M ount Lyell M ine, regrow t h veget at ion is dense enough t o be mapped as NLA, a short f orest dominat ed by Lept ospermum scoparium and Acacia mucronat a. Bioregional occurrence W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The area around Queenst ow n w as ext ensively burnt in t he lat e 1800s, and f umes f rom t he smelt ers in t he f irst half of t he t w ent iet h cent ury killed t he recovering t rees. High rainf all, st eep slopes and repeat ed f iring have removed Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 97 Queenstow n regrow th mosaic (SQR) up t o 30 cm of soil, result ing in much of t he area being exposed bedrock, cobbles and gravels. The communit y is an art ef act of early mining and pioneer act ivit y. Vegetation composition and structure The original veget at ion consist ed of rainf orest , w it h At hrot axis selaginoides and Lagarost robos f ranklinii grading int o subalpine Eucalypt us vernicosa heat hlands on t he mount aint ops. Regrow t h shrubland is dominat ed by Acacia mucronat a, Lept ospermum nit idum, L. scoparium, Pit t osporum bicolour, Nemat olepis squamea and Oxylobium arborescens, w it h Cenarrhenes nit ida, Agast achys odorat a, Anopt erus glandulosus, Telopea t runcat a, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and At herosperma moschat um in t he least degraded areas. On rocky ground, more open shrubland also cont ains Tasmannia lanceolat a, Epacris het eronema, E. serpyllif olia, Sprengelia incarnat a, Olearia species, Blandf ordia punicea and Persoonia species. On t he bare hills around Queenst ow n, pioneer regrow t h consist s of moss and scat t ered Acacia mucronat a shrubs on bare gravelly slopes, w it h a sparse cover of w ind-bat t ered Baloskion t et raphyllum. Where regrow t h has advanced, Gault heria hispida, B. punicea and Empodisma minus also occur. Lepyrodia muelleri, Sporadant hus t asmanicus, Lept ocarpus t enax and Apodasmia brow nii are common in areas w here w at er lies and soil can accumulat e. Dead At hrot axis selaginoides st ags are seen below t he f alls and on t he sout hern f lanks of M ount Lyell, w it h st umps of Eucalypt us vernicosa higher up on M ount Lyell and M ount Ow en. 98 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey of non-coast al scrub communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies F1 Depauperat e t ea-t ree scrub f orest ; also occurs in NLA & SSK F3 Tea-t ree mesophyt ic scrub f orest ; also occurs in NLA Riparian scrub (SRI) General description Veget at ion f ound along st reams, creeks, rivers and surrounding w et lands. The veget at ion is predominant ly scrub, but includes w et f orest , dry f orest and grassland. The mapping unit encompasses a huge range of f lorist ic and st ruct ural variat ion. RFA M apping Unit Not covered by RFA mapping. How ever, in t he course of RFA mapping, regional f orest communit ies w ere mapped w it hout discriminat ing t he f iner-scale resolut ion of t he riparian zone; some riparian veget at ion may t heref ore be included in mapped f orest communit ies. Distribution Riparian scrub occurs across t he St at e along st reams, creeks and rivers and around w et lands. Rivercare Phot o Library. DPIWE, Derw ent River. Example locality The f ord on Saint Pauls River. Distinguishing features and similar communities The mapping communit y experiences periodic dist urbances t hat cont ribut e t o it s st ruct ural diversit y. While riparian veget at ion may comprise linear zones of diff erent f lorist ic composit ion det ermined by height above w at er level and t he nat ure of t he subst rat e, t he dist inct ions bet w een one f lorist ic communit y and anot her up or dow n a w at ercourse is unclear. The habit at is very dynamic and suscept ible t o w eed invasion. This communit y is dist inguished f rom ot her scrubs by t he presence of dist inct ly riparian t axa such as M icrant heum hexandrum. M ore geographically rest rict ed riparian species include Callit ris oblonga and Acacia axillaris. Bioregional occurrence All bioregions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is f ound along st reams, creeks, and rivers and around w et lands. The hydrology and geomorphology of Tasmanian rivers varies w idely. There have been some st udies of riparian veget at ion ecology, in Tasmania, and a St at ew ide synt hesis has been complet ed. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 99 Riparian scrub (SRI) Vegetation composition and structure The f lorist ic communit ies making up riparian f lora include some t hat are charact erist ic of rainf orest , w et f orest , dry f orest and grassland. How ever, scrub is t he predominant st ruct ural t ype. The overst orey species can include eucalypt and non-eucalypt species. Species such as Eucalypt us ovat a commonly dominat e on low land river f lat s. Shrubby species such as Not elaea ligust rina, M icrant heum hexandrum, Callist emon viridif lorus and various species f rom t he genera Acacia, Pomaderris, Lept ospermum and M elaleuca are common in riparian areas. In w et t er f orest communit ies, broad-leaf ed shrubs w ill be f ound in t he riparian zone. Some riparian veget at ion may be t reeless. M any rivers in Tasmania have ext ensive river f lat s of Poa labillardierei as riparian veget at ion. Along t he st reams, t here is of t en a st rip of periodically inundat ed veget at ion w it h moist ure-loving herbs: Lomandra longif olia, Phragmit es aust ralis and species of Carex, Lepidosperma, Cyperus, Schoenus, Luzula, Juncus and Eleocharis. Wit hin t he st ream, t here may be emergent or f loat ing aquat ic macrophyt es such as Triglochin procera and M yriophyllum species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit All of t he f ollow ing f lorist ic communit ies are specif ic t o riparian sit uat ions. Alt hough some communit ies have been ident if ied t o also occur in ot her ecological veget at ion communit ies; it is unlikely t hat t hey w ould do so out side of riparian areas. 3 Pomaderris apet ala–Ast erot richion discolor–Senecio linearif olius–Blechnum nudum open riparian scrub 4 Pomaderris apet ala–Coprosma quadrif ida–Carex appressa–Blechnum nudum open riparian scrub 5 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Tasmannia lanceolat a–Blechnum nudum closed riparian rainf orest ; also occurs in RLS 6 Pomaderris apet ala–M icrant heum hexandrum–Beyeria viscosa closed riparian scrub; also occurs in WVI & DAD 7 Pomaderris apet ala–Ehrhart a st ipoides– Coprosma quadrif ida open riparian scrub; also occurs in WVI 8 M elaleuca ericif olia–Acacia axillaris– Lomandra longif olia closed riparian scrub 9 Beyeria viscosa–Callist emon pallidus– Lomandra longif olia open riparian scrub 10 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Callist emon pallidus–Epacris acuminat a–Lomandra longif olia closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 11 M icrant heum hexandrum–Lept ospermum lanigerum–Lomandra longif olia t all riparian shrubland; also occurs in SLW 12 Acacia mucronat a–Lept ospermum lanigerum–M icrant heum hexandrum closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 13 M icrant heum hexandrum–Acacia mucronat a–Not elaea ligust rina riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 14 Acacia mucronat a–Pomaderris phylicif olia– Lept ospermum lanigerum–Lepidosperma lat erale riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 15 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Acacia mucronat a closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 16 Pomaderris apet ala–Ehrhart a st ipoides–Poa labillardierei–Lepidosperma lat erale closed riparian scrub 17 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Poa labillardierei–Acaena novae-zelandiae grassy riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 18 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Poa labillardierei–Carex gaudichaudiana grassy riparian scrub; also occurs in SLW 19 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Callist emon viridif lorus–Poa labillardierei–Carex gaudichaudiana grassy riparian w oodland; also occurs in SLW & DRO Riparian communit ies 100 1 Acacia dealbat a–Beyeria viscosa–Geranium pot ent illoides low closed riparian f orest 2 Pomaderris apet ala–Olearia argophylla–Polyst ichum prolif erum low open riparian f orest From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 10 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Eleocharis gracilis–Carex gaudichaudiana riparian shrubland; also occurs in SLW Eucalypt us w oodland over Pomaderris apet ala–Pt eridium esculent um–Poa labillardierei–Lomandra longif olia–Carex appressa closed–scrub; also occurs in DVG & WVI 11 22 Bauera rubioides–Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gahnia grandis closed riparian shrubland; also occurs in SLW Eucalypt us paucif lora–E. viminalis w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum grassy–sedgy closed scrub; also occurs in DDP 12 23 Eucalypt us gunnii–Lept ospermum lanigerum–M icrant heum hexandrum closed riparian scrub; also occurs in DGW Eucalypt us delegat ensis w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum grassy–herby–f erny closed–scrub; also occurs in DDE 13 Not hof agus cunninghamii–At herosperma moschat um–Poa labillardierei–Libert ia pulchella–Blechnum nudum closed–scrub; also occurs in RM T & RM L 14 Acacia–Not hof agus–At herosperma w oodland and f orest over Olearia shrubland and Dicksonia ant arct ica f ernland; also occurs in NAR & NAF 15 Eucalypt us obliqua–E. regnans open–f orest over sedgy–f erny Pomaderris apet ala–Olearia lirat a shrubland; also occurs in WOB & WRE 16 Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland or open–f orest over herby, grassy, sedgy Lept ospermum lanigerum open–heat h and closed–scrub; also occurs in DGW Acacia dealbat a–Pomaderris apet ala–Olearia argophylla–Dicksonia ant arct ica f erny–sedgy closed–scrub; also occurs in NAD 17 M elaleuca ericif olia–Lomandra longif olia–Juncus kraussii est uarine f orest and scrub; also occurs in NM E Acacia melanoxylon–Not hof agus cunninghamii–Eucryphia lucida–Acacia mucronat a mossy–sedgy–f erny closed–scrub; also occurs in NAR & NAF 18 M elaleuca squarrosa–Lept ospermum lanigerum heat hy–f erny–sedgy closed scrub; also occurs in NLM , SLW & SM R Not hof agus cunninghamii–Acacia vert icillat a–Gahnia grandis f erny closed–scrub; also occurs in RM T & RM L 19 Eucalypt us w oodland over Hakea microcarpa–Poa labillardierei–Lomandra longif olia grassy–sedgy scrub; also occurs in DVG Not hof agus–Eucryphia–Phyllocladus– Trochocarpa–Libert ia shrubby closed–f orest ; also occurs in RM S 20 Eucalypt us viminalis–E. globulus–E. obliqua– E. amygdalina w oodland over Beyeria viscosa–Exocarpos cupressif ormis sedgy–grassy, f erny or heat hy closed scrub; also occurs in DGL Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum–Baloskion t et raphyllum–Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus f erny–sedgy closed–scrub; also occurs in WNL & WNR 21 Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland over Gleichenia dicarpa–Philot heca virgat a f erny closed–scrub; also occurs in WNL 20 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gnaphalium collinum–Poa labillardierei riparian scrubby herbf ield; also occurs in SLW & DRO 21 Gallery rainf orest G1.1 Lept ospermum riparium scrub Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 1 Orit es acicularis–Baeckea gunniana–Richea acerosa–Hierochloe redolens–Poa cost iniana grassy heat h; also occurs in HHE & HSE 2 Eucalypt us open f orest over Baeckea gunniana–Gleichenia alpina–Rubus gunnianus–f erny closed heat h; also occurs in SHS, DDE, DPD, DCO & DRO 3 4 5 6 7 8 Eucalypt us obliqua–E. regnans w oodland over Acacia–Pomaderris f erny–sedgy–grassy closed–scrub; also occurs in WOL 9 Eucalypt us viminalis–E. ovat a–E. obliqua– Acacia dealbat a–Acacia melanoxylon w oodland over sedgy–f erny scrub; also occurs in WVI & DOV Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 101 Scrub complex on King Island (SSK) General description Scrub complex on King Island comprises a successional series f rom sedgeland t o heat hland t o scrub. The communit y is complex in it s st ruct ure and species diversit y. In some places, it occurs as a t ight mosaic of t he diff erent st ruct ural unit s, w hile in ot her places one of t hese unit s w ill cover large areas. The sedgeland is charact erised by sclerophyllous graminoids, t he heat hlands by low shrubs, and t he scrub by M yrt aceous species in addit ion t o Acacia, Banksia and Allocasuarina species. Occasional emergent Eucalypt us species may be present . Example locality Lavinia Nat ure Reserve, Counsel Hills area. Distinguishing features and similar communities SSK t ypically occurs on acid sands in t he Eldorado Land Syst em on King Island. While t he scrub component of SSK is f lorist ically similar t o Dry scrub (SDU), t he lat t er is associat ed w it h more f ert ile subst rat es on ot her land syst ems. Ot her communit ies, Eucalypt us globulus King Island Forest (WGK), King Island Eucalypt w oodland (DKW ) and M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E); also occur on acid sands and f requent ly grade int o various SSK st ruct ural unit s. How ever, t hey generally occur on more f ert ile sit es. Small areas of M elaleuca species dominat ed veget at ion t hat are not readily discernible on aerial phot ographs are incorporat ed in t his mapping unit , but f iner mapping w ould result in t heir re-allocat ion t o eit her NM E or M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R), depending on t he dominant M elaleuca species. Likew ise, mappable pat ches of Eucalypt us f orest or w oodland current ly at t ribut ed t o SSK w ould be reallocat ed t o WGK or DKW if mapped at a f iner scale. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Richard Barnes. Lavinia St at e Reserve, King Island. 102 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation SSK occurs on King Island in t he nort h-east , cent ral east coast and cent re of t he island on f lat s or undulat ing plains, and in t he sout h-w est of t he island bet w een t he ‘New Dunes’ and t he more f ert ile plat eau count ry t o t he east . because of diff icult ies in ident if ying boundaries in t he f ield. Bioregional occurrence K. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology SSK occupies w ide areas of f lat s or undulat ing plains, w hich comprise t he relat ively inf ert ile Eldorado Land Syst em. Spat ial variat ion w it hin t he veget at ion of t his mapping unit relat es primarily t o sit e drainage and hist ory of f ire or dist urbance, and somet imes soil t ype and dept h. The w et scrub veget at ion succeeds t he w et heat hlands af t er a sit e has remained f ire-f ree f or about 8–10 years. Similarly, in some sit uat ions dry scrub appears t o be a lat e successional st age of dry heat hland. Vegetation composition and structure Scrub complex on King Island comprises a successional series f rom sedgeland t o heat hland t o scrub. The posit ion of a given sit e w it hin t his series appears t o correlat e st rongly w it h f ire hist ory. The t hree st ruct ural unit s are combined because of t he t ransient nat ure of t he sedgeland and heat hland communit ies (w here t he progression f rom sedgeland t o heat hland, and heat hland t o scrub occurs f airly rapidly) and The sedgeland areas are charact erised by a dense st rat um of sclerophyllous graminoids including Pat ersonia f ragilis, Xyris muelleri, X. marginat a, Sporadant hus t asmanicus and Empodisma minus. Some prost rat e and erect shrubs may be present , becoming more prominent as sedgeland succeeds t o heat h (see below ). The ground layer consist s of pt eridophyt es and geophyt es such as Lindsaea linearis, Selaginella uliginosa, Schizaea f ist ulosa, Drosera species, M it rasacme pilosa, Xant hosia t rident at a and Ut ricularia lat erif lora, as w ell as various orchids. Sedgeland is t he most ephemeral and least ext ensive component of t he mosaic. Lept ospermum scoparium, Banksia marginat a and Allocasuarina monilif era t ypically dominat e t he heat hland sit es. Frequent shrubs include Leucopogon ericoides, Hibbert ia prost rat a, Pimelea linif olia, Amperea xiphoclada, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Acacia mucronat a, Aot us ericoides, Epacris impressa and Dillw ynia glaberrima. Common graminoid species include Dianella t asmanica, Lepidosperma concavum, Ehrhart a dist ichophylla, Empodisma minus and Gahnia grandis. M any of t he ground-layer species common in sedgeland are absent due t o shading. M elaleuca squarrosa, Sprengelia incarnat a, Bauera rubioides, Empodisma minus and Sporadant hus t asmanicus are f requent at w et t er sit es, w hile Aot us ericoides, Hibbert ia prost rat a and D. glaberrima are more common w here drainage is good. B. marginat a and A. monilif era t end t o be less f requent at t he more w at erlogged locat ions. M allee-f orm Eucalypt us viminalis and E. ovat a are present in some areas (w here possible t hese are mapped as an overlay), t he f ormer being generally rest rict ed t o t he rises and drier sit es. The diversit y of t he shrub layer t ends t o decrease as t he communit y progresses t ow ards scrub. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 103 Scrub complex on King Island (SSK) L. scoparium and/or M elaleuca squarrosa along w it h Acacia mucronat a, B. marginat a, A. monilif era, A. vert icillat a and M onot oca glauca dominat e t he scrub communit ies. In w et t er areas Empodisma minus is a common underst orey species, w it h Gahnia grandis and Baloskion t et raphyllum being less common. Eucalypt us viminalis and/or E. ovat a may be emergent at drier sit es. Due t o t he less dense nat ure of t he veget at ion, heat hland species such as Leucopogon ericoides, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Pimelea linif olia, Epacris impressa and Ehrhat a dist ichophylla of t en persist at t hese sit es. Where t he canopy is more open, t he grass, rush and herb species list ed in t he sedgeland and heat hland descript ions may persist . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit There are several heat hland, scrub and sedgeland f lorist ic communit ies t hat may occur in SSK. How ever no f lorist ic st udies of t his unique veget at ion mosaic have been carried out , and it is likely t hat f lorist ic communit ies ident if ied in ot her areas have only superf icial resemblance t o SSK communit ies. Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies F1 104 Depauperat e t ea-t ree scrub f orest ; also occurs in NLA & SQR From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Seabird rookery complex (SRC) General description The Seabird rookery complex of low veget at ion may include succulent herbf ields, f ernland, shrublands, t ussock grasslands and some combinat ions of t hese. On some remot e islands, such as M aat suyker Island in t he sout h-w est and Rodondo Island in Bass St rait , seabird burrow s occur under shrubby w indrow s and t all scrubland. Rookeries are f requent ly diff icult t o negot iat e because of burrow s underlying t he dense mat s of succulent plant s or rank Poa t ussocks on deep, sof t soil. Nick Fit zgerald. King Island. Example locality The Neck, Bruny Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities While t his t ype is variable in st ruct ure and f lorist ic composit ion t hroughout t he range, it can be dist inguished by a combinat ion of general f eat ures. In t he f ield, Seabird rookery complex (SRC) may be dist inguished by Poa poif ormis grassland, f requent ly in associat ion w it h dense mat s of succulent s such as Tet ragonia implexicoma and Rhagodia candolleana or Carpobrot us rossii. Ext ensive pat ches of dist urbance-requirers such as Senecio laut us, Senecio capillif olius and At riplex cinerea or Pt eridium esculent um may occur. In exposed, usually remot e, sit es on deep soils SRC may appear dark or bright green, or golden and smoot h, on aerial phot ographs. Dark areas indicat e a cover of low, dense shrubs, w hich may include dw arf Banksia marginat a, Lept ospermum scoparium, Solanum species, Pit t osporum bicolor, Olearia species, Correa species and Dianella t asmanica. The rookery may ext end int o adjacent scrub or f orest , but t hese are mapped separat ely. Coast al grass and herbf ield (GHC) diff ers f rom SRC in being undist urbed by nest ing seabirds; how ever t he communit y may be f lorist ically similar in some sit uat ions. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution This communit y occurs on off shore islands around t he Tasmanian coast , and is part icularly ext ensive in t he Furneaux Group. On t he Tasmanian mainland coast , rookeries are scarcer and much more innacessible. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 105 Seabird rookery complex (SRC) Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence Ground cover can be almost 100% w it h only t he runs exposed; in some rookeries, t he runs are covered by veget at ion. Seasonal dieback of Senecio species may expose more soil. Poa poif ormis is t he most common grassy species. Aust rost ipa st ipoides may be prominent in rookeries t hat are more exposed, such as on t he smaller sout h-w est islands. Tussocks may be int ergrow n or f orm mosaics w it h Tet ragonia implexicoma and Rhagodia candolleana, w hich can f orm dense mat s. At riplex cinerea may dominat e some rookery communit ies, part icularly in t he Furneaux Islands, as may Pt eridium esculent um and/or Lomandra longif olia. Cormorant rookeries may have a dominant cover of Senecio capillif olius, as on Nint h Island. K, F, SE, SR, W, NS. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Dry coast al communit ies Seabird rookery complex generally occurs in areas w here t here are deep soils, w hich may in part be due t o long periods of biot urbat ion. On t he Bass St rait islands t hese soils are of t en calcareous Pleist ocene sand sheet s. On part s of t he Tasmanian coast , w ind-blow n sands or deeply w eat hered soils may provide t he habit at . Around t he sout h-w est coast some of t he islands have small, f airly f lat areas of w ind-blow n sand, w here SRC occurs. The rookeries are dynamic, so somet imes scrub margins are convert ed t o succulent herbf ield or grassland by t he high phosphorus input . 106 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 13 Rhagodia candolleana–Tet ragonia implexicoma succulent herbland; also occurs in SCK Subalpine heathland (SHS) General description Subalpine heat hland varies f rom t all (1–3 m) w it h nearly closed canopy on f avourable sit es t o short (1 m) and sparse on very rocky sit es. It is quit e variable, but t he dominant s usually are species f rom t he f amilies Prot eaceae, Epacridaceae and Fabaceae, w it h species of M elaleuca and/or Lept ospermum. West ern subalpine scrub (SSW ) is a diverse scrub cat egory w it h Agast achys odorat a and Cenarrhenes nit ida commonly present and somet imes Isophysis t asmanica and Dracophyllum milliganii. Eucalypt us vernicosa may be present . RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution SHS occurs below 1 000 m around Ben Lomond and across Cent ral Tasmania f rom Cradle M ount ain in t he nort h-w est t o t he Wellingt on Range and sout h Bruny Island in t he sout h-east . Sib Corbet t . M ount Wellingt on, below Organ Pipes. Example localities M ount Field Nat ional Park near Lake Fent on; east ern slopes of M ount Wellingt on; Laughing Jack Road. Distinguishing features and similar communities On t he Cent ral Plat eau, shrubby subalpine heat hland is replaced by short alpine heat hland (HHE) at 1 050 m, w it h t he loss of most of t he Prot eaceae and ot her t all shrub species. Low land heat hland (undiff erent iat ed) (SHU) occurs below 650 m and is dist inguished f rom SHS by t he abundance of Lept ospermum scoparium, Pult enaea juniperina and small Acacia species, and t he paucit y of Prot eaceae ot her t han Banksia marginat a and Lomat ia t inct oria. Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, NS, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Subalpine heat hlands occur bet w een about 650 m and 1 050 m alt it ude. The subst rat es are of varying f ert ilit y but are w ell–drained. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 107 Subalpine heathland (SHS) Vegetation composition and structure Subalpine heat hlands are quit e variable in composit ion, alt hough t hey may exhibit low diversit y. Dominant s nearly alw ays consist of one or more Lept ospermum species and Orit es revolut a, and may also include any of Oxylobium ellipt icum, Baeckea gunniana, epacrids (Genera: Cyat hodes, Lept ecophylla, Trochocarpa, Epacris, Richea, M onot oca), Tasmannia lanceolat a, Bauera rubioides and Coprosma nit ida. Richea dracophylla is prominent around M ount Wellingt on and on Sout h Bruny Island, part icularly on poorly–drained sandst ones, accompanied by Oxylobium ellipt icum and, in damp areas, Gahnia grandis. Subalpine heat hland is seldom t reeless; t he scat t ered emergent s include E. delegat ensis, E. johnst onii, E. paucif lora, E. dalrympleana, E. rodw ayi and somet imes E. amygdalina. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey of subalpine t reeless communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 2 108 Eucalypt us open f orest over Baeckea gunniana–Gleichenia alpina–Rubus gunnianus–f erny closed heat h; also occurs in SRI, DDE, DPD, DCO & DRO From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Western subalpine scrub (SSW) General description West ern subalpine scrub (SSW ) is very variable in st ruct ure and densit y. This communit y commonly exhibit s high diversit y, prominent ly including Lept ospermum nit idum, Eucalypt us vernicosa, M onot oca submut ica, Agast achys odorat a and Cenarrhenes nit ida. At some sit es t here are canopy gaps w it h pat ches of graminoid species. At yet ot her sit es, usually more shelt ered, t his mapping unit may cont ain pat ches of scrub w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii and dw arf Eucryphia milliganii. A simple f acies consist s of M elaleuca squamea f orming an open canopy over graminoid heat hland dominat ed by Eurychorda complanat a, w it h f ew ot her w oody species but somet imes cont aining Gymnoshoenus sphaerocephalus. dist inguished by t he invariable presence of Lept ospermum species, usually M onot oca submut ica and Eucalypt us vernicosa and somet imes any of E. nit ida, E. subcrenulat a, Banksia marginat a or Acacia mucronat a as low emergent s. SM M almost alw ays has Isophysis t asmanica, Dracophyllum milliganii, Epacris serpyllif olia, Oreobolus species and Carpha alpina, w hich may occur in some SSW scrubs but are seldom prominent . Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) has some similarit ies w it h SSW , but is generally more dense, has f ew graminoids, and is of t en t aller, w it h const ant w est ern rainf orest aff init ies, including At hrot axis selaginoides remnant s. RKX lacks M elaleuca squamea and Gymnoshoenus sphaerocephalus. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution West ern and sout h-w est Tasmania, generally bet w een about 600–800 m. Nepelle Temby. Ironbound Range, sout h-w est Tasmania. Example localities Frenchmans Cap; Sout h Darw in Plat eau. Distinguishing features and similar communities Some f orms of SSW may have moorland aff init ies and resemble some f orms of M elaleuca squamea heat hland (SM M ). How ever, SSW is Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 109 Western subalpine scrub (SSW) Bioregional occurrence W, SR, CH. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology A f airly recent f ire hist ory (burnt in about t he last 50 years) is t ypically evident in t his communit y. The subst rat e is usually sparse organic soils over quart zit e and quart z conglomerat e t o Cambrian volcanics and granit e. The communit y occurs on gent le t o moderat ely st eep slopes in exposed high-rainf all areas. Vegetation composition and structure Richea pandanif olia and Persoonia gunnii, w it h a f ew Orit es revolut a. SSW near Frenchman’s Cap and in t he Denison and Raglan Ranges has an open M elaleuca species canopy over sedges and Blandf ordia punicea. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey of scrub communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 1 But t ongrass moorland B15 The communit y is a mosaic of shrubland and moorland, w it h an open but uneven shrub canopy t hat includes Eucalypt us vernicosa in places. Pat ches of but t ongrass moorland species may occur. SSW can be highly diverse, w it h combinat ions of Eucalypt us vernicosa, Lept ospermum species, Agast achys odorat a, Banksia marginat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, M onot oca submut ica, M elaleuca squamea (and somet imes M . squarrosa) and Telopea t runcat a, w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii, Anodopet alum biglandulosum and Eucryphia milliganii in shelt ered places. Open areas may cont ain any of Dracophyllum milliganii, Isophysis t asmanica, Carpha alpina, Epacris serpyllif olia (at higher alt it udes), Oreobolus species, Eurychorda complanat a, Anemone crassif olia, Ast elia alpina, Blandf ordia punicea, Baeckea lept ocaulis, Sprengelia incarnat a, Boronia cit riodora, Bauera rubioides and Epacris het eronema. Ot her scrub species include Richea milliganii, Epacris het eronema (in low er part s), Lept ecophylla juniperina, Lomat ia polymorpha, Hakea epiglot t is, Trochocarpa gunnii, Tet racarpaea t asmanica, Olearia persoonioides, O. phlogopappa, Gahnia grandis and Bellendena mont ana. Areas above 700 m alt it ude may also have Richea scoparia, dw arf Not hof agus cunninghamii, Eucryphia milliganii, 110 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Lept ospermum nit idum closed–f orest /scrub; also occurs in NLE, RM L & RLS M ount ain copses; also occurs in RSH & M BS Western w et scrub (SWW) General description The communit y is a dense, uneven scrub w it h up t o f ive Lept ospermum and M elaleuca species plus Acacia mucronat a and Bauera rubioides, of t en w it h Banksia marginat a and M onot oca submut ica. Eucalypt us nit ida saplings are emergent . is rich in Pult enaea juniperina, Epacris impressa and Aot us ericoides. SHU in t he w est generally has an open canopy of t all Eucalypt us nit ida. RLS is rainf orest scrub w it h Lept ospermum species, w hich is common in t he same w est ern areas as SWW . It is t aller and of t en less dense t han SWW , dominat ed by Lept ospermum lanigerum, w it h Bauera rubioides, Gahnia grandis and rainf orest seedlings under. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Some f acies of TASVEG SWW may occur in RFA NT. Distribution West ern w et scrub is abundant in w est ern Tasmania f rom near sea level t o about 750 m. Sib Corbet t . Art hur Plains, looking nort h-w est f rom Junct ion Creek. Example locality Lyell Highw ay w est of Collingw ood Bridge. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is somew hat similar t o t he moorland f orm of Banksia marginat a w et scrub (SBM ), but is dist inguished by t he presence of Eucalypt us nit ida. SBM has Banksia marginat a and M elaleuca squarrosa as dominant s and is richer in graminoids t han SWW . SWW may grade int o West ern subalpine scrub (SSW ) (at about 750 m), w hich lacks E. nit ida and is poor in B. marginat a and M . squarrosa but ot herw ise has high diversit y, including Agast achys odorat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, rainf orest and subalpine heat h species. Where SWW and Inland heat hland (undiff erent iat ed) (SHU) occur t oget her, SHU occupies t he drier sit uat ions and Bioregional occurrence W, K, CH, SR. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 111 Western w et scrub (SWW) Site characteristics, habitat and ecology SWW is abundant on peat soils derived f rom quart zit ic rocks. It occurs f rom near sea level t o about 750 m. Vegetation composition and structure West ern w et scrub may f orm a f airly unif orm cover on slopes, but more of t en occurs as copses and t hicket s w it hin but t ongrass moorland, or as f orest f ringes bet w een w et f orest and/or rainf orest and but t ongrass moorland. There is of t en a smoot h t ransit ion int o Eucalypt us nit ida over t all t eat ree aw ay f rom t he moorland, w it h t he Eucalypt us species gaining height st eadily f rom t he scrub edge t o t he cent re of t he f orest . This communit y has a number of f requent ly occurring species. These include Lept ospermum nit idum, L. scoparium, L. glaucescens, M elaleuca squamea, M . squarrosa, Acacia mucronat a and Banksia marginat a. Ot her common species include M onot oca submut ica, Bauera rubioides, Gleichenia dicarpa, Empodisma minus, Gahnia grandis and Blandf ordia punicea. Scat t ered Eucalypt us nit ida are ubiquit ous as small t rees less t han 5 m. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey of sub alpine t reeless communit ies has been carried out in Tasmania. But t ongrass moorland 112 B12 Dry copses; also occurs in M BS, DNI, SHU & SDU B13 Wet copses; also occurs in M BS, WNL, DOV, SM R & NLM From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Wet heathland (SHW) General description The communit y is a low, sclerophyllous veget at ion communit y w it h scat t ered emergent Eucalypt us rodw ayi or E. ovat a t rees and a dense ground cover of Rest ionaceae and Cyperaceae species. Distribution The communit y is w idely dist ribut ed generally at low alt it udes on poorly–drained f lat areas, but also in t he East ern Tiers and in coast al hill count ry such as in t he Douglas-Apsley Nat ional Park. St ephen Harris. Nort h-east Tasmania. Example locality Snow Hill, East ern Tiers. Distinguishing features and similar communities SHW occurs on poorly–drained land at low alt it udes. Frequent ly occurring species include Lept ospermum species, M elaleuca species, Banksia marginat a, Callist emon viridif lorus, Epacris lanuginosa, Gahnia species, and Lepidosperma f ilif orme. The f ern, Lindsaea linearis, and clubmoss, Selaginella uliginosa, are usually present in t he ground layer. The communit y succeeds t o scrub (e.g. SLW ) in t he absence of f ire. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, F, K, NS, SE, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Wet heat hland occurs w here t here are poorly– drained peat y soils or f lat valleys w it h impeded drainage. This includes higher alt it ude areas w here cold air ponding occurs on some f lat areas, t ypically in creek headw at ers. Vegetation composition and structure Wet heat hlands are t ypically dominat ed by a combinat ion of M elaleuca squamea, M . gibbosa, Callist emon viridif lorus, Lept ospermum species and somet imes Hakea species. There are usually scat t ered emergent Eucalypt us rodw ayi or E. ovat a t rees and a dense ground cover of Rest ionaceae and Cyperaceae species. The f ern, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 113 Wet heathland (SHW) Lindsaea linearis and clubmoss, Selaginella uliginosa, are usually present . The communit y height can reach 2 m and ground cover is t ypically 100% . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3b Sedgy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DSC, DOV & DOW But t ongrass M oorland E3 Sedgy M elaleuca gibbosa; also occurs in M BE & SLW E5 Dry east ern heat hy; also occurs in M BS Heat h 114 1 Leucopogon aust ralis–M elaleuca squamea heat h; also occurs in SCW 2 Schoenus t enuissimus–Epacris lanuginosa–Empodisma minus heat h; also occurs in SCW 3 M elaleuca gibbosa–Bauera rubioides heat h; also occurs in SCW 4 Sprengelia incarnat a–Bauera rubioides–Lepidosperma f ilif orme heat h; also occurs in SCW 5 Sprengelia incarnat a–Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus–Xyris spp. heat h; also occurs in M BS and M SW 6 Boronia parvif lora–Banksia marginat a–Lept ocarpus t enax heat h; also occurs in SCW & SCH 27 Lindsaea linearis–M elaleuca gibbosa–Xant horrhoea spp. heat h; also occurs in SCH and SCW 31 M elaleuca squarrosa–Poa gunnii–Agrost is spp. Heat h 37 Banksia marginat a–Lept ospermum scoparium heat h; also occurs in SCH and SSC 38 Callist emon viridif lorus–West ringia rubiaef olia heat h; also occurs in SHU From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h Bracelet honeymyrt le w et heat h; also occurs in SCH, SCW & SHU Scent ed paperback w et heat h; also occurs in SHU & SM R M anuka w et heat h Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 115 M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland Community name Community code Alkaline pans M AP But t ongrass moorland (undiff erent iat ed) M BU But t ongrass moorland w it h emergent shrubs M BS East ern but t ongrass moorland M BE Highland grassy sedgeland M GH Pure but t ongrass moorland M BP Rest ionaceae rushland M RR Sparse but t ongrass moorland on slopes M BR Sphagnum peat land M SP Subalpine Diplarrena lat if olia rushland M DS West ern but t ongrass moorland M BW West ern low land sedgeland M SW This group cont ains moorland, rushland, sedgeland and peat land predominant ly on low f ert ilit y subst rat es in high rainf all areas. M any of t he veget at ion communit ies in t his group cont ain Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus; some are dominat ed by it . Grassy sedgelands, and t he variant of Rest ionaceae sedgeland/rushland f ound on st eep slopes near Queenst ow n, seldom cont ain G. sphaerocephalus but may be closely associat ed w it h it in mosaics. G. sphaerocephalus is generally absent f rom low land/int ermediat e sedgelands and grassy sedgelands. Tasmanian but t ongrass moorlands cover more t han a million hect ares, chief ly in t he cool w et w est ern region of Tasmania below t he alpine zone. A St at e-w ide survey of but t ongrass moorlands by Jarman et al. in 1988 classif ied t his veget at ion int o a number of st ruct ural and f lorist ic communit ies. But t ongrass moorland is a unique veget at ion t ype in a global cont ext : it is t he only ext ensive veget at ion t ype dominat ed by a hummock-f orming t ussock sedge (G. sphaerocephalus). The presence of t his roset t e species, or of t he cord rushes (Rest ionaceae species) w it h w hich it t ypically associat es, def ines t his veget at ion, alt hough it may be a minor component w it hin some f acies of t he veget at ion. 116 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation But t ongrass moorland is highly variable in st ruct ure, ranging f rom low closed sedgeland, t hrough heat hland and low open scrub t o open w oodland. M ost communit ies are t reeless, mat ching most closely t o graminoid heat hland as def ined by Specht (1979). But t ongrass moorland is at t he int erf ace of t errest rial and w et land syst ems, w it h much of it seasonally w at erlogged. Some pat ches meet t he def init ion of mire; ot hers can be def ined as sw amp, bog and f en (Clymo 1983). But t ongrass moorlands are divided int o t w o t ypes, bot h of w hich can occur on low -nut rient peat soils. “ Blanket moorland” is so named because it ext ends ont o slopes, ridges and plat eaus and is not rest rict ed t o poorly–drained f lat s or gullies. In sit uat ions t opographically prot ect ed by f ire, it is of t en replaced by scrub and f orest s. Blanket moorlands are charact erist ic of low f ert ilit y environment s and occur w idely across w est ern Tasmania. In cont rast “ East ern moorland” is usually less ext ensive and is replaced by ot her veget at ion t ypes w here soils are bet t er drained. It is of t en underlain by more f ert ile subst rat es such as dolerit e. It has it s largest ext ent in t he Cent ral Highlands, but occurs in localised pat ches w idely across east ern Tasmania. The but t ongrass moorlands of sout h-w est Tasmania are divided int o f our separat e mapping unit s: M BW, M SW, M BR and M BP. Of t hese, M BW is clearly def ined on f lorist ics. M BR and M SW are not clearly diff erent iat ed on species composit ion eit her f rom each ot her or f rom M BW . The diff erences are in relat ive species abundance and t ext ure on aerial phot ographs. These communit ies are import ant indicat ors of soil condit ion. M SW occupies poorly–drained, shallow peat s on t he large sout h-w est plains (M elaleuca, Louisa, Row it t a) and Tert iary gravel t erraces sout h of M acquarie Harbour. Veget at ion diversit y is st rongly dependent on f ire hist ory. M BR is sparse veget at ion on st eep slopes on quart zit e mount ains and t he gravel f ans at t he base of t hose slopes. It is a f ire-induced communit y on skelet al peat s. Sedgelands (e.g. M GH and M SW ) and rushlands (e.g. M RR and M DS) t ypically grow on oligot rophic soils and are adapt ed t o ext reme environment al condit ions such as drought , w at erlogging, f ire and low nut rient s. M any species of t he Cyperaceae and Rest ionaceae are resist ant t o Phyt opht hora, w hich has led t o an increase in cover of t hese f amilies in diseaseprone areas; how ever, t he long-t erm impact s of Phyt opht hora on communit y st ruct ure require f urt her invest igat ion (M eney & Pat e 1999). Sphagnum peat land (M SP) is charact erised by a ground layer of moss in t he genus Sphagnum, w hich may f orm a dense, blanket ing layer or a sparse layer grow ing around t rees, small shrubs, sedges or f erns. Any area w it h great er t han 30% ground cover of Sphagnum is considered a Sphagnum peat land communit y. These communit ies are f ound in poorly–drained acid areas (pH 4.0–5.5), generally above 600 m in alt it ude, alt hough t here are examples at low er alt it udes. The pat ch sizes are generally small because of Sphagnum’s specif ic environment al condit ions required f or grow t h, it s slow grow t h rat e and long recovery t ime af t er dist urbance. Fire is a def ining f act or f or t he ecological veget at ion communit ies in t his sect ion: bot h it s int ensit y and f requency largely dict at es t he f orm of t he veget at ion. M ost of t hese ecological veget at ion communit ies are early successional st ages t hat w ill develop int o ot her veget at ion t ypes in t he absence of f ire (Jackson 1968, Brow n & Podger 1982). The veget at ion is highly pyrogenic, largely because t he dead leaves hang w it hin and below t he canopy and quickly dry af t er rain (M arsden-Smedley & Cat chpole 1995a, b, Balmer 1991). Fires can burn in t his veget at ion af t er as lit t le as one or t w o rain-f ree days, even in w int er. At some sit es, t he peat soils on w hich t hese communit ies occur can dry out and burn, leaving bare rock; af t er such an event regenerat ion is very slow (Balmer 1991). Sphagnum peat lands can t ake many hundreds t o t housands of years t o develop, and af t er f ire may t ake equally long t o recover. General management issues A major t hreat t o t hese communit ies is t he plant pat hogen Phyt opht hora cinnamomi, w hich is part icularly damaging t o several plant f amilies t hat are key component s of many of t hese communit ies. It is w idespread in t hese communit ies t hroughout t he St at e, making areas t hat are f ree f rom t he pat hogen signif icant (Schahinger et al. 2003). The most suscept ible f amilies Dilleniaceae, Epacridaceae, Fabaceae, Prot eaceae and Rut aceae are common and ext ensive in sedgeland, rushland and moorland communit ies. Phyt opht hora cinnamomi reduces plant species diversit y in inf ect ed areas. In ext reme cases, it kills most of t he w oody species, leaving veget at ion dominat ed be sedges and rushes (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Some areas of t his ecological veget at ion communit y have been degraded by burning f ollow ed by st ock grazing, of t en result ing in t he est ablishment of unpalat able shrubs and, in some cases, conversion t o species-poor heat hland (Kirkpat rick 1991, Balmer 1991). Some but t ongrass communit ies have been ident if ied as crit ical habit at f or t he endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogast er). This species has f eeding pref erences at specif ic ages f or veget at ion af t er f ire and t heref ore has quit e specif ic management needs (Bryant & Jackson 1999). For more inf ormat ion ref er t o Tasmania’s Threat ened Fauna Handbook and Orange-Bellied Parrot Recovery Plan (OrangeBellied Parrot Recovery Team 1998). Overall, Sphagnum peat lands are in good condit ion, and most are w it hin reserves, w it h t he except ion of t he aquat ic Sphagnum bogs. The main management issue f or t hese Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 117 M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland communit ies is f ire prot ect ion (Whinam et al. 1989). FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005). Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. GILFEDDER, L. (1995) M ont ane grasslands of nort h–w est ern Tasmania. Unpublished report t o Nort h Forest s, Burnie and Forest ry Tasmania. Ref erences and f urt her reading BALM ER, J. (1991) But t ongrass moorland veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush; A M anagement Handbook (Ed. Kirkpat rick, J.B.). Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . BOWM AN, D.M .J.S., M ACLEAN, A.R. & CROWDEN, R.K. (1986) Veget at ion–soil relat ions in t he low lands of sout h–w est Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 11, 141–153. BROWN, M .J. & PODGER, F.D. (1982) Florist ics and f ire regimes of a veget at ion sequence f rom sedgeland–heat h t o rainf orest at Bat hurst Harbour, Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 30, 659–676. BROWN, M .J. CROWDEN R.K. & JARM AN S.J. (1982) Veget at ion of an alkaline pan–acidic peat mosaic in t he Hardw ood River Valley, Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 7, 3–12. BRYANT, S.L. & JACKSON, J. (1999) Tasmania’s Threat ened Fauna Handbook: w hat , w here and how t o prot ect Tasmania’s t hreat ened animals. Threat ened Species Unit , Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . CLYM O, R.S. (1983) Peat . In: M ires: Sw amp, Bog, Fen and M oor. Ecosyst ems of t he World, 4a. (Ed. Gore, A.J.P) Elsevier, Amst erdam, pp.159–224. CORBETT, S. (1995) Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau–West ern Tasmanian World Herit age Area. Wildlif e Report 95/3. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement , Hobart . CORBETT, S. (1998) Veget at ion. In: Wilderness Ecosyst ems Baseline St udies (WEBS): Pelion Plains–M t . Ossa. Wildlif e Report 98/2. (Eds. Driessen, M ., et al.) Parks and Wildlif e Service, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement , Hobart . ELLIS, R. C. (1985) The relat ionships among eucalypt f orest , grassland and rainf orest in a highland area in nort heast ern Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 10, 297–314. 118 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation JACKSON, W.D. (1968) Fire, air, w at er and eart h–An element al ecology of Tasmania. Proceedings of t he Ecological Societ y of Aust ralia. 3, 9–16. JARM AN, S.J. & CROWDEN R.K. (1979) An examinat ion of veget at ion f rom t he low er Gordon River and associat ed cat chment s against a background of regional bot any. In: Low er Gordon Region–Landuse, Resources and Special Feat ures. (Ed. Hale, G.E.A.) Unpublished report . Hydro Elect ric Commission, Hobart . JARM AN, S.J., KANTVILAS, G., & BROWN, M .J. (1988) But t ongrass moorland in Tasmania. Research Report No. 2, Tasmanian Forest Research Council, Inc., Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1977) The Disappearing Heat h–A st udy of t he conservat ion of coast al heat h in nort h and east Tasmania and t he Furneaux group. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust , Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1997) Alpine Tasmania–An illust rat ed guide t o t he f lora and veget at ion. Oxf ord Universit y Press, M elbourne. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & DUNCAN, F. (1987) Dist ribut ion, communit y composit ion and conservat ion of Tasmanian high alt it ude grassy ecosyst ems. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 12, 73–86. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1995) The Conservat ion of Tasmanian Dry Coast al Vascular Plant Communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/1. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1999) The Disappearing Heat h Revisit ed. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . M ACPHAIL, M .K., PEM BERTON, M . & JACOBSON, G. (1999) Peat mounds of sout hw est Tasmania: possible origins. Aust ralian Journal of Eart h Science. 46, 667–677. M ARSDEN–SM EDLEY, J.B. & CATCHPOLE, W.R. (1995a) Fire M odelling in Tasmanian but t ongrass moorlands I. Fuel charact erist ics. Int ernat ional Journal of Wildland Fire. 5, 203–214. M ARSDEN–SM EDLEY, J.B. & CATCHPOLE, W.R. (1995b) Fire M odelling in Tasmanian but t ongrass moorlands III. Dead f uel moist ure. Int ernat ional Journal of Wildland Fire. 10, 241–253. M ENEY, K.A. & PATE, J.S. (1999) Aust ralian Rushes: Biology, Ident if icat ion and Conservat ion of Rest ionaceae and Allied Families. Universit y of West ern Aust ralia Press, Nedlands. W ILSON, K.L. & JACOBS, S.W.L. (1998) Gramineae, Casuarinaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and w at erplant s. In: Wilderness Ecosyst ems Baseline St udies (WEBS): Pelion Plains–M t . Ossa. Wildlif e Report 98/2. (Eds. Driessen, M . et al.) Parks and Wildlif e Service, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement , Hobart . ORANGE–BELLIED PARROT RECOVERY TEAM (1998) Orange–Bellied Parrot Recovery Plan 1998–2002. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . PANNELL, J.R. (1992) Sw amp Forest s of Tasmania. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. PEM BERTON, M . & CULLEN, P.J. (1995) Impact s of f ire on soils in Tasmania. In: Proceedings, Aust ralian Bushf ire Conf erence, Hobart , Tasmania. Tasmanian Fire Service and Tasmanian Parks and Wildlif e Service. SCHAHINGER, R., RUDM AN, R. & W ARDLAW, T.J. (2003) Conservat ion of Tasmanian Plant Species and Communit ies Threat ened by Phyt opht hora cinnamomi: St rat egic Regional Plan f or Tasmania. Technical report 03/03. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . SPECHT, R.L. (1970) Veget at ion. In: The Aust ralian Environment (4t h edn). (Ed. Leeper, G.W.) CSIRO/ M elbourne Universit y Press, M elbourne. W HINAM , J., BARM UTA , L.A. & CHILCOTT, N. (2001) Florist ic descript ion and environment al relat ionships of Tasmanian Sphagnum communit ies and t heir conservat ion management . Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 49(6), 673–685. W HINAM , J., HOPE, G.S., CLARKSON, B.R., BUXTON, R., A LSPATCH, P.A. & A DAM , P. (2003) Sphagnum in peat lands of Aust ralasia: Their dist ribut ion, ut ilisat ion and management . Wet lands Ecology and M anagement . 11, 37–49. W HINAM , J., EBERHARD, S., KIRKPATRICK, J. & M OSCAL, T. (1989) Ecology and Conservat ion of Tasmanian Sphagnum Peat lands. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust , Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 119 M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland Key to M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland Page 1 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus cover great er t han 75% Pure buttongrass moorland (M BP) 132 1 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus cover generally bet w een 10% and 75% 2 Shrubs conspicuous in a layer above graminoids somet imes f orming abundant shrubby pat ches or copses 3 Eucalypt us nit ida present as small emergent t rees see Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes 52 3 Lept ospermum and/or M elaleuca species dominant in a dist inct ly t aller st rat um over Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus; Eucalypt us nit ida uncommon Buttongrass moorland w ith emergent shrubs (M BS) 126 2 Shrubs not conspicuously dominant ; if present , a similar height t o t he graminoids; t aller shrubs sparse or absent 3 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus cover less t han 25% 4 Gravel and/or bare skelet al peat exposed t hrough sparse veget at ion cover on quart zit e slopes Sparse buttongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) 136 4 M oorland w it h w est ern species such as Lept ospermum nit idum and Epacris corymbif lora; M elaleuca squamea of t en import ant (veget at ion not conf ined t o f lat s) Western buttongrass moorland (M BW) 142 4 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus co-dominant w it h several cordrushes including Acion hookeri, Sporadant hus t asmanicus, Eurychorda complanat a; 400 m alt it ude or low er Western low land sedgeland (M SW) 144 3 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus occurring in associat ion w it h east ern species such as Lept ospermum scoparium, Boronia cit riodora, Epacris lanuginosa and Baeckea gunniana; veget at ion conf ined t o poorly–drained f lat s and drainage lines Eastern buttongrass moorland (M BE) 128 2 Any but t ongrass moorland veget at ion w here communit y mapping has not been complet ed Buttongrass moorland (undifferentiated) (M BU) 124 1 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus cover of 10% or less, somet imes absent or more abundant in adjacent veget at ion or in mosaics 2 Sedgeland rich in cord rushes (Acion, Lept ocarpus, Baloskion, Eurychorda) and poor in shrubs; diversit y low 3 Veget at ion cover not sparse; Gymnoschoenus not dominant Restionaceae rushland (M RR) 120 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 133 Key to M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peatland Page 3 Gravel and/or bare skelet al peat exposed t hrough sparse veget at ion cover on quart zit e slopes Sparse buttongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) 136 3 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus co-dominant w it h several cordrushes in low land veget at ion (below 400 m alt it ude) Western low land sedgeland (M SW) 144 2 Treeless veget at ion w it h great er t han 30% cover of Sphagnum moss species Sphagnum peatland (M SP) 138 2 Treeless veget at ion w it h less t han 30% cover of Sphagnum moss species and not dominat ed by cord rushes. 3 Low land veget at ion (below 600 m) in w hich cord rushes are sparse or absent 4 Sparsely veget at ed w et land areas of gravel and sandy pans in f ar sout h-w est Tasmania surrounded by but t ongrass moorlands Alkaline pans (M AP) 122 4 Dominat ed by grasses, Gahnia and/or Lomandra and/or Lepidosperma species (not L. f ilif orme) 5 Grassy veget at ion, w hich may be co-dominat ed by Lomandra longif olia and/ or Lepidosperma species but lit t le or no Lepidosperma f ilif orme see Low land grassy sedgeland (GSL) 383 5 Veget at ion w it h Gahnia microst achya and/or Lepidosperma species but w here Lepidosperma f ilif orme is sparse or absent see Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes 52 5 Highland veget at ion dominat ed by sedges and/or cord rushes, Lepidosperma f ilif orme usually common Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) 130 4 Grasses not conspicuous in t he veget at ion 5 Shrubland dominat ed by M elaleuca squamea w it h an underst orey including Dracophyllum milliganii, Carpha alpina, or Isophysis t asmanica see Scrub heathland or coastal complexes (SM M ) 93 5 Rushland dominat ed by Diplarrena lat if olia Subalpine Diplarrena latifolia rushland (M DS) 140 5 Alpine graminoids such as Carpha alpina or Isophysis t asmanica; Oreobolus species common; w it h or w it hout cushion species see Highland treeless vegetation Chapter 4 34 The Vegetation Descriptions 121 Alkaline pans (M AP) General description This dist inct ive communit y occurs w here limest one or dolomit e crops out w it hin but t ongrass moorlands or scrub in sout h-w est Tasmania. The large proport ion of bare sand or gravel and exposed bedrock easily dist inguishes t he pans. A sparse but dist inct ive f lora dominat es t he highly alkaline, cent ral zone of t he pan: t ypically t he sedge Baumea juncea and/or t he f orb Drosera arct uri. St ephen Harris. M axw ell River Valley, SW Tasmania. Example locality The only alkaline pans accessible by road are some small examples of a Drosera arct uri pan near Sandf ly Creek adjacent t o t he Scot t s Peak Road. Distinguishing features and similar communities This mapping communit y is dist inct ive, alt hough t here is a superf icial similarit y w it h some areas of sparsely veget at ed quart zit e sands, or gravels or clays, but t hese sit es have low pH. Alt hough t he pans are highly visible, w it h dist inct boundaries, t hey are t ypically small and irregular in shape of t en f ollow ing st reams w hich makes accurat e mapping diff icult . At 1:25 000 scale, single M AP polygons are generally a mosaic of alkaline pans and West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) or But t ongrass moorland w it h emergent shrubs (M BS). The communit y is rest rict ed t o exposed dolomit e or limest one on valley f loors, dist inguishing t his veget at ion f rom surrounding but t ongrass moorland. The dominant s in M AP are Baumea juncea or Drosera arct uri and also Isoet es species nova “ M axw ell River” , M illigania johnst onii, Liparophyllum gunnii, Hydat ella f ilament osa, Cent rolepis monogyna and Triglochin st riat a. Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) can also occur on w et f lat s w it hin M BW , but is dominat ed by Rest ionaceae species and has f ew of t he t ypical species f ound in M AP. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The communit y is conf ined t o sout h-w est Tasmania, w it h it s most east erly expression near Scot t s Peak Road. 122 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation drainage and pH. Hot f ires in t he surrounding peat , w it h subsequent w at er erosion, may init iat e and ext end t he lif e of t he pans. Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs on highly alkaline sand or gravel pans underlain by limest one or dolomit e w it hin scrub and acidic moorlands of t he sout hw est river valleys. The pH of t he surf ace sands and silt s are bet w een 5.0 and 8.5, w hereas t he pH of adjacent peat soils is t ypically bet w een 4.0 and 4.5. The pans are t ypically f lat or gent ly sloping and may rise t ow ards t he cent re. Sheet f low of w at er across t he pans is common, as are shallow pools and/or f low ing channels of w at er t hrough t he pans. The pans are usually small and elongat e along creek lines. The f lora of alkaline pans is dist inct ive. The small, scat t ered shrubs largely conf ined t o t he margins include Baeckea lept ocaulis, Bauera rubioides, Sprengelia incarnat a and M elaleuca squamea. The prost rat e shrub Sprengelia dist ichophylla is also present in some pans. Species dominat ing t he very sparse herbf ield include Baumea acut a, B. juncea, Calorophus elongat us, C. erost ris, Carpha alpina, Cent rolepis monogyna, Empodisma minus, Hydat ella f ilament osa, M illiganii johnst onii, Oreobolus t holicarpus, Schoenus biglumis, Schoenus f luit ans, Tet raria capillaris and Triglochin st riat a. Forbs include Drosera arct uri, Drosera binat a and Liparophyllum gunnii. Ferns, including Gleichenia dicarpa and f ern allies Isoet es species nova “ M axw ell Valley” and Lycopodiella diff usa, are somet imes present . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B9a Baumea juncea open-sedgeland B9b Drosera arct uri open-herbland The veget at ion is t ypically a very sparse sedgeland or herbf ield dominat ed by Baumea juncea and Drosera arct uri. The dist ribut ion of species w it hin each pan is associat ed w it h t he pH and hydrology and marked zonat ion in t he veget at ion is obvious. The pans may have relat ively short lif e spans (in t he order of hundreds of years). The accumulat ion of organic mat erial encroaches on t he margins of t he pan, gradually changing Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 123 Buttongrass moorland (undifferentiated) (M BU) General description This mapping unit comprises any but t ongrass moorland veget at ion w here ident if icat ion t o a specif ic ecological veget at ion communit y has not been at t empt ed. Example locality Not applicable, an undiff erent iat ed unit . Distinguishing features and similar communities This veget at ion is dist inguished f rom heat hland and grassland mapping cat egories by t he presence of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus and ot her graminoids, part icularly sedges and cord rushes. The lack of large or abundant t rees dist inguishes it f rom f orest or w oodland unit s, and t he low height of shrubs dist inguishes it f rom scrub unit s. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Louise Gilf edder Scot t s Peak Road, sout h-w est Tasmania. Distribution But t ongrass moorland veget at ion is w idespread and ext ensive, but is most common in w est ern Tasmania. About one t hird of t his t ot al area has been mapped as undiff erent iat ed M BU, part icularly in t he sout h-east . 124 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit BL, CH, F, K, NS, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology But t ongrass moorland ext ends f rom sea level t o a maximum of about 1 050 m. M oorlands are most abundant in inf ert ile, high-rainf all areas, but may occur on more f ert ile rocks in poorly–drained and/or f requent ly burnt sit es anyw here in t he St at e. This is t he undiff erent iat ed mapping unit f or but t ongrass–dominat ed veget at ion; depending on w here it is used it may include all equivalent f lorist ic communit ies not ed in t he M BS, M BW , M BE, M SW, M BR and M BP descript ions. Tw o broad moorland t ypes are dist inguished in Tasmania. Blanket moorland occurs in w est ern Tasmania, and f orms large t ract s of veget at ion on inf ert ile rocks such as quart zit e and conglomerat e. It is not rest rict ed t o gullies or f lat s but ext ends ont o slopes, ridges and plat eaus. East ern moorland generally occurs in more localised pat ches and does not ext end up slopes, w here it is replaced by heat hland, scrub or f orest veget at ion. For example, t he ext ensive east ern moorlands on t he subalpine out w ash plains of t he Cent ral Plat eau are replaced by scrub and eucalypt w oodland on t he slopes. M oorlands also occur on granit e in t he nort heast and in t he east , f or example at M ount Graham on t he Freycinet Peninsula. Pocket s of low land East ern but t ongrass (M BE) t ypes occur on M at hinna sediment s and sandst ones in nort hern, east ern and sout hern Tasmania. Vegetation composition and structure Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus is t he dominant species. M BU can range f rom pure G. sphaerocephalus communit ies t o moorlands w it h a mixt ure of G. sphaerocephalus and low shrub species as w ell as numerous sedge species. It can be open t o very dense, but most plant s occur w it hin a single layer or w it h an emergent layer of shrubs less t han 2 m t all. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 125 Buttongrass moorland w ith emergent shrubs (M BS) General description This mapping communit y describes w est ern blanket moorland veget at ion overgrow n by Lept ospermum and M elaleuca species. M BS also incorporat es sequences of veget at ion across siliceous ridgelines: t ypically a narrow belt of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus moorland w it h M elaleuca squamea on t he crest s of ridges, and shrubbier, usually Lept ospermum-dominat ed, veget at ion dow nslope. Sib Corbet t . Art hur Plains, sout h-w est Tasmania. Example localities Examples of t his veget at ion occur along t he St rat hgordon Road around M cPart lans Pass and beyond St rat hgordon near Whit e Spur lookout . Distinguishing features and similar communities There is a blurred dist inct ion bet w een M BS and West ern w et scrub (SNW ) w it h Eucalypt us nit ida appearing at t he boundary and increasing in height w it hin SNW . SNW is usually applied t o more or less unif orm Lept ospermum/Eucalypt us species scrub w here but t ongrass is absent or conf ined t o small openings. The dist inct ion bet w een M BS and West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) is t hat t he canopy is t aller and denser in M BS, and in many places on t he w est coast , long-unburnt M BW w ill become M BS as myrt aceous species overgrow t he sedges. M BS may grade int o t he low land M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) w here M elaleuca squarrosa replaces M . squamea, Lept ospermum nit idum and L. glaucescens disappear and cord rushes replace Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus. The dist inct ion bet w een M BS and t he subalpine M elaleuca squamea scrub (SM M ) is t he prominence of Lept ospermum species in SM M and of M elaleuca squamea in SM M . M BS is also charact erised by Isophysis t asmanica, Dracophyllum milliganii, Carpha alpina, Eurychorda complanat a and Epacris serpyllif olia in t he ground layer. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution This is a w idespread and common communit y w it hin t he w est ern World Herit age Area and around t he West Coast Range. 126 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Xyris marginat a and Gahnia grandis. Sprengelia incarnat a and Bauera rubioides are also common shrubs in t he underst orey. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B12 Dry copses; also occurs in SWW , DNI, SHU & SDU B13 Wet copses; also occurs in SWW , WNL, DOV, SM R & NLM B14a Common mount ain moor; also occurs in M BW & SM M B14b Highland st andard peat ; also occurs in M BR & SM M Bioregional occurrence CH, K, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This veget at ion represent s a lat e successional st age w it hin but t ongrass moorland. It occurs in inf requent ly burnt areas on w et , acid, peat soils over siliceous subst rat es. M BS is most common on moderat e t o st eep slopes. B15 M ount ain copses; also occurs in RSH & SSW B1a St andard peat ; also occurs in M BR & M BW B1b St andard pebbles; also occurs in M BR B4 Layered blanket moor; also occurs in M BW & SM M E8 Layered east ern moor; also occurs in M BE & SM M Heat h 5 Sprengelia incarnat a–Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus–Xyris spp. heat h; also occurs in M SW & SHW Vegetation composition and structure The veget at ion is t ypically t reeless, but occasionally has a f ew t rees of Eucalypt us nit ida in t he cent re of copses or sparsely dist ribut ed as an emergent canopy. The dominant shrubs in t his moorland, w hich are usually emergent over a sedge layer, include Lept ospermum nit idum, L. glaucescens and/or L. scoparium. M elaleuca squamea, Banksia marginat a, Acacia mucronat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Nemat olepis squamea and Philot heca virgat a are less abundant t han t he shrubs, f orming a pat chy canopy. The sedge layer is diverse but includes Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus and of t en also Acion hookeri, Eurychorda complanat a, Empodisma minus, Calorophus erost ris, Pat ersonia species, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 127 Eastern buttongrass moorland (M BE) General description But t ongrass moorland is t ypical of t he Cent ral Highlands and east ern Tasmania. Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus is t he dominant f eat ure of t he veget at ion, but a variet y of species and scat t ered shrubs are usually present . This veget at ion is charact erist ic of acid peat soils on poorly–drained f lat s and gent le slopes. Keit h Corbet t . Cradle Valley. Example locality Cradle Valley. Distinguishing features and similar communities A cover of bet w een 25% and 75% Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus dist inguishes t his but t ongrass communit y f rom ot hers. The cord rushes are generally a minor component of t he veget at ion, w it h t he except ion of Eurychorda complanat a above about 650 m. The coral f ern Gleichenia alpina may be import ant and f orm large mosaic pat ches in high-alt it ude M BE. This communit y has some prominent species in common w it h ot her but t ongrass moorland communit ies, part icularly M SW , M BW , M BR and M BP. Dist inguishing shrub species (not alw ays present ) include Lept ospermum scoparium, Almaleea subumbellat a, Baeckea gunniana, Boronia rhomboidea, Boronia cit riodora, Callist emon viridif lorus, Epacris gunnii, Epacris lanuginosa, Olearia algida and Pult enaea dent at a. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution M BE occurs pat chily in t he Cent ral Highlands and east ern Tasmania. In t he Cent ral Highlands, it grow s part icularly in quart zit e derived soils in t he Cradle M ount ain area, w hereas in sout h-east and east ern Tasmania, M BE grow s on various subst rat es. M BE does not occur above about 950 m. 128 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure The veget at ion in M BE is less t han 2 m t all, alt hough t here may be sparse emergent s. In addit ion t o G. sphaerocephalus, t ypical species in M BE include Lept ospermum scoparium, L. lanigerum, M elaleuca squarrosa, M . squamea, Sprengelia incarnat a, Baeckea gunniana, Epacris lanuginosa and Boronia cit riodora. Gleichenia alpina, and Eurychorda complanat a t ypically occur in int er-t ussock spaces in t he high-alt it ude f orms of M BE. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology M BE is charact erist ically rest rict ed t o acid peat soils on poorly–drained f lat s and gent le slopes, over a variet y of rock t ypes. Poor–drainage, inf ert ile soils and f requent f ire inhibit t his moorland veget at ion f rom developing int o scrub or ot her t ree-dominat ed veget at ion, alt hough pot ent ial t ree species such as Lept ospermum lanigerum and L. scoparium are usually present . On t he quart zit es of t he Black Bluff Range, w est of Cradle M ount ain, t here is a f lorist ic gradat ion f rom East ern but t ongrass moorland M BE t o West ern but t ongrass moorland M BW . M BE occurs on subst rat es t hat are more f ert ile (and at low er alt it udes) nearby in t he Vale of Belvoir and w est of t he range at Romney M arsh. E1a Common w et east ern heat hy; also occurs in SM M E1b East ern w oolly t ea-t ree; also occurs in SM R & SLW E2 Low land east ern sedgy; also occurs in M RR E3 Sedgy M elaleuca gibbosa; also occurs in SLW & SHW E4 East ern sw ord sedgeland E7 Pure but t ongrass; also occurs in M BP E8 Layered east ern moor; also occurs in M BS & SM M Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 3 But t ongrass–Sphagnum bogs; also occurs in M SP Grassland 37 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus– Comesperma ret usum grassy sedgeland; also occurs in GPH Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 129 Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) General description A mixt ure of sedges and nat ive t ussock grasses dominat es t his communit y. Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Poa labillardierei and/or P. gunnii and Empodisma minus are usually present . Periodically inundat ed subalpine and alpine f lat s, of t en marginal t o shallow lakes, have grassy sedgeland dominat ed by Carex gaudichaudiana and/or Carpha alpina and a f ew herbs in t he w et t est areas, w it h a sparse or dense overst orey of grasses. shrubs. It has f ew er Rest ionaceae species, emergent Sprengelia incarnat a and Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus t han M RR. East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE) may occur in mosaics w it h M GH, is dist inguished by t he dominance of (of t en large) G. sphaerocephalus t ussocks separat ed by Gleichenia alpina, Eurychorda complanat a, Empodisma minus and a f ew herbs and grasses. M GH f orms mosaics w it h subalpine Diplarrena lat if olia rushland (M DS) at t he sout hern end of t he Vale of Belvoir. Alt hough t he t w o share many species, M DS is dominat ed by Diplarrena lat if olia. The w et grassy sedgeland f acies of M GH dominat ed by Carex gaudichaudiana is dist inguished f rom w et lands by t he absence of aquat ic species. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Sib Corbet t . Lake Olive Track. Example locality Vale of Belvoir. Distinguishing features and similar communities M GH is dist inguished f rom highland Poa grassland (GPH) by t he prevalence of Lepidosperma f ilif orme; Poa species are import ant but not dominant in M GH. Low land sedgy grassland (GSL) occurs at a low er alt it ude (below about 600 m). Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) occurs in similar areas on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau. How ever, M GH has many grass species, Lepidosperma f ilif orme and small heat hy 130 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M GH occurs as small pat ches in t he highlands of t he nort h-east and t he plains of t he Surrey Hills Block in t he nort h-w est . In cent ral Tasmania and t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau, M GH occupies of t en-ext ensive plains and valley f loors. Bioregional occurrence K, NS, BL, CH, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology These communit ies occur on moderat ely t o poorly–drained sit es, including f rost hollow s, usually bet w een about 600 m and 850 m but , in t he case of w et grassy sedgeland, as high as 1300 m. The subst rat e is usually f ert ile and developed on basalt , dolerit e, mudst one, limest one or alluvial sediment s, but organic soils may have developed on poorly–drained plains, somet imes as a t hin veneer over alluvial soils. In some areas, t he presence of deep alluvial soils is more import ant t o t he development of grassy veget at ion t han t he nat ure of t he underlying rocks. The open st ruct ure may have been creat ed by f ire and maint ained over t ime by periodic f iring or grazing; t his appears t o be t he case at Paradise Plains. Wet highland grassy sedgeland on Pelion Plains and t he Cent ral Plat eau w ere subject t o summer grazing and f iring f rom t he early 1900s unt il t he 1930s and 1980s respect ively. poor–drainage and f rost have discouraged f orest invasion. Gunnera cordif olia, Gonocarpus micrant hus, Hydrocot yle hirt a) and of t en w it h pat ches of herbf ield, cushions (at high alt it udes) or Sphagnum crist at um int erspersed. Species richness decreases, as t he sw ard of grass or sedge t ussocks becomes denser. Periodically burnt sit es are more species-rich. Short shrubs may also occur at low densit ies or in localised pat ches and near margins, part icularly Richea acerosa, R. scoparia, Hakea microcarpa, Epacris gunnii and Leucopogon hookeri and Baeckea gunniana. There may be scat t ered Eucalypt us species (< 5% cover), most commonly Eucalypt us delegat ensis, E. dalrympleana, E. rodw ayi or E. paucif lora, w it h E. gunnii and E. coccif era at higher alt it udes. Where small sedgy grassland pat ches occur w it hin eucalypt f orest or mixed f orest , small t ree species, such as Tasmannia lanceolat a and Lept ospermum lanigerum, may invade over t ime. Wet grassy sedgeland in it s simplest f orm consist s of t he short sedge Carex gaudichaudiana and a f ew herbs. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Vegetation composition and structure Wet lands The sedgy component is variable bet w een sit es (and depends on drainage), alt hough Lepidosperma f ilif orme is usually t he dominant species in associat ion w it h Empodisma minus and Baloskion aust rale, w it h some Carex species and Carpha alpina. Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus may be present . Poa labillardierei t ypically f orms t he dominant grass cover, somet imes w it h Aust ralopyrum pect inat um, and species of Aust rodant honia and Deyeuxia common at some sit es. At higher alt it udes Poa gunnii may be common. 24 Carex gaudichaudiana; also occurs in ASF But t ongrass moorland E10 Highland dry sedgy The ground layer is a mosaic of grasses and sedges, usually quit e rich in herbs (e.g. Helichrysum scorpioides, Wahlenbergia species, Acaena species, Senecio gunnii, Ajuga aust ralis, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 131 Pure buttongrass moorland (M BP) General description M BP is dist inguished by t he dominance of of t en very large t ussocks of t he sedge Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus (more t han 75% cover) and very low species diversit y. It generally occurs on alluvial f lat s along creek margins and near lake shores. M icah Visoiu. Near Dip Falls, nort h-w est Tasmania. Example locality Creek f ringes near Scot t s Peak Road. Distinguishing features and similar community This communit y is part of a cont inuum of but t ongrass moorland plant communit ies described by Jarman et al. (1988). M BP is dist inguished f rom ot her mapping unit s by a t all (generally ~1 m) and dense cover of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus t ussocks. This dist inguishes it f rom t he w est ern but t ongrass communit ies, w hich are all low in G. sphaerocephalus. A w est ern f acies of M BP has emergent Sprengelia incarnat a and somet imes Lept ospermum nit idum. Some high-alt it ude East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE) looks similar t o M BP in t ext ure, w it h large, w idely separat ed t ussocks, a f ew emergent Olearia pinif olius and a prominent ground layer of Empodisma minus, Eurychorda complanat a and Ozot hamnus rodw ayi. M BP w it h east ern aff init ies is nearly closed canopy w it h sparse emergent Comesperma ret usum, Baeckea gunniana, Callist emon viridif lorus and Lept ospermum lanigerum. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The east ern f acies of M BP is most ext ensive in t he cent ral and nort h-east ern highlands and less common in nort h-w est and east ern Tasmania w here it is generally rest rict ed t o small pat ches along creeks and sw amp margins. The w est ern but t ongrass moorland f acies is common and w idespread in t he low lands of sout h-w est and w est ern Tasmania, alt hough pat ches of pure but t ongrass in t his region are t ypically small. 132 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation but emergent shrubs of Comesperma ret usum, Baeckea gunniana, Callist emon viridif lorus and Lept ospermum lanigerum. Sparse herbs including Poa species, Hydrocot yle species, Oxalis magellanica and Erigeron species also dist inguish t he east ern f acies of t his communit y. The w est ern but t ongrass moorland f acies of M BP is charact erised by occasional and sparse emergent s such as Lept ospermum nit idum, L. scoparium, Lept ocarpus t enax, and herbs such as Act inot us bellidioides and Drosera binat a. Bioregional occurrence W, SR, CH. Ot her species t ypical of t he communit y include Empodisma minus, Ehrhart a t asmanica, E. acuminat a, Bauera rubioides, Baumea t et ragona, Cent rolepis monogyna, Diplarrena lat if olia, Epacris lanuginosa, Gahnia grandis, Gleichenia dicarpa, Sporadant hus t asmanicus, Lycopodiella lat eralis, M elaleuca squamea, M . squarrosa, Sprengelia incarnat a, Xyris marginat a, X. muelleri and Schoenus lepidosperma. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs on alluvial plains, creek margins, sw amps, and f orest ecot ones w here soils are likely t o be deeper t han in ot her moorland communit ies. G. sphaerocephalus f orms an almost complet e cover w it h small int ert ussock spaces occupied by st anding w at er, bare peat or dead plant mat erial. But t ongrass plant s f orm dist inct pedest als, w hich may elevat e t he root s above t he w at er t able. Ot her species may be associat ed w it h M BP but are a minor component . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B3 Pure but t ongrass E7 Pure but t ongrass; also occurs in M BE Vegetation composition and structure Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus f orms more t han a 75% cover in Pure but t ongrass moorland communit ies and somet imes provides close t o 100% cover. Tw o f acies of t he communit y have been described by Jarman et al. (1988): “ blanket ” and “ east ern” communit y associat ions. The east ern f acies of pure but t ongrass moorland generally occurs at medium t o high alt it udes and may have sparse Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 133 Restionaceae rushland (M RR) General description This community consists of treeless, generally sparse rushland (< 1 m tall) dominated by Restionaceae species. It is found on poorly–drained flats, but also on the steep slopes of Mount Owen and Mount Lyell. The dominant species are any of Acion hookeri, Baloskion australe, Leptocarpus tenax and/or Sporadanthus tasmanicus. Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus is generally absent, but occurs above 600 m on the eastern Central Plateau as a minor species and in mosaics with M RR on the gentler slopes around Lake Burbury. The community includes Sporadanthus tasmanicus and Leptocarpus tenax wet moorlands in south-west Tasmania and wet sedgeland. (M BP, M BE, M BW, M BU) by it s minimal amount s of G. sphaerocephalus and sparse shrubs (bot h less t han 5% ). The w est coast f acies of M RR has similarit ies t o Sparse but t ongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) but is dist inguished f rom it by t he dominance of Rest ionaceae species and t he dominance of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus in M BR. Highland M RR (above 700 m, usually on dolerit e) cont ains generally scat t ered pat ches of G. sphaerocephalus, and is usually charact erised by emergent Sprengelia incarnat a. East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE) has great er cover of G. sphaerocephalus t han highland M RR. M RR diff ers f rom East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE) in only subt le respect s (M RR has Sprengelia incarnat a and usually some G. sphaerocephalus but may lack Gleichenia alpina). RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Louise Gilf edder. M iddlet hw ait e M arsh, NW Tasmania. Example localities The Cent ral Plat eau near t he Lyell Highw ay (600–800 m); around Lake Burbury (250 m); t he slopes of M ount Ow en and M ount Lyell (up t o 550 m). Distinguishing features and similar communities M RR is dist inguished f rom t he Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus t ussock sedgeland communit ies 134 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M RR occurs in broad basins on the south-eastern Central Plateau and along creek lines north of Cradle Mountain. It has been mapped in parts of the north-east. It is widespread, but uncommon, on lowland flats in the south-west and prominent on the flats west of Lake Burbury. Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, NS, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology M RR occurs f rom high-rainf all low land t o subalpine regions across a range of inf ert ile, somet imes poorly–drained acid subst rat es including dolerit e, basalt , alluvium and quart zit e gravels. It is likely t hat M RR has had a hist ory of f requent f iring in some areas, part icularly on t he slopes of t he West Coast Range. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is usually t reeless, w it h a layer of graminoids up t o 1 m t all. Sparse scat t ered t rees of Eucalypt us rodw ayi or E. gunnii may overt op M RR on more f ert ile subst rat es (dolerit e, basalt , alluvium), and Acacia mucronat a and E. nit ida occasionally f orm t hicket s w it hin M RR near t he w est coast . The species composit ion of t he sedges in M RR is highly variable and is dependent on t he subst rat e, alt it ude and drainage. On dolerit e in t he cent ral highlands, t his veget at ion is dominat ed by Baloskion aust rale. On deep peat soils at low and mid-elevat ions Lept ocarpus t enax is t ypically dominant or co-dominant in a mosaic w it h Sporadant hus t asmanicus, Eurychorda complanat a and Acion hookeri. This veget at ion has a pink or red hue in spring w hen t he L. t enax is in f low er. S. t asmanicus can be locally dominant on t he low land f lat s of sout hw est Tasmania. On slopes w here soils are skelet al or t hin, A. hookeri is of t en dominant t o varying degrees. Dense t angles of any of t he branching cord rush species, Calorophus elongat us, C. erost ris, Empodisma minus and S. t asmanicus, may occur along creeks and drainage lines. These species also occur w idely in low er abundance t hroughout t he veget at ion. The sedge Lepidosperma f ilif orme or ot her Lepidosperma species may occur but never dominat e. Associat ed species may include Sprengelia incarnat a and species of Xyris and Ut ricularia. Ot her shrub species include Bauera rubioides and members of t he Epacridaceae f amily. In some dolerit e basins t here are a f ew emergent Hakea epiglot t is or Lept ospermum lanigerum. Herbs may include Act inot us species and ot her Apiaceae species, Lycopodiella lat erale and St ylidium graminif olium. Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus may occur on t he margins w here drainage is bet t er, and occurs w it hin t he mapping unit in some part s of t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau. In very w et areas t here may be a t ransit ion int o w et land dominat ed by Carex species. M arginal belt s of eit her Lept ospermum species (L. lanigerum, L. scoparium or L. nit idum) or M elaleuca species, or in some areas Callist emon viridif lorus or Ozot hamnus species may occur. Gleichenia microphylla and minor pat ches of Sphagnum crist at um may be present . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B5 Sout h-w est ern sedgy; also occurs in M SW B7 Daisy pans; also occurs in M BW B8 Clay pans B10 Sout h-w est ern sw ord sedgeland; also occurs in M SW & ASF E2 Low land east ern sedgy; also occurs in M BE E6 Sedgy t w ine-rush; also occurs in M SW & M BW E9a Common highland east ern sedgy E9b Sedgy aust ral cord-rush Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 135 Sparse buttongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) General description Sparse but t ongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) consist s of st eeply and gent ly sloping moorland w it h f lorist ics similar t o West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) but w it h a higher proport ion of sedges, part icularly Acion hookeri. The veget at ion is low and open or sparse, and gravel and bare peat is visible t hrough it . Luke Temby. M elaleuca, sout h-w est Tasmania. Example locality Pandora Hill, visible f rom t he M elaleuca airst rip. Distinguishing features and similar communities This veget at ion has f lorist ic similarit ies w it h ot her but t ongrass moorlands mapped in w est ern Tasmania but is dist inguished by t he sparsit y of veget at ion and t he presence of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus. M BR is dist inguished f rom West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) by it s sparse t ext ure and t he prominence of ot her sedges and cord rushes. A dist inct shrub layer is usually absent f rom M BR. Florist ically M BR is close t o West ern low land sedgeland (M SW ) and of t en occurs on st eep slopes and gravel f ans in close associat ion w it h M SW . M BR appears t o be f ormed by excessive burning of M SW , or more of t en M BW , but is a met ast able communit y due t o t he slow redevelopment of burnt peat soils. M SW and M BR are similar. M BR can ext end w ell above t he 400 m limit f or M SW and is rarely present at low alt it udes. G. sphaerocephalus may be low in abundance but is alw ays present in M BR, w hereas it is of t en absent or rare in M RR. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Widespread in sout h-w est ern and w est ern Tasmania. 136 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence Despit e it s sparse nat ure, t his veget at ion generally show s a moderat e level of diversit y. The f ires, w hich have induced M BR, are somet imes pat chy and t here are some small, dense remnant s w it h t he f lorist ic charact er of M BW , or somet imes M SW . M elaleuca squamea, Lept ospermum nit idum and Baeckea lept ocaulis may be poorly represent ed in M BR, but t here may be some emergent Banksia marginat a. Rest ionaceae species, part icularly Acion hookeri, are prominent co-dominant s w it h G. sphaerocephalus. Shrubs such as Sprengelia incarnat a, Bauera rubioides, Epacris corymbif lora and E. glabrat a, if present , are of poor f orm. The ground may be coat ed in algal slime w it h st ruggling St ylidium graminif olium, Boronia parvif lora and Lycopodiaceae. SR, SW. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology But t ongrass moorland This mapping unit includes Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus moorland veget at ion burnt in t he past 50 t o 60 years and/or f requent ly burnt regions. Soil erosion and exposure of gravel may be pronounced on st eep slopes. The subst rat e is t ypically siliceous, predominant ly quart zit e. The acid peat soils are t ypically t hin or skelet al. B1a St andard peat ; also occurs in M BS & M BW B1b St andard pebbles; also occurs in M BS B1c Simple st andard; also occurs in M SW B14b Highland st andard peat ; also occurs in M BS & SM M Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 137 Sphagnum peatland (M SP) General description Treeless Sphagnum communit ies cover a range of Sphagnum peat land t ypes, including t ussock grassland mires, but t ongrass Sphagnum bogs and f loat ing aquat ic Sphagnum mires. The most common are t he shrub-dominat ed RicheaSphagnum bogs w hich range in size f rom small pat ches t o > 5 ha. The moss-derived peat s range f rom quit e shallow t o 2 m deep. Example localities Cradle M ount ain-Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park: aquat ic Sphagnum bogs are f ound on t he limest one of M ole Creek and on t he Gog Range: Richea pandanif olia-Sphagnum mire is only know n f rom Bird Plains, sout h of t he Hart z Range. Distinguishing features and similar communities Sphagnum moss is t he dist inguishing f eat ure of t his communit y (S. crist at um, S. f alcat ulum); t he moss beds can be large, rolling hummocks, occasional moss hummocks or f loat ing aquat ic moss beds. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Jennie Whinam. Cent ral Plat eau Conservat ion Area. M SP occurs in t he mont ane t o alpine zones t hroughout cent ral, nort h-east and nort h-w est Tasmania, and less f requent ly in t he sout h-east and sout h-w est of Tasmania. 138 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit BL, CH, SR. Peat lands w it h Sphagnum Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y commonly occurs on shelves, along drainage lines and in areas of impeded drainage, generally above 600 m. It is most common on dolerit e, sandst one or alluvial out w ash, alt hough it may also occur on more unusual sit es such as limest one dolines. The peat s are generally acid (pH 3.5–4.5), w it h t he except ion of t he less acid sit es over limest one (pH 6). 1 Snow pat ch Sphagnum communit y; also occurs in HCH 3 But t ongrass–Sphagnum bogs; also occurs in M BE 4 Richea–Sphagnum bogs; also occurs in HSE 5 Richea pandanif olia–Sphagnum mires; also occurs in HSE 6 Tussock grassland–Sphagnum mires; also occurs in GPH 8 Aquat ic Sphagnum bogs Vegetation composition and structure The peat lands include species of Sphagnum moss, commonly S. crist at um, S. aust rale and less commonly S. f alcat ulum, w it h at least 30% ground cover. Sphagnum peat lands are generally great er t han 0.1 ha w here edaphic and hydrologic f act ors sust ain t he peat land, t hus dist inguishing t hem f rom moss pat ches. Sphagnum peat lands can be almost pure moss beds, dominant or co-dominant w it h t he sedges Empodisma minus, Baloskion aust rale, Gahnia grandis and Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus, w it h Gleichenia alpina and/or t he shrubs Richea scoparia, Richea gunnii, Baeckea gunniana, Epacris serpyllif olia and/or E. gunnii. Occasional Eucalypt us rodw ayi, E. gunnii, E. coccif era, E. subcrenulat a, E. urnigera and/or Lept ospermum lanigerum may be present . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 139 Subalpine Diplarrena latifolia rushland (M DS) General description M DS is a graminoid rushland dominat ed by Diplarrena lat if olia w it h a sparse cover of shrubs. A sparse cover of Eucalypt us delegat ensis and/or E. paucif lora or, on less f ert ile sit es, E. coccif era /E. gunnii may be present . Grasses and sedges may be dominant over Epacridaceae shrubs in less w ell–drained sit es. dominat ed by Lepidosperma f ilif orme, alt hough it usually cont ains some D. lat if olia. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution This communit y is f ound on t he sout hern Cent ral Plat eau near Derw ent Bridge, on t he w est ern side of Romney M arsh and nearby areas, on Pelion Plains sout h of Lake Ayr and in t he Vale of Belvoir. Sib Corbet t . Navarre Plains, w est of Derw ent Bridge. Example locality Navarre Plains. Distinguishing features and similar communities M DS is charact erised by t he abundance or dominance of Diplarrena lat if olia. Subalpine D. lat if olia rushland generally grades int o but t ongrass moorland or highland sedgeland as drainage becomes impeded. Shrubby variant s of M DS may occur, commonly on glacial boulder f ields w here drainage is very good. As slope and rockiness increases, M DS is usually replaced by Subalpine heat hland (SHS), in w hich D. lat if olia is generally absent . Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) occurs at similar alt it udes t o M DS but is 140 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence CH, NS, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Subalpine Diplarrena lat if olia rushland occurs in w est ern Tasmania bet w een 700 m and 900 m on w ell–drained, moderat ely f ert ile rocky sit es, on dolerit e, basalt , on glacial debris composed of dolerit e or limest one. w ell–drained sit es usually have an open canopy of highland Eucalypt us species. Sit es are primarily gent le rises, just above t he level of surrounding or f ringing plains. Vegetation composition and structure Diplarrena lat if olia is eit her abundant or complet ely dominant in t his rushland. On slight rises in t he plains w est of Derw ent Bridge M DS usually has a sparse cover of Eucalypt us delegat ensis mixed w it h E. paucif lora, w hich is most abundant at t he edges of t he boulder mounds. Here Diplarrena is commonly associat ed w it h Lept ecophylla juniperina and scat t ered shrubs including Lomat ia polymorpha, Olearia persoonioides or O. erubescens, Hakea species, Bossiaea riparia, B. cordigera, Oxylobium ellipt icum, Hovea mont ana and Epacris gunnii. On less f ert ile sit es t he rushland may have a sparse cover of E. coccif era/E. gunnii w here sedges, grasses, f erns and f ern allies t end t o be dominant in t he underst orey. Treeless M DS rushland occurs in subalpine valleys in deeper dolerit e or basalt soils: f or example Romney M arsh (basalt ) and part s of t he Cent ral Plat eau east of Derw ent Bridge (dolerit e). In all t hese places M DS grades int o East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE), apparent ly on dolerit e. E. gunnii, w hich dominat es in t he surrounding w et t er areas. But t ongrass, Rest ionaceae species and Lepidosperma f ilif orme f orm incursions f rom t he low er, poorly–drained areas. Treeless M DS at Romney M arsh consist s of t ussocks of Diplarrena w it h Poa gunnii, Lissant he mont ana and herb pat ches (St ylidium graminif olium, Cardamine species, Acaena mont ana, Pelargonium species, Dichondra repens) bet w een. There is some emergent Coprosma nit ida. In t he Vale of Belvoir Diplarrena lat if olia makes up about half t he cover, w it h Poa gunnii, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Empodisma minus and abundant herbs making up t he rest . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit There are no published f lorist ic communit ies in t his ecological veget at ion communit y. Sout h of Lake Ayr, moraine ridges carry a graminoid/shrubby heat hland in w hich Diplarrena lat if olia and Poa species are codominant w it h Lept ecophylla juniperina subspecies parvif olia and M onot oca linif olia var. algida. Lissant he mont ana, Oxylobium ellipt icum and Coprosma nit ida are also present and St ylidium graminif olium is prominent among t he herbs. There is an open canopy of Eucalypt us coccif era, w it h some E. delegat ensis and also Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 141 Western buttongrass moorland (M BW) General description West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) is charact erised by Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus co-dominant w it h M elaleuca squamea and/or Lept ospermum nit idum. The shrubs may f orm a sparse, low canopy or be part of t he blanket of sedges, depending on f ire hist ory. Sedges and cord rushes are variable in abundance but Empodisma minus and t he shrubs Bauera rubioides, Baeckea lept ocaulis, Sprengelia incarnat a and Boronia pilosa are ubiquit ous. This communit y is common in w est ern Tasmania on undulat ing f lat s and slopes up t o 1 050 m. Luke Temby. M elaleuca. up t o 25% (rarely more t han 30% ) Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus combined w it h shrubs, part icularly Lept ospermum nit idum and/or M elaleuca squamea. How ever, most moorland has a number of species in common. M BW is dist inguished f rom East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE) in having less G. sphaerocephalus (M BE may have up t o 70% cover). M BW has Lept ospermum nit idum inst ead of L. scoparium (in M BE), Epacris corymbif lora inst ead of E. lanuginosa or E. gunnii, Baeckea lept ocaulis inst ead of B. gunniana and Boronia pilosa, not B. cit riodora. The dist inct ion bet w een M BW and ot her sout h-w est ern moorland unit s (M RR, M BR and M SW ) is not so clearly speciesbased. M RR, M BR and M SW are charact erised by an of t en sparse t ext ure, less G. sphaerocephalus and great er abundance of ot her sedges and cord rushes. M elaleuca squamea scrub (SM M ) is dist inguished f rom M BW by occurring over 650 m and includes t he f ollow ing int er-t ussock plant s: Isophysis t asmanica, Dracophyllum milliganii, Anemone crassif olia and Epacris serpyllif olia Where f ire has been long absent (or nut rient levels are relat ively high) and t here is a dominant shrub layer of Lept ospermum species w it h M elaleuca squamea overt opping G. sphaerocephalus t ussocks, t his veget at ion is mapped as But t ongrass moorland w it h emergent shrubs (M BS). RFA mapping unit Example localities Not covered by RFA mapping. St rat hgordon Road (opposit e The Sent inels); Scot t s Peak Road (Edgar Dam, Condominium Creek, M ount Eliza w alking t rack). Distribution Distinguishing features and similar communities M BW is a w idespread and t ypical veget at ion communit y in w est ern Tasmania. It is dist inguished f rom some ot her moorland communit ies in w est ern Tasmania by a cover of 142 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M BW is w idespread in w est ern Tasmania. Bioregional occurrence t asmanicus and Lept ocarpus t enax. A range of herbs and f erns is also present in t he ground layer, most t ypically Act inot us bellidioides, Gleichenia dicarpa, Lycopodium lat erale, Selaginella uliginosa, St ylidium graminif olium, Boronia parvif lora and Schoenus lepidosperma. Scat t ered emergent shrubs can include Banksia marginat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida and Agast achys odorat a. Eucalypt us nit ida t hicket s on w ell–drained ground w it hin low land moorlands may include t ypically east ern species such as Boronia cit riodora, Lept ospermum scoparium, L. lanigerum, Dillw ynia glaberrima and Aot us ericoides. At mid-alt it udes t hicket s usually include L. glaucescens, L. scoparium, Banksia marginat a, Acacia mucronat a, Agast achys odorat a and Cenarrhenes nit ida, w hile at high alt it udes Oxylobium ellipt icum and Eucalypt us vernicosa may appear in t hicket s. CH, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This veget at ion is charact erist ically rest rict ed t o acid peat soils on siliceous subst rat es w here t he t opography is gent ly undulat ing t o st eeply sloping. Poor f ert ilit y and high f ire f requency inhibit t he veget at ion f rom achieving t he st ruct ure of scrub or f orest . Vegetation composition and structure M BW has a variable cover of shrubs (0.6–2 m t all) overt opping t he t ussocks of G. sphaerocephalus, w hich t ypically occupies 25% or less cover. The most common shrub species are Lept ospermum nit idum, M elaleuca squamea, Sprengelia incarnat a and Baeckea lept ocaulis. Banksia marginat a and Agast achys odorat a are somet imes present . Int er-t ussock shrub species include Bauera rubioides, Boronia pilosa and Epacris corymbif lora. The most common graminoid is Empodisma minus and t here may be any of Acion hookeri, Ehrhart a t asmanica, Eurychorda complanat a, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Sporadant hus Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B1a St andard peat ; also occurs in M BS & M BR B2 Wet st andard; also occurs in M SW B4 Layered blanket moor; also occurs in M BS & SM M B6 M ossy sand B7 Daisy pans; also occurs in M RR B11 Nort h-w est ern dense B14a Common mount ain moor; also occurs in M BS & SM M E6 Sedgy t w ine-rush; also occurs in M SW & M RR Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 143 Western low land sedgeland (M SW) General description West ern low land sedgeland (M SW ) is rich in graminoids and herbs. Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus f orms about 5–10% of t he cover. The communit y is of varying densit y and up t o 1 m in height . Emergent shrubs more t han 1 m t all are rare. Species composit ion depends on local drainage condit ions; M elaleuca squamea is f airly abundant in w et t er areas. Where t he sedgeland is sparse, t he cover is dominat ed by Acion hookeri. Lept ospermum nit idum is scat t ered t hroughout , but is best developed on shelt ered slopes. Luke Temby. Below Red Point Hills, sout h-w est Tasmania. Example locality Row it t a Plains. Distinguishing features and similar communities M SW is dist inguished f rom ot her major but t ongrass moorlands by t he low cover of Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus (5–10% ), and is t ypically co-dominat ed by a range of cord rushes and sedges. Winif redia sola is usually present in M SW but absent f rom ot her moorland classes. M SW is dist inguished f rom Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) by t he great er diversit y of shrubs and ot her species present , and by being generally rest rict ed t o low land plains. It is dist inguished f rom Sparse but t ongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) by t he great er prominence of shrubs and, in most cases, great er cover. The diff erences are more st ruct ural t han f lorist ic, and st rongly dependent on f ire hist ory. M SW grades int o M BR on t he low er slopes of many mount ains in t he sout hw est . West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW ) of t en occurs on slopes and usually has more G. sphaerocephalus (up t o 25% ), M elaleuca squamea and heat h species t han M SW , but cord rushes rarely dominat e. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution M SW is common in t he low lands of sout h-w est Tasmania. Robust f orms are f ound on plains around Tow t erer Creek, Whit ehorse Plain and sout h of Birchs Inlet . Sparse examples are common at Louisa, Row it t a and M elaleuca Plains, t he gravel t erraces sout h of Birchs Inlet and on gent le slopes on t op of Sout h Cape Range and Rugby Range. M SW occurs w it h ot her moorlands in mosaics near Lake Gordon and on t he Art hur Plains. 144 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure The t ext ure of t hese sedgelands varies f rom short and sparse t o dense. G. sphaerocephalus cover is generally 5–10% but M SW is diverse in ot her sedges and graminoids, part icularly Acion hookeri. Ot her species include Empodisma minus, Sporadant hus t asmanicus, Lept ocarpus t enax, Eurychorda complanat a, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Gleichenia dicarpa, Winif redia sola, Helichrysum pumilum, St ylidium graminif olium and Xyris species. Shrubs are seldom abundant . M elaleuca squamea is t ypically more abundant in w et t er areas. Epacris obt usif olia and E. het eronema occur w it h L. scoparium in a f ew drier locat ions. Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit W. But t ongrass moorland B1c Simple st andard; also occurs in M BR Site characteristics, habitat and ecology B2 Wet st andard; also occurs in M BW M SW is f ound on low land plains and t erraces, and on gent le slopes underlain by siliceous gravel in sout h-w est Tasmania. Soils are acid, of t en poorly–drained and inf ert ile. M SW generally occupies plains below about 300 m, but it occurs as high as 400 m on t he sout h coast , Rugby and D’Aguilar Ranges. B5 Sout h-w est ern sedgy; also occurs in M RR E6 Sedgy t w ine-rush; also occurs in M RR & M BW Heat h 5 Sprengelia incarnat a-Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus-Xyris spp. heat h; also occurs in M BS Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 145 Rainforest and related scrub Community name Community code diff erence is t hat Tasmanian rainf orest has a low er diversit y of t ree species. At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest RPF At hrot axis cupressoides open w oodland RPW At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest RPP At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest RKF At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest RKP The rainf orest t ypes mapped do not correspond exact ly t o eit her t he f lorist ic communit ies or t he cat egories in t he general rainf orest t ypology of Jarman, Brow n and Kant vilas (1984), but t here is some overlap. For example, Not hof agus– At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) includes callidendrous and t hamnic rainf orest s, and some of Jarman, Brow n and Kant vilas’ f lorist ic communit ies f all w it hin t hese t ypes. At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub RKS Coast al rainf orest RCO Highland low rainf orest and scrub RSH Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides RKX Lagarost robos f ranklinii rainf orest and scrub RHP Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub RLS Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest RM T Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest RM L Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest RM S Not hof agus gunnii rainf orest and scrub RFS Rainf orest f ernland RFE Tasmanian rainf orest is st ruct urally and f lorist ically variable and it is def ined by t he presence of species of any of t he genera Not hof agus, At herosperma, Eucryphia, At hrot axis, Lagarost robos, Phyllocladus or Diselma. Occasionally some underst orey species, f or example Anodopet alum biglandulosum or Richea pandanif olia, may occur as dominant s (Jarman & Brow n 1983). M uch rainf orest f alls w it hin t he st ruct ural def init ion of closed-f orest (Specht 1970) but some t ypes, such as scrub rainf orest and subalpine rainf orest s, do not f it t his cat egory. Rainf orest occurs f rom sea level t o about 1 200 m. Tasmanian cool t emperat e rainf orest has aff init ies w it h rainf orest s in sout h-east Aust ralia, New Zealand and t he Andean region of sout hern Chile and Argent ina. One not able 146 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The f lorist ic composit ion of rainf orest has been def ined (Jarman & Brow n, op cit .). These aut hors point out t hat some marginal communit ies incorporat e mixed f orest species at some low er alt it ude sit es, and alpine and subalpine species at higher alt it udes. Rainf orest ecology and succession has been discussed elsew here (f or example Brow n & Podger 1982, Jarman, Brow n & Kant vilas 1984, Read 1985, Brow n 1988, Read & Hill 1988a & b, Jarman, Kant vilas & Brow n 1994, Read 1995, Brow n & Read 1996). Some mapped rainf orest communit ies are dist inguished by part icular species occupying dist inct ive habit at s: RFS (Not hof agus gunnii), RHP (Lagarost robos f ranklinii), RKP, RKS and RKF (At hrot axis selaginoides), and RPP, RPW and RPF (At hrot axis cupressoides). Coast al rainf orest (RCO) is dist inguished f lorist ically by t he dominance of At herosperma moschat um and/or Eucryphia lucida, t he paucit y of Not hof agus cunninghamii, it s low alt it ude, and it s proximit y t o t he coast . Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest (RM S) occurs at higher alt it udes or on poorer soils and is equivalent t o implicat e rainf orest . Species-poor subalpine rainf orest w it h only N. cunninghamii, Eucryphia milliganii, At hrot axis selaginoides and Richea pandanif olia is classif ied as Highland low rainf orest and scrub (RSH), as is dense, closed canopy short f orest w it h f ew species ot her t han N. cunninghamii. Some f acies of RSH are more diverse, w it h species composit ion varying f rom nort h t o sout h; t hese diverse shrubberies may approach RM S f lorist ically, but are generally scrub rat her t han f orest , w it h N. cunninghamii dominant . RM T is usually dominat ed by N. cunninghamii and is generally f ound on f ert ile soils. There are many f acies variant s in t he above mapping communit ies. General management issues Overall rainf orest and relat ed scrubs are adapt ed t o low dist urbance levels and are self sust aining under nat ural levels of localised dist urbance, such as t ree f all and insect at t ack. Any increase in t his dist urbance act s t o change t he f orest st ruct ure and f lorist ic composit ion (Cullen 1991). Changes in f orest t ype and st ruct ure can result f rom human dist urbance in rainf orest (Calais & Kirkpat rick 1983). Fire is a signif icant t hreat w it h many rainf orest species being killed out right by, even, low int ensit y f ire. Ot her species may re-sprout ; how ever, repeat ed f ires, even decades apart , w ill result in signif icant change in t he veget at ion, w hich w ill t ake f rom decades t o cent uries t o recover (Cullen 1991, Cullen & Kirkpat rick 1988, Jackson 1968). Signif icant areas of At hrot axis sealginoides rainf orest have been lost t o w ildf ire. It is est imat ed t hat 30% of all st anding At hrot axis selaginoides st ems have been killed by f ire (Brow n 1988). At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) once covered most of t he east -f acing slopes bet w een M ount Dundas and M ount Read, but nearly half of t hese st ands have been burnt . A. selaginoides and N. gunnii are bot h dest royed by f ire on many sout h-w est mount ains. Several insect pest s and diseases can be issues in rainf orest environment s. A combinat ion of t w o nat ive organisms, t he mount ain pinhole borer (Plat ypus subgranosus) and t he f ungus Chalara aust ralis, cause localised myrt le w ilt (in N. cunninghamii) in undist urbed rainf orest . How ever, ext ernal dist urbances such as roading, logging or f ire, great ly increase t he prevalence and severit y of t he w ilt , f requent ly result ing in w ide-scale deat h of mat ure N. cunninghamii (Cullen 1991, Duncan 1991, Kile et al. 1989). Phyt opht hora cinnamomi has also been show n t o be damaging t o rainf orest veget at ion w here condit ions allow it t o survive; how ever, in t he absence of dist urbance very f ew areas of rainf orest provide t hese condit ions (Podger & Brow n 1989). Ref erences and f urt her reading BROWN, M .J. ( 1988) Dist ribut ion and conservat ion of King Billy Pine. Forest ry Commission, Hobart . BROWN, M .J. & PODGER, F.D. (1982) Florist ics and f ire regimes of a veget at ion sequence f rom sedgeland–heat h t o rainf orest at Bat hurst Harbour, Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 30, 659–676. BROWN, M .J. & READ, J. (1996) A comparison of t he ecology and conservat ion management of cool t emperat e rainf orest in Tasmania and t he Americas. In: High Lat it ude Rainf orest s and Associat ed Ecosyst ems of t he West Coast of t he Americas. (Eds. Law f ord, R.G., Alaback, P.B., and Frent es, E.), pp 320–341. Springer–Verlag. New York. CALAIS, S.S. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1983) Tree species regenerat ion af t er logging in t emperat e rainf orest , Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 117, 77–83. CORBETT, S. (1995) The Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau–Tasmanian Wilderness World Herit age Area. Wildlif e Report 95/3. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement . CULLEN P.J. (1987) Regenerat ion in populat ions of At hrot axis selaginoides D. Don f rom Tasmania. Journal of Biogeography. 14, 39–51. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 147 Rainforest and related scrub CULLEN P.J. (1991) Regenerat ion of At hrot axis selaginoides and ot her rainf orest t ree species on landslide f aces in Tasmania. In: Aspect s Of Tasmanian Bot any – A Tribut e To Winif red Curt is (Eds. Banks, M .R. et . al.), pp. 191–200. Royal Societ y of Tasmania, Hobart . CULLEN P.J. & KIRKPATRICK J.B. (1988) The ecology of At hrot axis D. Don (Taxodiaceae) II. The dist ribut ion and ecological diff erent iat ion of At hrot axis cupressoides and At hrot axis selaginoides. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 36, 547–560. CULLEN, P.J. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1988) The ecology, dist ribut ion, and conservat ion of At hrot axis. Unpublished report , Aust ralian Herit age Commission. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust Inc. and Depart ment of Geography and Environment al St udies, Universit y of Tasmania. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1986) Conservat ion of plant species alliances and associat ions of t he t reeless high count ry of Tasmania. Biological Conservat ion. 37, 43–57. KIRKPATRICK, J.B (1991) Reservat ion st at us of plant communit ies in Tasmania. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (Eds. Kirkpat rick, J.B.), pp. 277–291. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . KILE, G.A., PACKHAM , J.M ., & ELLIOTT, H.J. (1989) M yrt le w ilt and it s possible management in associat ion w it h human dist urbance of rainf orest in Tasmania. New Zealand Journal of Forest ry Science. 19, 256–264 CULLEN, P. (1991) Rainf orest . In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (Eds. Kirkpat rick, J.B.), pp. 24–34. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc. Hobart . NEYLAND, M . (1990) Rainf orest f lorist ics and boundaries in east ern Tasmania. Tasmanian Rainf orest Research, Tasmanian NRCP Report No. 1. DUNCAN, A.M .R. (1991) M anagement of Rainf orest in Reserves. Tasmanian NRCP Technical report No. 5. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania and t he Depart ment of Art s, Sport , t he Environment , Tourism and Territ ories, Canberra. NORTH, A., JOHNSON, K., ZIEGLER, K., DUNCAN, F., HOPKINS, K., ZIEGELER, D. & W ATTS, S. (1998) Flora of Recommended Areas f or Prot ect ion and Forest Reserves in Tasmania. Forest Pract ices Board, Forest ry Tasmania, and Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005) Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. JACKSON, W.D. (1968) Fire, air, w at er and eart h – an element al ecology of Tasmania. Proceedings of t he Ecological Societ y of Aust ralia. 3, 9–16. JARM AN, S.J. & BROWN, M .J. (1983) A def init ion of cool t emperat e rainf orest in Tasmania. Search. 14, 81–87. JARM AN, S.J., BROWN, M .J. & KANTVILAS, G. (1984) Rainf orest in Tasmania. Tasmanian Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart . JARM AN, S.J., BROWN, M .J. & KANTVILAS, G. (1991) Florist ic and ecological st udies in Tasmanian rainf orest , Tasmanian Nat ional Rainf orest Conservat ion Program Report No. 3., Forest ry Commission, Tasmania and t he Depart ment of t he Art s, Sport , t he Environment , Tourism and Territ ories, Canberra. 148 JARM AN, S.J., KANTVILAS, G. & BROWN, M .J. (1994) Phyt osociological st udies in Tasmanian cool t emperat e rainf orest . Phyt ocoenologia. 22, 391–428. From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation PANNELL, J.R. (1992) Sw amp f orest s in Tasmania. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. PETERSON M .J. (1990) Dist ribut ion and conservat ion of Huon Pine. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. PODGER, F.D. & BROWN, M .J. (1989) Veget at ion damage caused by Phyt opht hora cinnamomi on dist urbed sit es in t emperat e rainf orest in w est ern Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 37, 443–480. READ, J. & HILL, R.S. (1985) Dynamics of Not hof agus–dominat ed rainf orest on mainland Aust ralia and low land Tasmania. Veget at ion. 63, 67–78. READ, J. & HILL, R.S. (1988a) The dynamics of some rainf orest associat ions in Tasmania. Journal of Ecology. 76, 558–584. READ, J. & HILL, R.S. (1988b) Comparat ive responses t o t emperat ure of t he major canopy species of Tasmanian cool t emperat e rainf orest and t heir ecological signif icance. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 36, 131–143. ROBERTSON, D.I. & DUNCAN, F. (1991) Dist ribut ion and conservat ion of Deciduous Beech. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. SHAPCOTT, A. (1991) Dispersal and est ablishment of Huon Pine (Lagarost robos f ranklinii). Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 125, 17–26. SHAPCOTT, A. (1991) St udies in t he populat ion biology and genet ic variat ion of Huon Pine (Lagarost robos f ranklinii) Tasmania. NRCP Report No 4. Depart ment of Parks, Wildlif e and Herit age, Hobart . SPECHT, R.L. (1970) Veget at ion. In: The Aust ralian Environment (4t h edn) (Ed. Leeper, G.W.). CSIRO/ M elbourne Universit y Press, M elbourne. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 149 Rainforest and related scrub Key to Rainforest and related scrub Page 1 Live or dead At hrot axis dominant or co-dominant 2 Live t rees of At hrot axis dominant or co-dominant 3 At hrot axis selaginoides 4 Not hof agus gunnii co-dominant A. selaginoides–N. gunnii short rainforest (RKF) 158 4 N. gunnii absent or sparse 5 N. gunnii absent or sparse, N. cunninghamii usually present , low alt it udes (about 250 m t o 500 m) A. selaginoides rainforest (RKP) 160 5 N. gunnii absent , scrub, at higher alt it ude (about 650 t o 1 050 m) A. selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) 162 A. cupressoides–N. gunnii rainforest (RPF) 152 3 At hrot axis cupressoides 4 Not hof agus gunnii co-dominant 4 N. gunnii absent or sparse 5 Woodland dominat ed by A. cupressoides Athrotaxis cupressoides open w oodland (RPW ) 154 5 Forest dominat ed by A. cupressoides, of t en w it h an open underst orey Athrotaxis cupressoides rainforest (RPP) 156 2 Dead remains of t rees of At hrot axis evident w it hin diverse low rainf orest or w it hin Lept ospermum –rainf orest scrub Highland rainforest scrub w ith dead A. selaginoides (RKX) 168 1 At hrot axis absent or inf requent 2 Lagarost robos f ranklinii dominant or co-dominant Lagarostrobos franklinii rainforest and scrub (RHP) 170 2 Not hof agus cunninghamii dominant or co-dominant 3 Tall rainf orest Nothofagus–Atherosperma rainforest (RM T) 174 3 Short rainf orest w it h Lept ospermum evident 4 Rainf orest w it h t rees of Lept ospermum spp. comprising > 15% of t he canopy Nothofagus–Leptospermum short rainforest (RM L) 177 4 Short subalpine scrub/heat h w it h rainf orest species present Leptospermum w ith rainforest scrub (RLS) 150 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 172 Key to Rainforest and related scrub Page 3 Short rainf orest w it h Lept ospermum sparse or absent 4 Species-poor dw arf rainf orest in subalpine areas Highland low rainforest and scrub (RSH) 166 4 Tangled short rainf orest on inf ert ile subst rat es w it h Phyllocladus aspleniif olius dominant or co-dominant Nothofagus–Phyllocladus short rainforest (RM S) 180 2 Rainf orest w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii sparse or absent 3 Short rainf orest w it h Not hof agus gunnii dominant Nothofagus gunnii rainforest and scrub (RFS) 182 3 Rainf orest dominat ed by At herosperma moschat um and/or Eucryphia lucida in coast al areas Coastal rainforest (RCO) 164 Nothofagus–Atherosperma rainforest (RM T) 174 3 Tall rainf orest dominat ed by At herosperma moschat um 3 Dominat ed by t reef erns or Hist iopt eris, no t rees Rainforest fernland (RFE) Chapter 4 184 The Vegetation Descriptions 151 Athrotaxis cupressoides–Nothofagus gunnii short rainforest (RPF) General description At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF) applies t o dense closed mont ane short f orest and scrub in w hich At hrot axis cupressoides emerges above a t angle of Not hof agus gunnii. This is f ound on t he shelt ered sides of moraine ridges, on hills and along cliff lines. RPF may be dominat ed by t hese t w o species or be more diverse, w here Diselma archeri and various species of Richea and ot her shrubs are present . Example localities Du Cane Range; The Labyrint h. Distinguishing features and similar communities RPF is dist inguished f rom veget at ion dominat ed by At hrot axis cupressoides (At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest , RPP; At hrot axis cupressoides open w oodland, RPW ) by t he abundance of Not hof agus gunnii, w hich dominat es t he underst orey and/or is present in t he canopy. A. cupressoides may occur in pocket s w it hin st ands of t all N. gunnii w it h emergent A. selaginoides on t he West Coast Range, w here t he communit y is mapped as At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF). RFA mapping unit TASVEG RPF is equivalent t o RFA PD. Distribution Keit h Corbet t . M ount Field Nat ional Park. Cent ral, w est ern and sout hern Tasmania. 152 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit CH, SR, W. M ont ane rainf orest Site characteristics, habitat and ecology RPF occurs generally bet w een 900 m and 1 200 m in a range of f ire-prot ect ed sit es, including t he head w alls of cirques, sout h-f acing slopes, cliff s and scree f ields, and t he edges of t arns and lakes. It generally occurs on dolerit e, but is not conf ined t o it . Soils may be mineral or organic and are of t en shallow and rocky. At hrot axis cupressoides w it h N. gunnii does not occur in t he east ern port ion of t he range of A. cupressoides (east ern half of t he Cent ral Plat eau), perhaps due t o reduced precipit at ion. M 1.1 At hrot axis cupressoides/A. selaginoides over Not hof agus gunnii–Richea pandanif olia; also occurs in RKF & RFS Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species are At hrot axis cupressoides and Not hof agus gunnii. Ot her t ree species somet imes present are Not hof agus cunninghamii and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, w it h At hrot axis selaginoides rarely present . At hrot axis cupressoides emergent st ems may reach height s of 20 m (usually 8 t o 15 m) w it h a project ed canopy cover of 5–75% . The underst orey is a dense t angle dominat ed by Not hof agus gunnii. Ot her species present can include Diselma archeri, M icrost robos niphophilus, M icrocachrys t et ragona, Orit es acicularis, O. revolut a, Richea scoparia, R. pandanif olia, R. sprengelioides and Tasmannia lanceolat a. Small open pat ches may occur w here Gleichenia alpina, Empodisma minus, Ast elia alpina and Eurychorda complanat a are prominent . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 153 Athrotaxis cupressoides open w oodland (RPW) General description Veget at ion (generally above 900 m) in w hich At hrot axis cupressoides (5–8 m) f orms small w oodland pat ches or appears as copses and small t rees scat t ered t hrough alpine heat hland, sedgeland, f ernland and Sphagnum bogs, and along creek lines and lake margins. Sib Corbet t . Cradle Valley. Example locality Traveller Range. Distinguishing features and similar communities At hrot axis cupressoides may be t he only t ree species in RPW ; or Eucalypt us coccif era and less commonly E. gunnii or E. subcrenulat a may also occur. The underst orey is generally heat hy or cont ains Sphagnum peat land and somet imes Not hof agus gunnii. If N. gunnii is dominant , t he veget at ion is mapped as At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF). At hrot axis selaginoides–N. gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) comprises dense t all N. gunnii w it h emergent At hrot axis selaginoides. A f ew A. cupressoides may occur. At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest (RPP) has a nearly closed canopy and generally sparse, of t en rocky or grassy underst orey. At hrot axis cupressoides–dominat ed rainf orest , w it h or w it hout some At hrot axis selaginoides, is mapped as RPP. If A. selaginoides is dominant t he veget at ion w ill be at t ribut ed t o A. selaginoides rainf orest (RKP). RFA mapping unit No direct equivalent but RPW w as probably included in RFA PP & NV. Distribution Cent ral and w est ern Tasmania. 154 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation R. scoparia and Tasmannia lanceolat a, w it h smaller w oody plant s and herbs if t he ground is exposed bet w een t he rocks. Furt her w est , A. cupressoides is scat t ered over a diverse underst orey of conif erous heat h, w it h t he species above plus M icrocachrys t et ragona and somet imes M icrost robos niphophilus, and Not hof agus gunnii. Also on t he Cent ral Plat eau (and ot her dolerit e areas such as M ount Field), broad poorly–drained valleys and small glacial depressions may cont ain Sphagnum crist at um bogs w it h emergent A. cupressoides. Sphagnum crist at um is usually overgrow n by a combinat ion of any of Richea scoparia, R. gunnii, Baloskion aust rale, Epacris gunnii and Gleichenia alpina. Bioregional occurrence CH, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology At hrot axis cupressoides is f ound on dolerit e above about 1 000 m and grow s most of t en beside lakes and st reams. It seems able t o w it hst and f rost and icy w inds it may be f ound on all but t he most exposed height s on dolerit e mount ains w it h a long f ire-f ree hist ory. At hrot axis cupressoides may f orm f ringes around t he base of st eep, rocky slopes. Vegetation composition and structure Three dist inct ive f acies have been observed w it hin t his communit y. On t he east ern half and nort hern edge of t he Cent ral Plat eau A. cupressoides of t en occurs on block f ields, usually w it h Podocarpus law rencei and of t en Diselma archeri and a combinat ion of Orit es acicularis, O. revolut a, Grevillea aust ralis, Planocarpa pet iolaris, Bellendena mont ana, Lept ospermum rupest re, Coprosma nit ida, Olearia pinif olia, Richea sprengelioides, On t he Cent ral Plat eau and M ount Field broad, poorly–drained valleys and small glacial depressions may cont ain Sphagnum crist at um bogs w it h emergent A. cupressoides. At hrot axis cupressoides on siliceous subst rat es commonly f orm t hicket s and w indrow s w it h ot her small conif ers on poorly–drained plains. Co-occurring species include Richea species Gleichenia alpina, Empodisma minus, Eurychorda complanat a and somet imes a f ew cushions, w it h Poa gunnii, Boronia rhomboidea, Pent achondra pumila or Euphrasia st riat a. M osses and lichens occur in drier pat ches. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit M ont ane rainf orest M 3.1 At hrot axis cupressoides over prot eaceousmyrt aceous shrubbery M 4.1 At hrot axis cupressoides over Poa grassland M 5.1 At hrot axis cupressoides over Sphagnum Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 2 Subalpine conif erous mires; also occurs in HSE Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 155 Athrotaxis cupressoides rainforest (RPP) General description At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest (RPP) is open or closed mont ane f orest or w oodland veget at ion dominat ed by At hrot axis cupressoides w here Not hof agus gunnii may occur. At hrot axis cupressoides can be codominant w it h ot her rainf orest t ree species. Eucalypt us coccif era may also co-occur in t he canopy or at t he margins of t he communit y. The underst orey may be sparse and shrubby (of t en on rocks) or grassy. Example locality Dixons Kingdom, Walls of Jerusalem Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities RPP is dist inguished f rom At hrot axis cupressoides open w oodland (RPW ), by t he great er canopy closure, larger pat ch size and generally low er diversit y in t he underst orey. If t he underst orey includes Not hof agus gunnii, t he veget at ion is mapped as At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF). If N. gunnii is dense and t all, w it h emergent A. selaginoides, and A. cupressoides is only a minor component of t he veget at ion or rest rict ed t o discret e enclaves, t he veget at ion is mapped as At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF). RFA mapping unit TASVEG RPP is equivalent t o RFA PP. Keit h Corbet t . Pinest one Valley, below M ount Ossa. Distribution At hrot axis cupressoides f orest s are uncommon, and are rest rict ed t o unburnt w est ern part s of t he Cent ral Plat eau and mount ains in t he Cradle M ount ain-Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park. 156 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence CH, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is largely conf ined t o f ireprot ect ed sit es on dolerit e in cent ral Tasmania at alt it udes above about 1 100 m. At hrot axis cupressoides is uncommon on quart zit e except around Cradle M ount ain, w here it generally f orms small st ands and t hicket s rat her t han f orest s. At hrot axis cupressoides gives w ay t o A. selaginoides over sout h-w est Tasmania and t he w est coast mount ains. RPP occurs on dolerit e block st reams and ot her rocky areas, on poorly–drained Sphagnum peat bogs, or on w ell-developed organic loam soils, w here t opography provides prot ect ion f rom f ire. The dominant t ree species is At hrot axis cupressoides. Trees are usually 8–15 m t all, but can reach > 20 m. Project ed canopy cover is 15–25% . Not hof agus cunninghamii and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius occur in some f acies of t he communit y, w hile At hrot axis selaginoides rarely occurs. How ever, A. selaginoides is codominant w it h A. cupressoides and N. cunninghamii in some closed-canopy f orest s near Cradle M ount ain. Forest s on mineral or peat y alluvial soils may have an open or nearly closed canopy over Poa gunnii and any of t he f ollow ing: Ast elia alpina, Carpha alpina, Gleichenia alpina, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Oreobolus dist ichus, Richea scoparia and Olearia pinif olius. Heat hy f orest s on rocky ground may have dw arf conif ers, an abundance of Epacridaceae species, Lept ospermum rupest re, Orit es acicularis and O. revolut a and herbs. Forest s on block st reams have a sparse underst orey, of t en dominat ed by Podocarpus law rencei w it h L. rupest re, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Coprosma nit ida, Baeckea gunniana, Richea sprengelioides and t he t w o alpine Orit es species. Herbs and grass are scarce. Underst orey varies w it h subst rat e: rocky sit es support heat hy or conif erous veget at ion; bogs are composed of Sphagnum species and species of Richea; mineral soils t end t o have an underst orey of grasses and herbs w it h scat t ered shrubs. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit M ont ane rainf orest M 2.1 At hrot axis cupressoides over mixed conif erous shrubbery M 2.2 At hrot axis cupressoides over Diselma archeri in a park-like underst orey Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 157 Athrotaxis selaginoides–Nothofagus gunnii short rainforest (RKF) General description At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) is scrub or short f orest in w hich At hrot axis selaginoides is slight ly emergent over Not hof agus gunnii in areas w it h very low f ire f requency. In t he Cradle M ount ain-Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park t here may be f ew ot her species, but on t he w est coast range RKF is generally highly diverse, w it h N. cunninghamii, Diselma archeri and Richea pandanif olia usually present . RKF may be dense and cont inuous, or f orm mosaics w it h alpine heat hlands and sedgeland. Example localities Slopes above Lake Wilkes; slopes east of M ount Read. Distinguishing features and similar communities On w est coast mount ains Not hof agus gunnii rainf orest and scrub (RFS) passes lat erally int o RKF, w hich is t aller and more dense t han RFS, w it h A. selaginoides import ant in RKF, but minor or absent in RFS. At hrot axis cupressoides may occur in small enclaves w it hin RKF. If A. cupressoides dominat es or is co-dominant w it h A. selaginoides t he communit y is At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF). RFS, RKF and RPF are t he only communit ies t o cont ain N. gunnii. On unburnt part s of t he West Coast Range w indrow s and low shrubland dominat ed by A. selaginoides and N. gunnii may diff er f rom At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) only in t hat RKS lacks N. gunnii. RFA mapping unit Sib Corbet t . Slopes w est of M ount Wilkes, Cradle M ount ain area. TASVEG RKF is equivalent t o RFA F. Distribution Found at Cradle M ount ain, and dow n t o 500 m east of M ount Read and ext ends as high as 1 150 m near Cradle M ount ain. RKF only occurs as remnant s in t he Sout hern Ranges. 158 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure In most places in t he east ern mount ains, RKF is f ound only at high-alt it udes and cont ains f ew species ot her t han N. gunnii and At hrot axis selaginoides. On siliceous subst rat es in t he w est t his communit y is generally ext ensive and has an implicat e st ruct ure and great er f lorist ic diversit y. In places Lept ospermum nit idum is t all and has a mat ure umbrageous shape. Diselma archeri is a prominent component of RKF on M ount Read. Ot her species present include: Orit es milliganii, Bauera rubioides, Richea scoparia, R. curt isiae, Trochocarpa cunninghamii, Archeria species, Telopea t runcat a and Epacris serpyllif olia, w it h species of Euphrasia on t he ground and a f ew At hrot axis cupressoides and A. X laxif olia in some areas. Bioregional occurrence W, CH, SR. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Implicat e rainf orest RKF is generally f ound in unburned alpine areas on siliceous rocks. It generally grow s on w ell–drained organic soils on gent le slopes below alpine plat eaus bet w een about 500 m and 1 150 m near Cradle M ount ain. I2.1 A. selaginoides (– Diselma archeri) over a diverse t angle w it h N. gunnii (– Archeria serpyllif olia) M ont ane rainf orest M 1.1 At hrot axis cupressoides/A. selaginoides over Not hof agus gunnii–Richea pandanif olia; also occurs in RPF & RFS Thamnic rainf orest T5.3 A. selaginoides–N. gunnii over T. gunnii (– R. pandanif olia) Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 159 Athrotaxis selaginoides rainforest (RKP) General description This communit y can f orm pure st ands of At hrot axis selaginoides, but more commonly t he conif er is co-dominant w it h or subdominant t o Not hof agus cunninghamii in medium f orest s. The short f orest s may be f lorist ically simple but of t en are highly diverse, at low alt it udes (f rom about 250 m t o 500 m) near t he West Coast Range. alpine zone RKP may also grade int o At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) w hich is highly diverse but lacks N. gunnii. In some areas Lept ospermum f orest (NLE) and rainf orest (RM L) (neit her of w hich have A. selaginoides) are in close proximit y t o RKP and t here may be t ransit ion veget at ion in w hich t all Lept ospermum nit idum joins A. selaginoides and N. cunninghamii in t he canopy. This unusual f orest is mapped as RKP. Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead A. selaginoides (RKX) is a diverse subalpine scrub t hought t o result f rom burning RKS and t he high-alt it ude examples of RKP. RKX cont ains rainf orest species but no live A. selaginoides as t rees, and rarely any as seedlings. RFA mapping unit TASVEG RKP is equivalent t o RFA X. Distribution Sib Corbet t . Bet w een Pine Lake and The Boomerang, M ount Bobs. The communit y occurs in cent ral, w est ern and sout hern Tasmania. Example localities West ern slopes of The Boomerang (sout hern ranges); slopes around M ount Read; Algonkian M ount ain. Distinguishing features and similar communities RKP is dist inguished f rom Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) by t he presence of At hrot axis selaginoides, t hough t his species may f orm as lit t le as 10% of t he canopy. RKP may grade upslope int o t he short er At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) in w hich N. gunnii co-dominat es w it h A. selaginoides and N. cunninghamii is a minor component . Close t o t he boundary of t he 160 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence CH, W, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Forest s dominat ed by At hrot axis selaginoides occur in high-rainf all mont ane regions in cent ral, w est ern and sout hern Tasmania bet w een about 250 m t o 1 200 m. They are f ound on a variet y of rock t ypes usually on acidic and highly organic soils. The sit es are usually rocky. RKP f ormed large f orest s on sandst one slopes in t he sout hern ranges bef ore much of it w as dest royed by f ire in t he 1930s. There are st ill some excellent examples of undamaged f orest in sout h-w est Tasmania. Vegetation composition and structure At hrot axis selaginoides may be dominant in RKP or co-dominant or subdominant t o Not hof agus cunninghami. Emergent t rees up t o 40 m t all occur and project ed canopy cover may reach 80% . Ot her t ree species commonly present are Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, At herosperma moschat um, Eucryphia lucida and/or E. milliganii. In high-alt it ude st ands of At hrot axis selaginoides (usually in associat ion w it h N. cunninghamii or N. gunnii), Richea pandanif olia may at t ain t he same height as t he ot her t rees. M ore commonly in t hese rainf orest s, A. selaginoides is not dominant but f orms up t o 25% of t he canopy of high-alt it ude rainf orest s dominat ed by N. cunninghamii. At hrot axis cupressoides is not usually present in RKP, but on M ount Kat e near Cradle M ount ain it is co-dominant . At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest s in t he Sout hern Ranges bioregion are commonly short , w it h low species diversit y. They may consist of a closed canopy of A. selaginoides, N. cunninghamii and Eucryphia milliganii w it h t all Richea pandanif olia. The underst orey is rest rict ed t o a f ew ground f erns. M uch more diverse f orest s occur in t he w est ern bioregion, part icularly about t he w est coast range. These implicat e f orest s include a broad range of rainf orest t rees and shrubs including A. selaginoides, N. cunninghamii, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and somet imes At herosperma moschat um as t he t allest t rees, w it h t all shrubs of t he same species plus Richea pandanif olia, Anopt erus glandulosus, Agast achys odorat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Telopea t runcat a, Pit t osporum bicolor, Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Eucryphia lucida and/or E. milliganii, Archeria species, Trochocarpa species, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Gault heria hispida, Olearia phlogopappa, Coprosma nit ida, Tet racarpaea t asmanica and Arist ot elia pedunculat a. Ground f erns are common. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Implicat e rainf orest I1.3 A. selaginoides–P. aspleniif olius–N. cunninghamii over a diverse t angle w it h Agast achys odorat a (– R. pandanif olia) I1.4 A. selaginoides over a diverse t angle w it h Agast achys odorat a–Richea scoparia; also occurs in RKS & RKX Thamnic rainf orest T1.3 A. selaginoides over A. biglandulosum–R. pandanif olia T4.3 A. selaginoides–N. cunninghamii–Eucryphia spp. over A. eriocarpa/A. hirt ella–R. pandanif olia T5.2 A. selaginoides (and/or N. cunninghamii)–E. milliganii over T. gunnii–R. pandanif olia; also occurs in RKS T6.2 At hrot axis selaginoides over Trochocarpa cunninghamii T9.1 A. selaginoides over R. scoparia–N. cunninghamii (– E. milliganii); also occurs in RKS Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Int ermediat e rainf orest RAIN-CT6 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um–E. lucida over clear underst orey; also occurs in RM T Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 161 Athrotaxis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) General description On w est ern and sout hern mount ains t his communit y represent s unburnt , f lorist ically diverse uneven-t ext ured subalpine scrub. It clings t o shelt ered cliff lines or f orms t hicket s and w indrow s t o 2–5 m (can be up t o 8 m) high in sedgeland/rushland. At hrot axis selaginoides as w ell as small Not hof agus cunninghamii, Eucryphia milliganii and any of Richea pandanif olia, R. scoparia, R. milliganii, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Agast achys odorat a and Eucalypt us vernicosa are t ypical and many ot her shrub species may occur. Herbs and prost rat e shrubs may be common. Example locality Sandst one shelves w est of Adamsons Peak. Distinguishing features and similar communities The closest equivalent t o t his communit y is At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) as it occurs in t hicket s and w indrow s on t he nort hern part s of t he w est coast range. RKF is def ined by t he presence of Not hof agus gunnii w hile N. cunninghamii is not usually prominent . At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) occurs in less f ert ile, more exposed sit uat ions t han Highland low rainf orest and scrub (RSH). It shares t he most prominent species f ound in RSH (as w ell as At hrot axis selaginoides) but is much more f lorist ically diverse t han RSH. At higher alt it udes, Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) is probably a more recent ly burned equivalent of RKS. How ever, RKX is generally conf ined t o slopes and does not f orm t hicket s in moorlands as RKS does. RKX also has st ronger rainf orest aff init ies and commonly has prominent Lept ospermum species, unlike RKS. At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) usually occurs on slopes below subalpine areas and in a f ew places grades upslope int o RKS w it h diminut ion of t ree height and a subst ant ial increase in diversit y. On t he Cent ral Plat eau, A. selaginoides is somet imes f ound in pat ches w it h Lept ospermum lanigerum or short alpine or conif erous heat hland and t hese pat ches may be included in RKS. A. selaginoides at or below t he edge of t he plat eau belong t o ot her communit ies, such as RKP. St ephen Harris. Cradle M ount ain. RFA mapping unit TASVEG RKS is mainly a non-f orest communit y, how ever some RKS may have been included in RFA X. 162 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Distribution RKS is f ound mainly in t he w est and sout h-w est and also in t he Cent ral Highlands of Tasmania. Not hof agus cunninghamii, Eucryphia milliganii and Richea scoparia combined w it h any of Diselma archeri, Eucalypt us vernicosa, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Persoonia gunnii and R. pandanif olia. Species t ypical of quart zit e t errain are Orit es milliganii, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Bauera rubioides, Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Anopt erus glandulosus, Agast achys odorat a, Ozot hamnus rodw ayi and M onot oca submut ica. Herbs and small shrubs include Anemone crassif olia, Senecio species, Exocarpos humif usus, Tet racarpaea t asmanica, Cyat hodes st raminea, Euphrasia gibbsiae, Prionot es cerint hoides, Pent achondra pumila, Isophysis t asmanica, Ast elia alpina, Dracophyllum milliganii, Oreobolus species, Epacris serpyllif olia, Leucopogon milliganii, Empodisma minus, Sprengelia mont ana, Helichrysum pumilum and Carpha alpina. Fringes of Gleichenia abscida occur around t hicket s in a f ew areas. Bioregional occurrence SR, W, CH. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology RKS occurs bet w een about 650 m and 1 050 m in t he sout hern ranges and sout h-w est Tasmania on peat soils overlying quart zit e, f lat -lying Triassic sandst ones or glacially-eroded dolerit e. Sit es may be very st eep cliff lines, or moderat e slopes below ridge t ops, but more of t en t hey are on gent le slopes w here t he t hicket s occupy areas of bet t er drainage (and somet imes shelt er) t han t he surrounding moorland. A f jaeldmark f orm on sandst one st ripes on The Boomerang has, in addit ion, Trochocarpa species, Podocarpus law encei, Coprosma nit ida and Richea sprengelioides w it h A. selaginoides, Richea scoparia, Diselma archeri and Eucalypt us vernicosa, but lacks Not hof agus species and Eucryphia milliganii. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Implicat e rainf orest I1.4 A. selaginoides over a diverse t angle w it h Agast achys odorat a–Richea scoparia; also occurs in RKP & RKX Thamnic rainf orest T5.2 A. selaginoides (and/or N. cunninghamii)– E. milliganii over T. gunnii–R. pandanif olia; also occurs in RKP T9.1 A. selaginoides over R. scoparia– N. cunninghamii (– E. milliganii); also occurs in RKP Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is an uneven-t ext ured alpine scrub, w hich may f orm small t hicket s or w indrow s surrounded by sedgeland/rushland communit ies. Scat t ered small or emergent A. selaginoides are surrounded by dw arf Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 163 Coastal rainforest (RCO) General description This rainf orest is dominat ed by At herosperma moschat um, Eucryphia lucida or bot h, but Not hof agus cunninghamii are f ew or absent . Olearia argophylla is prominent in some areas. There may be an int ermediat e layer w it h any of Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Anopt erus glandulosus, Cenarrhenes nit ida and Dicksonia ant arct ica, w it h f erns, part icularly Blechnum w at t sii. There may be emergent Eucalypt us species. Example locality Davey Head. Distinguishing features and similar communities RCO is dist inguished f rom Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) by having lit t le or no N. cunninghamii. The dominant t rees are Eucryphia lucida and At herosperma moschat um along t he sout h coast , E. lucida in t he f ar sout h-w est (Davey Head) and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius on t he coast al dunes at Tow t erer Beach. Olearia argophylla is prominent in some sout h-east sea cliff f orest s, and most coast al rainf orest s have f ringe areas of broad-leaf small t rees, part icularly Olearia argophylla and Pomaderris apet ala. Where dominat ed by broad-leaf species, t he communit y is Broad-leaf scrub (SBR). Along t he sout h and sout h-w est coast s, t here is of t en a t ransit ion int o RM T rainf orest dominat ed by Not hof agus cunninghamii, and in all areas t here may be t ransit ion int o t all, broad-leaf , low f orest dominat ed by Olearia argophylla. RFA mapping unit No direct equivalent but RCO w as probably included in RFA M + , M - & NV Distribution Sout h coast , and t he w est coast sout h of M acquarie Harbour (RCO is not yet mapped f or east ern Tasmania). Nepelle Temby. Prion Bay, sout h-w est Tasmania. 164 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Coast al rainf orest is t ypically dominat ed by t all At herosperma moschat um and/or Eucryphia lucida, w it h lit t le or no N. cunninghamii. Rainf orest s along t he sout h coast can be diverse, dominat ed by A. moschat um, Eucryphia lucida and somet imes Anodopet alum biglandulosum, somet imes w it h an int ermediat e layer (w hich, in a f ew areas, may be dense and t angled). Any of Anopt erus biglandulosum, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, M onot oca glauca and Richea pandanif olia over Archeria species, Blechnum w at t sii, B. nudum and Prionot es cerint hoides are present . The rainf orest may only occupy small pat ches, surrounded by Eucalypt us and w et scrub communit ies. Bioregional occurrence W, SR. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology No syst emat ic assessment has been undert aken of coast al rainf orest communit ies. Coast al rainf orest is generally f ound on st eep shelt ered slopes or cliff s f acing t he sea. Shelt er f rom desiccat ion and f ire is import ant . An unusual f acies of t his communit y, w hich is dominat ed by Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, occurs on t he sout h-w est coast , inland of Tow t erer Beach. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 165 Highland low rainforest and scrub (RSH) General description In t he sout hern ranges t his is a short subalpine t o alpine f orest of very low diversit y, dominat ed by Not hof agus cunninghamii and Eucryphia milliganii w it h Richea pandanif olia. In nort hern alpine areas t he communit y is variable and may be more diverse but usually lacks Eucryphia species. One or bot h At hrot axis species may be present in small numbers. RSH includes blockst ream scrub dominat ed by dw arf mult ist emmed N. cunninghamii. Sib Corbet t . Lake Shelf , sout h-east of M t Anne. 166 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Example localities Slopes above Vale of Belvoir; Lake Shelf sout h of M ount Anne; upper slopes on t he Pict on Range. Distinguishing features and similar communities There are several f acies of RSH. Near Cradle M ount ain it is a short f orest w it h N. cunninghamii and very f ew ot her species, dist inguished f rom Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest (RM S) by it s very low f lorist ic diversit y and high-alt it ude dist ribut ion. Sout hern and w est ern f orms of RSH have Eucryphia milliganii co-dominant and may show great er f lorist ic diversit y, w it h Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and Anopt erus glandulosus somet imes present but not co-dominant as t hey are in RM S. RSH in t he sout hern ranges of t en has Orit es diversif olia w hich is also a prominent species in highly diverse high-alt it ude RM S in t hat area. RSH is short er t han Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) and does not have a layered st ruct ure. The most diverse f acies of RSH have f lorist ic and st ruct ural similarit ies w it h At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) or Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX), but RSH lacks t he At hrot axis selaginoides w hich helps def ine t he ot her t w o. A. selaginoides also dist inguishes At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) at high-alt it ude f rom t he short er RSH. RKP and RKS usually show f lorist ic similarit ies w it h RSH but are dist inguished by t he presence of At hrot axis selaginoides. Cenarrhenes nit ida, Agast achys odorat a and Eucalypt us vernicosa are common associat es in RSH in t he w est and sout h, w hile Orit es diversif olia is prominent at M ount Field and in t he sout hern ranges. In t he simplest RSH f orest s in t he sout h and sout h-w est , N. cunninghamii, Eucryphia milliganii and Richea pandanif olia f orm short , closed f orest on st eep slopes. Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) occurs at low er alt it udes t han RSH, and is generally more diverse, usually w it h a st rong Lept ospermum species component but w it hout N. cunninghamii dominant in t he canopy. Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L) is similar in height and can reach similar alt it udes t o RSH, but Lept ospermum species generally do not occur in RSH. RSH is dist inguished f rom t he subalpine and alpine heat hs by it s great er height (up t o 8–10 m), low er f lorist ic diversit y and t he dominance of N. cunninghamii. RFA mapping unit No direct equivalent but RSH w as probably included in RFA M -, X & NV. Distribution West ern and nort h-east Tasmania. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology RSH occurs on slopes, cliff lines, below ridget ops, plat eau edges, lake perimet ers and rocky areas, including scree slopes. RSH occurs bet w een about 800 m and 1 200 m, generally on w ell–drained, f ert ile soils accumulat ed over long f ire-f ree int ervals. On dolerit e scree t he communit y may consist of lit t le more t han Not hof agus cunninghamii and moss. Vegetation composition and structure Dw arf Not hof agus cunninghamii dominat es in all f acies of RSH and occurs bot h alone, w it h a f ew ot her species or in diverse combinat ions of rainf orest and subalpine species. In areas nort h and w est of Cradle M ount ain, N. cunninghamii may be t he only species present , w it h single or mult i-st emmed t rees f orming a dense, closed canopy t o short f orest s w it hout underst orey. On dolerit e scree slopes mult i-st emmed N. cunninghamii commonly f orm pat ches w it h only mossy cover over rocks. RSH in t he sout h and w est (in w hich Eucryphia milliganii is prominent ) is generally more f lorist ically diverse t han t hat in t he cent ral highlands. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Alpine Veget at ion 33 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Eucryphia milliganii heat h; also occurs in HHW 38 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Prionot es cerint hoides heat h; also occurs in RM S, HHW & SSW But t ongrass M oorland B15 M ount ain copses; also occurs in M BS & SSW Bioregional occurrence SR, CH, W, BL. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 167 Highland rainforest scrub w ith dead Athrotaxis selaginoides (RKX) General description Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) is a diverse Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) or t all heat hland on siliceous subst rat es, usually w it h obvious or crypt ic t races of burnt At hrot axis selaginoides (and rarely live seedlings). Eucryphia species, Not hof agus cunninghamii and Richea pandanif olia are usually present but Agast achys odorat us and/or Lept ospermum nit idum may dominat e. Also, any of L. scoparium, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Anopt erus glandulosus, Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Orit es diversif olia, Trochocarpa cunninghamii occur w it h Blechnum w at t sii under and Prionot es cerint hoides covering old w ood and somet imes rocks. A variant of t his communit y on t he West Coast Range has A. selaginoides st ags and isolat ed shrubs (various species) above a bed of Rest ionaceae species, Diplarrena lat if olia or f erns. Example localities Sout h-east ern slopes of t he Ironbound Range; sout hern f ace of Sedgw ick Bluff . Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y appears t o be t he burnt equivalent of At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) at it s low er alt it udes and At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) at higher alt it udes. It diff ers f rom bot h in t he lack of live A. selaginoides (rarely are t here a f ew seedlings). RKX is similar in species composit ion t o t he most diverse f orms of RKP, but has f ew er rainf orest species at higher alt it ude. There is generally cont inuous dow nslope variat ion f rom RKX t o scrub and f orest w it h Lept ospermum nit idum a dominant species in t he canopy, mapped as Subalpine Lept ospermum nit idum w oodland (NLN) or Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L). One f orm of West ern subapline scrub (SSW ) w hich cont ains Eucryphia lucida and Not hof agus cunninghamii has similarit ies t o RKX (including dead A. selaginoides pine in a f ew places), but SSW is short er and dominat ed by Lept ospermum nit idum and M onot oca submut ica and has many shared species w it h highland but t ongrass/M elaleuca squamea communit ies. SSW may also have emergent Banksia marginat a and/or Eucalypt us nit ida or E. subcrenulat a. RFA mapping unit St ephen Harris. Sout h of M ount Read. Not covered by RFA mapping. Some f acies of TASVEG RKX may occur in RFA X. Distribution This communit y is most common on t he w est coast range, and is know n in sout h-w est Tasmania. 168 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence W, CH. The communit y f orms scrub or somet imes short implicat e f orest w it h t races of At hrot axis selaginoides. Dominant species include Agast achys odorat a, Lept ospermum nit idum, Eucryphia species, Not hof agus species and Richea pandanif olia, L. scoparium and L. glaucescens. Rainf orest shrubs such as Cenarrhenes nit ida, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Anopt erus glandulosus, Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Orit es diversif olia, Trochocarpa cunninghamii, Tasmannia lanceolat a and M onot oca submut ica also occur in shelt ered areas. Open areas, of t en on quart zit ic boulders, have Blechnum w at t sii, Epacris serpyllif olia, Blandf ordia punicea, Bauera rubioides, Gault heria species, Diplarrena lat if olia and Lept ecophylla juniperina. Wit h increasing alt it ude Lept ospermum nit idum becomes dominant , Bauera rubioides becomes prominent and Eucalypt us vernicosa may appear. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs in w est ern and sout hw est Tasmania bet w een about 600 m and 900 m on moderat e t o st eep exposed slopes. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Implicat e rainf orest I1.4 A. selaginoides over a diverse t angle w it h Agast achys odorat a–Richea scoparia; also occurs in RKP & RKS Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 169 Lagarostrobos franklinii rainforest and scrub (RHP) General description This mapping communit y is dominat ed by, or has a signif icant component of , Lagarost robos f ranklinii usually combined w it h rainf orest species and somet imes Acacia melanoxylon in t he canopy over an underst orey of ot her rainf orest species. Somet imes L. f ranklinii f orms pure st ands w it h sparse, shrubby or implicat e underst oreys, usually on deep alluvium. Rocky st reamside short f orest and scrub may have a combinat ion of small t rees of L. f ranklinii, Lept ospermum species, Prot eaceae species, rainf orest and riverine species and be quit e diverse. Example locality Yanns Reach, Pieman River. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished by t he presence of a signif icant component of Lagarost robos f ranklinii. RFA mapping unit TASVEG RHP is equivalent t o RFA H. Distribution The communit y occurs along many river syst ems of w est ern and sout hern Tasmania. There are also high-alt it ude st ands at M ount Read, Lake Vera and several ot her areas near Frenchmans Cap. Sib Corbet t . King River, w est ern Tasmania. Bioregional occurrence SR, W. 170 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Lagarost robos f ranklinii rainf orest and scrub occurs along many of t he river syst ems of w est ern and sout hern Tasmania, bet w een sea level and about 350 m. There are unusual st ands as high as 1 030 m near Lake Tahune. In t he w est and sout h-w est , L. f ranklinii occurs in gallery rainf orest s. RHP is common on alluvial f lood plains and associat ed sw amps, w it h t he conif ers somet imes only occurring close t o t he w at er on t hese f lat s, as at Tahune. It also occurs in a f ew st ands aw ay f rom rivers. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Implicat e rainf orest I1.2 L. f ranklinii–N. cunninghamii–M yrt aceae spp. over a diverse t angle w it h A. odorat a Thamnic rainf orest T1.4 L. f ranklinii–N. cunninghamii over A. biglandulosum T2.2 Lagarost robos f ranklinii–Not hof agus cunninghamii over Acradenia f rankliniae T3.2 Lagarost robos f ranklinii (– Not hof agus cunninghamii) over Anopt erus glandulosus T4.2 L. f ranklinii (– N. cunninghamii) over A. eriocarpa/A. hirt ella Vegetation composition and structure Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies The communit y is dominat ed by Lagarost robos f ranklinii w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii usually co-dominant . Trees can reach height s of 30 m. Ot her t ree species may include Eucryphia lucida, At herosperma moschat um, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Lept ospermum species, M elaleuca squarrosa and Acacia melanoxylon. Some ext ensive f orest s on alluvial f lat s, such as t hose in t he Truchanas Reserve on t he Denison River and at t he sout h-w est end of Lake Vera, are very rich in L. f ranklinii in t he canopy, w it h a sparse underst orey. M ore usual are narrow belt s of L. f ranklinii rainf orest , short f orest and scrub along riverbanks and t he shores of largely shelt ered sea inlet s such as M acquarie Harbour and Port Davey. B6 Thamnic Huon pine sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM These f orest s are f lorist ically variable but might include Richea pandanif olia, Prionot es cerint hoides, Pit t osporum bicolor, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Lept ospermum riparium, Anopt erus glandulosus, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Acradenia f rankliniae, Pomaderris apet ala, Trochocarpa gunnii, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Orit es diversif olia, Olearia persoonioides and many f ern species. At New ell Creek, sout h of Queenst ow n, short rainf orest w it h L. f ranklinii also cont ains At hrot axis selaginoides and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius in a t angled and diverse shrubbery at t he low est alt it udinal limit s f or At hrot axis. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 171 Leptospermum w ith rainforest scrub (RLS) General description Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) is a 2–5 (somet imes t o 8) m, scrub w it h an uneven canopy dominat ed by Lept ospermum species (of t en L. lanigerum), w it h small rainf orest t rees in t he underst orey. It is t ypically rich in Bauera rubioides and may have shrubby heat h species. There may be scat t ered emergent Eucalypt us nit ida or, on t he margins of t all w et f orest s, E. obliqua or E. delegat ensis. Rainf orest regrow t h af t er f ire is included in RLS in World Herit age Area mapping, as is rainf orest (of various f orms) closely combined w it h M elaleuca or Lept ospermum species scrub. Nepelle Temby. Lyell Highw ay, near Vict oria Pass. 172 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Example localities Heemskirk Road bet w een Zeehan and Granville Harbour; Lyell Highw ay sout h of Collingw ood Bridge. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y has t he pot ent ial t o develop int o rainf orest . In some cases, it may regenerat e f rom rainf orest . RLS is generally diverse w it h an open Lept ospermum species canopy, uneven t ext ure and a scrubby underst orey usually dominat ed by Bauera rubioides. Lept ospermum scrub (SLW ) has very low diversit y, w it h a closed canopy of L. lanigerum and f ew vascular plant s in t he underst orey. Lept ospermum f orest (NLE) is t aller t han RLS and lacks rainf orest species in t he underst orey; it may have B. rubioides, and/or a f ew f erns or bare ground. NLE may have L. nit idum and/or L. scoparium in t he canopy, w hile t he RLS canopy usually consist s of L. lanigerum, somet imes w it h L. scoparium. Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L) is likely t o be a mat ure f orm of RLS in w hich Not hof agus cunninghamii and of t en Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Eucryphia lucida and somet imes At herosperma moschat um and/or Acacia melanoxylon are co-dominant w it h Lept ospermum species in t he canopy. Like RLS, RM L may be f lorist ically diverse and have a shrubby underst orey. Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest (NLA) const ant ly has L. scoparium and Acacia mucronat a co-dominant in t he canopy. Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ) is short f orest in w hich M elaleuca and Lept ospermum species share t he canopy, somet imes w it h co-dominant rainf orest species, part icularly Phyllocladus aspleniif olius. NLA and NLM are bot h t aller t han RLS and generally lack a scrubby underst orey. RFA mapping unit Vegetation composition and structure Not covered by RFA mapping, t hough some f acies may occur in RFA M - and possibly RFA L. The communit y may have sparse Eucalypt us nit ida and/or E. obliqua or E. delegat ensis or subalpine Eucalypt us species as emergent s. Ot her Eucalypt us species may include E. subcrenulat a, E. johnst onii and E. urnigera. The open canopy is dominat ed by Lept ospermum species t o 5 m (usually Lept ospermum lanigerum) and t here are small scat t ered Not hof agus cunninghamii. Ot her rainf orest species of t en occur as seedlings. These include Eucryphia lucida, Anopt erus glandulosus, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and Anodopet alum biglandulosum. Ot her shrubs may include Orit es diversif olia, Telopea t runcat a, Pit t osporum bicolor, Nemat olepis squamea, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Pomaderris species, Acacia species, Lomat ia species, Coprosma nit ida, Hakea lissosperma and Tasmannia lanceolat a. On dolerit e, Hibbert ia empet rif olia may f orm part of a t angled ground layer. Bauera rubioides is abundant and Gahnia grandis is common. Distribution This communit y is f ound t hroughout rainf orest communit ies across Tasmania, but is mainly in t he w est ern half of t he St at e. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Bioregional occurrence No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or non coast al scrub communit ies in Tasmania. CH, SE, SR, W, K, NS. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y generally occurs on gent le t o moderat e slopes in high-rainf all areas up t o 800 m, as f ringes t o t all, w et f orest or as successional st ages of regenerat ing rainf orest on generally inf ert ile sit es. It is f ound on dolerit e in w et areas. RLS is likely t o be a f ire-induced communit y, and an early successional st age of RM L or mat ure rainf orest . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 173 Nothofagus–Atherosperma rainforest (RM T) General description Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) is t all (25+ m) rainf orest in w hich t he canopy is dominat ed by Not hof agus cunninghamii, and somet imes At herosperma moschat um on relat ively f ert ile soils. Eucryphia lucida may codominat e. St ruct ure varies f rom callidendrous t o t hamnic; in t he lat t er, t here are Trochocarpa species and/ or Anopt erus glandulosus and ot her broad-leaf shrubs in t he underst orey. Keit h Corbet t . Quaile Falls, edge of M iddlesex Plains. Example localities Savage River area; Lake Dobson Road, M ount Field Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities This rainf orest communit y is dist inguished f rom most mapping classes by t he presence of a cont inuous high canopy of N. cunninghamii, w it h or w it hout A. moschat um and/or Eucryphia lucida. In a f ew f ert ile areas A. moschat um dominat es t he canopy. RM T may be callidendrous, in w hich case vascular plant diversit y is generally very low, or t hamnic, w it h a shrubby mid-st orey and great er diversit y. RM T is dist inguished f rom Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest (RM S), w hich is also dominat ed by N. cunninghamii, by being short er (< 25 m), t hamnic t o implicat e in st ruct ure and more diverse. At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) may be st ruct urally similar t o eit her RM T or RM S, w it h f lorist ic diversit y ranging f rom low t o high. Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L) is short rainf orest w it h signif icant Lept ospermum species in t he canopy, w hile Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) is generally < 5 m t all, of t en w it h a Lept ospermum species canopy over rainf orest saplings. RLS may be an early seral st age of RM T. Tall rainf orest near t he sout h-w est and sout h coast s, dominat ed by eit her Eucryphia lucida or At herosperma moschat um and broad-leaf shrubs is at t ribut ed t o Coast al rainf orest (RCO). M edium t o t all rainf orest as an underst orey t o t aller Eucalypt us species is mixed f orest , and is at t ribut ed t o one of t he w et Eucalypt us f orest communit ies, depending on t he dominant Eucalypt us species. RFA mapping unit TASVEG RM T is equivalent t o RFA M + . 174 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Distribution Vegetation composition and structure Nort h-w est , w est ern and sout hern Tasmania and around t he nort h-east ern highlands. Small relict f orest s near t he east coast . Jarman et al. (1984) ident if ies f ive major st ruct ural rainf orest t ypes of w hich t w o are included in RM T – callidendrous (t all w it h open underst oreys) and t hamnic (medium height w it h shrubby underst orey). Not hof agus cunninghamii is usually t he canopy dominant , but in some sit uat ions in cent ral Tasmania and on t he east coast w here rainf orest is relict , t he dominant may be At herosperma moschat um. Ot her canopy species may include Eucryphia lucida and Acacia melanoxylon. At low t o moderat e alt it udes canopy t rees are generally t aller t han 25 m w it h single st ems and w ell-def ined boles. Bioregional occurrence K, NS, BL, CH, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y is f ound mainly on relat ively f ert ile sit es w it h high moist ure availabilit y. Fert ilit y may ow e more t o accumulat ion of nut rient s over long periods in f ire-prot ect ed sit es t han t o subst rat e composit ion. Small relict pat ches occur on t he east coast in shelt ered valleys or in places w here sea mist s provide yearround moist ure. RM T covers climax communit ies t hat do not require dist urbance f or t heir perpet uat ion. They are adapt ed t o st ochast ic dist urbance event s such as f loods, w ind damage and disease (f or example t he nat ive pat hogen Chalara aust ralis). Ferns represent t he great est species diversit y of vascular plant s. Dicksonia ant arct ica f rom 2–4 m may be t he only mid-st orey species. Epiphyt ic f erns, part icularly species of Hymenophyllum and Grammit is, are f requent on logs and t ree t runks. On less f ert ile sit es, Eucryphia lucida, Acacia melanoxylon, Anodopet alum biglandulosum and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius may be prominent in t he canopy and/or as midst orey saplings, somet imes associat ed w it h t all Richea pandanif olia. The mid-st orey may be sparse and uneven or dense, w it h broad-leaf shrubs, t ypically Anopt erus glandulosus and somet imes also Cenarrhenes nit ida or spindly Telopea t runcat a, or shrubs may be largely f ineleaved species such as species of Trochocarpa, Arist ot elia peduncularis, Pimelea drupacea, Pit t osporum bicolor and Coprosma quadrif ida. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 175 Nothofagus–Atherosperma rainforest (RM T) Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Callidendrous rainf orest C1.1 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um over D. ant arct ica and/or P. prolif erum C1.2 A. moschat um over D. ant arct ica–P. prolif erum–B. w at t sii C2.1 N. cunninghamii (– L. lanigerum) over clear u/s, or w it h T. t runcat a and/or T. lanceolat a C3.1 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um over O. argophylla w it h D. ant arct ica and/or P. prolif erum C3.2 A. moschat um over O. argophylla w it h D. ant arct ica and/or P. prolif erum Thamnic rainf orest T1.1 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. biglandulosum; also occurs in RM S T2.1 N. cunninghamii–Eucryphia lucida over Acradenia f rankliniae; also occurs in RM S T3.1 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. glandulosus; also occurs in RM S T5.1 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um–E. lucida over T. gunnii; also occurs in RM S Int ermediat e rainf orest RAIN–CT1 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um–E. lucida over B. w at t sii–D. ant arct ica RAIN–CT2 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um over A. biglandulosum RAIN–CT5 Not hof agus cunninghamii over Trochocarpa gunnii–Polyst ichum prolif erum RAIN–CT6 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um–E. lucida over clear u/s; also occurs in RKP RAIN–CT7 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. glandulosus–B. w at t sii (– D. ant arct ica); also occurs in RM S RAIN–CT8 A. moschat um over O. argophylla–A. glandulosus w it h P. prolif erum–D. ant arct ica Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 176 D5 Riparian blackw ood/myrt le/dogw ood f orest ; also occurs in NAR D6 Riparian blackw ood rainf orest ; also occurs in NAR & NAF D7 Riparian blackw ood/leat herw ood rainf orest ; also occurs in NAR & NAF From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 7 Rainf orest –Sphagnum mires; also occurs in RM S & RM L Riparian Communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 13 Not hof agus cunninghamii–At herosperma moschat um–Poa labillardierei–Libert ia pulchella–Blechnum nudum closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & RM L 18 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Acacia vert icillat a–Gahnia grandis f erny closed – scrub; also occurs in SRI & RM L Nothofagus–Leptospermum short rainforest (RM L) General description This communit y is rainf orest in w hich 15–50% of t he canopy is mat ure Lept ospermum species. The rainf orest is generally t hamnic and moderat ely f lorist ically diverse, w it h Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Eucryphia species, At herosperma moschat um and Anodopet alum biglandulosum and somet imes Acacia melanoxylon co-dominant w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii. St ephen Harris. The Link Road. Example localities Lyell Highw ay near Nelson Falls; sout h-f acing slopes of West ern Art hurs. Distinguishing features and similar communities The mixed Lept ospermum/Not hof agus cunninghamii canopy is diagnost ic f or RM L. M ost of t he areas mapped as RM L in sout h-w est Tasmania are inaccessible and have not been st udied on t he ground, alt hough t hey appear dist inct on aerial phot ographs. Where RM L can be described, it generally f orms highly diverse short f orest w hich may grade int o Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T), At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) or Eucalypt us nit ida over rainf orest (WNR). It is dist inguished f rom t hese t hree respect ively by t he presence of Lept ospermum species as a codominant , t he absence of A. selaginoides and t he absence of a Eucalypt us canopy. If any At hrot axis selaginoides is present , rainf orest is classif ied as RKP, even if t here is some Lept ospermum species sharing t he canopy. Similarly, regrow t h rich in L. nit idum and immat ure N. cunninghamii but w it h dead A. selaginoides is mapped as Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) rat her t han RM L. Subalpine short rainf orest rich in Lept ospermum is mapped as RM L. If Lept ospermum (ot her t han L. rupest re shrubs) is sparse or absent such short f orest is mapped as Highland low rainf orest and scrub (RSH). RFA mapping unit Some f acies of TASVEG RM L w ould occur in RFA M - or RFA L. Distribution Sout h-w est and w est ern Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 177 Nothofagus–Leptospermum short rainforest (RM L) bet w een but t ongrass scrub and Eucalypt us nit ida over rainf orest (WNR). In most of t hese cases RM L occupies a rat her narrow band bet w een rainf orest and more f ire-prone veget at ion, and it s uneven canopy and high f lorist ic diversit y may result f rom repeat ed but pat chy f ire incursions. Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence W, K, SR, CH. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology RM L occurs on moderat ely shelt ered, f ireprot ect ed, w ell–drained slopes bet w een about 700 m and 900 m in high-rainf all areas. It may occupy ridge crest s surrounded by rainf orest , or f orms across slopes w it h rainf orest or Eucalypt us nit ida over rainf orest (WNR) and Lept ospermum f orest (NLE). It also occurs on t he f lat bot t oms and undulat ing sides of subalpine valleys. At much low er alt it udes (100–400 m) RM L f orms pat ches w it hin RM T in undulat ing count ry inland f rom t he w est coast bet w een M acquarie Harbour and Low Rocky Point . Around t he West Coast Range RM L occurs on volcanics and Precambrian rocks. Where RM L is easily seen (generally on t he w est coast or near Lake Gordon), it can occupy an apparent ecological posit ion bet w een Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a short f orest (NLA) and Not hof agus– At herosperma rainf orest (RM T); bet w een Banksia marginat a w et scrub (SBM ) and At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) or 178 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Commonly RM L f orms a band across t he t op of rainf orest ed slopes w it h prongs running dow n ridge crest s. This communit y is poorly know n in det ail. At it s highest alt it udinal range, it appears t o be a mix of t all L. nit idum and alpine rainf orest (Not hof agus cunninghamii Eucryphia milliganii and Richea pandanif olia). In some places, t his communit y merges w it h At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) and appears t o be of similar age. Int erpret at ion of aerial phot ographs suggest s t hat at low er alt it udes near t he sout hern w est coast RM L consist s of t hamnic rainf orest w it h N. cunninghamii, At herosperma moschat um, Eucryphia lucida and L. nit idum in t he crow n w it h a sparse underst orey. RM L near t he head of t he Weld River is t hamnic/implicat e rainf orest w it h Lept ospermum glaucescens, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and Eucryphia lucida dominant in t he canopy. Subalpine rainf orest on gent le rises nort h of Cradle M ount ain in places consist s of dw arf , many-t runked Not hof agus cunninghamii w it h appreciable Lept ospermum lanigerum (and somet imes a f ew Eucalypt us subcrenulat a) in t he t ight ly closed canopy, and is mapped as RM L. There is minimal ground cover. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Implicat e rainf orest I3.1 L. lanigerum–P. aspleniif olius– N. cunninghamii over A. glandulosus– A. biglandulosum–T. t runcat a Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 7 Rainf orest -Sphagnum mires; also occurs in RM S & RM T Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 1 Lept ospermum nit idum closed-f orest /scrub; also occurs in SSW , NLE & RLS E2 M ont ane myrt le t ea-t ree f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 13 Not hof agus cunninghamii–At herosperma moschat um–Poa labillardierei–Libert ia pulchella–Blechnum nudum closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & RM T 18 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Acacia vert icillat a– Gahnia grandis f erny closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & RM T Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 179 Nothofagus–Phyllocladus short rainforest (RM S) General description Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest (RM S) is t ypically short (8–20 m), of t en implicat e rainf orest veget at ion w it h moderat e t o high f lorist ic diversit y. It has several co-dominant canopy species including Not hof agus cunninghamii, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and Eucryphia lucida. Eucalypt us nit ida is an occasional emergent . It occupies low t o moderat ely f ert ile sit es in w est ern Tasmania. cont ribut ion in cover by Lept ospermum species in RM S. RM S is dist inguished f rom Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) by it s low st at ure (8–20 m), implicat e st ruct ure, higher f lorist ic diversit y, of t en broken canopy and t he diversit y and prominence of shrubs and small t rees in t he underst orey. Coast al rainf orest (RCO) is dist inguished f rom RM S by t he presence of broad-leaf sclerophyll species and proximit y t o t he coast . RFA mapping unit TASVEG RM S is equivalent t o RFA M -. Distribution This f orest is uncommon in t he nort h-east and w idespread in w est ern Tasmania, part icularly in t he nort h-w est , and t he sout hern ranges. Nepelle Temby. Lyell Highw ay. Example locality The Creepy Craw ly Nat ure Trail on t he Scot t s Peak road. Distinguishing features and similar communities RM S is dist inguished f rom most ot her rainf orest communit ies by t he presence of t he Tasmanian endemic species Eucryphia lucida, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and Anodopet alum biglandulosum, and t he absence or low cover of t he conif er genera. RM S rainf orest is dist inguished f rom Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L) as w ell as Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) by t he minor 180 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence K, W, SR, NS, CH, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology RM S occurs on acid peat soils overlying siliceous rocks and f avours nat urally f ire-prot ect ed sit es. This communit y does not require dist urbance f or it s perpet uat ion and is adapt ed t o st ochast ic dist urbance event s such as f loods, w ind damage and disease (f or example, t he nat ive pat hogen, myrt le w ilt ). RM S is a climax f orest ; in many places, it is short and somet imes diverse due t o poor condit ions. Vegetation composition and structure The RM S canopy is usually a mixt ure of Not hof agus cunninghamii, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius and Eucryphia lucida. The canopy height may be up t o 25 m and f orms a closed f orest alt hough it is of t en very broken and uneven. Ot her canopy species may include Acacia mucronat a, Anodopet alum biglandulosum, At herosperma moschat um and Eucryphia milliganii (above 600 m). I4.1 P. aspleniif olius–N. cunninghamii–E. lucida–A. biglandulosum over T. gunnii–T. cunninghamii–P. cerint hoides Thamnic rainf orest T1.1 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. biglandulosum; also occurs in RM T T1.2 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. biglandulosum–R. pandanif olia T2.1 N. cunninghamii–Eucryphia lucida over Acradenia f rankliniae; also occurs in RM T T3.1 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. glandulosus; also occurs in RM T T3.3 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. glandulosus–R. pandanif olia T4.1 N. cunninghamii–E. lucida (– P. aspleniif olius) over Archeria eriocarpa/A. hirt ella T5.1 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um–E. lucida over T. gunnii; also occurs in RM T T6.1 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Phyllocladus aspleniif olius over Trochocarpa cunninghamii T7.1 P. aspleniif olius–N. cunninghamii (– E. lucida) over D. t asmanica –T. cunninghamii–B. w at t sii T8.1 N. cunninghamii–P. aspleniif olius–E. lucida over C. nit ida Alpine veget at ion The underst orey is usually a t angled layer including Anodopet alum biglandulosum, Anopt erus glandulosus and Orit es diversif olia, Telopea t runcat a, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Lomat ia polymorpha, Pit t osporum bicolor, Olearia persoonioides, Pimelea drupacea and Coprosma nit ida. Epacridaceae present include, Lept ecophylla species, M onot oca species, Trochocarpa species and Archeria species. Epacris het eronema and Prionot es cerint hoides. Richea milliganii and Richea pandanif olia are somet imes present at mid- t o higher-alt it udes. Epiphyt ic f erns are prominent . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit 38 Not hof agus cunninghamii–Prionot es cerint hoides heat h; also occurs in HHW, RSH & SSW Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 7 Rainf orest –Sphagnum mires; also occurs in RM T & RM L Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Int ermediat e rainf orest RAIN–CT3 P. aspleniif olius (– N. cunninghamii) over clear u/s RAIN–CT4 Phyllocladus aspleniif olius over scat t ered Prot eaceae RAIN–CT7 N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um (– P. aspleniif olius) over A. glandulosus–B. w at t sii (– D. ant arct ica) Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) Implicat e rainf orest I1.1 P. aspleniif olius–N. cunninghamii–M yrt aceae spp. over a diverse t angle w it h A. odorat a 19 Not hof agus–Eucryphia–Phyllocladus– Trochocarpa–Libert ia shrubby closed–f orest ; also occurs in SRI Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 181 Nothofagus gunnii rainforest and scrub (RFS) General description Subalpine Not hof agus gunnii open or closed canopy rainf orest and scrub may be dense and cont inuous or f orm mosaics w it h alpine heat hlands and sedgeland. In t he cent ral highlands and Cradle M ount ain–Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park. t here may be f ew ot her species apart f rom sparsely scat t ered emergent At hrot axis cupressoides and/or A. selaginoides. In t he w est , RFS generally has an uneven canopy and is f lorist ically diverse. Subalpine N. gunnii or Diselma archeri scrubs occur on part s of t he M ount Read Plat eau,w hile a subalpine f acies nort h-east of M ount Bobs lacks D. archeri but has “ st umps” of Dracophyllum milliganii. Example localities King William Range near Slat t ers Peak; Dundas Plat eau. Distinguishing features and similar communities Only t hree communit ies cont ain Not hof agus gunnii. On w est coast mount ains RFS of t en grades int o At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF). RKF is t aller and denser t han RFS and generally lacks sedgy openings. On some of t he dolerit e mount ains N. gunnii w it h appreciable emergent At hrot axis cupressoides (+/- some A. selaginoides and somet imes sparse Eucalypt us coccif era) is mapped as At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF). It is dist inguished f rom RFS, w hich in t he same areas is generally nearly pure N. gunnii in dense st ands up t o 3 m high. RFS occurs mainly bet w een about 900 m and 1 200 m. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. St ephen Harris. Lake Dove. Distribution M ount ains and ranges in w est ern Tasmania, sout h of Cradle M ount ain. 182 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Trochocarpa gunnii and moorland monocot yledonous species. Scrubs t hat have apparent ly remained unburnt f or a very long t ime surround t he peak of M ount Dundas on a plat eau underlain by mudst ones, and are also f ound on t he sout hern side of t he M ount Read Plat eau. A f lorist ically diverse f acies of RFS cont aining a very high number of Tasmanian endemic species occurs on M ount Read. Openings are an import ant part of t he communit y w it h variable amount s of Empodisma minus, Xyris species, Gleichenia alpina, Sprengelia mont ana, Ast elia alpina, Oreobolus pumilio, Carpha alpina, herbs and moss. Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit CH, SR, W. Alpine veget at ion 34 Not hof agus gunnii–Richea scoparia deciduous heat h; also occurs in HCH 36 Not hof agus gunnii–Orit es milliganii deciduous heat h; also occurs in HCH 40 Not hof agus gunnii–Exocarpos humif usus deciduous heat h; also occurs in HCH Site characteristics, habitat and ecology RFS occurs in subalpine and alpine sit uat ions on all subst rat es, including st able screes w here f ire has been long absent . The more diverse f acies of RFS are usually f ound on siliceous subst rat es. Vegetation composition and structure M ont ane rainf orest M 1.1 At hrot axis cupressoides/A. selaginoides over Not hof agus gunnii–Richea pandanif olia; also occurs in RKS & RPF In t he cent ral highlands, part icularly on sloping dolerit e scree f ields, RFS is generally dominat ed by dense, closed canopy N. gunnii w it h possibly a f ew emergent At hrot axis cupressoides and/or A. selaginoides. There may be ot her alpine heat h species present . On gent ler t errains w here some peat soils have developed t here may be a mosaic of nearly pure N. gunnii st ands and sedgelands or sedgy heat hlands. On siliceous subst rat es in t he w est , RFS is generally open and more diverse, w it h N. gunnii and Diselma archeri plus some Orit es milliganii and somet imes a f ew dw arf A. selaginoides. Persoonia gunnii is usual and underneat h t here may be Ast elia alpina, Anemone crassif olia, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 183 Rainforest fernland (RFE) General description This communit y consist s of dense Dicksonia ant arct ica cover occupying broad gullies, w here t rees are locally absent , amidst rainf orest . The mapping unit has also been used f or dist urbance w indow s or zones marginal t o rainf orest w here Hist iopt eris incisa may dominat e. Example locality Gully below Keoghs Lookout on t he Arve River Road. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inct ive as it is t he only one dominat ed by Dicksonia ant arct ica or Hist iopt eris incisa in associat ion w it h ot her rainf orest species. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Small pat ches are likely t o have been mapped in RFA M - and M + . Distribution St ephen Harris. Keoghs Lookout . Widespread, part icularly in t he nort h-w est rainf orest s. Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, K, W, BL. 184 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This mapping unit f requent ly occurs in st eep gullies, part icularly w here a t ree cover has not been maint ained because of shallow soils or st eep slopes. The communit y is maint ained by a combinat ion of sit e f act ors t hat f avour t he f erns over t ree development . For Hist iopt eris incisa, t hese may be local dist urbance f act ors such as w ind t hrow or spot f ire, and t he dist urbance communit y is t ransit ional. Vegetation composition and structure Dicksonia ant arct ica may f orm a unif orm canopy in t he best examples, w hich are visible f rom t he air in t he Savage River rainf orest s. Rainf orest species may be present in t he underst orey; indeed rainf orest t rees f requent ly germinat e on t he t ree f ern st ems. In t he Hist iopt eris incisa communit ies, t he canopy may be low but somet imes t ree seedlings and w ind-t hrow n t rees may be present . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No equivalent f lorist ic communit ies have been ident if ied f or t his mapping unit Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 185 Other natural environments Community name Community code Lichen lit hosere ORO Sand, mud OSM Wat er, sea OAQ Ref erences and f urt her reading KANTVILAS, G.(1995) Alpine lichens of Tasmania’s sout hw est w ilderness. Lichenologist . 27, 433–449. KANTVILAS, G. (2000) Conservat ion of Tasmanian lichens. Forest Snow Landscape Research. 75: 3, 357–367. Lichen lit hosere (ORO), Sand, mud (OSM ), and Wat er, sea (OAQ) are t he mapping unit s in t his group. Lichen lit hosere (ORO) is import ant f or undist urbed crypt ogamic communit ies, such as on blockst reams, cliff s, t alus and scree slopes and exposed bedrock on mount ain t ops and ridges. Sand, mud (OSM ) is bare of veget at ion, has been used f or mapping beaches, sand dune syst ems, and mobile sand sheet s such as t hose at Wat erhouse in nort h-east Tasmania or at Sandy Cape on t he w est coast . Wat er, sea (OAQ) has been used t o designat e areas of sea, art if icial impoundment s such as Lake Gordon, Lake Saint Clair and Lake Pedder, as w ell as deep w at er in nat ural lakes. How ever, shallow w at ers in nat ural lagoons and w et lands are assigned t o Salt marsh and w et land communit ies. General management issues There has been lit t le bot anical explorat ion of t he crypt ogamic f lora in t he Lichen lit hosere (ORO) mapping unit , except on some mount ain t ops in sout h-w est ern Tasmania. Any quarrying, removal of surf ace boulders and ot her dist urbances of t he surf ace layer of rocks needs t o be preceded by a reconnaissance of t he microf lora and considerat ion of conservat ion measures. Slope grooming f or ski f ield development has impact ed on lichen f ields (Kant vilas 1995, 2000). 186 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation RUDM AN, T. (2003) Tasmanian beach w eed st rat egy f or marram grass, sea spurge, sea w heat grass, pyp grass and beach daisy. Nat ure conservat ion report 03/2. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . PINKARD, G.J. (1980) Land syst ems of Tasmania region 4. Tasmanian Depart ment of Agricult ure, Hobart . RICHLEY, L.R. (1978) Land syst ems of Tasmania region 3. Tasmanian Depart ment of Agricult ure, Hobart . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPM ENT A DVISORY COUNCIL (1996) St at e of t he Environment Tasmania, volume 1. Condit ions and Trends. Compiled by t he St at e of t he Environment Unit , Land Inf ormat ion Services, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement , Tasmania. Key to Other natural environments Page 1 Area comprising w at er in art if icial impoundment s, lakes or inlet s of t he sea (see also Salt marsh and w et land) Water, sea (OAQ) 192 1 Areas of sand, mudf lat s and nat ural rocky areas 2 Areas of exposed bedrock, eit her in sit u or as det ached blocks and boulders, mount ain t ops Lichen lithosere (ORO) 188 2 Areas of bare sand (usually coast al mobile sand dunes and sand sheet s) or t idal mudf lat s Sand, mud (OSM ) Chapter 4 190 The Vegetation Descriptions 187 Lichen lithosere (ORO) General description These areas may appear as blockf ields, scree slopes, cliff s and slabs largely devoid of vascular plant s, except occasionally bet w een boulders and in crevices. The rock t ypes underlying t his communit y are mainly quart zit e in w est ern Tasmania, dolerit e in cent ral and east ern Tasmania, and granit e in nort h-east ern Tasmania. M ost of ORO has somet imes-diverse crypt ogamic crust . Lichens are t he most prevalent lif e f orms, but in w et t er areas mosses become more signif icant and can become dominant . Example locality M ount St rzelecki, Flinders Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities The cover of vascular plant s is less t han 5% f or areas mapped in t his communit y. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Throughout Tasmania. St ephen Harris. Lit t le Dog Island. Bioregional occurrence All bioregions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Large areas of Lichen lit hosere occur on granit e slabs, t ors and boulder f ields in east ern Tasmania f rom Freycinet Peninsula t o t he Furneaux Group. The ext ensive areas of Lichen lit hoseres in 188 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation east ern and cent ral Tasmania, occur on dolerit e, w hich provides t he most f ert ile subst rat e. The met a-sediment s of w est ern Tasmania, t he most inf ert ile of t he lit hosere subst rat es, are exposed as cliff s and mount ain t ops. A crypt ogamic crust covers t he apparent ly bare rock, w it h vascular plant s conf ined t o crevices and depressions in t he granit e. Vegetation composition and structure By f ar t he most diverse and w idespread plant groups in t his mapping unit are crypt ogams. Exposed rock surf aces t end t o be very ext ensively colonised by lichens. Crust ose and t hallose lichens are part icularly prevalent , of t en f orming a surf ace cover w ell over 50% . Covers of up t o 100% are not unusual. Crust ose lichens are usually t he dominant lif e f orm, but unf ort unat ely, t heir t axonomy is relat ively poorly document ed. Some species are conspicuous and bright ly coloured, e.g. t he speckled green of Rhizocarpon geographicum on inland and especially highland rocks, or t he vivid orange of Caloplaca spp. on coast al rocks. How ever, by f ar t he most diverse are t he inconspicuous species, of t en discernible only w it h a hand lens, include Porpidia, Lecidea, Buellia and Rhizocarpon as t ypical genera The occurrence of macrolichens is more sporadic. On granit es, large numbers of species of t he f amily Parmeliaceae are f requent ly represent ed, especially t he genera Xant hoparmelia and Neof uscelia (f oliose green or olive-brow n lichens). In alpine areas, macrolichens of t en grow only on t he apices of large boulders w here birds perch and f ire prot ect ion is great er. Usnea t orulosa, Parmelia signif era and Umbilicaria spp. are t ypical lichens. met amorphics t end t o have t he poorest f lora, w hereas dolerit e t ends t o support t he richest . M osses are also import ant in damp areas and can be t he dominant lif e f orm on shaded slopes in high rainf all areas, w here f ree-living algae and cyanobact eria species may also occur. On granit e and granodiorit e, Gahnia microst achya and Lepidosperma elat ius may colonise bare siliceous gravel bet w een boulders. Soakage areas, gnamma pit s and runnels (all undet ect able on aerial phot os) have a diverse and specialised f lora of small vascular and nonvascular plant s. In Freycinet Nat ional Park, scat t ered t rees of Eucalypt us t enuiramis, Callit ris rhomboidea, Hakea lissosperma and E. amygdalina may grow bet w een boulders or in deep f issures, but t heir canopy may be conf ined by rock and t heref ore be less visible in aerial phot ographs. On t he quart zit e mount ains in w est ern Tasmania, t he vascular f lora is limit ed t o prot ect ed areas in t he lee of boulders and in deep crevices w here t here is less exposure. Similarly, on t he dolerit e mount ains some vascular f lora may be present in f issures, under boulders and in prot ect ed areas. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic assessment has been undert aken of t hese environment s. Soil-f illed crevices in rocky places are also usually ext ensively colonised, mainly by genera t hat also occur on soil in heat hland or ot her open veget at ion, such as Siphula, Cladonia and Cladia. Signif icant f lorist ic diff erences bet w een t he major rock t ypes can be discerned. Precambrian Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 189 Sand, mud (OSM ) General description These are non-veget at ed areas of ground consist ing of sand or mud. The mapping unit includes beaches, dune blow out s, sand sheet s and areas next t o salt marsh and est uarine mud f lat s. Example localities Sand – Hent y Dunes; mudf lat s – Port Sorell est uary. Distinguishing features and similar communities This mapping unit is dist inct ive because of t he absence of veget at ion on t he low land, f inet ext ured, unconsolidat ed subst rat es. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Grant Dixon. Birt hday Bay, sout h of M acquarie Harbour. Predominant ly around coast s and est uaries, especially on t he nort h-east and nort h-w est coast s. Bioregional occurrence All coast al regions. 190 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Areas included in t his cat egory are subject t o marine or riparian dist urbance t hrough w ind, t ides or f loodw at ers. Sand beaches and sand sheet s may be colonised by advent ive species t hat may begin a succession t o ot her veget at ion communit ies such as scrub, grassland or herbf ield. Vagrant or ephemeral, of t en w eedy, species somet imes sparsely occupy beaches. These include Cakile species, Senecio vulgaris and Euphorbia paralias. Some est uarine mud f lat s have been invaded by t he aggressive exot ic Spart ina anglica, but no nat ive plant species are know n t o colonise est uarine mud f lat s, except on t he edges w here changing environment al condit ions may lead t o expansion of adjacent veget at ion. Vegetation composition and structure Where veget at ion does occur, it is so sparse t hat it is not det ect able on aerial phot ographs. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This does not support nat ive f lorist ic communit ies Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 191 Water, sea (OAQ) General description These are areas of f resh or saline w at er w here t here are no emergent aquat ic plant s. The only vascular plant communit ies may be marine seagrass beds, w hich have not been mapped separat ely f rom OAQ. Example locality Lake Gordon. Distinguishing features and similar communities Permanent st anding w at er, rat her t han vascular species, dist inguishes t his mapping unit . All areas of open sea are included in t his unit , including areas veget at ed by macrophyt ic algae and seagrasses. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Throughout t he St at e. Nepelle Temby. Hobart Reservoir, Ridgew ay. 192 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence All regions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Est uarine embayment s and deep impoundment s are included in t his mapping unit . Vascular f lora may be present , but is not used t o charact erise t his mapping unit . Vegetation composition and structure In f reshw at er areas, t he veget at ion is predominant ly plankt onic. Plankt onic communit ies at some sit es comprise unique assemblages of species. In marine areas, plankt onic veget at ion is also signif icant , and marine macroalgae or seagrass communit ies may also be present . Descript ions of t hese highly diverse communit ies are beyond t he scope of t his guide. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit The scient if ic lit erat ure on marine, subt idal and deep f reshw at er ecosyst ems should be consult ed f or f urt her inf ormat ion. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 193 Agricultural, urban and exotic vegetation Community name Community code Agricult ural land FAG Ext ra-urban miscellaneous FUM M arram grassland FM G Permanent easement FPE Plant at ions f or silvicult ure FPL Pt eridium esculent um f ernland FPF Regenerat ing cleared land FRG Spart ina marshland FSM Urban areas FUR Weed inf est at ion FWU This group is mainly non-nat ive veget at ion, but includes Pt eridium esculent um f ernland (FPF) w hich is dominat ed by t he nat ive bracken f ern, and Permanent Easement s (FPE), w hich may be occupied by nat ive veget at ion. The obviously agricult ural landscapes are mapped as FAG w here t here are crops, past ure or orchards. Where past ure or agricult ural land has been allow ed t o regenerat e, it may be t yped as FRG if it is regenerat ing t o scrub or shrubland, or as FPF if past ure or dist urbed nat ive veget at ion is regenerat ing t o bracken. In t he rural or periurban landscape t here may be exot ic invasions t hat are recognisable enough t o be mapped (FWU). These mainly comprise w illow or gorse; less f requent ly blackberry and t hist le. There are t w o separat ely mapped w eed species: Spart ina anglica (FSM ), w hich occurs as dist inct ive dense inf est at ions in some est uaries, and M arram grassland (FM G). These are included here because t hey are exot ics, t he f ormer originally plant ed t o t rap sediment s in navigable w at erw ays and t he lat t er t o st abilise mobile dunes. Where urban areas are densely set t led and t he landscape has pat chy exot ic veget at ion such as in a cit y or suburb, t he classif icat ion is FUR. Where set t lement is sparser, as in rural set t lement s, such areas are classif ied as FUM . Exot ic or nat ive t ree plant at ions (ot her t han orchards) are t yped as FPL. This unit does not 194 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation include nat ive regenerat ing silvicult urally t reat ed f orest , but is applied t o areas cult ivat ed and plant ed w it h exot ic or nat ive t rees. General management issues There are no general management issues f or t his cat egory, as t he t ypes included are diverse, largely unrelat ed and managed f or diverse purposes. Some specif ic issues relat e t o part icular species. Ammophila arenaria (M arram grass) is considered an environment al w eed and invasions are a t hreat t o nat ive f lora and f auna values. Weeds in t hese mapping unit s may t hreat en surrounding nat ive veget at ion. Pinus radiat a seedlings on t he edges of plant at ions may also become est ablished in adjacent nat ive veget at ion and pose a compet it ive t hreat t o nat ive f lora. Int rogression of genes int o Eucalypt us ovat a and E. viminalis, w here t hey are adjacent t o E. nit ens plant at ions (Barbour et al. 2002), may also be a pot ent ial problem f or t he condit ion of adjacent nat ive veget at ion. Ref erences and f urt her reading Agricult ural and Resource Council of Aust ralia and New Zealand, Aust ralian and New Zealand Environment and Conservat ion Council, and Forest ry M inist ers (2003) Weeds of Nat ional Signif icance Salvinia (Salvinia molest a) St rat egic Plan. Nat ional Weed St rat egy Execut ive Commit t ee, Launcest on. A SKEY-DORAN, M .J. (1993) Riparian Veget at ion in t he M idlands and East ern Tasmania. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Hobart , Tasmania. BARBOUR, R.C., POTTS, B.M ., VAILLANCOURT, R.E., TIBBITS, W.N. & W ILTSHIRE, R.J.E. (2002) Gene f low bet w een int roduced and nat ive Eucalypt us species. New Forest s. 23, 177–191. BLOOD, K. (2001) Environment al Weeds: a f ield guide f or SE Aust ralia. CH Jerrum & Associat es – Science Publishers, M t Waverley. PRIVATE FORESTS TASM ANIA (1999) The Farm Forest ry Toolbox, Version 1. Privat e Forest s Tasmania, Hobart . ENERGY REGULATOR (2004) Code of Pract ice Dist ribut ion Pow erline Veget at ion M anagement . Tasmanian Government . RITCHLEY, L.R., PINKARD, G.J., PEM BERTON, M . & DAVIES, J. (1978-89) Land Syst ems of Tasmania, Regions 1–7. Depart ment of Agricult ure, Tasmania. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005) Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. FORESTRY TASM ANIA (2004) St at e of t he Forest s Report . Forest ry Tasmania, Hobart . HARRIS, S., BUCHANAN, A. & CONNOLLY, A. (2001) One Hundred Islands: The Flora of t he Out er Furneaux. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . HEDGE, P. & KRIWOKEN, L.K. (2000) Evidence f or eff ect s of Spart ina anglica invasion on bent hic macrof auna in Lit t le Sw anport Est uary, Tasmania. Aust ral Ecology. 25, 150–159. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1995) The conservat ion of Tasmanian dry coast al vascular plant communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/1. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . KITCHENER A.E. & HARRIS, S. (1998) The Veget at ion M anagement St rat egy f or Tasmania: Guidelines f or Det ermining Bushcare Priorit ies w it hin a Proposed New Set of Int erim Biogeographic Regions. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . KRIWOKEN, L.K. & HEDGE, P. (2000) Exot ic species and est uaries: managing Spart ina anglica in Tasmania, Aust ralia. Ocean and Coast al M anagement . 43, 573–584. LAFFAN, M .D. (2000) A rapid f ield met hod f or assessing sit e suit abilit y f or plant at ions in Tasmania’s St at e f orest . Tasf orest s. 12, 83–104. POTTS, B.M ., BARBOUR, R.C., HINGSTON, A.B. & VAILLANCOURT, R.E. (2003) Turner Review No. 6. Genet ic pollut ion of nat ive eucalypt gene pools – ident if ying t he risks. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 51, 1–25. PRINGLE, A.W. (1993) Spart ina anglica colonisat ion and physical eff ect s in t he Tamar Est uary, Tasmania 1971–91. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 127, 1–10. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 195 Agricultural, urban and exotic vegetation Key to Agricultural, urban and exotic vegetation Page 1 Urban, peri-urban, inf rast ruct ure easement s or set t led areas 2 Inf rast ruct ure easement s, such as pow er t ransmission lines, across nat ive or exot ic veget at ion Permanent easements (FPE) 202 Urban areas (FUR) 210 2 Densely set t led urban areas 2 Sparsely set t led rural areas and large complexes of buildings (ot her t han cit ies); Ext ra-urban unveget at ed areas due t o miscellaneous human act ivit ies Extra-urban M iscellaneous (FUM ) 200 Plantations for silviculture (FPL) 203 Agricultural land (FAG) 198 1 Tree plant at ions – nat ive or exot ic t rees 1 Rural land in act ive product ion w it h crops, orchards, past ure 1 Rural land f ormerly cleared but regenerat ing t o nat ive species (> 50% nat ives) in scrub, bracken, shrubland or rushland (w here > 50% Poa spp., see Nat ive grasslands) 2 Cleared or dist urbed rural land regenerat ing t o dense bracken f ern-f ield Pteridium esculentum fernland (FPF) 205 Regenerating cleared land (FRG) 207 2 Cleared rural land regenerat ing t o scrub or shrubland 1 Ot her dominat ed by w eeds 2 Inf est at ions of w eed grasses on est uarine mudf lat s or beaches and dune syst ems 3 Dense grassy sw ards (not Phragmit es aust ralis) on est uarine mudf lat s in t he east and nort h of t he St at e Spartina marshland (FSM ) 209 3 Sparse t o dense cover of Ammophila arenaria on coast al sands M arram grassland (FM G) 201 2 Dense w eed inf est at ions of any w eeds, including blackberries, gorse, w illow and t hist les (excluding plant ings in parks and gardens w it hin FUR), w eed grasses on est uarine mudf lat s or beaches and dune syst ems Weed infestation (FWU) 196 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 212 A let t uce crop near Richmond in t he f ert ile Coal Valley w ould be mapped as Agricult ural land (FAG). The grassland seen f urt her up t he valley w ould also be included in t his unit , except w here it is dominat ed by nat ive species such as Poa or Themeda (e.g. on t he hill slopes). The f arm houses and buildings w ould be mapped as Ext ra-urban miscellaneous (FUM ). Phot ographer: Nepelle Temby. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 197 Agricultural land (FAG) General description Tasmania’s improved past ures support sheep and cat t le grazing; t he best examples cont ain exot ic t emperat e grass mixes and clovers. Croplands are diverse and range f rom common t emperat e veget ables and orchard f ruit s t hrough t o crops such as Tanacet um cinerariif olium (Pyret hrum) and Papaver somnif erum (Opium poppy). Example locality Past ures and croplands bet w een Deloraine and Devonport . Distinguishing features and similar communities This mapping unit includes exot ic grasslands, orchards and vineyards. It does not include silvicult ural plant ings of exot ic t rees such as Pinus radiat a, w hich are mapped as plant at ion (FPL). If t he proport ion of nat ive species exceeds 25% , t he communit y is classif ied as regenerat ing cleared land (FRG). Discernible pat ches of w eeds such as Ulex europaeus, Rubus f rut icosus, Cirsium vulgare and Salix f ragilis are mapped as FWU. Large pat ches of Pt eridium esculent um are mapped as FPF. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. St ephen Harris. West of Devonport . Distribution Dist ribut ion is predominant ly in t he midlands, sout h-east , east coast low land st rip, a belt across nort hern Tasmania and on Flinders and King Islands. 198 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence All bioregions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This mapping unit occurs in agricult ural areas over a range of geology t ypes and alt it udes, but most commonly on f ert ile low land dolerit e and basalt soils. Vegetation composition and structure Numerous exot ic past ure and crop species occur, w it h possible minor occurrences of nat ive species such as grasses in t he genera Aust rodant honia and Aust rost ipa. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 199 Extra-urban miscellaneous (FUM ) General description Ext ra-urban miscellaneous (FUM ) represent s unveget at ed areas t hat originat ed as a result of miscellaneous human act ivit ies. Such areas include open cut mines, dam development s, some t imber loading bays in f orest ry areas, and quarries. St ephen Harris. Edit h Creek. Distribution The mapping unit is f ound t hroughout t he St at e. Bioregional occurrence All regions. Example locality Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Great Lake dam w all. Highly variable, but of t en associat ed w it h dammed rivers or large mineral or gravel deposit s. Some exot ic advent ive species such as Hypochoeris radicat a, Cot ula aust ralis, Brassica rapa or Sisymbrium off icinale usually occur. Distinguishing features and similar communities The presence of human-induced unveget at ed areas and t he absence of numbers of buildings (mapped as FUR) dist inguish t his mapping unit . It diff ers f rom permanent easement s (FPE) in not being associat ed w it h linear f eat ures such as highw ays, railw ays and pow erlines. Vegetation composition and structure The predominant absence of veget at ion is a diagnost ic f eat ure of t he mapping unit , but very sparse advent ive herbs and grasses may be present . RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies 200 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M arram grassland (FM G) General description Coast al grassland communit ies dominat ed by int roduced Ammophila arenaria. NOT YET M A PPED M ike Pembert on. King Island. Bioregional occurrence All coast al bioregions. Example locality Seven M ile Beach Prot ect ed Area. Distinguishing features and similar communities All coast al grassland communit ies w here Ammophila arenaria is dominant , i.e. > 50% cover. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Ammophila arenaria f orms dense hummocks on sand dunes. It is an eff icient sand binder and, hist orically, w as w idely plant ed t o st abilise sand dunes. Ammophila arenaria is an invasive species and displaces nat ive grasses such as Spinif ex sericeus and associat ed species. Ammophila arenaria grasslands can also change t he shape of dunes. Vegetation composition and structure RFA mapping unit Ammophila communit ies are species-poor. Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Ammophila arenaria grassland occurs w idely in coast al areas around Tasmania and on Bass St rait islands. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies. This communit y has not yet been separat ely mapped. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 201 Permanent easements (FPE) General description This mapping unit represent s permanent easement s result ing f rom regular dist urbance (e.g. slashing) f or hydro-elect ric, t elecommunicat ions, railw ay inf rast ruct ure and large highw ays such as Hobart ’s Sout hern Out let . Any veget at ion communit y present should be inf erred f rom surrounding polygons. This mapping unit covers areas of light t o heavy dist urbance (and correspondingly variable condit ion). Distribution FPE is f ound t hroughout t he St at e, but especially connect ing elect ricit y generat ion, urban and indust rial inf rast ruct ure. Bioregional occurrence All regions. Karen Ziegler. Low er Longley. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology These easement s t raverse most t ypes of habit at s, so charact erist ics are highly variable. Example locality Vinces Saddle, Low er Longley. Vegetation composition and structure Distinguishing features and similar communities The mapping unit is dist inguished by linear, sharp boundaries w it h adjacent mapping unit s, t he presence of access roads and t he f requent presence of pylons and lines. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. 202 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation FPE is art if icially maint ained as low veget at ion. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This mapping unit charact erist ically support s a modif ied f orm of t he adjacent veget at ion w it h upper canopies regenerat ing or absent . Plantations for silviculture (FPL) General description This cat egory includes commercial t ree f arms on a variet y of land t enures and large rest orat ion plant ings. The common commercial species used in Tasmania are Eucalypt us nit ens above 600 m alt it ude, Pinus radiat a, and E. globulus below 600 m. The minor plant at ions of ot her species are insignif icant at t he St at e level. Example locality The Sideling Range, near Scot t sdale. Distinguishing features and similar communities This mapping unit is dist inguished by monocult ures of commercial t ree species, predominant ly Pinus radiat a, Eucalypt us nit ens and E. globulus. It is f urt her charact erised by row s and by sharp boundaries w it h adjacent communit ies. It does not include orchards or w ind-breaks, w hich are mapped as Agricult ural land (FAG). FPL is dist inguished f rom nat ive f orest silvicult ural regenerat ion by t he t rees being in row s on cult ivat ed ground. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA nat ive f orest mapping. Forest ry Tasmania. Inglis plant at ion, nort h-w est f orest s. Distribution The mapping communit y is w idespread t hroughout t he St at e, alt hough minor in t he Nort hern M idlands and in t he sout h-w est . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 203 Plantations for silviculture (FPL) Bioregional occurrence All bioregions, except CH. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology FPL may be f ound anyw here suit able f or grow ing t rees commercially. Commercial t ree plant at ions are generally below 600 m alt it ude, but may be f ound as high as 900 m (e.g. Eucalypt us nit ens) across a range of subst rat es. Fert ile sit es have been pref erred f or plant at ions, except in some localit ies like t he sandy count ry nort h of St rahan and at Seven M ile Beach. Vegetation composition and structure M any plant at ions have been est ablished over f armland, in w hich case t he underst orey comprises exot ic grasses and nat ive species such as Pt eridium esculent um. Plant at ions est ablished over clear-f elled and burned nat ive f orest have nat ive underst orey species regenerat ing in areas accessible t o light . The underst orey of Pinus radiat a plant at ions has f ew plant species. There is normally a dense ground cover of lit t er. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies. 204 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Pteridium esculentum fernland (FPF) General description Example locality A f ernf ield dominat ed by t he st rongly rhizomat ous bracken, Pt eridium esculent um, on w ell–drained soils. The height is usually bet w een 30 and 60 cm. There may be ot her grasses and herbs associat ed w it h t he bracken. Rhyndast on area. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is dist inct ive because it is dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um. Small areas of Polyst ichum prolif erum or Hist iopt eris incisa/Hypolepis species f ernlands may be f ound in recent ly cleared or dist urbed rainf orest and w et eucalypt f orest , but t hese do not persist f or long. The dominant s in t he f ernlands appear f rom a dist ance as a sof t er and much light er green t han t he bracken-dominat ed f ernf ields. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. St ephen Harris. Seal Rocks St at e Reserve. Distribution Widespread t hroughout t he St at e, usually marginal t o f arming areas. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 205 Pteridium esculentum fernland (FPF) Bioregional occurrence All bioregions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Pt eridium esculent um commonly invades unimproved cleared land or degraded past ure and may dominat e w here t here have been f requent f ires. This communit y occurs on w ell–drained sit es over a w ide range of rock t ypes and alt it udes. Vegetation composition and structure A communit y dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um is t reeless or may have a sparse eucalypt canopy of less t han 5% crow n densit y. It can be f ound around edges of heat hy f orest and open w oodland w here it may dominat e as an underst orey species (part ly due t o high f ire f requency). Pt eridium esculent um may also dominat e and replace heat hland and shrubland communit ies on coast al dunes subject t o very high f ire-f requencies. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This eit her support s t he degraded f orm of a nat ive communit y or is predominant ly nonnat ive past ure invaded by bracken. 206 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Regenerating cleared land (FRG) General description This cat egory is used t o map areas of cleared land dominat ed by exot ic past ure w here t here has been signif icant recolonisat ion by nat ive species. Example locality Gunns Plains f oot hills. Distinguishing features and similar communities FRG is dist inguished by advent ive nat ive species recolonising f ormer exot ic past ure. The persist ence of some remnant past ure w it h t ypically advent ive shrubs and ot her seedlings and young progeny f rom adjacent nat ive veget at ion dist inguishes t his communit y f rom grassy bush w it h an underst orey dominat ed by nat ive grass species, and w it h a small t ree layer of Bursaria spinosa, Acacia species and/or Dodonaea viscosa). Where t he exot ic species component is more t han 75% cover t he communit y is mapped as FAG. Nepelle Temby. Sandf ly. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The communit y is f ound t hroughout t he St at e. It is generally marginal t o FAG, but is commonly sit uat ed on st eeper slopes. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 207 Regenerating cleared land (FRG) Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is charact erised by invasion of nat ive species including graminoid species such as Lomandra longif olia, Isolepis nodosa and Juncus species. This cat egory may include insignif icant amount s of Aust rodant honia or Aust rost ipa species, and includes small nat ive shrubs during lat er colonisat ion. In t he nort hw est of t he St at e, t he recolonising species may include scat t ered shrubs of Tasmannia lanceolat a, Senecio linearif olius and Cassinia aculeat a. Bioregional occurrence Improved past ure is of t en recolonised by rushes and sedges w here drainage is impeded such as along drainage f lat s. Charact erist ic species can include Juncus sarophorus, J. aust ralis, J. amabilis, Carex iynx and Gahnia grandis. All bioregions. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Reversion t o nat ive species is a process evident on marginal agricult ural land, especially st eeper areas t hat are poorly served by f arm t racks and are sparsely f enced. The communit y occurs over a range of geology t ypes and alt it udes. 208 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This eit her support s t he degraded f orm of a nat ive communit y or is predominant ly non nat ive past ure colonised by select nat ive species. Spartina marshland (FSM ) General description veget at ion communit y occupies t idal mudf lat s w here t he salinit y level is not t oo high. This veget at ion communit y is dominat ed by t he int roduced Spart ina anglica, w hich generally f orms a dense sw ard up t o 50 cm high. Dense monocult ures of Spart ina anglica have no associat ed plant species. Bioregional occurrence DPIWE. Rubicon Est uary, Port Sorell. K, NS, F, SE. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Example locality Rubicon Est uary, Port Sorell. Distinguishing features and similar communities FSM is dist inguished f rom nat ive graminoid salt marsh by it s invasion of est uarine mudf lat s t hat are not t oo saline f or it t o grow. The species colonises bare mud, but has t he pot ent ial t o subst ant ially change t he est uarine ecology, hydrology and dynamics. The species does not appear t o displace nat ive plant species. Spart ina anglica can int ergrade w it h Freshw at er aquat ic sedgeland (ASF), or more commonly w it h Saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS). Vegetation composition and structure RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Spart ina anglica f orms a dense, mono-specif ic sw ard up t o 50 cm high w it h 100% ground cover in older st ands. Distribution Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Spart ina anglica dominat es some est uarine areas, part icularly on t he Tamar River, Port Sorell, Duck Bay and Lit t le Sw anport . This This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 209 Urban areas (FUR) General description Urban areas (FUR) include urban and suburban landscapes as w ell as larger complexes of buildings, such as clust ers of f arm sheds. These areas are largely or w holly devoid of nat ive vegetation apart from areas with suburban gardens, street trees and city parks. However, exotic garden escapees or ubiquitous adventive species quite often occur in some areas as scattered plants that have colonised available niches. Example locality Launcest on CBD. Distinguishing features and similar communities Dense inf rast ruct ure and buildings, usually in a geomet ric layout , dist inguish t his mapping unit . Veget at ion is conf ined t o gardens and law ns represent ing common hort icult ural f lora. Ubiquit ous species colonise st one w alls (e.g. Cat apodium rigidum) and cracks in pat hw ays, road edges and even roof gut t ers (e.g. Hypochoeris radicat a, Plant ago coronopus). RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The mapping unit is f ound t hroughout t he St at e w herever t here are cent res of human habit at ion. St ephen Harris. East Burnie. 210 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence All regions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Urban areas are of t en sit ed on est uaries, coast s and f ert ile f arming regions. They include large mining and ot her indust rial inf rast ruct ure in t he w est ern part of t he St at e. Vegetation composition and structure Where veget at ion occurs, it is highly variable in composit ion and is predominant ly composed of non-nat ive species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 211 Weed infestation (FWU) General description This mapping unit is used f or dense occurrences of any w eeds (ot her t han M arram and Spart ina, w hich are mapped separat ely), but does not include scat t ered w eeds in ot her veget at ion t ypes. Some of t hese w eeds may be localised inf est at ions such as M arrubium vulgare on off shore islands. The w eeds covered by t his communit y generally f orm dense, monospecif ic st ands. Example locality Low er Apsley River Distinguishing features and similar communities Each of t he dominant exot ic invaders has a dist inct ive appearance and is unlikely t o be conf used eit her w it h nat ive veget at ion or w it h each ot her. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Nepelle Temby. Sw ansea. 212 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Generally, Salix f ragilis inf est s st reams and riparian environment s t hroughout set t led agricult ural dist rict s, especially in t he midlands and sout h-east . Lycium f erocissimum occurs in t he drier areas around Pit t w at er t o Sout h Arm, Tunbridge area and King Island and t he Furneaux Islands. Ulex europaeus is w idespread, especially in t he midlands, in part s of t he old mining dist rict s around Zeehan, t he sout h-east and t he east coast . Rubus f rut icosus is more dominant on t he f ert ile soils of t he nort h-w est . Cirsium vulgare is localised in rural areas of t he east and nort h of t he St at e. Erica lusit anica can f orm pat ches many hect ares in size. Vegetation composition and structure This unit consist s of large inf est at ions of w eeds, including Ulex europaeus, Rubus f rut icosus, Lycium f erocissimum, Salix f ragilis, Cirsium vulgare and signif icant plant ings or escapees of ot her exot ic species such as Populus species and Cyt isus scoparius. Ulex europaeus: Commonly invades degraded past ure or cleared land on hillsides, embankment s, f ence lines and st reams as w ell as heat hlands. Invasion occurs principally on noncalcareous soils. Salix f ragilis: Largely rest rict ed t o w at ercourses, and mapped as FWU w here it dominat es nat ive riparian veget at ion. Invasion occurs across a range of alt it udes and geology t ypes. Bioregional occurrence All bioregions. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This mapping unit is w idespread t hroughout t he St at e, t he diff erent species invading a range of sit es. Salix f ragilis displaces ot her riparian veget at ion and f orms dense st ands t hat can aff ect t he hydrology of st ream syst ems. Lycium f erocissimum, a shrub t hat is spread by birds, mainly occurs in areas w it h less t han about 600 mm annual average rainf all. Ulex europaeus becomes densely est ablished w here it is not cont rolled. It is dependent on dist urbance and can f lourish in riparian environment s or in places w here f ire st imulat es germinat ion of t he soil seed bank. Rubus f rut icosus t hrives on good soils in higher rainf all areas, predominant ly in t he nort h-w est . Cirsium vulgare occurs in some localised f ert ile dist urbed areas, f or example at Point Lesueur, M aria Island. Rubus f rut icosus: M ainly f ound in areas w it h f ert ile soils and annual rainf all great er t han 750 mm. Common w eed of roadsides, st ream banks, neglect ed areas, f armlands, orchards, f orest plant at ions and bushland. Part icularly abundant in degraded f orest on alluvial f lat s near t he nort h-w est coast . Lycium f erocissimum: Int roduced f or past ure hedges, est ablishes around bird perching sit es and commonly escapes f rom w ind-break plant ings. Young t rees event ually coalesce w it h neighbouring t rees t o f orm dense t hicket s. Cirsium vulgare: Dense inf est at ions occur around unused st ockyard sit es, some bird rookeries, and in poorly managed cropland. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit This is a non-nat ive mapping unit so t here are no nat ive f lorist ic communit ies Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 213 Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland Community name Community code Community name Community code Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland DAC Eucalypt us risdonii f orest and w oodland DRI DRO Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e DAD Eucalypt us rodw ayi f orest and w oodland Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one DAS Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest on mudst one Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland not on granit e DSO DAM Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest DAI Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland on granit e DSG DAZ Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on dolerit e DTD DSC Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e DTG DTO Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s Eucalypt us amygdalina–Eucalypt us obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest Eucalypt us barberi f orest and w oodland DBA Eucalypt us coccif era f orest and w oodland Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s DCO Eucalypt us viminalis Furneaux f orest and w oodland DVF Eucalypt us cordat a f orest DCR Eucalypt us dalrympleana–Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland Eucalypt us viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland DVG DDP Eucalypt us delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland Eucalypt us viminalis–Eucalypt us globulus coast al f orest and w oodland DVC DDE Eucalypt us globulus dry f orest and w oodland Eucalypt us viminalis shrubby/ heat hy w oodland DVS DGL King Island eucalypt w oodland DKW Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland DGW M idlands w oodland complex DM W Eucalypt us morrisbyi f orest and w oodland DM O Eucalypt us nit ida dry f orest and w oodland DNI Eucalypt us nit ida Furneaux f orest DNF Eucalypt us obliqua dry f orest DOB Eucalypt us ovat a f orest and w oodland DOV 214 Eucalypt us ovat a heat hy w oodland DOW Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland not on dolerit e DPO Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e DPD Eucalypt us perriniana f orest and w oodland DPE Eucalypt us pulchella f orest and w oodland DPU From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Dry eucalypt f orest s and w oodlands cover much of t he cent ral and east ern part s of t he Tasmanian landscape, w it h t he great est diversit y of eucalypt species in t he sout h-east of t he St at e. M ost of t he dry eucalypt f orest mapping unit s used in t he Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Program are adapt ed f rom t he Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (1997). Addit ional mapping unit s have been added during subsequent mapping t o bet t er represent ecological veget at ion communit ies. In many cases, t he w oodland versions of t heir f orest count erpart s are f lorist ically similar; only t he t ree densit y divides t hem. TVM P has merged such w oodland and f orest unit s. The pref ix “ co” is used in t he mapping t o indicat e f orest t hat has been cut over. When using keys, users should be aw are t hat broader mapping unit s may cont ain pat ches of ot her plant communit ies w here t hose pat ches are less t han 1ha. For example, small pat ches of DVG may be f ound in larger blocks of Eucalypt us pulchella or E. amygdalina f orest . The issue of scale also aff ect s Eucalypt us amygdalina – Eucalypt us obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest (DSC). It is a complex t hat is of t en dist inguished on t he ground, but some core element s of DSC are hard t o allocat e, and as a result pat ches of DSC may be mapped as t he surrounding communit y. Similarly, TASVEG Version 1.0 may cont ain areas of E. gunnii and E. archeri mapped as E. coccif era f orest . The eucalypt communit ies are relat ively easily dist inguished by t he dominant eucalypt or eucalypt s in t he canopy, usually in combinat ion w it h a descript ion of t he t ype of underst orey and t he t ype of environment occupied. General management issues Dry sclerophyll eucalypt communit ies are highly adapt ed t o f ire, t he composit ion and st ruct ure of t hese communit ies largely dependent on t he int ensit y and f requency of f ire event s. Fire regime charact erist ics inf luence changes in f lorist ic composit ion and st ruct ure and local ext inct ions (Williams 1991). High-f requency, low int ensit y f ires in part icular may result in one, or a combinat ion, of impact s. These include low species diversit y; low ground cover; dominat ion by bracken, t ussock grass or sedge; erosion; reduct ion in t errest rial invert ebrat e diversit y; loss of obligat e seed regenerat ors; and loss of soil-st ored seed (Duncan 1988; Neyland & AskeyDoran 1996; Gill et al. 1999). Specif ic out comes are closely dependent on subst rat e and soil t ypes (Duncan 1988). DSO and DSG have been subject ed t o f requent low -int ensit y f ire regimes in recent hist ory (Neyland & Askey-Doran 1994). This has result ed in t he loss of organic soils in many areas. Obligat e seed regenerat ors have been disadvant aged, possibly result ing in a loss of species diversit y. Bush-run sheep grazing may be benef icial f or plant diversit y in dry grassy bush at some st ocking rat es and regimes, but is not ubiquit ously so. Frequent sheep grazing w it h or w it hout low -int ensit y burning may have such consequences as est ablishing open grassy f orest w here it had not occurred bef ore; and conversion of mult i-aged f orest s t o single-aged f orest s w it h no shrub or t ree regenerat ion. It may also lead t o denuding t he ground layer; erosion, reducing soil permeabilit y t hrough t rampling and ground hardening and promot ing w eed est ablishment (Williams 1991; Orr & Todd 1992). It is generally accept ed t hat in many mont ane and low land dry f orest s and w oodlands, some st ock grazing is not harmf ul t o f lora diversit y in areas w here nat ive herbivore populat ions have been reduced (Kirkpat rick et al. 1988; Kirkpat rick 1991). Subalpine w oodlands and areas of low f ert ilit y are more vulnerable t o grazing impact s due t o t heir low er product ivit y and increased risks of erosion. Bushland is degraded in areas w here bush runs are t op dressed or f ert iliser drif t s int o t he edges of remnant s. Increased phosphat es f avour t he grow t h of exot ic species over nat ives, result ing in an increase in w eed abundance (Bow en 1986; Williams 1991). Tasmanian households are est imat ed t o use over half a million t ons of f irew ood annually, almost exclusively f rom dry f orest (Todd et al. 1989; M illar 2001). E. amygdalina is ext ensively t arget ed f or f irew ood harvest ing t hroughout t he drier part s of Tasmania (M illar 2001) w it h some habit at eff ect s and possible local changes in eucalypt composit ion (Driscoll & M ilkovit s 2000; M illar 2001). Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 215 Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland Crow n dieback in t he canopy of some f orest and w oodlands may occur nat urally during drought but can be exacerbat ed by impact s such as grazing and burning pressure. The underst orey of some heat hy dry sclerophyll communit ies has been ident if ied as moderat ely suscept ible t o degradat ion by t he plant pat hogen Phyt opht hora cinnamomi. Inf ect ion by t he pat hogen can result in a general decrease in plant diversit y. Species f rom t he f amilies Dilleniaceae, Epacridaceae, Fabaceae, Prot eaceae and Rut aceae are part icularly suscept ible (Schahinger et al. 2003). Closing access t o inf ect ed areas is crucial t o rest rict ing t he pat hogen. Avoiding t he creat ion of new t racks t hrough t he bush reduces t he opport unit ies f or inf ect ion (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Ref erences and f urt her reading BARNES, R.W., DUNCAN, F. & TODD, C. S. (2002) The Nat ive Veget at ion of King Island, Bass St rait . Nat ure Conservat ion Report 02/6. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Resource M anagement and Conservat ion, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . BOWEN, G.D. (1986) How our w oodlands succeed on nut rient def icient soils. In: Wallace, H.R. (Ed.), 1989: The ecology of t he Forest s and Woodlands of Sout h Aust ralia. Government Print er, Sout h Aust ralia. BRERETON, R. (1996) The Sw if t Parrot Lat hamus discolor in sout heast Tasmania. Unpublished report , Aust ralian Nat ure Conservat ion Agency. BRYANT, S.L. (1992) Long t erm survival of t he f ort yspot t ed pardalot e on Bruny Island. Report , Depart ment of Parks, Wildlif e and Herit age, Hobart . BRYANT, S.L. (1997) St at us of colonies of t he f ort yspot t ed pardalot e. Tasmanian Bird Report . 26, 45–51. BRYANT, S.L. & JACKSON, J. (1999) Tasmania’s t hreat ened f auna handbook. TSU, Parks & Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. 216 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation CORBETT, S. (1995) Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau WHA, Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/3, Parks and Wildlif e Service Hobart . DAVIS, G.L. (2000) Topographic sequences of f lora on dolerit e in sout heast ern Tasmania. B.Sc Honours Thesis, Universit y of Tasmania. DRIESSEN, M .M ., & HOCKING, G. J. (1991) The East ern Barred Bandicoot recovery plan f or Tasmania: research phase. Report , Aust ralian Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service, Canberra. DRISCOLL, D.A., M ILKOVITS, G. & FREUDENBERGER, D. (2000) Impact s and use of f irew ood in Aust ralia. Report , CSIRO Sust ainable Ecosyst ems, Aust ralia. DUNCAN, F. & BROWN, M .J. (1985) Dry Sclerophyll Veget at ion in Tasmania. Wildlif e Division Technical Report 85/1. Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service Tasmania. DUNCAN, F. (1996) Low land Forest s and Woodlands. In: M esibov, R. (Ed) (1996: Biogeography of nort heast Tasmania. Records of t he Queen Vict oria M useum. Launcest on. DUNCAN, F. (1988) Tasmania’s Veget at ion and it s Response t o Forest Operat ions. Working Paper No. 6, Environment al Impact St at ement on Tasmanian Woodchip Export s Beyond 1988. DUNCAN, F. (1999) Dry Sclerophyll Forest s and Woodlands. In: Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J., (Eds), Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. ABRS. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005). Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. Forest Pract ices Board Annual Report (2002–2003) Hobart , Tasmania. GAFFNEY, R.F. & BROWN, P.B. (1992) The Sw if t Parrot Recovery Plan: Research Phase. Report , Depart ment of Parks, Wildlif e and Herit age, Tasmania. GILL, A.M ., W OINARSKI, J.Z., & YORK, A. (1999) Aust ralia’s Biodiversit y – Responses t o Fire, Plant s, Birds and Invert ebrat es. Depart ment of Environment and Herit age, Canberra. HARRIS, S., & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1982) The veget at ion of Schout en Island. Papers and proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 116, 171–141. HARRIS, S., ZIEGLER, K., LAZARUS, E. & A RTHUR C., (in prep.) Cloud Forest s and Firest orms: The Veget at ion of St rzelecki Nat ional Park, Flinders Island. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1999) The Disappearing Heat h Revisit ed. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1999) Grassy Veget at ion and Subalpine Eucalypt . In: Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J., (Eds), Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. ABRS. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1991) Grassy Veget at ion. In: Kirkpat rick, J.B. (Ed), Tasmanian nat ive bush: A management handbook. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B., BARKER, P., BROWN, M .J., HARRIS, S. & M ACKIE, R. (1995) The Reservat ion St at us of Tasmanian Vascular Plant Communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/4. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., GILFEDDER, L.A. & FENSHAM , R.J. (1988) Cit y Parks and Cemet eries: Tasmania’s remnant grasslands and grassy w oodland. 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NEYLAND, M . & A SKEY-DORAN, M . (1996) Eff ect s of Repeat ed Fires on Dry Sclerophyll (E. sieberi) Forest s in Nort heast Tasmania. In: M esibov, R. (Ed), Biogeography of nort heast Tasmania. Records of t he Queen Vict oria M useum, Launcest on. NORTH, A., JOHNSON, K., ZIEGLER, K., DUNCAN, F., HOPKINS, K., ZIEGELER, D. & W ATTS, S. (1998) Flora of Recommended Areas f or Prot ect ion and Forest Reserves in Tasmania. Reserve Report s, Summary and Volumes 1-7. Forest Pract ices Board, Forest ry Tasmania, and Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. ORR, S. & TODD, G. (1992) Regenerat ion est ablishment in Dry Grassy Forest s. Tasf orest s. 4. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. POTTS, B.M . (1986) Populat ion dynamics and regenerat ion in a hybrid zone bet w een Eucalypt us risdonii Hook. f ., and E. amygdalina Labill. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 34, 305–329. REID, J.B. & POTTS, B.M . (1999) Eucalypt Biology. 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(2000) Allozyme variat ion and conservat ion of t he Tasmanian endemics, Eucalypt us risdonii, E. t enuiramis and E. coccif era. Conservat ion Genet ics. 1, 209–216. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 217 Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland TURNER, C., W ILTSHIRE, R.J.E., POTTS, B.M . & VAILLANCOURT, R.E. (2001) Variat ion in seedling morphology in t he Eucalypt us risdonii–E. t enuiramis complex. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 49, 43–54. W ELLS, P. & HICKEY, J. (1999) Wet Sclerophyll, M ixed and Sw amp Forest . In: REID, J.B., HILL, R.S., BROWN, M .J. & HOVENDEN, M .J., (Eds), Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. ABRS. W ILLIAM S, K. (1991) Dry Sclerophyll Veget at ion. In: Kirkpat rick, J.B. (Ed), Tasmanian nat ive bush: a management handbook. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc. Hobart . W ILLIAM S, K.J. & POTTS, B.M . (1996) The nat ural dist ribut ion of Eucalypt us species in Tasmania. Tasf orest s. 8, 39–165. W ILTSHIRE, R.J.E., POTTS, B.M . & REID, J.B. (1991) Phenet ic aff init ies, variabilit y and conservat ion st at us of a rare Tasmanian endemic, Eucalypt us morrisbyi. Bret t . In: Banks, M .R., Smit h, S.J., Orchard, A.E. & Kant vilas, G. (Eds.), 31 (3), 213–229. Aspect s of Tasmanian bot any: A t ribut e t o Winif red Curt is. Royal Societ y of Tasmania, Hobart . 218 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland communities Page Not e: Unless ot herw ise specif ied, t he t erm “ f orest ” also covers t he w oodland f acies of dry sclerophyll communit ies. 1 Forest and w oodland on King Island 2 Underst orey dominat ed by broad-leaved shrubs or t all t ea-t ree or paperbark; f orest cover usually > 50% E. globulus King Island forest (WGK) See Wet eucalypt f orest and w oodland 355 2 Underst orey dominat ed by narrow -leaved shrubs or low t ea-t ree or paperbark; f orest cover usually < 50% King Island eucalypt w oodland (DKW) 296 1 Forest and w oodland on Furneaux Islands 2 Forest dominat ed by E. viminalis or E. globulus 3 Forest in relat ively shelt ered, inland sit es; broad-leaved shrubs of t en present E. viminalis Furneaux forest and w oodland (DVF) 289 3 Forest generally on coast al or relat ively exposed sit es E. viminalis–E. globulus coastal forest and w oodland (DVC) 293 E. nitida Furneaux forest (DNF) 258 E. ovata heathy w oodland (DOW) 265 E. ovata forest and w oodland (DOV) 262 2 Forest dominat ed by E. nit ida 2 Forest dominat ed by E. ovat a 3 Trees unlikely t o exceed 10 m, w it h cover < 50% 3 Trees w it h pot ent ial t o exceed 10 m, w it h cover > 50% 1 Forest and w oodland elsew here in Tasmania 2 Forest dominat ed by E. amygdalina (E. viminalis of t en subdominant or locally dominant ) 3 E. obliqua also common in overst orey, and underst orey w it h high proport ion of broad-leaved shrubs or ot her w et f orest species E. amygdalina–E. obliqua damp sclerophyll forest (DSC) 238 3 Subst rat e dolerit e (or occasionally basalt ) E. amygdalina forest and w oodland on dolerite (DAD) 226 E. amygdalina forest and w oodland on sandstone (DAS) 228 3 Subst rat e sandst one 3 Subst rat e (sub)coast al sands or siliceous sediment s E. amygdalina coastal forest and w oodland (DAC) Chapter 4 224 The Vegetation Descriptions 219 Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland Key to Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland communities Page 3 Subst rat e granit e or granodiorit e (coast al and inland areas) E. amygdalina coastal forest and w oodland (DAC) 224 3 Subst rat e serpent init e and ot her ult ramaf ic rocks E. amygdalina coastal forest and w oodland (DAC) 224 3 Subst rat e undiff erent iat ed sediment s, mainly in inland areas (can generally be at t ribut ed t o DAM or DAZ w it h more det ailed assessment – see below ) E. amygdalina inlandforest (DAI) 233 3 Subst rat e mudst one or ot her argillaceous sediment s (predominant ly M at hinna beds) E. amygdalina forest on mudstone (DAM ) 230 3 Subst rat e Cainozoic sediment s (lat erit e, sands and gravels) mainly in inland areas E. amygdalina inland forest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposits (DAZ) 235 2 Forest dominat ed by E. barberi E. barberi forest and w oodland (DBA) 240 2 Forest dominat ed by E. coccif era (or occasionally E. archeri or E. urnigera) E. coccifera forest and w oodland (DCO) 242 E. cordata forest (DCR) 244 E. dalrympleana–E. pauciflora forest and w oodland (DDP) 246 2 Forest dominat ed by E. cordat a 2 Forest dominat ed by E. dalrympleana 3 E. dalrympleana co-occurring w it h E. paucif lora 3 E. dalrympleana occurring in pure st ands or co-occurring w it h ot her species E. delegatensis dry forest and w oodland (DDE) 248 E. delegatensis dry forest and w oodland (DDE) 248 E. viminalis–E. globulus coastal forest and w oodland (DVC) 293 2 Forest dominat ed by E. delegat ensis 2 Forest dominat ed by E. globulus 3 Subst rat e coast al sands 3 Subst rat e ot her (usually dolerit e) 4 Cover of E. pulchella > 30% E. pulchella forest and w oodland (DPU) 273 E. globulus dry forest and w oodland (DGL) 250 4 Cover of E. pulchella < 30% 220 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland communities Page 2 Forest dominat ed by E. gunnii 3 Tree cover < 20% E. gunnii w oodland (DGW) 252 E. coccifera forest and w oodland (DCO) 242 E. morrisbyi forest and w oodland (DM O) 254 E. nitida dry forest and w oodland (DNI) 256 3 Tree cover > 20% 2 Forest dominat ed by E. morrisbyi 2 Forest dominat ed by E. nit ida 2 Forest dominat ed by E. obliqua 3 E. amygdalina also common in overst orey, and underst orey w it h high proport ion of broad-leaved shrubs or ot her w et f orest species E. amygdalina–E. obliqua damp sclerophyll forest (DSC) 238 E. obliqua dry forest (DOB) 260 3 Not DSC 2 Forest dominat ed by E. ovat a 3 Woodland w it h co-occurring E. viminalis or E. paucif lora on f lat s in M idlands M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) 298 E. ovata heathy w oodland (DOW) 265 3 Not DM W 4 Trees unlikely t o exceed 10 m, w it h cover < 50% 4 Trees w it h pot ent ial t o exceed 10 m, w it h cover > 50% E. ovata forest and w oodland (DOV) 262 2 Forest dominat ed by E. paucif lora 3 Woodland w it h co-occurring E. viminalis or E. ovat a on f lat s in M idlands M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) 298 3 Not DM W 4 Subst rat e dolerit e or basalt 5 E. paucif lora co-occurring w it h E. dalrympleana E. dalrympleana–E. pauciflora forest and w oodland (DDP) 246 E. pauciflora forest and w oodland on dolerite (DPD) 269 5 Not DDP 4 Subst rat e ot her (mainly sediment s) Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 221 Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland Key to Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland communities Page 5 Subst rat e Cainozoic sediment s (lat erit e, sands and gravels) mainly in inland areas E. amygdalina inland forest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposits (DAZ) 235 E. pauciflora forest and w oodland not on dolerite (DPO) 267 E. perriniana forest and w oodland (DPE) 271 E. pulchella forest and w oodland (DPU) 273 E. risdonii forest and w oodland (DRI) 275 E. rodw ayi forest and w oodland (DRO) 277 5 Not DAZ 2 Forest dominat ed by E. perriniana 2 Forest dominat ed by E. pulchella 2 Forest dominat ed by E. risdonii 2 Forest dominat ed by E. rodw ayi 2 Forest dominat ed by E. rubida 3 Woodland w it h co-occurring E. paucif lora or E. ovat a on f lat s in M idlands M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) 298 E. viminalis grassy forest and w oodland (DVG) 291 3 Not DM W 4 Subst rat e dolerit e or basalt 5 E. paucif lora main co-occurring species E. pauciflora forest and w oodland on dolerite (DPD) 269 5 E. paucif lora not main co-occurring species E. viminalis grassy forest and w oodland (DVG) 285 4 Subst rat e ot her (mainly sediment s) 5 E. paucif lora main co-occurring species E. pauciflora forest and w oodland not on dolerite (DPO) 267 5 E. t enuiramis main co-occurring species E. tenuiramis forest and w oodland on sediments (DTO) 287 5 E. amygdalina main co-occurring species E. amygdalina forest on mudstone (DAM ) 230 E. sieberi forest and w oodland on granite (DSG) 281 2 Forest dominat ed by E. sieberi 3 Subst rat e granit e or granodiorit e 222 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Dry eucalypt forest and w oodland communities Page 3 Not DSG E. sieberi forest and w oodland not on granite (DSO) 279 E. tenuiramis forest and w oodland on granite (DTG) 285 E. tenuiramis forest and w oodland on dolerite (DTD) 283 2 Forest dominat ed by E. t enuiramis 3 Subst rat e granit e or granodiorit e 3 Subst rat e dolerit e 3 Subst rat e on ot her subst rat e (mainly sediment s) E. tenuiramis forest and w oodland on sediments (DTO) 287 2 Forest dominat ed by E. viminalis 3 Woodland w it h co-occurring E. paucif lora or E. ovat a on f lat s in t he M idlands M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) 298 3 Forest and w oodland on poorly–drained f lat s elsew here; E. ovat a usually cooccurring E. ovata forest and w oodland (DOV) 262 E. viminalis grassy forest and w oodland (DVG) 285 3 Not DM W or DOV 4 Subst rat e dolerit e or basalt 4 Subst rat e granit e, granodiorit e or siliceous sediment s E. amygdalina coastal forest and w oodland (DAC) 224 E. viminalis–E. globulus coastal forest and w oodland (DVC) 293 4 Subst rat e coast al sands 4 Subst rat e undiff erent iat ed sediment s, mainly in inland areas (can generally be at t ribut ed t o DAZ w it h more det ailed assessment – see below ) E. amygdalina inland forest (DAI) 233 4 Subst rat e Cainozoic sediment s (lat erit e, sands and gravels) mainly in inland areas E. amygdalina inland forest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposits (DAZ) Chapter 4 235 The Vegetation Descriptions 223 Eucalyptus amygdalina coastal forest and w oodland (DAC) General description Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest s and w oodlands are dry sclerophyll communit ies dominat ed by E. amygdalina. They vary f rom open f orest t o low open w oodland. The communit y can f orm pure st ands of scat t ered t rees or mallee-f orm t rees emerging f rom a heat hy underst orey. The t rees rarely exceed 25–30 m in height and on many sit es are less t han 25 m t all. Example locality Winif red Curt is Reserve, Scamander Distinguishing features and similar communities All areas of E. amygdalina dominat ed f orest and w oodland on coast al sandy soils and on granit es and ult ramaf ic subst rat es are included in t his communit y. E. viminalis can be locally codominant . The t ypically heat hy underst orey of DAC dist inguishes it f rom E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (DAZ) t hat may occur in coast al areas but has a grassy underst orey. E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one (DAS) also occurs on sandy soils, but t he underst orey is generally sparsely heat hy and somet imes grassy or sedgy. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DAC is equivalent t o RFA AC. Nepelle Temby. Pet er M urrell Nat ure Reserve. Distribution Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland occurs in nort hern and east ern Tasmania. 224 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, F, NS, SE, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs on siliceous soils in coast al and sub-coast al areas of nort hern and east ern Tasmania on Tert iary non-marine sediment s, Recent sands and deep grey sands and f urt her inland on granit e and ult ramaf ic rocks. The alt it ude range is generally f rom sea level t o 100 m but may ext end up t o 450 m. Landf orms w here t his communit y occurs t end t o be undulat ing t o st eep on granit e, and f lat t o gent ly undulat ing on sediment ary subst rat es. Soil dept h ranges f rom shallow on granit e t ors and out crops t o deep on Recent sands. Soils t end t o be f ree-draining and w ell-aerat ed. Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is charact erised by it s high f lorist ic and st ruct ural diversit y. It s f orm varies f rom open f orest t o low, open w oodland. E. amygdalina can f orm pure st ands of scat t ered t rees or mallee-f orm t rees, but on sit es w here t he sand is less leached t he proport ion of E. viminalis, generally present as a minor or subdominant species, increases. The t rees t end t o be sparse, giving it an open w oodland st ruct ure. Trees rarely exceed 25–30 m in height and on many sit es are less t han 25 m t all. On bet t er-qualit y sit es, E. obliqua may be codominant (or E. sieberi in nort h-east Tasmania). On poorly–drained sit es, E. ovat a may be present , and in shaded or moist sit es, E. globulus may be present . and diverse (part icularly in t he E. amygdalina– E. viminalis f acies of t his communit y) grading int o heat hland w it h a diversit y of heat hs, legumes and ot her shrubs. Sit es t end t o be w ell–drained. On poorly–drained sit es such as drainage lines and soaks, sedges and rushes are f ound. Such areas can also support shrubs such as Olearia lirat a and M elaleuca squarrosa, f erns such as Gleichenia dicarpa and/or G. microphylla, and graminoids such as Lepidosperma elat ius and Gahnia grandis and G. sieberiana (t hat generally do not ext end f ar beyond t he poorlydrained areas). Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3c Sedgy Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAD, DSC, DAZ & DAS 4a Heat hy Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest 5d Shrubby E. amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAD, DAS, DAM & DSC Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hVIM Heat hy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DVC, DAS, DAZ & DAM DRY-shVIM Shrubby Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DAD, DAS, DAM & DSC DRY-scAM Scrubby Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAD, DSC, DAZ & DAS Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Heat h M allee peppermint dry heat h; also occurs in SHF, DNI & SCH The underst orey is t ypically heat hy t o shrubby, w it h a diversit y of legumes, heat hs and shrubs. A dense shrub layer (eucalypt regrow t h, Banksia marginat a and Allocasuarina species) is usually present . Pt eridium esculent um can be prevalent on some sit es (generally due t o f ire or grazing hist ory). The low shrub layer is t ypically dense Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 225 Eucalyptus amygdalina forest and w oodland on dolerite (DAD) General description Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest s and w oodlands on dolerit e are dominat ed by uneven-aged E. amygdalina in an open f orest st ruct ure w it h t rees rarely exceeding 25 m. They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h variable underst oreys ranging f rom grassy t o shrubby. In some places, rock f orms a cover. Example localities Cat aract Gorge and Trevallyn St at e Recreat ion Area in Launcest on. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. amygdalina f orest on dolerit e is of t en f ound grow ing in associat ion w it h grassy E. viminalis f orest and w oodland (DVG). The underst oreys of t hese t w o f orest communit ies are very similar. In coast al areas DVG may be conf used w it h E. amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland (DAC), how ever DAC grow s on marine derived sediment s and generally has a heat hy rat her t han grassy underst orey. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DAD is equivalent t o RFA AD. M icah Visoiu. “ The Ballroom” near Blessingt on. Distribution Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e is w idespread in t he upland areas of east ern Tasmania and t he sout hern midlands. It also occurs locally in t he nort h and sout h-east . 226 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, F, N, M , NS, SE, SR. Occasionally w it hin t he highest rainf all areas of it s range in f ire-prot ect ed sit es, broad-leaved shrubs more charact erist ic of w et sclerophyll communit ies can occur. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs mainly on dolerit e and t o a lesser ext ent , on basalt . It is generally f ound in areas of low rainf all on sit es subject t o occasional t o f requent drought st ress, such as ridges and t ier surf aces and slopes w it h a nort hern or w est ern aspect . At higher alt it udes t he communit y occurs w it h E. delegat ensis f orest , but t ends t o occupy drier sit es. The main alt it udinal range is 300–600 m. Sit es t end t o be w ell-drained w it h shallow t o medium soil dept h. Surf ace rock cover can be high. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2b Grassy Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DM W , DAZ & DAM 5d Shrubby Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DAS, DAM & DSC Wet eucalypt f orest WET AM 1 E. amygdalina–E. viminalis–Lomandra longif olia w et sclerophyll f orest Grasslands and grassy w oodlands Vegetation composition and structure The communit y t ends t o have an uneven-aged open st ruct ure, w it h t he dominant E. amygdalina t rees rarely exceeding 25 m in most areas, but grading int o ash-dominat ed t all open f orest at higher elevat ions. E. viminalis may be present at low er elevat ions, and E. delegat ensis and E. dalrympleana of t en present at higher elevat ions. E. obliqua can be associat ed w it h t his communit y on low er slopes or gully f lanks. E. amygdalina can f orm a clinal gradient w it h E. pulchella in some areas of t he east and sout h-east . 12 Eucalypt us viminalis/E. amygdalina–Acaena echinat a–Dichondra repens grassy w oodland; also occurs in DVG Riparian communit ies 6 Pomaderris apet ala–M icrant heum hexandrum–Beyeria viscosa closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI & WVI Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-sdAM Sedgy Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DSC, DAS & DAZ DRY-scAM Scrubby Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DSC, DAS & DAZ The underst orey is variable, ranging f rom grassy t o shrubby. At low er elevat ions, t all shrubs or small t rees such as Bursaria spinosa, Acacia dealbat a and Banksia marginat a are charact erist ic, w it h t he ground layer dominat ed by t ussock grasses and low shrubs. At higher elevat ions, t he underst orey is dominat ed by low shrubs such as Lept ecophylla juniperina and Lomat ia t inct oria and can be rich in grasses and herbs. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 227 Eucalyptus amygdalina forest and w oodland on sandstone (DAS) General description Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one is charact erised by an open canopy of E. amygdalina, uneven in age and t ending not t o exceed 25 m in height . They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h t all shrubby underst oreys and a shrubby, sedgy or somet imes grassy ground layer. Nepelle Temby. Coningham. Example localities Sand River Road t o t he nort h of Buckland; Coningham. Distinguishing features and similar communities In some sit uat ions, Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one (DAS) may be conf used w it h Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (DAZ), but is diff erent iat ed primarily by t he subst rat e: DAZ t ypically occurs on Tert iary gravels rat her t han consolidat ed sediment s. Likew ise, E. amygdalina f orest on mudst one (DAM ) may be similar, but DAM occurs on f inergrained sediment ary subst rat es and has a less diverse and generally sparser underst orey. E. amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland (DAC) may also occur on sandy soil, but in DAS, sandst one out crops are usually conspicuous , t he underst orey is more open and uneven in height , and t here are more species t olerant of dry sit uat ions. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DAS is equivalent t o RFA AS. Distribution Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one is most common in t he sout hern M idlands, but also occurs elsew here in t he sout h-east and more sporadically in ot her low land regions, ext ending t o low er alt it udes on t he Cent ral Plat eau. It occurs occasionally t hroughout t he geographic range of E. amygdalina on suit able rock t ypes. 228 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation E. t enuiramis can be present , somet imes in small (~ 2–5 ha) pat ches. E. ovat a may be present w here t he communit y is on more poorly–drained sit es (e.g. f lat s). Acacia dealbat a is a common underst orey t ree species. Bioregional occurrence BL, N, M , NS, SE, SR. Acacia dealbat a, Allocasuarina lit t oralis and Banksia marginat a t ypically represent t he second st rat um of small t rees/t all shrubs. The ground st rat um varies w it h soil t ype. Where t he podsol soils are relat ively deep, heat h and legume species are dominant . On shallow er soils, graminoids such as Lomandra longif olia predominat e and t he shrub species are less abundant . In undist urbed sit es, t he low shrub layer is diverse but grazing and a relat ively high f ire-f requency can reduce diversit y in many sit es, w it h Pt eridium esculent um becoming dominant . Shrub species such as M elaleuca squarrosa and M . squamea and sedges/rushes can dominat e in drainage lines. Nat ive grasses and Lomandra longif olia are present on soils w it h high clay cont ent . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs on sandst ones (mainly Triassic sandst ones in t he sout h and sout h-east but also on sandier Permian sediment s and M at hinna sediment s in t he nort h-east ) or sandst one derived soils. The landf orm t ends t o be undulat ing and t he alt it udinal range is f rom sea level t o about 600 m. Soils t end t o be deep t o moderat ely deep, but sandst one out crops are present in many areas. Drainage is generally good. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 4b Heat hy Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest on sandst one; also occurs in DAC, DAZ & DAM 5d Shrubby E. amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DAD, DAM & DSC Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands Vegetation composition and structure The communit y, usually dominat ed by E. amygdalina, occurs as uneven-aged st ands of open f orest or w oodland, w it h t ree height generally < 25 m. DRY-hVIM Heat hy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest / w oodland; also occurs in DVC, DAZ & DAM DRY-gVIM Grassy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest /w oodland; also occurs in DVG & DAM DRY-shVIM Shrubby Eucalypt us f orest ; also occurs in DAD, DAC, DAM & DSC E. obliqua is of t en co-dominant or subdominant , especially in gullies or on shaded slopes. E. viminalis is generally present as a minor or subdominant species; how ever, on deeper soils it can be locally dominant . E. globulus and Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 229 Eucalyptus amygdalina forest on mudstone (DAM ) General description E. amygdalina f orest on mudst one (DAM ) is t ypically dominat ed by E. amygdalina. E. viminalis is a w idespread co-occurring species. The communit y has a dry sclerophyll underst orey, w hich is generally species-poor. DAM is st rongly associat ed w it h relat ively dry sit es on Permian mudst one (mainly in sout h-east Tasmania) or mudst one-derived sediment s and met asediment s of t he M at hinna series (Devonian origin) in t he nort h-east of t he St at e. Andrew Crane. New Norf olk. Example localities West -f acing slopes of t he M eehan Range and associat ed hills (e.g. Rokeby Hills and Nat one Hill); dry slopes in t he M at hinna and Rossarden areas. Distinguishing features and similar communities DAM has a dist inct ive underst orey (described below ) t hat , along w it h t he subst rat e, can dist inguish it f rom most ot her veget at ion t ypes. How ever, it can grade int o several ot her dry sclerophyll and damp sclerophyll f orest communit ies. DAM generally occurs on relat ively insolat ed slopes, but may grade int o DAZ on valley f lat s (mainly in t he M idlands). M osaics of DAM and E. amygdalina f orest on sandst one (DAS) are reasonably common on M at hinna series subst rat e. In t he sout h-east , DAM can grade int o E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO), w hich has a high f idelit y t o exposed mudst one sit es, and even E. risdonii f orest (DRI) on exposed low er slopes of t he M eehan Range, w here t he t hree species can f orm complex hybrid sw arms. E. amygdalina dominat ed f orest s on M at hinna (met a) sediment s (and ot her clayey subst rat es) in hint erland areas of t he nort h-east and West Tamar (< 300 m alt it ude) generally have f lorist ic aff init ies w it h Coast al E. amygdalina f orest (DAC). DAC is ext ensive on siliceous subst rat e in t his part of t he nort h-east and nort h of t he St at e. On more humid sit es t hroughout most of it s range, DAM grades int o dry E. obliqua f orest (DOB), E. amygdalina–E. obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest (DSC), or dry E. delegat ensis f orest (DDE) at higher alt it udes. DAM is a f orest t ype t hat rarely occurs in a w oodland f orm. 230 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation RFA mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology TASVEG DAM is included in RFA AI. In t he nort h-east , DAM occurs most ext ensively on Devonian (M at hinna series) argillaceous sediment s and met asediment s in inland and upland areas (200–600 m alt it ude). It part icularly occurs on drier slopes and benches of cat chment s (e.g. Nort h Esk and Tyne River cat chment s) t hat discharge int o t he broad inland valleys (not ably t he M idlands and Fingal Valley). DAM also occurs on Permian mudst one in t he nort h-east (e.g. Blessingt on area). Distribution E. amygdalina f orest on mudst one has t w o main cent res of dist ribut ion: t he nort h-east uplands and t he low er Derw ent Valley. DAM also occurs locally in ot her dry and subhumid regions of t he St at e. This communit y has not yet been separat ely mapped. NOT YET M A PPED In t he sout h-east , DAM occurs mainly on Permian mudst one in t he sout hern M idlands and low er Derw ent Valley, at an alt it udinal range f rom sea level t o 300 m. It is most ext ensive in t he M eehan Range and associat ed hills, part icularly on insolat ed slopes. It has been cleared over much of it s range in t he undulat ing count ry of t he sout hern M idlands, but remnant st ands are st ill evident , part icularly on st eep or broken t errain. The composit ion and st ruct ure of t he veget at ion are inf luenced by physical sit e condit ions (e.g. aspect and humidit y) and land use (e.g. f ire hist ory, grazing, logging pract ices and proximit y t o urban areas). Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence BL, SE, NS, NM , SR. DAM is t ypically dominat ed by E. amygdalina, but E. viminalis is a w idespread subdominant or minor species, somet imes becoming very common as in some locat ions around Blessingt on and at t he base of t he West ern Tiers and in t he How rah Hills. E. obliqua (low er alt it udes) and E. delegat ensis (higher alt it udes) are common co-occurring species, becoming more f requent on sit es w it h higher f ert ilit y or moist ure availabilit y. E. globulus, E. t enuiramis (and E. risdonii in t he M eehan Range) may also be present in DAM in t he sout h-east . M ost st ands have more t han one eucalypt species and a range of age classes. E. rubida may codominat e in nort h-east Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 231 Eucalyptus amygdalina forest on mudstone (DAM ) The t rees are t ypically less t han 30 m t all, but may be t aller on more humid or prot ect ed sit es. On more insolat ed or inf ert ile sit es (e.g. part s of t he M eehan Range), t rees of less t han 20 m t all are common, part icularly w here t here has been a hist ory of f requent f ires. The underst orey is relat ively species-poor, compared t o t hat of most Tasmanian dry sclerophyll f orest communit ies. This may ref lect t he exposure or inf ert ilit y of many sit es, f ire hist ory, land use, or a combinat ion of t hese. Secondary t rees and t all shrubs include Allocasuarina lit t oralis, Acacia dealbat a, Exocarpos cupressif ormis and regenerat ing eucalypt s. Low er t o mid-height shrubs can be reasonably dense, part icularly on inf requent ly burnt sit es. Ot her common plant s include some Fabaceae (e.g Pult enaea species, Daviesia species, Indigof era aust ralis, Bossiaea obcordat a); M imosaceae (e.g. Acacia species); Epacridaceae (e.g. Epacris impressa, Leucopogon virgat us, Ast roloma humif usum) and Ast eraceae (e.g. Ozot hamnus obcordat us, Olearia species), as w ell as shrubs (Dodonaea viscosa, Pimelea species, Rhyt idasporum procumbens). The ground layer is of t en dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um. Sclerophyllous graminoids include Lomandra longif olia, Dianella species (D. revolut a and D. brevicaulis are st rongly associat ed w it h drier sit es) and Lepidosperma species. Nat ive grasses (e.g. Aust rost ipa species, Aust rodant honia species) are dense on some sit es, usually w here Pt eridium esculent um is sparse. How ever, t he cover and diversit y of grasses and f orbs are t ypically sparse, t hough orchids and ot her seasonal herbs can be conspicuous w hen condit ions are f avourable. M any sit es are charact erised by high exposure of mineral soil. 232 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 5 Eucalypt us viminalis–Poa sieberiana grassy w oodland 6 Eucalypt us viminalis–E. amygdalina–Dianella revolut a grassy w oodland Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2b Grassy Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAD, DM W & DAZ Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-gVIM Grassy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest /w oodland; also occurs in DVG & DAS DRY-hAM Heat hy Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DAZ & DAS DRY-hVIM Heat hy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DVC, DAC, DAS & DAZ DRY-shVIM Shrubby Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DAD, DAC, DAS & DSC Eucalyptus amygdalina inland forest (DAI) General description DAI (Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest ) is a generic code t hat w as used t o map t w o communit ies t hat have recent ly been separat ed: E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic sediment s (DAZ) and E. amygdalina f orest on mudst one (DAM ). All f orest previously included in DAI is now at t ribut ed t o one of t hese t w o communit ies. Nepelle Temby. Government Hills, Risdon. Example locality Ref er t o t he descript ions of DAZ and DAM f or example localit ies of t hese t ypes. Distinguishing features and similar communities DAI is t he generic code f or DAZ and DAM . DAM can be dist inguished by it s occurrence on Permian mudst one (mainly in sout h-east Tasmania) or Devonian mudst one-derived sediment s and met asediment s in t he nort h-east of t he St at e. DAZ occurs t ypically on Tert iary ironst one gravels, w hich are mainly dominat ed by E. amygdalina or E. viminalis, and Recent sand and alluvium, w hich are mainly dominat ed by E. viminalis, E. paucif lora or occasionally E. ovat a (on sit es w it h impeded drainage). DAZ is largely conf ined t o t he M idlands and Fingal Valley, w it h some out lying sit es on t he cent ral east coast . For more inf ormat ion on t he dist inguishing f eat ures and similar communit ies of DAM and DAZ, ref er t o t he specif ic communit y descript ions. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DAI is equivalent t o RFA AI. Distribution Ref er t o t he descript ions of DAZ and DAM . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 233 Eucalyptus amygdalina inland forest (DAI) Bioregional occurrence Ref er t o t he descript ions of DAZ and DAM . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Ref er t o t he descript ions of DAZ and DAM . Vegetation composition and structure Ref er t o t he descript ions of DAZ and DAM . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ref er t o t he descript ions of DAZ and DAM . 234 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus amygdalina inland forest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposits (DAZ) General description Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (DAZ) is dominat ed by E. amygdalina, E. viminalis, E. paucif lora or occasionally E. ovat a. Dry sclerophyll shrubs (of t en low or prost rat e species), Pt eridium esculent um, and grasses or graminoids dominat e t he underst orey. The st ruct ure and composit ion of t he veget at ion are det ermined by sit e charact erist ics (part icularly f ert ilit y and drainage), f ire hist ory and land use. DAZ is st rongly associat ed w it h lat erit ic sediment s in t he nort hern M idlands and Fingal Valley. adjacent t o t he broad f lat s of t he M idlands and associat ed valleys. On small hills and out crops in t he M idlands, w here DAZ occurs t here can be no ot her communit ies, such as E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DAD); E. viminalis grassy f orest s and w oodlands (DVG); E. paucif lora f orest s and w oodlands on dolerit e (DPD); and ot her grassy non-f orest communit ies. As drainage becomes progressively more impeded, f orest s and w oodlands dominat ed by E. amygdalina, E. viminalis or E. paucif lora, usually w it h co-occurring E. ovat a, grade int o E. ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV) or sedgeland and w et land communit ies in sw amps and lagoons. Localised pat ches of E. ovat a f orest and w oodland in t his mosaic can be allocat ed t o DAZ, but larger areas should be ident if ied as DOV. In more humid environment s, such as riparian corridors and t he more f orest ed margins of t he broad valleys, DAZ can grade int o E. obliqua dry f orest (DOB) or E. amygdalina– E. obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest (DSC). Forest s dominat ed by E. amygdalina (and t o a lesser ext ent E. viminalis) on Recent sand and alluvium or siliceous Tert iary sediment s in coast al and hint erland areas of t he nort h-east should be allocat ed t o DAC. Tim Rudman. Tom Gibson Nat ure Reserve. In t he cent ral nort h around Bridgenort h t here is a subt le gradat ion w it h E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DAD) and even damp sclerophyll f orest . Example localities RFA mapping unit Quercus Park (Agf est sit e); Tom Gibson Nat ure Reserve. TASVEG DAZ is included in RFA AI. Distinguishing features and similar communities DAZ can grade int o ot her dry sclerophyll f orest and non-f orest communit ies. There is a t ransit ion bet w een DAZ and E. amygdalina f orest on mudst one (DAM ) or E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one (DAS) Distribution DAZ occurs mainly on t he broad f lat s of t he nort hern M idlands and t he Fingal Valley, w it h some out lying sit es in t he West Tamar–West bury area; east coast (Cranbrook–Sw ansea area); nort hern M idlands, including Cleveland–Epping Forest area; and t he Cressy–Blackw ood Creek area. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 235 Eucalyptus amygdalina inland forest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposits (DAZ) t hrough t he use of f ire. The w ool-grow ing pot ent ial of t he M idlands f orest s and w oodlands w as recognised early by European set t lers. Since t hen, diff erent hist ories of f ire and land use have aff ect ed t he st ruct ure and composit ion of t he overst orey and underst orey. Some sit es w it h a long hist ory of dist urbance have a high diversit y of nat ive species, including t hreat ened species. Ot her st ands are subst ant ially degraded, usually by a combinat ion of land use pract ices and ot her f act ors implicat ed in rural t ree decline. Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence NM , NS, SE, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology DAZ occurs predominant ly below 300 m in alt it ude, and t he landf orm is t ypically f lat or undulat ing (w it h sand ridges and banks of low relief ). Sit es in t hese subhumid climat ic regions are prone t o heavy f rost s and unseasonable drought s. The t ypical subst rat es are Tert iary ironst one gravels, w hich are mainly dominat ed by E. amygdalina or E. viminalis, and Recent sand and alluvium, w hich is mainly dominat ed by E. viminalis, E. paucif lora or occasionally E. ovat a (t he last species on sit es w it h impeded drainage). The diff erent t ree associat ions have corresponding diff erences in underst orey st ruct ure and f lorist ic composit ion (discussed in t he f ollow ing sect ion). These associat ions f orm f orest and w oodland mosaics, somet imes w it h non-f orest veget at ion such as nat ive grasslands and w et lands, in t he f ew areas w here large and relat ively undist urbed st ands remain. Aboriginal land use is likely t o have inf luenced t he composit ion and st ruct ure of DAZ, largely 236 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation DAZ can be dominat ed by E. amygdalina, E. viminalis, E. paucif lora or occasionally E. ovat a, depending on sit e charact erist ics (see above). DAZ generally cont ains several age classes of more t han one eucalypt species, unless regenerat ion has been curt ailed by grazing or unf avourable sit e condit ions. E. amygdalina or E. viminalis t end t o dominat e on Tert iary gravels, w hile E. viminalis or E. paucif lora dominat e on sand and alluvium. Localised areas dominat ed by E. ovat a in t he M idlands, generally on poorly– drained f lat s and t he margins of lagoons, can also be subsumed int o t he communit y. Ot her cooccurring eucalypt s include E. rubida (Fingal Valley and Poat ina area) and E. rodw ayi (poorly–drained and f rost -suscept ible f lat s). Tree height is t ypically less t han 25 m, and may be considerably less on poorly–drained or relat ively inf ert ile sit es. DAZ can occur as f orest or w oodland, and grades int o open w oodlands on sit es w here t ree densit y is low because of pre-European or European land management . Throughout much of it s range prior t o European set t lement , DAZ may have occurred mainly as w oodland w it h spreading w ide-crow ned t rees; it s open st ruct ure maint ained by aboriginal burning pract ices. Wit h European set t lement , changes in land use, including changes in f ire regimes, may have result ed in many st ands assuming a f orest st ruct ure t hrough in-f illing by younger t rees. How ever, DAZ st ill occurs as w oodland (or even open w oodland) in many areas. This is part ly because of at t rit ion of t rees by decades of occasional logging and rural t ree decline, coupled w it h f ailure of eucalypt regenerat ion because of unf avourable sit e condit ions caused by, f or example, grazing by st ock and nat ive animals. Less t han 10% of DAZ is know n t o be classed as old-grow t h – a ref lect ion of t he long hist ory of set t lement and past oralism in Tasmania’s agricult ural heart land. How ever, many t rees t hroughout t he range of DAZ have old-grow t h charact erist ics, because of f ire hist ory or insect at t ack (w hich can creat e but t rot and hollow s), or f act ors operat ing in rural t ree decline (w hich can cause premat ure senescence and deat h). The underst orey varies great ly in st ruct ure and composit ion. This is relat ed t o physical sit e charact erist ics (e.g. f ert ilit y, drainage), f ire hist ory, land use, or a combinat ion of t hese. Secondary t rees and t all shrubs include Allocasuarina lit t oralis, Banksia marginat a, Acacia dealbat a, Exocarpos cupressif ormis and regenerat ing eucalypt s. Cover is generally sparse, t hough dense copses of Allocasuarina and Banksia are a f eat ure of some sit es in t he Epping Forest –Cleveland area. The low er t o midheight shrubs can be diverse in f orest s dominat ed by E. amygdalina and E. viminalis, part icularly on ironst one gravels, but are of t en sparse in E. paucif lora dominat ed f orest s. Apart f rom regenerat ion of t he t ree species ment ioned above, common species include several legumes (e.g. Acacia species, Pult enaea species, Dillw ynia species, Aot us ericoides, Bossiaea species), and epacrids (e.g. Epacris impressa, Leucopogon species, Ast roloma humif usum). Ot her shrubs include Pimelea species, Lept ospermum scoparium (poorly–drained sit es), Spyridium vexillif erum, St enant hemum pimeleoides and Hibbert ia species. Lomandra longif olia, Lepidosperma lat erale, Dianella species (w idespread), Lepidosperma concavum (sandy sit es), Lepidosperma longit udinale, Juncus species and Baumea species (poorly–drained sit es). Nat ive grasses are diverse and locally abundant on relat ively f ert ile sit es. They include Themeda t riandra, Aust rost ipa species, Aust rodant honia species and Poa species. DAZ can have a very high diversit y of f orbs, including lilies, daisies and orchids, part icularly on more f ert ile sit es. This diversit y can be diminished by land use (grazing by st ock, and possibly f requent f iring on Recent sand) and est ablishment of w eed species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2b Grassy Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAD, DM W & DAM 2g Grassy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DOV & DM W 3c Sedgy E. amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAC, DAS and DSC 4h Heat hy Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DPO Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 4 Eucalypt us amygdalina–Caesia parvif lora var. vit t at a grassy w oodland 9 Eucalypt us amygdalina/E. viminalis–Acacia dealbat a–Art hropodium st rict um grassy w oodland 10 Eucalypt us amygdalina–Cent rolepis st rigosa grassy w oodland Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hAM Heat hy Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DAS, & DAM DRY-hVIM Heat hy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DVC, DAM & DAC The ground layer is of t en dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um on sandy sit es, and more sporadically on ot her subst rat es on w ell–drained sit es. Sclerophyllous graminoids include Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 237 Eucalyptus amygdalina–Eucalyptus obliqua damp sclerophyll forest (DSC) General description Damp sclerophyll f orest is charact erised by t he lack of a clear dominant eucalypt species. Typically, a variet y of species grow in a mosaic t hat changes over short dist ances. Four eucalypt species are charact erist ic of t he f orest communit y: E. amygdalina, E. obliqua, E. ovat a and E. viminalis. In some areas, E. rodw ayi and E. paucif lora are also common component s. The underst orey varies f rom open and heat hy, t o dense scrub t o broad-leaved shrubbery, depending on t he f ire-f requency, slope and aspect . somet imes close t o Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (DAZ). E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DAD), E. obliqua dry f orest (DOB), E. obliqua w et f orest (WOU), E. ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV), E. rodw ayi f orest and w oodland (DRO), E. viminalis w et f orest (DVG) and E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DPD). RFA mapping unit TASVEG DSC is equivalent t o RFA DSC. Distribution The st ronghold of t his f orest communit y is in nort hern Tasmania bet w een t he Tamar and M ersey Rivers. Smaller pat ches are also present in t he nort h of t he Ben Lomond bioregion around Scot t sdale and Ringarooma. Tim Rudman. Nat ive Plains Road, M erseylea. Example locality Brushy Lagoon (West Tamar). Distinguishing features and similar communities A number of diff erent Eucalypt us species grow ing in a f ine-scale mosaic on generally f ert ile ground dist inguishes t his f orest communit y f rom t he ot her f orest communit ies t hat t he component eucalypt s f orm w hen t hey become dominant . DSC does not occur as a w oodland communit y. The communit y is 238 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, N, M , NS. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The largest areas are on undulat ing count ry around Deloraine and Frankf ord t hat receive moderat e rainf all. This communit y occurs on soils derived f rom basalt , dolerit e, sandst one and alluvial soils. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y f orms a mosaic of several eucalypt species – E. amygdalina, E. obliqua, E. ovat a and E. viminalis. Alt hough all may occur t oget her, E. amygdalina and/or E. obliqua t end t o be more dominant . The dominance and/or codominance of t hese eucalypt species can change rapidly due t o t he undulat ing t errain and changes in geology. Ot her t ree species somet imes present are E. rodw ayi, E. paucif lora, Acacia melanoxylon and A. dealbat a. Tree height can be up t o 40 m, but depends on t he availabilit y of moist ure (drainage and aspect ). Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3b Sedgy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DOV, DOW & SHW 3c Sedgy Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAC & DPO Wet eucalypt f orest OV01 E. ovat a–Acacia dealbat a–Pomaderris apet ala w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DOV Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shAM Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest ; also occurs in DAD, DAC, DAS & DAM DRY-shOB Eucalypt us obliqua f orest ; also occurs in DOB DRY-shVIM Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DVG, DSC & DAC Wet eucalypt f orest WET-OV2 E. ovat a–L. lanigerum w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DOV A dense underst orey of t all, broad- and narrow leaf ed shrubs and small t rees t ypif ies t his communit y. The underst orey can be eit her a relat ively unif orm mix of species or a mosaic t hat changes over short dist ances. The abundance and combinat ions of species in t he underst orey also depends on t heir response t o microclimat e and soil t ype. Common species include Banksia marginat a, Acacia vert icillat a, A. dealbat a, Pult enaea juniperina, Pomaderris apet ala, Lomat ia t inct oria, Lept ospermum lanigerum, M elaleuca ericif olia, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Bedf ordia salicina and Olearia lirat a. Pt eridium esculent um, Gahnia grandis and Gonocarpus t eucrioides are common groundlayer species. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 239 Eucalyptus barberi forest and w oodland (DBA) General description Eucalypt us barberi f orest and w oodland (DBA) is very localised in dist ribut ion in t he East ern Tiers on t he cent ral east coast . It occurs most commonly as mallee-f orm w oodland in small pat ches on rock plat es and rocky ridges w it hin Eucalypt us pulchella f orest and w oodland (DPU). Example locality Cherry Tree Hill, nort h of Sw ansea. Distinguishing features and similar communities DBA is dist inguished f rom ot her dry eucalypt communit ies by t he dominance of E. barberi. It int ergrades w it h Eucalypt us pulchella f orest and w oodland (DPU). DPU includes small pat ches of veget at ion dominat ed by E. barberi, w hich is of t en also a subdominant , co-dominant or underst orey shrub. How ever, w here E. barberi dominant pat ches are signif icant , t he communit y is mapped as DBA. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DBA is included in RFA P. Nepelle Temby. Cherry Tree Hill, nort h of Sw ansea. Distribution Found only in small, isolat ed pat ches on t he cent ral east coast bet w een M arion Bay and Douglas River. 240 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence SE. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Occupies dry, rocky dolerit e ridges and nort hf acing slopes in t he East ern Tiers. The sit es are generally drought -prone and bet w een 200 m and 400 m in alt it ude. E. barberi is w ell adapt ed t o f requent w et t ing and drying cycles and inhabit s areas such as rock plat es w here ot her species cannot survive. Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree is Eucalypt us barberi, w hich usually has a mallee f orm. Ot her eucalypt s t hat may be present are Eucalypt us pulchella, E. globulus, E. viminalis and Callit ris rhomboidea. The t ree height is less t han 15 m and usually less because of t he poor sit es w here t his communit y grow s. The solid crow n canopy cover is less t han 20% in nearly all cases. The underst orey is variable, depending on t he locat ion, but is of t en grassy or sedgy; Lomandra longif olia is common. Small shrubs f rom t he f amilies Fabaceae and Epacridaceae also commonly occur. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No equivalent f lorist ic communit ies have been ident if ied f or t his ecological veget at ion communit y. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 241 Eucalyptus coccifera forest and w oodland (DCO) General description Eucalypt us coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO) is a f orest w oodland complex t hat is w idespread in t he subalpine areas of Tasmania over about 600 m alt it ude. The t ype is primarily, but not alw ays, associat ed w it h dolerit e subst rat es. Distribution Common t hroughout t he Cent ral Plat eau, M ount Field Range and ot her subalpine areas in t he sout h and w est . The underst orey generally has a signif icant heat hy or shrubby component . Bioregional occurrence St ephen Harris. Lake St Clair. CH, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Example locality Lake Fent on, M t Field Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities Eucalypt us coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO) can be dist inguished f rom ot her t ypes by t he dominance of E. coccif era. Small areas dominat ed by E. urnigera, E. gunnii or E. archeri are also mapped as DCO w here t hey occur in associat ion w it h t hat t ype. DCO is a f orest –w oodland complex, as bot h are included in t he same ecological veget at ion communit y. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DCO is equivalent t o RFA C. 242 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This communit y is f ound on undulat ing alpine plat eaus and st eep mount ain sides up t o 1 200 m. The low er limit is generally 600 m, at t he edges of plains or lakes. In a f ew places in sout h-east Tasmania, E. coccif era grow s at alt it udes as low as 390 m. The subst rat e is usually dolerit e and E. coccif era commonly occurs on very rocky ground (rises and slopes w here drainage is very good). High f rost /drought t olerance allow s t he t rees t o grow in very exposed sit es. A f ew know n st ands of E. coccif era are f rom quart zit e areas, part icularly around Cradle M ount ain, and t here are small st ands on Permian sediment s above 800 m in t he w est and sout h-w est . E. archeri and E. urnigera subalpine and alpine w oodlands are included in t he DCO unit . Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. coccif era. E. subcrenulat a, E. gunnii, E. paucif lora, E. delegat ensis, At hrot axis cupressoides and A. selaginoides are somet imes present as subdominant s. In subalpine areas, E. delegat ensis may f orm f orest or w oodland on very rocky ground w it h a mix of E. coccif era and E. delegat ensis on t he f ringes. Around 1 000 m, E. paucif lora can be codominant w it h E. coccif era such as at Liaw enee M oor. At low er alt it udes (600–800 m) E. paucif lora largely replaces E. coccif era on t hese w oodland margins. In sw ampy alpine areas, E. coccif era occupies t he bet t er-drained rises and mixes w it h E. gunnii at t he edges. E. archeri occurs on rocky slopes at plat eau edges, w it h or w it hout E. coccif era. E. urnigera is f ound on rocky alpine plat eaus and st eep t o moderat e subalpine slopes dow n t o 800 m, almost alw ays w it h E. coccif era. Bot h E. archeri and E. urnigera have very rest rict ed ranges. E. coccif era f orest s up t o 20 m in height are generally rest rict ed t o shelt ered sit es on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau, M ount Field and nort hw est ern Tasmania. Some large E. coccif era t rees also occur on Snug Tiers. There is evidence t hat large t rees w ere more w idespread bef ore ext ensive w ildf ires in t he 1960s. Woodland t rees generally range f rom 5–10 m in height . At exposed sit es, it is usual f or t rees t o show f ire and f rost damage, w it h t he common f orm of recovery being regrow t h f rom epicormic buds. E. archeri f orms small, of t en spindly t rees less t han 8 m t all. Subalpine w oodlands generally have a sparse heat hy underst orey among rocks, commonly including Richea sprengelioides, Orit es revolut a, O. acicularis, Lept ospermum rupest re, Coprosma nit ida, Ozot hamnus rodw ayi and Cyat hodes species. On less rocky sit es, R. pandanif olia and/or R. scoparia may occur t oget her w it h rainf orest species. Grasses, herbs and prost rat e shrubs occur in openings. Long-unburned areas may support small conif ers (small t rees and shrubs) and/or Not hof agus gunnii. At low er alt it udes, underst orey dominance may change and include Coprosma nit ida, Orit es diversif olia, Acacia riceana, Banksia marginat a, Telopea t runcat a, Hakea lissosperma and Tasmannia lanceolat a. The ground layer may include Bauera rubioides, Planocarpa pet iolaris, Cyat hodes st raminea and Orit es revolut a. E. archeri occurs in exposed rocky areas above shrubby alpine heat h. E. urnigera usually occurs over a shrubby underst orey composed of Oxylobium ellipt icum, Lept ecophylla juniperina subsp. parvif olia, C. glauca, and Orit es diversif olia. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5g Shrubby Eucalypt us coccif era w oodland 6f Shrubby subalpine Eucalypt us coccif era w oodland Wet eucalypt f orest COC01 E. coccif era–E. delegat ensis–G. pot ent illoides subalpine mixed f orest COC10 E. coccif era–E. delegat ensis–T. cunninghamii subalpine mixed f orest URN E. urnigera subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-cCOC Grassy Eucalypt us coccif era w oodland DRY-shCOC Shrubby Eucalypt us coccif era f orest Wet eucalypt f orest WET-URN2 Eucalypt us urnigera w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDL; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 2 Eucalypt us open f orest over Baeckea gunniana–Gleichenia alpina–Rubus gunnianus–f erny closed heat h; also occurs in SRI, SHS, DDE, DPD & DRO Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 243 Eucalyptus cordata forest (DCR) General description Eucalypt us cordat a f orest is a f lorist ically and st ruct urally variable communit y charact erised by t he presence of Eucalypt us cordat a ranging in size f rom 5 m shrubs t o t rees up t o 30 m. E. cordat a co-occurs w it h a number of ot her eucalypt species, commonly E. pulchella. The f lorist ic composit ion of t his communit y varies more or less cont inuously f rom w et t o dry sclerophyll f lorist ic associat ions, and grow s f rom sea level t o subalpine areas 710 m in alt it ude. Example locality Subalpine area around Snug Tiers. Distinguishing features and similar communities The presence of Eucalypt us cordat a dist inguishes t his communit y f rom ot hers. Eucalypt us cordat a f orest in w et f orest mosaics is, how ever, included in t he Eucalypt us delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU). RFA mapping unit Eucalypt us cordat a dominat ed veget at ion w as not ident if ied by t he RFA as a dist inct mapping unit (or not ed as occurring in ot her mapping unit s). It is likely TASVEG DCR is included in RFA P, D or DT, depending on w hich of t hese unit s it w as spat ially associat ed w it h during mapping. Distribution Karen Ziegler. Low er Longley. 244 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This communit y is usually f ound in sout h-east Tasmania on soils derived f rom dolerit e. Populat ions are concent rat ed in t w o main geographic areas: t he M ount Wellingt on Range in t he w est and in t he general vicinit y of Prossers Sugarloaf in t he east . In t erms of populat ion size, t he main st ronghold is t he subalpine area around Snug Tiers. How ever, populat ions also occur on Bruny and M aria Islands. E. delegat ensis and E. viminalis. Occasional associat es include E. coccif era, E. t enuiramis and, very occasionally, E. rubida, E. urnigera and E. johnst onii. Bioregional occurrence In t he east , E. cordat a of t en occurs as a st unt ed mallee underst orey species scat t ered beneat h dry, open, low land w oodland dominat ed by E. pulchella w it h associat ed E. globulus. How ever, w it h increasing alt it ude and rainf all in t he w est , t here is a shif t t ow ard great er cover and sit e dominance by E. cordat a and cooccurrence w it h species more commonly associat ed w it h w et t er or subalpine habit at s. It is only in t hese w et t er sit es t hat E. cordat a achieves t ree height . In many cases, part icularly in t he w est of it s range, E. cordat a t ends t o replace surrounding eucalypt species on w et t er sit es and sit es w it h poor–drainage dominat ed by t he sedge Gahnia grandis. SE, SR, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology E. cordat a is conf ined t o t he sout h-east of Tasmania over an alt it udinal range f rom near sea level t o 710 m, w here it s pat chy dist ribut ion closely f ollow s t he limit s of t he sout h-east ern glacial ref uge. Populat ions mainly occur on medium t o deep clay-loam soils, ranging in pH f rom 6.0 t o 7.0 and derived f rom dolerit e. Only t w o mappable populat ions occur on Permian mudst one. Soils are usually w ell- t o poorly–drained, alt hough several east ern populat ions occur on shallow soils on relat ively st eep, ext remely w ell-drained sit es. St ands of E. cordat a vary more or less cont inuously in f lorist ic composit ion. Sit es can be broadly separat ed int o w et and dry sclerophyll f lorist ic groups. Wit hin t he dry sclerophyll group, populat ions may be separat ed int o dry coast al or w et t er inland, f lorist ic groups. The coast al sit es are charact erised by t he absence of t he less drought t olerant dry sclerophyll species and t he presence of Allocasuarina vert icillat a and Banksia marginat a. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5h Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. cordat a. Shrubby Eucalypt us cordat a f orest Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-CORD1 E. cordat a w et sclerophyll f orest St ands of E. cordat a are rarely pure; t he pure st ands at M oogara, on t he t op of Perpendicular M ount ain, on Cape Queen Elizabet h and Penguin Island are except ions. The main eucalypt species associat ed w it h E. cordat a are E. pulchella, E. globulus, E. obliqua, Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 245 Eucalyptus dalrympleana–Eucalyptus pauciflora forest and w oodland (DDP) General description DDP is a subalpine communit y prominent on t he Cent ral Plat eau and sout hern end of Ben Lomond in w hich Eucalypt us dalrympleana and E. paucif lora are mixed, including areas t hat grade f rom E. dalrympleana dominance upslope t o E. paucif lora on f lat s and at t he edges of moorlands. Example locality Laughing Jack road, East ern Cent ral Plat eau. Distinguishing features and similar types This mapping unit applies t o areas w here E. dalrympleana and E. paucif lora co-occur and t o t hose w here t here is a gradat ion f rom E. dalrympleana dominance t o E. paucif lora f ringes of moorland and valleys. Pure E. paucif lora is mapped as such (DPD) w here it occurs in broad belt s and/or w here E. dalrympleana is absent . Pure E. dalrympleana f orest , or w here E. dalrympleana is co-dominant w it h E. delegat ensis, is mapped as WDA. RFA mapping unit Christ ine Corbet t . Lakeside Island, Int erlaken. TASVEG DDP is included in RFA D w here t he f orest is short , or RFA DT w here f orest is t all. It is likely DDP is also included in RFA PJ, if it w as spacially associat ed w it h t his unit during mapping. Distribution Sout h-east ern low er Cent ral Plat eau; nort h-east . 246 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit SR, BL. Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands Site characteristics, habitat and ecology These f orest s and w oodlands t ypically occur bet w een about 600 m and 750 m alt it ude on dolerit e, basalt or occasionally met amorphosed Permian rocks on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau and on granit e or M at hinna series mudst ones in t he nort h-east . The ground is generally gent ly sloping, rat her rocky and w ell-drained, w it h reasonably f ert ile mineral soils developed bet w een t he boulders. 5i Shrubby Eucalypt us dalrympleana/E. viminalis f orest ; also occurs in WDA 6d Grassy-shrubby subalpine Eucalypt us paucif lora w oodland; also occurs in DPD Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-gDAL Grassy Eucalypt us dalrympleana f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 11 Eucalypt us paucif lora–E. viminalis w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum grassy-sedgy closed scrub; also occurs in SRI Vegetation composition and structure E. dalrympleana t rees may reach 30–40 m in height , w it h E. paucif lora generally short er. Woodland is more common t han f orest . The underst orey is generally a f airly sparse heat h bet w een 0.5 and 1.5 m t all. Typically, it includes Richea procera, Lomat ia t inct oria, L. polymorpha and Tasmannia lanceolat a in t he t allest layer, w it h short er Epacris gunnii, Leucopogon hookeri, Allocasuarina monilif era, Pult enaea juniperina, Pt eridium esculent um and Lept ecophylla juniperina over a ground layer of grass (mainly Poa gunnii) and herbs. Oxylobium ellipt icum, Grevillea aust ralis, Hakea lissosperma and H. epiglot t is may be prominent . Lepidosperma f ilif orme, Sprengelia incarnat a, Diplarrena lat if olia and Hovea mont ana, may occur in t he int ermediat e layer. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 247 Eucalyptus delegatensis dry forest and w oodland (DDE) General description Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orms an open canopy in t he dry f orest s and w oodlands it dominat es. The underst orey’s composit ion and st ruct ure vary great ly, depending on f ire-f requency. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DDE is equivalent t o RFA D. Distribution Eucalypt us delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland occurs on upland ranges and plat eaus in nort hern and east ern Tasmania and t he Cent ral Highlands. M icah Visoiu. Lake Highw ay near t he St eppes St at e Reserve. Example locality The St eppes Forest Reserve on t he Lake Highw ay sout h of Great Lake. Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y diff ers f rom t he w et E. delegat ensis f orest t ypes WDB, WDL, WDR, and WDU in t hat it has an open underst orey w it h occasional t all shrubs and a short shrub or heat h layer. In cont rast , t he w et f orest equivalent s have a dense w et shrub or t ree underst orey. In many places in DDE, E. dalrympleana is a subdominant or codominant . Where it is dominant , t he f orest is mapped as WDA; how ever, WDA mapping has only been complet ed on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau. 248 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation BL, CH, NS, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs mainly in associat ion w it h dolerit e, but also on basalt , sandst one and granit e. The sit es are t ypically w ell–drained. The surf ace rock can be cont inuous on t alus slopes, boulder-f ields and out cropping rock plat f orms. The alt it udinal range of t his communit y is about 500 m t o 900 m (1 050 m on t he Cent ral Plat eau), alt hough in areas t hat receive cold-air drainage, it w ill ext end dow nslope t o below 300 m. Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is dominat ed by E. delegat ensis, w it h E. dalrympleana a subdominant in some E. delegat ensis communit ies. E. amygdalina is t he most w idespread peppermint subdominant species. E. nit ida is most f requent in t he nort h-w est , and E. pulchella and E. t enuiramis are occasional subdominant s in t he east and sout h-east . In t he Fort h River cat chment , t he peppermint E. radiat a subsp. robert sonii is an occasional subdominant . parvif olia and Cyat hodes glauca. The ground layer in f requent ly f ired areas is dominat ed by t ussock-f orming grasses, w it h Pt eridium esculent um, Lomandra longif olia and herb species also being common. As f ire-f requency decreases, t he prominence of t he grasses decreases, w it h a corresponding increase in abundance and/or diversit y of shrub and f ern species. High alt it ude E. delegat ensis on basalt has an underst orey dominat ed by grass, not ably Poa species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit E. coccif era, E. urnigera, E. subcrenulat a and E. johnst onii are localised subdominant s on exposed sit es in subalpine communit ies on t he Cent ral Plat eau and on mount ains in t he east and sout h-east . On t he margins of f rost hollow s and marshes, E. paucif lora may be present . At t he low er alt it ude limit s of E. delegat ensis, E. obliqua may be a co-dominant or subdominant , and E. viminalis or E. viminalis/ E. dalrympleana hybrids may replace E. dalrympleana as a subdominant . E. rubida may replace E. dalrympleana in t he Upper Derw ent Valley. In sout h-east Tasmania, E. globulus occurs locally and E. cordat a has a very localised dist ribut ion as an underst orey shrub and occasionally as a t ree. E. delegat ensis t ypically f orms open f orest s, t hough on exposed sit es t rees may of t en have a low, spreading, w oodland f orm. St ands can be even- or uneven-aged. Grasslands and grassy w oodlands The composit ion and st ruct ure of t he underst orey vary great ly, depending on f iref requency. The shrub layer is t ypically sparse in areas of high f ire-f requency. The t all shrub layer is generally sparse and species-poor, w it h t he most f requent species being Acacia dealbat a. Ot her species include Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Acacia melanoxylon, Banksia marginat a and Olearia viscosa. The low er shrub layer is also sparse, t he most common species being Pult enaea juniperina, Lomat ia t inct oria, Olearia phlogopappa, Lept ecophylla juniperina subsp. Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2a Grassy Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest 5b Shrubby Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest 6a Grassy subalpine Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest 6e Shrubby subalpine Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest Wet eucalypt f orest DAL00 E. dalrympleana/E. delegat ensis–L. t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDA & WDU DEL0000 E. delegat ensis–B. salicina–L. t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB & WDA DEL1101 E. delegat ensis–P. juniperina– P. labillardierei subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR 24 Eucalypt us delegat ensis–Aust ropyrum pect inat um grassy w oodland Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 2 Eucalypt us open f orest over Baeckea gunniana–Gleichenia alpina–Rubus gunnianus–f erny closed heat h; also occurs in SRI, SHS, DPD, DCO & DRO 12 Eucalypt us delegat ensis w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum grassy-herby-f erny closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 249 Eucalyptus globulus dry forest and w oodland (DGL) General description Eucalypt us globulus dry f orest and w oodland is dominat ed by a canopy of E. globulus t hat varies in height f rom about 40 m in product ive coast al areas t o < 20 m on poor soils in more arid inland areas. The underst orey in t his f orest communit y is usually dominat ed by nat ive grasses and Lomandra longif olia, w it h a sparse cover of t all shrubs and a sparse low shrub layer. mapped as E. globulus f orest w here t hey ext end over more t han 1 or 2 ha. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DGL is equivalent t o RFA GG. Distribution Eucalypt us globulus dry f orest and w oodland occurs in coast al areas of east and sout h-east Tasmania and inland, t o a lesser ext ent , bet w een Buckland and Oat lands. Sophie Underw ood. M aria Island. Example localities M aria Island Nat ional Park; M eehan Range Nat ure Recreat ion Area; Three Thumbs St at e Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. globulus dry f orest and w oodland of t en f orms a mosaic w it h E. pulchella f orest and w oodland (DPU) as moist ure availabilit y decreases. The charact erist ic diff erence bet w een t hese t w o communit ies is t he low proport ion of E. pulchella (< 30% ) in t he canopy of DGL. Of t en small areas of f orest are dominat ed by E. globulus w it hin a mat rix of E. pulchella– E. globulus–E. viminalis f orest ; t hese have been 250 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence SE. Also occurs in F and SR in very small f orest pat ches. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y grow s on dolerit e ridges, slopes and f lat s. Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. globulus, w it h E. amygdalina, E. pulchella, E. viminalis, E. ovat a and E. obliqua somet imes present . The t ree height of t his communit y varies f rom about 40 m in product ive coast al areas t o < 20 m on poor soils in more arid inland areas. The height depends on moist ure availabilit y and soil dept h. The underst orey in t his f orest communit y is usually dominat ed by nat ive grasses and Lomandra longif olia, w it h a sparse cover of t all shrubs t hat may include Banksia marginat a, Acacia dealbat a, A. mearnsii, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Allocasuarina vert icillat a and Bursaria spinosa. In areas w here f ires are f requent and/or grazing is int ensive and prolonged, and in very rocky areas, t his t all shrub layer may be absent . The low shrub layer is also sparse, w it h Epacris impressa, Hibbert ia riparia, Ast roloma humif usum, Lissant he st rigosa, Acrot riche serrulat a and Lept ecophylla divaricat a occurring occasionally. The diverse ground layer is dominat ed by grasses and Lomandra longif olia. Common species include Poa species, Themeda t riandra, Dichelachne species, Aust rost ipa species, Aust rodant honia species. Occasional species are Agrost is species, Lepidosperma species, Lomandra longif olia and Dianella revolut a. Frequent herbs include Viola hederacea, Wahlenbergia species, Lept orhynchos squamat us, Bossiaea prost rat a and Gonocarpus t et ragynus. f orest on t he f oot hills of M ount Wellingt on t hat have an upper canopy of E. globulus over a secondary canopy of eucalypt s dominat ed by E. obliqua w it h a higher st em densit y t han is f ound in ot her f acies of t his communit y. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2d Grassy Eucalypt us globulus–E. viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DPU Wet eucalypt f orest GLOB1 E. globulus–P. labillardierei–H. radicat a w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WGL Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 13 Eucalypt us globulus–Allocasuarina vert icillat a–Agrost is aemula grassy w oodland T8 Aust rodant honia spp.–Poa rodw ayi–Agrost is aemula t ussock grassland; also occurs in GRP, GCL & NAV Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shGLOB Shrubby Eucalypt us globulus f orest ; also occurs in DVC & DPU Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 7 Eucalypt us viminalis–E.globulus–E.obliqua– E. amygdalina w oodland over Beyeria viscosa–Exocarpos cupressif ormis sedgy, grassy, f erny or heat hy closed scrub; also occurs in SRI In w et t er sit uat ions and aspect s, t he dry E. globulus f orest communit y grades int o E. obliqua f orest s. In t hese t ransit ional zones E. globulus is st ill dominant , but E. obliqua can become subdominant . M ixt ures of w et and dry sclerophyll shrubs become prominent on w et t er sit es; t hese include Acacia dealbat a, A. melanoxylon, Cassinia aculeat a, Olearia lirat a, Olearia viscosa, Bedf ordia salicina and Pomaderris apet ala. There are areas of shrubby Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 251 Eucalyptus gunnii w oodland (DGW) General description Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland is dominat ed by E. gunnii (bot h subspecies gunnii and subspecies divaricat a) occasionally grow ing t o 20 m, but more commonly 5–10 m in height . Ot her less common eucalypt species in t his communit y are E. coccif era and E. delegat ensis. This is a subalpine communit y w it h a variably grassy, sedgy or f erny bog underst orey. Example locality Lake Highw ay near Great Lake. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y occurs in more poorly–drained sit es t han ot her nearby communit ies w it h w hich it may int ergrade, such as Eucalypt us coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO) and Eucalypt us delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland or w oodland (DDE). Such sit es are indicat ed by underst orey and ground-layer species t ypical of w et t er environment s. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DGW is included in RFA C. Distribution Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland is f ound primarily on t he Cent ral Plat eau, Cradle M ount ain Nat ional Park and t he cent ral nort h-w est in w est ern Tasmania, and Snow Hill and Fingal Tiers in t he east . St ephen Harris. Near St eppes. 252 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence CH, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The w oodland communit y mainly occurs above 800 m alt it ude and ext ends up t o about 1 050 m on t he Cent ral Plat eau, w it h a w ider range in t he nort h east (500–1 200 m) and relict populat ions at low er alt it udes. It is best developed on f ert ile basalt plains (e.g. M iena, M iddlesex Plains), but also occurs in valleys on glacial out w ash (e.g. Pelion Plains, Cradle Valley) and on poorly–drained plat eaus underlain by dolerit e or sediment ary rocks. Such sit es are of t en at t he edges of broad, f rost –prone valleys (e.g. February Plains, Pinest one Valley, Reedy Lake, w est ern side of Great Lake). The low land occurrences in t he east and f ar nort h-w est are also in small, cold hollow s. Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is dominat ed by E. gunnii subspecies gunnii and subspecies divaricat a. E. coccif era and E. delegat ensis are somet imes present . E. coccif era usually occupies t he best drained ground on large sw ampy alpine plains, mingling w it h E. gunnii as t he ground becomes w et t er. E. gunnii f orest is mapped w it h DCO, and is rare. On basalt plains E. gunnii may be dominant or accompanied by E. delegat ensis, t he lat t er becoming dominant on st eep slopes such as at t he edges of old lava f low s. At low er alt it udes, E. gunnii may f ringe E. paucif lora w oodland. E. gunnii and E. subcrenulat a w oodlands may occur close t oget her but are never combined: E. subcrenulat a grow s on slopes w here drainage and cold air are less limit ing t o it . E. gunnii somet imes occurs as a dominant in subalpine t all f orest s w it h E. delegat ensis and E. dalrympleana. E. gunnii w oodland is of t en associat ed w it h w oodlands of E. rodw ayi in w at erlogged subalpine areas and around f rost hollow s. On t he most suit able sit es, near Great Lake, E. gunnii can exceed 20 m in height , as t all, st raight t rees. Broad, branching t rees may develop w here t hey are w ell spaced. Trees 5–10 m high w it h juvenile f oliage ret ained f or many years are charact erist ic in areas of poor– drainage and f rost hollow s. On basalt plains, t he underst orey is grassy (mainly Poa gunnii) and herbaceous, w it h scat t ered small shrubs of Leucopogon mont anus, Richea acerosa, Epacris gunnii, Olearia phlogopappa, Oxylobium ellipt icum and somet imes Hovea mont ana. Less f ert ile sit es have Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus and Lepidosperma f ilif orme, w it h scat t ered shrubs including M onot oca linif olia var. algida, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Olearia pinif olia, Leucopogon mont anus and Coprosma nit ida. In t he w et t est areas t he underst orey may be sedgy f ern bogs w it h Baloskion aust rale and Gleichenia alpina over Sphagnum, w it h emergent Callist emon viridif lorus. In subalpine t all f orest s, t he underst orey is shrubby and includes rainf orest species, but t his is an unusual sit uat ion f or E. gunnii. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 6c Grassy, sedgy subalpine Eucalypt us gunnii/ E. archeri w oodland Riparian communit ies 23 Eucalypt us gunnii–Lept ospermum lanigerum–M icrant heum hexandrum closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-sdGUN Sedgy Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland DRY-shGUN Shrubby Eucalypt us gunnii f orest Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 253 Eucalyptus morrisbyi forest and w oodland (DM O) General description Eucalypt us morrisbyi f orest s and w oodlands are dominat ed by a sparse canopy of E. morrisbyi t rees less t han 15 m t all. They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h shrubby underst oreys and a grassy ground layer. Example locality Calvert s Hill Nat ure Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is dist inguished by t he presence of t he Tasmanian endemic eucalypt E. morrisbyi. It is similar t o Eucalypt us risdonii f orest (DRI) in st ruct ure. All E. morrisbyi dominat ed veget at ion is mapped as DM O. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DM O is equivalent t o RFA M O. Distribution Bronw yn Hayes. Calvert s Hill. 254 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalypt us morrisbyi f orest and w oodland occurs only on mainland Tasmania w here it s dist ribut ion is ext remely localised in t w o populat ions: Calvert s Hill (nort h of Cremorne) and in t he East Risdon Nat ure Reserve on t he east ern shore of t he River Derw ent . Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit SE. Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands Site characteristics, habitat and ecology 2f Grassy Eucalypt us morrisbyi w oodland In nat ural st ands, bot h core populat ions of t his communit y occur in coast al, dry sclerophyll w oodland on gent le t o hilly slopes w it h poor–drainage. The communit y occurs on Recent sands overlying dolerit e at Calvert s Hill and on Permian mudst one at Risdon. Addit ional inf ormat ion can be f ound in Wilt shire et al. (1991). Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species in bot h populat ions of t his communit y is E. morrisbyi. E. t enuiramis is somet imes present in t he Calvert s Hill populat ion and E. amygdalina and E. globulus co-occur in t he Risdon populat ion. Tree height is generally < 15 m and t he communit y most commonly occurs in w oodland densit y. The larger of t he t w o populat ions is at Calvert s Hill, w here t he underst orey has been aff ect ed by grazing and high f ire-f requency. The occasional shrubs in t his st and include Bursaria spinosa, Allocasuarina vert icillat a and Dodonaea viscosa. The ground layer, w hich is less diverse t han w ould normally be expect ed, is dominat ed by grasses f rom t he genera Poa, Aust rodant honia and Aust rost ipa, and by Lomandra longif olia. The Risdon populat ion is part of a relat ively int act grassy w oodland dominat ed by Eucalypt us amygdalina. Alt hough cleared t o reduce compet it ion, t he underst orey consist s of Acacia vert icillat a, A. dealbat a, A. melanoxylon, Pult enaea daphnoides and Cassinia aculeat a, w it h a low er shrub layer of Epacris impressa, Pult enaea gunnii and Acacia genist if olia. Poa species and various herbs are present in t he ground layer. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 255 Eucalyptus nitida dry forest and w oodland (DNI) General description Eucalypt us nit ida dry f orest s and w oodlands are dominat ed by E. nit ida t rees. The dense heat hy/sedgy underst orey is t ypically diverse. Near t he coast , E. nit ida t rees are generally less t han 10 m in height and may show mallee f orm. This communit y also occurs inland on dry ridges. At such sit es t he t aller t rees clearly st and out above t he dry, heat hy underst orey, w hich is under 4 m in height . Example locality Rocky Cape Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities This f orest communit y, w hich has a shrubby or heat hy underst orey, is dist inguished by t he presence of E. nit ida as t he dominant t ree species. E. nit ida w et f orest t ypes (WNL, WNR, WNU) are similar, but have a dense, scrubby underst orey, occasionally including Lept ospermum and/or rainf orest species. Wet E. nit ida f orest t ypes t end t o be t aller t han dry f orest t ypes. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DNI is equivalent t o RFA N. Distribution M icah Visoiu. Rocky Cape Nat ional Park. 256 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This communit y occurs in w est ern Tasmania and t here is a zone of int ergradat ion w it h E. amygdalina in t he cent ral nort h and some part s of sout hern Tasmania. A coast al f orm of Eucalypt us nit ida dry f orest and w oodlands occurs below 300 m in nort h-w est and w est ern Tasmania. A second f orm occurs inland in t he sout h-w est , w est and nort h-w est . dry heat hy underst orey, w hich does not exceed 4 m. Bioregional occurrence CH, NS, SR, W Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The dry coast al f orm occurs on inf ert ile sit es associat ed w it h Holocene and Pleist ocene sands, non-marine Tert iary sediment s and unmet amorphosed Precambrian sediment s. Sit es range f rom very w ell–drained t o poorly–drained. The inland f orm occurs on w ell-drained but inf ert ile ridges on siliceous rocks up t o about 600 m in alt it ude. In coast al areas, t he underst orey may consist of dense, t ypically diverse, heat h and sedges. Common sedge species in t his communit y include Lomandra longif olia, Xyris species and Lepidosperma species, and in w ell-drained areas Xant horrhoea aust ralis. There may be a sparse int ermediat e layer consist ing of Lept ospermum species (commonly L. glaucescens) and Banksia marginat a, and at Rocky Cape, B. serrat a. Inland dry E. nit ida f orest s may have an underst orey of low heat hland or t all, even-t ext ured shrubs. Common heat h species in t hese communit ies include Oxylobium ellipt icum, Allocasuarina monilif era, Pult enaea juniperina, Lept ospermum scoparium, Aot us ericoides and Richea procera. Pt eridium esculent um occurs in dist urbed areas, part icularly w hen f requent f iring has occurred. A shrub layer may be dominat ed by M onot oca glauca, w it h a sparse ground layer. How ever, it is somet imes denser, consist ing of Lept ospermum glaucescens and Banksia marginat a, and less commonly Zieria arborescens, Nemat olepis squamea and Acacia mucronat a. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 4d Heat hy Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland But t ongrass moorland Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. nit ida; ot her t ree species include E. obliqua, E. viminalis and E. ovat a. E. nit ida int ergrades w it h E. amygdalina bet w een Table Cape and Rocky Cape, w here hybrids bet w een t hese t w o species are common. B12 Dry copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW , SHU & SDU Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) M allee peppermint dry heat h; also occurs in SHF, SNF, DAC & SCH Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands Trees in t he coast al f orm of DNI are generally less t han 10 m in height and may show mallee f orm. Inland dry ridges usually carry t aller t rees w it h clear def init ion bet w een t he canopy and a DRY-sdNIT Sedgy Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland/scrub DRY-scNIT Scrubby Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland/scrub DRY-shNIT Shrubby Eucalypt us nit ida f orest /w oodland Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 257 Eucalyptus nitida Furneaux forest (DNF) General description E. nit ida t rees dominat e t his f orest , and invariably have a shrubby and/or heat hy underst orey on relat ively inf ert ile subst rat es. In areas w here f ire is inf requent , f or example in some areas of St rzelecki Nat ional Park, t he t rees f orm single-st em unif orm-aged st ands. The good coppicing abilit y of t his species has also led t o mult i-st emmed or mallee-f orm specimens dominat ing low f orest in areas of higher f iref requency and on ridge t ops. Example locality St rzelecki Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y occurs only in t he Furneaux Group. While t here are some similarit ies of f orm w it h f orest s on islands in t he Fleurieu Group, w est ern Bass St rait , t he communit y is dist inguished f rom t he w est ern DNI because of t he st rong geographical disjunct ion and t he biogeographically dist inct assemblage of underst orey species, w hich may include Xant horrhoea aust ralis and Isopogon cerat ophyllus. DNF grades int o heat hland w it h occasional E. nit ida, and also int o Furneaux scrub in t he higher f ire-f requency sit es. Woodland f orms are also mapped as DNF. RFA M apping Unit TASVEG DNF is equivalent t o RFA NF. St ephen Harris. Rooks River, Cape Barren Island. Distribution Eucalypt us nit ida Furneaux f orest is conf ined t o t he larger islands of t he Furneaux Group: Flinders, Cape Barren and Clarke Islands. 258 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure The dominant species is E. nit ida, w it h E. globulus, E. ovat a, E. viminalis, Allocasuarina vert icillat a and Callit ris rhomboidea somet imes present . Bioregional occurrence F. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs on granit e subst rat es on slopes and ridges, on met amorphosed M at hinna series mudst one on slopes, and on f lat s w it h Quat ernary sands and gravels. The underst orey is heat hy t o shrubby. On t he driest sit es, t here are considerable areas of bare ground bet w een plant s and t he t aller shrubs commonly include Hakea species, Banksia marginat a, Lept ospermum species and Allocasuarina vert icillat a. Xant horrhoea aust ralis is abundant . The species diversit y is great est in recent ly burnt areas. On moist er sit es, t he underst orey t ends t o be of low diversit y, w it h dense Lepidosperma species. Long-undist urbed underst orey becomes more like a closed Lept ospermum scrub w it h pat chy Lepidosperma species. Along drainage lines or in areas of impeded drainage, t he veget at ion is t ypically dense, dominat ed by Lepidosperma ensif orme and Gleichenia species. The communit y grades int o heat hland w it h occasional E. nit ida. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 4e Heat hy Eucalypt us nit ida–E. globulus low f orest Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 259 Eucalyptus obliqua dry forest (DOB) General description Eucalypt us obliqua dry f orest s are dominat ed by E. obliqua t rees, t ypically of medium height (20–30 m) and w it h w ell-f ormed st ems about half of t he t ot al t ree height . In inf ert ile, exposed coast al condit ions, t he communit y may have a t all, uneven underst orey, w hile canopy t rees may have a mallee f orm. The shrubby underst orey is usually dense, t ypically diverse, and t he ground layer sparse. similar in appearance but is mapped as E. delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland (DDE). This communit y rarely, if ever, occurs as w oodland. E. obliqua w et f orest t ends t o be much t aller t han E. obliqua dry f orest . RFA mapping unit TASVEG DOB is equivalent t o RFA O. Distribution This communit y is w idespread and ext ensive in nort h, east and sout h-east Tasmania f rom sea level t o about 600 m. Nick Fit zgerald. M ole Creek. Example locality Dazzler Range, West Tamar. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. obliqua dry f orest is easily dist inguishable f rom ot her f orest communit ies by t he dominant eucalypt and t he dry shrubby or heat hy underst orey. It may grade int o E. obliqua w et f orest in some areas. E. obliqua w et f orest has a t all, dense underst orey of broad-leaf shrubs (mapped as WOB) or Lept ospermum species (mapped as WOL). At higher alt it udes, E. delegat ensis may replace E. obliqua as a dominant ; t he result ing communit y may be very 260 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, F, K, NS, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is associat ed w it h dolerit e, argillaceous subst rat es (mudst one and met amorphosed mudst one) and siliceous subst rat es, including granit es and sandst ones. Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. obliqua. Acacia dealbat a is f requent ly present , but it is t ypically in t he t all shrub layer rat her t han t he canopy, as is Acacia melanoxylon w hen present . E. obliqua dry f orest occurs as mixed-species st ands w it h eucalypt s f rom bot h t he gum (Series Ovat ae and Viminales) and peppermint (Series Piperit ae) groups. E. amygdalina is t he most common subdominant peppermint in nort hern and east ern Tasmania. In dolerit e areas in t he sout h-east , E. amygdalina and E. pulchella are common subdominant s, and on mudst one, E. t enuiramis is common. In t he nort h-w est , E. nit ida is t he most f requent subdominant , and on sunnier slopes of t he upper Fort h valley, E. radiat a subsp. robert sonii occurs as a localised subdominant . E. viminalis occurs t hroughout t he range as a subdominant or minor species. E. globulus occurs as a subdominant or minor species on t he east coast and in t he sout h-east , eit her replacing or co-occurring w it h E. viminalis. On M at hinna mudst one series in t he nort h-east , E. sieberi may be present , usually along drainage lines or on shaded slopes. E. delegat ensis may co-occur w it h E. obliqua at t he higher alt it udinal limit s of E. obliqua dry f orest . At sit es w here t he dolerit e-derived subst rat e is prone t o w int er w at erlogging, and of t en summer drought , E. ovat a may occur w it h E. obliqua and E. amygdalina, and/or E. pulchella. subst rat es, t he underst orey may t end more t ow ard a heat hy/shrubby underst orey w it h such species as Amperea xiphoclada, Aot us ericoides and Leucopogon ericoides. Occasionally on siliceous subst rat es, t he underst orey can be grassy, of t en w it h t he only shrubs being Acacia dealbat a. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5a Shrubby Eucalypt us obliqua f orest Wet eucalypt f orest OB010 E. obliqua–O. lirat a–P. juniperina w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hOB Heat hy Eucalypt us obliqua f orest DRY-shRAD Shrubby Eucalypt us radiat a f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit The f orest communit y t ypically has t rees of medium height w it h st ems of good f orm. The bole is usually about half of t he t ot al t ree height . Typically, t he underst orey is shrubby. The shrub layer is dense and species-diverse, and t he ground layer sparse. The except ion t o t his is f requent ly f ired sit es, w here t he shrub layer is sparse and species-poor, and t he dense ground layer is dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um. Where t he shrub layer is dense, common species include Acacia dealbat a, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Allocasuarina lit t oralis, Lomat ia t inct oria and Epacris impressa. On siliceous Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 261 Eucalyptus ovata forest and w oodland (DOV) General description DOV is a communit y of E. ovat a (and occasionally E. viminalis) dominat ed f orest and w oodland associat ed w it h drainage f lat s and moderat e t o poorly–drained f ert ile soils. M ost t ypically charact erised by shrubby or sedgy underst oreys alt hough grassy and even broad leaved f acies occur. Nepelle Temby. Huon River, Franklin. Example locality Around Exet er on t he West Tamar River. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. ovat a f orest underst oreys can vary f rom grassy t o broad leaved alt hough most t ypically it is sedgy or shrubby in charact er. E. ovat a f orest (DOV) may be conf used w it h E. brookeriana w et f orest (WBR) on t he Tasmanian mainland. Alt hough t he t w o f orest communit ies are of t en very similar, t he dominant t ree species is t he dist inguishing f act or. DOV w it h a high proport ion of E. viminalis may be conf used w it h E. viminalis w et f orest (WVI) or E. viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG). Where t here is a high proport ion of E. viminalis in DOV, t he underst orey is t ypically scrubby or sedgy, w hereas t hat of WVI is dominat ed by broad-leaf species or rainf orest species and DVG has a grassy underst orey. Small st ands of E. ovat a f orest and w oodland associat ed w it h E. amygdalina, E. paucif lora and E. viminalis in t he M idlands are included in inland E. amygdalina f orest (DAI). St ands w here E. ovat a, E. amygdalina and/or E. obliqua are codominant (E. viminalis may also be present ) in t he nort h are included in damp sclerophyll complex (DSC). Woodlands dominat ed by E. ovat a on dolerit e and basalt or alluvial soils in low rainf all areas are included in t he mapping unit DM W . Woodlands over a heat hy underst orey are included in t he mapping unit DOW . Woodlands dominat ed by E. viminalis are included in ot her mapping unit s such as DVG, DVC or DM E. Woodlands t hat are correct ly classif ied as DOV occur over sedgy or shrubby and occasionally grassy underst oreys w here t hey do not f it int o DM W . 262 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation RFA mapping unit Vegetation composition and structure TASVEG DOV is equivalent t o RFA OV. E. ovat a is t ypically dominant and E. viminalis is subdominant or co-dominant at many sit es. At a f ew sit es, E. viminalis may be t he only dominant but have an underst orey consist ent w it h t his mapping unit rat her t han WVI, DVG or DVC. Distribution M uch of t he communit y in t he nort hern M idlands has been cleared. The current st ronghold is around t he West Tamar region, but small pat ches are f ound St at e-w ide w here condit ions are suit able. Ot her t ree species somet imes present include E. amygdalina, E. pulchella, E. paucif lora, E. rodw ayi, M elaleuca ericif olia and Acacia melanoxylon. Trees range f rom low (< 10 m) and generally sparse on inf ert ile soils t o over 20 m and moderat ely dense in cover on f ert ile sit es, such as alluvial river f lat s. Old grow t h st ands are ext remely rare. Where E. ovat a is dominant or co-dominant , t he underst orey may be grassy, sedgy, scrubby, shrubby or oven mesophyt ic. Where E. viminalis is t he single dominant , t he veget at ion f it s w it hin t his mapping unit if t he underst orey is relat ively sedgy or scrubby and it does not f it w it hin E. viminalis dry f orest and w oodland (DVG) or w et E. viminalis f orest (DVI). Bioregional occurrence F, NS, M , SR, BL, K, SE, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs mainly on poorly–drained f lat s in predominant ly low land areas (< 600 m). The subst rat e is of t en alluvium, but can vary. M ost pat ches are small (< 10 ha), w it h only a f ew large pat ches (> 50 ha) remaining, mainly on privat e land. Since European set t lement , E. ovat a f orest has been cleared ext ensively f rom river valleys and f lat s f or agricult ural development . On w ell-drained sit es in relat ively low rainf all areas, such as t he M idlands, t he underst orey usually consist s of grasses (part icularly Themeda t riandra and Poa labillardierei), graminoids (e.g. Lepidosperma species, Lomandra longif olia), f orbs and dry sclerophyll shrubs (e.g. Bursaria spinosa, Daviesia species). On more poorly– drained sit es in low rainf all areas, t he underst orey may vary f rom sedgy t o scrubby, including graminoids such as Lepidosperma, Carex and Juncus species, and low shrubs such as M elaleuca species and Lept ospermum scoparium. On w ell-drained sit es in more humid areas such as t he Fort h River valley t here may be a layer of w at t les (Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia dealbat a) over w et sclerophyll shrubs such as Pomaderris apet ala and Cassinia aculeat a. M elaleuca species and/or Lept ospermum species of t en f orm dense t hicket s on poorly–drained or relat ively Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 263 Eucalyptus ovata forest and w oodland (DOV) undist urbed sit es, w it h t he ground layer consist ing of f erns (e.g. Blechnum species) on bet t er drained sit es and sedges (e.g. Gahnia grandis, Lepidosperma species) on t he most poorly–drained sit es. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2g Grassy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DM W & DAZ 3b Sedgy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DSC, DOW & SHW Wet eucalypt f orest OV01 E. ovat a–A. dealbat a–P. apet ala w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DSC But t ongrass moorland B13 Wet copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW, WNL, SM R & NLM Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 20 Eucalypt us viminalis/E. ovat a–Lepidosperma lineare grassy w oodland; also occurs in DAS Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shOV Eucalypt us ovat a f orest ; also occurs in DSC Wet eucalypt f orest WET-OV2 E. ovat a–L. lanigerum w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DSC WET-VIM 2 E. viminalis–Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa w et sclerophyll f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 9 264 Eucalypt us viminalis–E. ovat a–E. obliqua– Acacia dealbat a–Acacia melanoxylon w oodland over sedgy, f erny scrub; also occurs in SRI & WVI From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus ovata heathy w oodland (DOW) General description Eucalypt us ovat a heat hy w oodland (DOW ) is a w oodland communit y w it h a charact erist ically dense and species-diverse, heat hy underst orey. It is most common in coast al areas grow ing in associat ion w it h heat h communit ies; how ever, it does grow in ot her sit uat ions. The t rees are w ell-spaced, short and have a mallee f orm. Where t he solid crow n canopy cover is great er t han 50% , t he communit y is classif ied as E. ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV). RFA mapping unit TASVEG DOW is included in RFA OV. Distribution Predominant ly coast al in dist ribut ion mainly on t he nort h, east and sout h coast s. Small, scat t ered inland pat ches are f ound in valley bot t oms in t he East ern Tiers. M icah Visoiu. Near Frankf ord. Example locality Winif red Curt is Reserve, Scamander. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. ovat a heat hy w oodland (DOW ) is dist inguished f rom t he w oodland f orm of E. ovat a shrubby f orest and w oodland (DOV) by t he underst orey. In DOW , t he underst orey is a dense heat h t hat , in t he absence of scat t ered E. ovat a, w ould f it int o one of t he heat hland mapping unit s. In cont rast , DOV more t ypically comprises a sedgy underst orey or one charact erised by shrub species not usually common in heat hland communit ies. E. ovat a grassy w oodland on f ert ile sit es in low rainf all areas w ould f it int o DM W . Bioregional occurrence BL, NS, SE, W, F Site characteristics, habitat and ecology E. ovat a heat hy w oodland (DOW ) generally occurs on very inf ert ile subst rat es; f or example on plains around Pioneer, and in t he M ount William area on met asediment s, sands or granit e. It also occurs on sit es subject t o a high f ire-f requency, and can be present over w et Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 265 Eucalyptus ovata heathy w oodland (DOW) heat h, w hich is close t o t he physiological limit s of E. ovat a f or anoxia. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is dominat ed by short E. ovat a (5–10 m), w hich is of t en mallee-like in f orm. The underst orey can vary depending on t he environment al condit ions. On Flinders Island, small f ragment s of E. ovat a w et heat hland occur in t he Wingaroo Nat ure Reserve. In t his locat ion, t he underst orey is dominat ed by diverse heat hs and small shrubs, such as Banksia marginat a, Isopogon cerat ophyllus, M elaleuca gibbosa, Acacia vert icillat a and Allocasuarina paludosa. Graminoids such as Baumea juncea, Gahnia t rif ida and Lepidosperma concavum are common, as are Aust rodant honia species. In poorly–drained areas, such as inf illed valleys in t he dolerit e cat chment s of t he East ern Tiers, Banksia marginat a is a dominant shrub. Ot her species such as Lept ospermum lanigerum, Callist emon viridif lorus, Almaleea subumbellat a and Epacris lanuginosa are f requent ly present . Graminoids are also common (e.g. Baloskion aust rale, Gahnia grandis, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, L. longit udinale and Lomandra longif olia). Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3b Sedgy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DSC, DOV, SHW Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hOV Heat hy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland Heat h Dominance communit y (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999) Black gum w et heat h; also occurs in SCW 266 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus pauciflora forest and w oodland not on dolerite (DPO) General description Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest s and w oodlands not on dolerit e are dominat ed by a canopy of E. paucif lora t rees rarely more t han 25 m in height , of t en considerably short er on highly insolat ed, nut rient -poor sit es. These dry sclerophyll communit ies f orm open f orest s or w oodlands w it h a heat hy underst orey of generally low diversit y. mapped as DAI in t he Nort hern M idlands (e.g. Greenhill t o Diprose, and a pat ch near Ross). In t he sout hern M idlands, DPO grades int o E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO). There is of t en a similar mix of eucalypt species (e.g. E. paucif lora, E. rubida and E. t enuiramis) in t hese t w o veget at ion communit ies, so canopy dominance becomes t he principal diagnost ic f eat ure of t hese communit ies. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DPO is equivalent t o RFA PS. Distribution Louise Gilf edder. Tunbridge. This f orest t ype has it s st ronghold in t he sout hern M idlands; t here is also a large area around Rossarden. It also occurs sporadically in small pat ches in t he nort h and east of t he St at e; individual paddock and roadside t rees and several very small, degraded remnant s remain on t he Great Nort hern Plain in t he nort h-east . Example localities The road bet w een Rossarden and Avoca; ext ensive around t he t ow nship of Rossarden. Distinguishing features and similar communities Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland not on dolerit e (DPO) grow s most ly on sands, granit e or sediment ary subst rat es below 800 m and has a heat hy underst orey, w hereas Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DPD) grow s above 800 m and generally has a grassy underst orey. At higher alt it udes, DPO grades int o areas mapped in E. coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO). E. paucif lora on deep sand pat ches w it hin gravels have been Bioregional occurrence F, NM , SE, NS, BL. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 267 Eucalyptus pauciflora forest and w oodland not on dolerite (DPO) Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The f orest communit y generally occurs on dry, insolat ed sit es in t he sout hern M idlands and t he low er Derw ent Valley, and in t he sout h-east and at low er alt it udes on t he Cent ral Plat eau. On t he Cent ral Plat eau it is st rongly associat ed w it h Triassic sandst one and Permian mudst one. It also occurs in t he f ar nort h-east on Recent marine and aeolian deposit s, and near Rossarden, on granit e. Vegetation composition and structure E. paucif lora, t he dominant t ree species, may occur as open f orest w it h E. t enuiramis, E. rubida, E. viminalis or E. ovat a. Trees are rarely more t han 25 m in height and are of t en considerably short er on highly insolat ed nut rient -poor sit es. Old-grow t h st ands of t his f orest communit y are uncommon, as t here is of t en rapid replacement bef ore senescence due t o t he high f ire-f requency. The communit y may f orm w oodland. Subst rat e, insolat ion and f ire-f requency st rongly inf luence t he underst orey, w hich generally has a low cover and diversit y. There is usually a small, sparse t ree layer t hat includes Acacia dealbat a, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, A. melanoxylon, Bursaria spinosa, Allocasuarina lit t oralis and Banksia marginat a. The underst orey is low (< 2 m) and may be quit e dense and dominat ed by members of t he Epacridaceae, M yrt aceae and Fabaceae. Low shrubs include Epacris impressa, Ast roloma humif usum, Pult enaea species, Aot us ericoides, Lomat ia t inct oria and Tet rat heca labillardierei. Pt eridium esculent um may dominat e t he underst orey, part icularly on sandst one and sandy subst rat es or w here f ire-f requency is high. The densit y of t he ground layer is variable. Lomandra longif olia and nat ive grasses such as Poa rodw ayi, Aust rodant honia species, Deyeuxia species and Aust rost ipa species of t en dominat e 268 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation w here slope and aspect allow soil f ormat ion. How ever, t hese can become very sparse on insolat ed sit es w it h poor soil development or w here f ire-f requency is high. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 4h Heat hy Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DAZ 5f Shrubby E. paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DPD Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-gPAUC Grassy Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DPD, DDP & DM W DRY-hRUB Heat hy Eucalypt us rubida f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit Eucalyptus pauciflora forest and w oodland on dolerite (DPD) General description Open, grassy f orest dominat ed by E. paucif lora w it h a high diversit y of herbs and small shrubs. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DPD is equivalent t o RFA PJ. Distribution E. paucif lora f orest occurs ext ensively on dolerit e on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau w it h localised pat ches in t he sout hern M idlands (e.g. M ount Seymour and M ount Cart w right ) and t he East ern Tiers. Sib Corbet t . Wet more, Tunbridge. Example localities Upper St . Pauls River Valley, Lake Highw ay at t he Poat ina Road int ersect ion; Cent ral Plat eau Prot ect ed Area around Art hurs Lake. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is dist inguished f rom ot her E. paucif lora dominat ed veget at ion by t he subst rat e and it s t endency t o occur above 800 m. In areas w here E. paucif lora is co-dominant w it h E. dalrympleana, or t here is a gradual t ransit ion f rom one dominant t o t he ot her, t he communit y is mapped as DDP. One DPD communit y grow s on basalt in t he nort hern M idlands, f or example around Cleveland. Not e t hat E. paucif lora w oodlands on dolerit e are coded as DPD, except w here t hey occur on Jurassic dolerit e below 300 m in t he M idlands region, w here t hey are coded as DM W . Bioregional occurrence CH, NS, SE, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y generally grow s on t he margins of f rost hollow s or on broad f lat s t hat are subject t o cold-air drainage and f rost s. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is dominat ed by E. paucif lora, w it h any of t he f ollow ing somet imes present : E. dalrympleana, E. rodw ayi, E. amygdalina and E. delegat ensis. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 269 Eucalyptus pauciflora forest and w oodland on dolerite (DPD) Due t o t he high incidence of f rost s, t ree f orm can of t en be very poor but quit e spect acular, w it h broad, spreading crow ns and t w ist ed, t ort uous shapes. Canopy cover is of t en low, result ing in an open w oodland communit y. Tw o dist inct underst oreys can be associat ed w it h E. paucif lora f orest /w oodland. In t he East ern Tiers and low er plat eau surf aces, t he underst orey t ends t o be shrubby w it h a sparse t o moderat ely dense medium–t all shrub layer. Prevalent species include Banksia marginat a and Acacia dealbat a, w hile Bedf ordia salicina, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Hakea lissosperma, Lept omeria drupacea and Lept ospermum lanigerum are occasional. The low shrub layer can be diverse on w ell-drained sit es and include Lept ecophylla species, Epacris impressa, Lomat ia t inct oria, Leucopogon species and Pult enaea species. On rocky sit es, ground cover is low and dominat ed by sclerophyllous monocot yledons (Lomandra longif olia and Diplarrena moraea). Ground cover improves as soil development increases. As alt it ude increases on t he Cent ral Plat eau, t he communit y occupies t he margins of f rost hollow s and broad f lat s. In areas w it h deeper soils t he underst orey is dominat ed by grasses; part icularly Poa species, Aust rodant honia species, Deyeuxia species and Agrost is species. Shrubs include Lept ecophylla species and Leucopogon species, but w here drainage is impeded, Epacris gunnii, Sprengelia incarnat a and Hakea microcarpa become more common, as do t he sedges. This communit y of t en grades int o E. rodw ayi f orest (DRO) w here drainage is impeded at t he edges of broad plains and E. delegat ensis f orest out side of t he most f rost -prone sit es. At low er alt it udes prone t o cold-air drainage (e.g. Nunamara), E. paucif lora occupies a narrow band separat ing E. rodw ayi on t he f lat s and E. amygdalina upslope. On t he Cent ral Plat eau, areas of w ell-drained glacial deposit s (dolerit e) support E. delegat ensis in t he cent re, rimmed by E. paucif lora (w hose seedlings are apparent ly 270 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation more f rost t olerant ), passing out int o sedgy, broad valleys w it h a f ew E. rodw ayi. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5f Shrubby Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DPO 6d Grassy–shrubby subalpine Eucalypt us paucif lora w oodland; also occurs in DDP Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 25 Eucalypt us paucif lora–Pult enaea juniperina grassy w oodland Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-gPAUC Grassy Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DPO, DDP & DM W Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 2 Eucalypt us open f orest over Baeckea gunniana–Gleichenia alpina–Rubus gunnianus–f erny closed heat h; also occurs in SRI, SHS, DDE, DCO & DRO Eucalyptus perriniana forest and w oodland (DPE) General description Eucalypt us perriniana f orest and w oodland (DPE) is charact erised by t he presence of E. perriniana, w hich grow s as a mallee or small t ree less t han 8 m in height . Distribution This communit y has a very rest rict ed dist ribut ion. It has been mapped at Hungry Flat s, Duckholes Lagoon (St rickland), and occurs at Pelham Tiers. Nepelle Temby. Spinning Gum Reserve, Hungry Flat s Rd. Example locality Hungry Flat s (Sout hern M idlands) Bioregional occurrence SE. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. perriniana is associat ed w it h E. rodw ayi at Hungry Flat s and Duckholes Lagoon, part icularly at more w at erlogged sit es. E. perriniana ± E. rodw ayi low w oodland grades int o E. t enuiramis–E. viminalis open f orest as drainage improves, w it h E. perriniana ext ending int o t his communit y as 2–4 m shrubs at Pelham Tiers, w here it has been mapped as DTO. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology E. perriniana w oodland has a narrow dist ribut ion in Tasmania; it is rest rict ed t o a f ew populat ions in t he sout hern M idlands and low er Derw ent valley. It occurs bet w een 500 m and 560 m on sediment ary subst rat es at sit es t hat are subject t o severe w int er f rost s, summer drought and/or seasonal inundat ions. All populat ions are rest rict ed in area, and surrounded by E. t enuiramis f orest . RFA mapping unit TASVEG DPE w ould not have been regarded as f orest in t he st udies f or t he RFA; how ever, it is likely t o have been mapped in w it h surrounding veget at ion t ypes, including RFA TI. Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is dominat ed by E. perriniana, w hich grow s as a mallee or small t ree less t han 8 m in height . The juvenile leaf f orm is maint ained in most adult t rees. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 271 Eucalyptus perriniana forest and w oodland (DPE) The underst orey shrub and ground layers are t ypically dense. The poorly–drained sit es are dominat ed by t all myrt aceous shrub species such as Lept ospermum scoparium, L. lanigerum, L. glaucescens and Callist emon viridif lorus. Ot her shrubs include Oxylobium ellipt icum, Baeckea gunniana and t he heat h species Epacris lanuginosa and Sprengelia incarnat a. Where drainage is bet t er, species t ypical of siliceousbased heat hs are encount ered. These include Banksia marginat a, Aot us ericoides, Amperea xiphoclada, Epacris impressa, Pimelea linif olia, Leucopogon virgat us and Hibbert ia prost rat a. The ground layer is moderat ely dense, and is dominat ed by sclerophyllous monocot yledons. On poorly–drained sit es, t he species include Gahnia grandis, Lepidosperma f ilif orme, L. longit udinale, Baloskion aust rale, Empodisma minus and Juncus species. As drainage improves, t hey are replaced by Lomandra longif olia, Pt eridium esculent um St ylidium graminif olium, but herbaceous species are rare. Sphagnum moss f orms mounds in w at erlogged sit es w it hin t he Duckholes Lagoon st and. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3e Sedgy Eucalypt us perriniana w oodland Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-scPER Scrubby Eucalypt us perriniana w oodland 272 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus pulchella forest and w oodland (DPU) General description Eucalypt us pulchella f orest and w oodland is normally dominat ed by E. pulchella, alt hough t his t ree species is not alw ays present ; hybrids bet w een E. amygdalina and E. pulchella and genet ic variant s of E. amygdalina may dominat e. They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h a f orest or w oodland st ruct ure and t ree height rarely exceeding 25 m. The underst orey is usually dominat ed by nat ive grasses and Lomandra longif olia, but w it h a sparse cover of t all t o medium shrubs as w ell as a sparse, low, shrub layer. t hen it may be ident if ied as a dist inct communit y. DPU may occur in a mosaic w it h E. viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG), E. globulus dry f orest and w oodland (DGL) and E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DAD). The charact erist ic diff erence bet w een DPU and DGL is t he high proport ion of E. pulchella (> 30% ) present in t he canopy of DPU. Callit ris rhomboidea f orest (NCR) may also f orm dist inct pat ches in some areas of DPU. Not e t hat Eucalypt us barberi f orest and w oodland (DBA) also commonly grow s in a mosaic w it h DPU. This almost mallee f orm eucalypt is of t en a subdominant in t he f orest . These pat ches are usually localised and small. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DPU is equivalent t o RFA P. Distribution Nepelle Temby. Ridgew ay. DPU is f ound in t he cent ral east coast and sout heast of t he St at e. It is t he most common f orest communit y in t he east ern part s of t he East ern Tiers sout h of Bicheno, at low er elevat ions. Example localities The Old Coach Road bet w een Cranbrook and Wat ers M eet ing; “ Bangor” propert y Tasman Peninsula. Distinguishing features and similar communities The mix of co-dominant species dist inguishes t his f orest communit y f rom ot her communit ies in t he sout h-east of Tasmania. At some sit es, one of t he ot her species of eucalypt may dominat e. If t he area is big enough t o w arrant mapping Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 273 Eucalyptus pulchella forest and w oodland (DPU) Bioregional occurrence SE, SR. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is a complex occupying dolerit e ridges and highly insolat ed nort h-w est f acing slopes, w hich are subject t o drought st ress. In t he east and sout h-east , part icularly in t he East ern Tiers, it generally occurs below 600 m, but can ext end t o higher alt it udes (> 600 m) on t he Cent ral Highlands. Vegetation composition and structure E. pulchella is normally t he dominant t ree species, but in places on t he east coast , hybrids bet w een E. amygdalina and E. pulchella and genet ic variant s of E. amygdalina may dominat e. Ot her t ree species t hat may be present include E. globulus, E. viminalis, E. amygdalina, E. ovat a and E. barberi. The t ree height in t his communit y rarely exceeds 25 m and may be less t han 15 m because of poor sit es and low rainf all. The communit y may have a w oodland st ruct ure. Due t o t he high f iref requency in t his communit y, hollow s and but t damage are common. The underst orey in t his communit y is usually dominat ed by nat ive grasses and Lomandra longif olia, w it h a sparse cover of t all t o medium shrubs, including Banksia marginat a, Acacia dealbat a, A. mearnsii, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Allocasuarina vert icillat a and Bursaria spinosa. Callit ris rhomboidea occurs locally in f ireprot ect ed sit es. In sit uat ions subject t o high f iref requency and grazing, t his t all shrub layer may be absent . The low shrub layer is also sparse. Epacris impressa, Lomat ia t inct oria, Ast roloma humif usum, Lissant he st rigosa and Acrot riche serrulat a occur occasionally. The ground layer is diverse and dominat ed by grasses and Lomandra 274 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation longif olia. Common species include Poa species, Dichelachne species, Aust rost ipa species, Not odant honia species and Agrost is species. Lomandra longif olia and Lepidosperma species are f requent , and common herbs include Brachyscome species, Wahlenbergia species, Lept orhynchos squamat us, Bossiaea prost rat a, Gonocarpus t et ragynus and Hovea linearis. Lept ecophylla divaricat a is of t en prominent on rocky sit es, w hich can of t en be charact erist ically more shrubby, w it h sparse grasses. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2c Grassy Eucalypt us pulchella f orest 2d Grassy Eucalypt us globulus–E. viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DGL Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 7 Eucalypt us pulchella–Bossiaea prost rat e/Gonocarpus t et ragynus grassy w oodland 8 Eucalypt us pulchella/E. globulus–Acrot riche serrulat a grassy w oodland Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shPUL Shrubby Eucalypt us pulchella f orest Dry DRY-shGLOB Shrubby Eucalypt us globulus f orest ; also occurs in DGL & DVC Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies OTHER-11 Callist emon pallidus closed f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit Eucalyptus risdonii forest and w oodland (DRI) General description Eucalypt us risdonii f orest s and w oodlands are open f orest s dominat ed by a sparse canopy of E. risdonii t rees generally less t han 15 m t all, of t en w it h a mallee habit . They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h sparse medium and low shrub layers and an of t en grassy ground layer. Distribution Eucalypt us risdonii f orest and w oodland is ext remely localised along t he M eehan Range, east of t he Derw ent River. Smaller pat ches occur on t he w est ern shore around Bridgew at er. Nepelle Temby. Government Hills, Risdon Bioregional occurrence SE. Example locality East Risdon Nat ure Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities The presence of t he Tasmanian endemic E. risdonii, and it s localised dist ribut ion dist inguish t he f orest communit y. The communit y is similar t o Eucalypt us morrisbyi f orest and w oodland (DM O) in st ruct ure. All E. risdonii dominat ed veget at ion is mapped as DRI. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DRI is equivalent t o RFA RI. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs mainly on Hobart ’s “ East ern Shore” , on dry ridges and sit es w it h nort h-east erly aspect s and is st rongly associat ed w it h Permian mudst one. Addit ional inf ormat ion can be f ound in Williams and Pot t s (1996). Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. risdonii; E. t enuiramis, E. amygdalina and E. viminalis are somet imes present . Due t o low sit e qualit y in t erms of subst rat e and precipit at ion, t rees rarely exceed 15 m in height . Sit es t hat are subject t o high f ire-f requency support t rees w it h a mallee habit . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 275 Eucalyptus risdonii forest and w oodland (DRI) The underst orey is heavily inf luenced by f iref requency and generally has a low cover and diversit y of underst orey shrubs. The medium shrub layer is sparse, but includes Acacia dealbat a, Allocasuarina lit t oralis, Acacia vert icillat a and Bursaria spinosa. The low shrub cover is also sparse, but of t en includes Acacia genist if olia, Pult enaea species, Acacia myrt if olia, Epacris impressa, Ast roloma humif usum, Daviesia lat if olia and Tet rat heca labillardierei. On sit es w it h a part icularly high f ire-f requency, t he underst orey shrub layer can be depauperat e, w it h much bare rock and soil. The high f ire f requency t ends t o lead t ow ards t he dominance of t he ground layer by nat ive grasses such as Poa rodw ayi, Aust rodant honia species, Elymus scaber and Aust rost ipa species Lomandra longif olia. Dianella revolut a and Diplarrena moraea are also present . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2e Grassy Eucalypt us risdonii low f orest 276 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus rodw ayi forest and w oodland (DRO) General description Forest and w oodland dominat ed by E. rodw ayi (DRO) grow on f ert ile valley f lat s, usually subject t o w at er logging. The underst orey varies bet w een open and grassy or sedgy t o densely shrubby. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DRO is equivalent t o RFA RO. Distribution This communit y occurs f rom below 200 m t o around 900 m on t he East ern Tiers and east ern Cent ral Plat eau, predominant ly in upland areas. How ever, it also occurs in low land valley bot t oms subject t o cold-air drainage. Small relict populat ions are present in t he f ar nort h-east near sea level. M at t Appleby. Near Tooms Lake, East ern Tiers. Example localities Ext ensive around Lake Crescent and Lake Sorell. Distinguishing features and similar communities Eucalypt us rodw ayi is dominant in t he canopy. On sit es less prone t o w at er-logging and/or w here f rost is less severe, such as higher up drainage lines or on t he margins of basins, E. ovat a may become dominant ; t his communit y is mapped as DOV. Where DRO pat ches occur in E. amygdalina dominat ed f orest , def ining t he communit y boundaries may be diff icult due t o t he superf icial similarit ies bet w een E. rodw ayi and E. amygdalina. At high alt it udes, E. rodw ayi may co-occur w it h E. gunnii, but w here E. gunnii becomes dominant t he f orest is mapped as DGW . Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, SE, SR, NM , NS, F. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology E. rodw ayi f orest invariably grow s on poorly–drained f lat s. The subst rat es are mainly dolerit e, basalt Permian mudst ones or alluvium in upland areas (e.g. Cent ral Plat eau), but also ot her subst rat es at low er elevat ions. It is w idespread but local on poorly–drained upland sit es, ext ending t o low er elevat ions on sit es suscept ible t o f rost or cold-air drainage. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 277 Eucalyptus rodw ayi forest and w oodland (DRO) Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is dominat ed by E. rodw ayi, w hich t ypically f orms pure st ands. E. paucif lora, E. amygdalina and E. t enuiramis may be present , of t en adjacent t o t he E. rodw ayi f orest in areas of bet t er drainage. E. ovat a is of t en present in slight ly bet t er drained areas or higher up drainage lines w here cold air pooling is less severe. E. perriniana is associat ed w it h E. rodw ayi in w at erlogged sit uat ions at Hungry Flat s and Duckholes Lagoon, but is mapped separat ely as E. perriniana f orest and w oodland (DPE). The degree of sit e exposure and severit y of f rost s and w at erlogging inf luence t he f orm of t he communit y. Tow ards t he cent re of some marshes, mallee-f orm t rees (< 10 m) occur as a sporadic component of low, open w oodland and sedgeland/ heat hland. Low, open w oodland st ruct ure is also f ound on exposed sit es subject t o severe f rost s. Woodlands and open f orest s (> 40 m) are f ound in more shelt ered sit uat ions and on bet t er aerat ed soils around t he perimet er of marshes and f lat s. The underst orey is represent ed by many f acies. Grassy E. rodw ayi f orest has Poa species and Lomandra longif olia, w it h sparse low shrubs including Lept ospermum species, and species in t he Fabaceae and Epacridaceae. Sedgy E. rodw ayi f orest has Lepidosperma, Gahnia, Lept ospermum and M elaleuca species as t he main shrubs. Scrubby E. rodw ayi f orest is similar t o t he sedgy f acies, but w it h Lept ospermum and M elaleuca species f orming a more prominent layer in t he underst orey. Wet sclerophyll shrubs may dominat e t he shrub layer at some sit es such as in t he Bront e area and at West ern Creek. 278 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 3d Sedgy Eucalypt us rodw ayi w oodland 6b Grassy–sedgy subalpine Eucalypt us rodw ayi w oodland Wet eucalypt f orest GUN01 E. gunnii–E. delegat ensis–E. rodw ayi–M . linif olia subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in DGW & WDL Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 36 Eucalypt us rodw ayi–Lagenif era st ipit at a grassy w oodland Riparian communit ies 19 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Callist emon viridif lorus–Poa labillardierei–Carex gaudichaudiana grassy riparian w oodland; also occurs in SRI & SLW 20 Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gnaphalium collinum–Poa labillardierei riparian scrubby herbf ield; also occurs in SRI & SLW 24 Eucalypt us rodw ayi–Poa labillardierei–Holcus lanat us grassy riparian w oodland 25 Acaena novae-zelandiae–Agrost is capillaris–Poa labillardierei riparian herbland; also occurs in GPL & DVG Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-scROD Scrubby Eucalypt us rodw ayi w oodland Wet eucalypt f orest WET-ROD1 Eucalypt us rodw ayi w et sclerophyll f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 2 Eucalypt us open f orest over Baeckea gunniana–Gleichenia alpina–Rubus gunnianus–f erny closed heat h; also occurs in SRI, SHS, DDE, DPD & DCO Eucalyptus sieberi forest and w oodland not on granite (DSO) General description Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland not on granit e is dominat ed by E. sieberi t rees t hat can reach 40 m but are generally smaller (25–30 m) on poorer qualit y sit es. They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h an underst orey dominat ed by t all shrubs. The medium and low shrub layers can be very sparse, as can t he ground layer. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DSO is equivalent t o RFA SO. Distribution This communit y occurs on M at hinna sediment s in an arc t hrough t he nort h east f rom Friendly Beaches t o Ansons Bay, w it h occurrences on dolerit e at Cranbrook and t he Denison River nort h of Bicheno. Richard Barnes. Elephant Pass. Example localities Saint M ary’s Pass St at e Reserve (M at hinna sediment s), M ount Allen (dolerit e). Bioregional occurrence F, M , SE, BL. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is similar t o Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland on granit e subst rat es (DSG); bot h communit ies have very open underst oreys. How ever, E. sieberi f orest t hat occurs on dolerit e has a more f ert ile subst rat e, so may have a moderat ely dense underst orey and ground layer. Sit es on dolerit e are also highly insolat ed and of t en subject t o drought . The f orest t ype is more common on M at hinna sediment s t han on dolerit e. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y usually occupies ridges and sit es w it h w est t o nort h-east aspect s on dolerit e, sandst ones (in Douglas–Apsley region) or M at hinna mudst one. It is also know n f rom shallow coast al sands overlying M at hinna mudst one. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 279 Eucalyptus sieberi forest and w oodland not on granite (DSO) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. sieberi, but E. amygdalina, E. viminalis and E. obliqua are somet imes present . Trees can reach 40 m in height but are generally smaller (25–30 m) on poorer sit es. The underst orey is dominat ed by regenerat ing eucalypt s, and t he t all shrub layer is charact erised by Allocasuarina lit t oralis and Exocarpos cupressif ormis. As a result of f requent f ires, medium and low shrubs can be very sparse. They usually include Acacia dealbat a, A. t erminalis, Epacris impressa, Pult enaea species, Daviesia lat if olia and Tet rat heca labillardierei. Xant horrhoea aust ralis can be common on sandst one. The ground layer on some f requent ly burnt sit es can be very sparse. Pt eridium esculent um, Lepidosperma concavum and Dianella revolut a are usually t he dominant species. This communit y grades int o E. obliqua dominat ed f orest s as eff ect ive precipit at ion increases. In t he Douglas–Apsley Nat ional Park, t he gradat ion is int o E. amygdalina f orest , w it h an increasingly shrubby underst orey. M elaleuca pust ulat a is associat ed w it h t he st and at Cranbrook. 280 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5ca Shrubby Eucalypt us sieberi f orest on siliceous subst rat a; also occurs in DSG 5cb Shrubby Eucalypt us sieberi f orest on dolerit e Wet eucalypt f orest SIE01 E. sieberi–O. argophylla–C. quadrif ida w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DSG Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shSIEB Shrubby Eucalypt us sieberi; also occurs in DSG DRY-shSIEB-arg Shrubby argillaceous Eucalypt us sieberi f orest Eucalyptus sieberi forest and w oodland on granite (DSG) General description Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland on granit e can reach 40 m on good sit es, but is more commonly 25–30 m in height . These are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h an underst orey dominat ed by t all shrubs. The medium and low shrub layers are generally sparse, as is t he ground layer. Some of t hese f orest s have a st rikingly sparse underst orey. Wet f orest underst oreys occur occasionally, f or example in gullies. Example locality Freycinet Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities This veget at ion mapping unit could be conf used w it h Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland not on granit e (DSO) w here such f orest occurs on M at hinna beds. Resembling sit es on granit e, t hese sit es have a sparse underst orey and appear very light on aerial phot ographs. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DSG is equivalent t o RFA SG. Distribution DSG occurs f rom Friendly Beaches t o Ansons Bay in t he nort h-east . Sophie Underw ood. Freycinet Nat ional Park. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 281 Eucalyptus sieberi forest and w oodland on granite (DSG) Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit BL, F, SE. Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y is rest rict ed t o dry sit es on granit e in t he nort h-east , usually on knolls or ridges w it h a nort h-w est erly aspect . Sit es range up t o about 650 m above sea level. 4g Heat hy Eucalypt us sieberi f orest 5ca Shrubby Eucalypt us sieberi f orest on siliceous subst rat a; also occurs in DSO Wet eucalypt f orest SIE01 E. sieberi–O. argophylla–C. quadrif ida w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DSO Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species, E. sieberi, in t his communit y can reach 40 m t all on high qualit y sit es but is more commonly 25–30 m. There are rarely co-dominant species, but E. globulus may occasionally be present . Int ergradat ion occurs w it h st ands of E. amygdalina on ot her dry sit es and E. obliqua in gullies. The underst orey is charact erised by eucalypt regenerat ion and a t all shrub layer of Allocasuarina lit t oralis and Exocarpos cupressif ormis. As a result of f requent f ires, t he medium and low shrubs can be very sparse, but usually include Acacia dealbat a, Acacia t erminalis, Epacris impressa, Lept ospermum scoparium, Pult enaea species, Aot us ericoides, Xant hosia pilosa and Xant horrhoea aust ralis. The ground layer is usually sparse, and on f requent ly burnt sit es is dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um, Lepidosperma species and Dianella revolut a. This communit y grades int o E. obliqua dominat ed f orest s in more mesic sit uat ions or on prot ect ed sout h-east -f acing slopes. 282 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shSIEB Shrubby Eucalypt us sieberi f orest ; also occurs in DSO Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and w oodland on dolerite (DTD) General description Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on dolerit e is dominat ed by E. t enuiramis t rees rarely more t han 25 m in height , and considerably smaller on highly insolat ed sit es. These dry sclerophyll communit ies generally have shrubby underst oreys w it h high cover and diversit y and a sparse ground layer. St ephen Harris. Cape Bernier. Example locality M ount Fort escue, Tasman Peninsula. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y can be dist inguished f rom most ot hers by t he combinat ion of an overst orey dominat ed by E. t enuiramis and a heat hy underst orey. How ever, t he communit y is f lorist ically very similar t o Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e (DTG) and t he t w o are diff erent iat ed primarily on subst rat e. Bedf ordia salicina may be present in DTD, w hile not being f ound in DTG. In exposed cliff -t op populat ions on t he Tasman Peninsula, such as t hat at Cape Hauy, Lept ospermum grandif lorum and Spyridium species dominat e t he underst orey over a heat hland t hat includes Epacris marginat a and E. myrt if olia. While Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO) also has an overst orey dominat ed by E. t enuiramis and shares some underst orey species w it h DTD, DTO t ypically has a ground layer dominat ed by t he grasses Poa rodw ayi, Aust rodant honia species, Deyeuxia species and Aust rost ipa species. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DTD is equivalent t o RFA TD. Distribution This communit y is uncommon and conf ined t o dolerit e subst rat es t hroughout sout h-east and cent ral east ern Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 283 Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and w oodland on dolerite (DTD) lit t oralis and occasionally Callit ris rhomboidea. As moist ure availabilit y increases, ot her shrubs such as Bedf ordia salicina and Lept ospermum scoparium may become more common. The small shrub layer is also diverse and includes Pult enaea species, Epacris impressa, Hibbert ia riparia, Lissant he st rigosa and Acrot riche serrulat a. At Cape Hauy on t he Tasman Peninsula, Lept ospermum grandif lorum and Spyridium species dominat e t he underst orey over heat h t hat includes Epacris marginat a and E. myrt if olia. Woodland variant s are know n f rom peat y soil w here E. t enuiramis is emergent over Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus and M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp. Bioregional occurrence The ground layer is generally sparse. Pt eridium esculent um, Lomandra longif olia, Diplarrena moraea and Gahnia species are t he most common component s. SE, SR Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest s and w oodlands on dolerit e occur as scat t ered pat ches t hroughout sout h-east Tasmania, t ypically on low er slopes w it h high rock cover. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5e Shrubby Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. t enuiramis. Ot her t ree species somet imes present include E. viminalis, E. globulus, E. pulchella, E. ovat a, E. pulchella and E. amygdalina. Trees are rarely more t han 25 m high, and of t en considerably smaller on highly insolat ed sit es. This communit y grades int o E. pulchella f orest in t he sout h-east or E. amygdalina f orest in more drought -prone areas. The communit y f requent ly f orms w oodland. The underst orey in t his communit y is dominat ed by a dense and diverse shrub layer of t en w it h small t rees such as Banksia marginat a, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Acacia dealbat a, Allocasuarina 284 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation DRY-gTEN Grassy Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest ; also occurs in DTO Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and w oodland on granite (DTG) General description Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e is dominat ed by E. t enuiramis, rarely more t han 25 m in height and of t en considerably smaller on highly insolat ed sit es. These dry sclerophyll communit ies generally have shrubby underst oreys w it h high cover and diversit y and a sparse ground layer. Example locality Cape Tourville near Freycinet Peninsula. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y can be dist inguished f rom most ot hers by t he combinat ion of an overst orey dominat ed by E. t enuiramis and a heat hy underst orey. How ever, it is f lorist ically very similar t o Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest s and w oodlands on dolerit e (DTD); t hey are diff erent iat ed primarily by subst rat e. The absence of Bedf ordia salicina f rom DTG is one of t he f ew easily apparent f eat ures dist inguishing t he t w o communit ies. Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO) also have an overst orey dominat ed by E. t enuiramis and share some underst orey species w it h DTD, but DTO t ypically has a ground layer dominat ed by t he grasses Poa rodw ayi, Aust rodant honia species, Deyeuxia species and Aust rost ipa species. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DTG is equivalent t o RFA T. Distribution St ephen Harris. Freycinet Peninsula. M uch of t he ext ent of t his communit y is w it hin t he Douglas–Apsley and Freycinet Nat ional Parks on t he cent ral east coast of Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 285 Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and w oodland on granite (DTG) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. t enuiramis, w it h E. amygdalina, E. viminalis, E. ovat a and E. sieberi somet imes present . Trees are rarely more t han 25 m in height and are of t en considerably smaller on highly insolat ed sit es. This communit y grades int o Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland (DAC) in more drought -prone areas on t he cent ral east coast . Bioregional occurrence SE Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest s and w oodlands on granit e are generally f ound on highly insolat ed slopes. The underst orey in t his communit y is dominat ed by a dense and diverse shrub layer, of t en including small t rees such as Banksia marginat a, Exocarpos cupressif ormis, Acacia dealbat a, Allocasuarina lit t oralis and occasionally Callit ris rhomboidea. As moist ure availabilit y increases, ot her shrubs such as Lept ospermum scoparium may become evident . The small shrub layer is also diverse and includes Pult enaea species, Epacris impressa, Hibbert ia riparia, Leucopogon virgat us, L. collinus, Lissant he st rigosa and Acrot riche serrulat a. The ground layer is generally sparse, w it h Pt eridium esculent um, Lomandra longif olia, Diplarrena moraea; Gahnia species are t he most common sedge. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 286 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 4c Heat hy Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest ; also occurs in DTO 4f Coast al heat hy Eucalypt us t enuiramis low f orest Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and w oodland on sediments (DTO) General description Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s is dominat ed by E. t enuiramis t rees rarely 25 m in height and of t en considerably short er at highly insolat ed, nut rient -poor sit es. These dry sclerophyll communit ies are generally charact erised by shrubby underst oreys w it h low cover and diversit y. Grassy underst oreys also occur in some areas. The f orest /w oodland communit ies grade int o, and are of t en diff icult t o dist inguish f rom, E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DPO). There is of t en a similar mix of eucalypt species present (e.g. E. paucif lora, E. rubida and E. t enuiramis) and so canopy dominance becomes t he principal dist inguishing f eat ure of t hese communit ies. E. rubida somet imes assumes dominance of t his communit y on broad f lat s and cold-air drainage basins in t he cooler inland areas of t he sout hern M idlands and Derw ent Valley. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DTO is equivalent t o RFA TI. Nepelle Temby. Brow n M ount ain, Campania. E. perriniana ‘f orest ’ w as included in t his cat egory by t he RFA because it occurs sporadically in small pat ches and occupies microsit es w it hin similar habit at . Alt hough E. perriniana f orest and w oodland (DPE) is mapped separat ely in TASVEG, some small pat ches w it hin DTO have not been diff erent iat ed. Distribution Example locality Along t he Lake Highw ay bet w een Apsley and Bot hw ell. Distinguishing features and similar communities Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s occurs in t he sout h-east of t he St at e, in t he sout hern M idlands and low er Derw ent Valley, and at low er alt it udes on t he Cent ral Plat eau. A small, out lying Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest along moorland boundaries on acid peat near Louisa Bay in sout h-w est Tasmania is included in t his mapping unit . E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO) can be dist inguished f rom ot her E. t enuiramis dominat ed veget at ion by t he subst rat e on w hich it occurs. DTO is f ound on sediment s or soils derived f rom sediment ary rocks, w hereas areas f ound on dolerit e are mapped as E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DTD), and t hose on granit e-derived soils are E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e (DTG). Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 287 Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and w oodland on sediments (DTO) Subst rat e, insolat ion and f ire-f requency st rongly inf luence t he underst orey, w hich generally has a low cover and diversit y of shrubs. The mediumt all shrub layer is sparse, but includes Banksia marginat a, Allocasuarina lit t oralis, Acacia species and Exocarpos cupressif ormis. Pt eridium esculent um of t en dominat es t he underst orey, part icularly on sandst one subst rat es or w here f ires are f requent . Ot her low shrubs include Epacris impressa, Ast roloma humif usum, Pult enaea species, Aot us ericoides, Lomat ia t inct oria and Tet rat heca labillardierei. Bioregional occurrence SE, SR. The densit y of t he ground layer is variable. Nat ive grasses such as Poa rodw ayi, Aust rodant honia species, Deyeuxia species and Aust rost ipa species, as w ell as Lomandra longif olia, of t en dominat e t he ground layer w here slope and aspect allow soil t o f orm. How ever, ground cover can become very sparse on insolat ed sit es w here soil development is poor, or w here f ires are f requent . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s and w oodland is f ound on dry insolat ed sit es in t he sout h-east of t he St at e. It is st rongly associat ed w it h Triassic sandst one and Permian mudst one at alt it udes up t o about 650 m on t he Cent ral Plat eau. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2h Grassy Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest 4c Heat hy Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest ; also occurs in DTG Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. t enuiramis w it h ot her t ree species somet imes present include E. paucif lora, E. rubida, E. viminalis, E. obliqua and Acacia melanoxylon. E. perriniana occurs sporadically in small pat ches on small sit es w it hin similar habit at . Trees are rarely more t han 25 m in height and are of t en considerably smaller on highly insolat ed nut rient -poor sit es. Old-grow t h st ands of t his communit y are uncommon, as t here is of t en rapid replacement bef ore senescence due t o t he f requent f ires. 288 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hRUB Heat hy Eucalypt us rubida w oodland; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit or DPO Eucalyptus viminalis Furneaux forest and w oodland (DVF) General description E. viminalis t rees approaching 30 m in height dominat e Eucalypt us viminalis Furneaux f orest and w oodland. The communit y in some places has t he charact er of a w et sclerophyll communit y, w it h many f erns and mesophyllous t rees. Some mapped occurrences are predominant ly w oodland w it h f orest ed pat ches. Example locality Broughams Sugarloaf Conservat ion Area. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is closely allied t o all ot her E. viminalis dominat ed f orest and w oodland (DVG, WVI and DVC), but is dist inguished by it s localit y and some of t he species associat ed w it h it , such as Pandorea pandorana and Elaeocarpus ret iculat us. DVF is a f orest w oodland mosaic. All E. viminalis f orest and w oodland in t he Furneaux group is at t ribut ed t o t his communit y. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DVF is equivalent t o RFA VF. Distribution Furneaux Group, part icularly St rzelecki Nat ional Park, t he east ern side of t he Darling Range and Broughams Sugarloaf and some ot her rest rict ed occurrences. St ephen Harris. Cent ral Flinders Island. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 289 Eucalyptus viminalis Furneaux forest and w oodland (DVF) Bioregional occurrence F. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y has a limit ed dist ribut ion on shelt ered mid- and upper-slopes and in deep gullies. It occurs on met amorphosed M at hinna series mudst one and granit es w here deeper soils have accumulat ed. The soils are w ell–drained, but w it h relat ively good availabilit y of moist ure. Vegetation composition and structure. The dominant t ree species is E. viminalis, w it h E. globulus, Acacia melanoxylon, Elaeocarpus ret iculat us and Callit ris rhomboidea somet imes present . Trees are usually single-st emmed and generally up t o 30 m in height , but are t aller in some gully sit es. At t he driest sit es, t he shrub layer is sparse and charact erised by such species as Acacia vert icillat a, Coprosma quadrif ida, Zieria arborescens, Olearia lirat a, and occasional Pomaderris apet ala and Lepidosperma elat ius. At moist er sit es, t he underst orey is t ypical of w et f orest s, w it h such common species as Pomaderris apet ala, Olearia argophylla and a variet y of f erns, including Dicksonia ant arct ica and Cyat hea aust ralis. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest VIM 0100 E. viminalis–A. dealbat a–P. apet ala w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WVI VIM 0101 E. viminalis–A. dealbat a–D. ant arct ica w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WVI 290 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus viminalis grassy forest and w oodland (DVG) General description Eucalypt us viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG) is charact erist ically low t o medium height (15–25 m) open f orest dominat ed by E. viminalis, E. rubida and somet imes E. dalrympleana. The underst orey is generally grassy, and somet imes very rocky. Low shrubs may f orm a sparse layer. The specif ic composit ion of t he underst orey depends largely on t he f ire and grazing regimes. coast al areas. The scrubby or heat hy underst orey w it h f ew grasses and it s occurrence on recent sands can dist inguish DVC. E. viminalis dominat ed veget at ion co-dominant w it h E. amygdalina on Permian mudst one, in t he M eehan Range f or example, is subsumed w it hin DAM . Similarly, w here it is locally dominant or co-dominant w it h E. amygdalina on sandst one, it is classif ied int o DAS. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DVG is equivalent t o RFA V. Distribution Found t hroughout t he drier part s of Tasmania, part icularly prevalent t hrough t he M idlands and t he low er slopes of t he East ern Tiers. Nepelle Temby. Break-me-neck Hill. Example locality Trevallyn St at e Recreat ion Area. Distinguishing features and similar communities Where E. viminalis of w oodland densit y occurs below 300 m on dolerit e or basalt in t he M idlands, it is coded DM W . In areas of E. viminalis w et f orest (WVI) t hat are subject t o f requent f ires, t he underst orey may be open and dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um, so could appear similar t o DVG. How ever, WVI has a low abundance of grasses and generally t all and st raight t rees, w hich dist inguish it f rom DVG. Bioregional occurrence NS, NM , SE, BL, F. E. viminalis–E. globulus coast al f orest and w oodland (DVC) may be conf used w it h DVG in Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 291 Eucalyptus viminalis grassy forest and w oodland (DVG) Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This f orest communit y is w idespread in Tasmania below 700 m on w ell–drained sit es (ridges, hills, saddles and slopes), generally on dolerit e or basalt (occasionally on sandst one) in t he low rainf all regions in t he M idlands and on t he low er slopes of t he East ern and West ern Tiers. It also occurs on limest one on nort h-f acing slopes in t he M ole Creek dist rict , and on a variet y of sediment s in t he nort h-east of t he St at e. It is w ell adapt ed t o dry condit ions and is f ound on f ree–draining sit es, w hich are of t en suscept ible t o drought . Vegetation composition and structure The dominant canopy species in t his f orest communit y is Eucalypt us viminalis, w hich at t ains around 20 m in height , less on poorer sit es. E. paucif lora, E. ovat a and E. amygdalina may be present as subdominant s. E. viminalis grades int o E. dalrympleana bet w een 300 m and 600 m alt it ude. E. rubida may occur as localised st ands on f lat s and saddles in t he sout hern M idlands and t he Fingal Valley. On drier slopes, grasses and herbs dominat e t he underst orey, but in some places, Acacia mearnsii, Allocasuarina vert icillat a and Bursaria spinosa f orm an addit ional st rat um of small t rees. On moist er sit es, E. viminalis f orest has an underst orey of Acacia dealbat a, Pt eridium esculent um and a herb-rich, grassy ground cover. 292 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 11 Eucalypt us viminalis–Acaena ovina grassy w oodland 12 Eucalypt us viminalis/E. amygdalina–Acaena echinat a–Dichondra repens grassy w oodland; also occurs in DAD 14 Eucalypt us viminalis–Pt eridium esculent um grassy w oodland 17 Eucalypt us viminalis/Allocasuarina vert icillat a–Acacia mearnsii grassy; also occurs in NBA 18 Eucalypt us viminalis–Plant ago varia grassy w oodland Riparian communit ies 25 Acaena novae-zelandiae–Agrost is capillaris–Poa labillardierei riparian herbland; also occurs in GPL & DRO Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY–gRUB Grassy Eucalypt us rubida w oodland; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit DRY–gVIM Grassy Eucalypt us viminalis w oodland; also occurs in DAM & DAS DRY–shVIM Shrubby Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DVC, DAC & DSC Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 6 Eucalypt us w oodland over Hakea microcarpa–Poa labillardierei–Lomandra longif olia grassy–sedgy scrub; also occurs in SRI 10 Eucalypt us w oodland over Pomaderris apet ala–Pt eridium esculent um–Poa labillardierei–Lomandra longif olia–Carex appressa closed–scrub; also occurs in SRI & WVI Eucalyptus viminalis–Eucalyptus globulus coastal forest and w oodland (DVC) General description Eucalypt us viminalis–E. globulus coast al f orest and w oodland (DVC) is dominat ed by eit her E. viminalis or E. globulus t rees t hat are usually (but not alw ays) small and of open f orm. They are dry sclerophyll communit ies w it h shrubby underst oreys, alt hough in w oodland t he underst orey can be heat hy. Example localities Sandspit River Privat e Wildlif e Sanct uary; Bruny Island Neck Game Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y generally occurs in coast al and near-coast al areas on Holocene and Pleist ocene sands. Veget at ion w it h some aff init ies t o t his communit y has been mapped on King Island as DKW . RFA mapping unit TASVEG DVC is equivalent t o RFA G. Distribution Nepelle Temby. Tinderbox. Eucalypt us viminalis–E. globulus coast al f orest and w oodland occurs in coast al areas, in part icular on large sand spit s such as at Seven M ile Beach and Nine M ile Beach. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 293 Eucalyptus viminalis–Eucalyptus globulus coastal forest and w oodland (DVC) Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit SE, F, NS, KI, W. Dry coast al communit ies Site characteristics, habitat and ecology 23 Eucalypt us globulus–Carex breviculmis f orest Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands This communit y is generally conf ined t o recent ly deposit ed sands (Holocene and Pleist ocene) in coast al f ormat ions such as back-dunes, sand spit s and t ombolos. 1a Coast al Allocasuarina low f orest ; also occurs in NAV 5j Coast al shrubby Eucalypt us viminalis f orest Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is E. viminalis or E. globulus, usually 10–20 m t all. E. amygdalina or E. ovat a are somet imes present . Where t he sit e is prot ect ed f rom f requent f ires, t he t rees are t aller (< 30 m). Where f ires are f requent , hollow s and but t damage are common and t ree f orm is generally poor. The underst orey in t his f orest communit y is usually dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um, w it h a varying cover of t all t o medium shrubs, including Banksia marginat a, Acacia dealbat a, Lept ospermum scoparium and Exocarpos cupressif ormis. Near coast al dunes, Acacia sophorae and Leucopogon parvif lorus may become prominent . The low underst orey layers are dominat ed by Pt eridium esculent um. This of t en result s in only a sparse cover of Epacris impressa, Leucopogon species and ot her heat hs. Lomandra longif olia can also be locally prominent . The ground layer is of t en sparse, w it h scat t ered grasses such as Poa labillardierei and Aust rost ipa species, and such herbs as Wahlenbergia species and Dichondra repens. Orchids are of t en an import ant but crypt ic component of t hese f orest s, w it h several rare and t hreat ened orchid species recorded in t his f orest communit y. 294 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hGLOB Heat hy Eucalypt us globulus f orest ; also occurs in DKW DRY-hVIM Heat hy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DAZ, DAM & DKW DRY-shGLOB Shrubby Eucalypt us globulus f orest ; also occurs in DGL& DPU DRY-shVIM Shrubby Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DVG, DAC & DSC Eucalyptus viminalis shrubby/ heathy w oodland (DVS) General description Eucalypt us viminalis shrubby/heat hy w oodland (DVS) is w oodland w it h shrubby or heat hy underst orey and f ew, if any, grass species in t he ground layer. If most commonly occurs on sands overlying sandst ones and mudst ones. This mapping unit is t o be considered f or review and may be subsumed int o DAZ, DAD or DVC. Distribution Ext ends f rom t he cent ral nort h t hrough t he M idlands and Derw ent Valley. Bioregional occurrence Nepelle Temby. Black Brush Rd, near Broadmarsh. NM , NS, SE, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Example locality See DAZ, DVC or DAD. Broadmarsh. Vegetation composition and structure Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is dist inguished by t he shrubby or heat hy underst orey and lack of grasses in t he ground layer. The underst orey is f requent ly occupied by w eeds such as Ulex europaeus. M uch of w hat w as mapped as DVS is now considered more likely t o be part of E. amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s DAZ. See DAZ, DVC or DAD. M any of t he areas mapped as DVS are know n t o be inf est ed by w eeds, part icularly gorse. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit See DAZ, DVC or DAD. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DVS is included in RFA AI. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 295 King Island eucalypt w oodland (DKW) General description This w oodland veget at ion is dominat ed by one or more of t he species Eucalypt us globulus, E. brookeriana and/or E. viminalis. The underst orey of t he communit y is highly variable and apparent ly dependent on recent f ire hist ory. Distribution Drier w oodlands occur nort h of Naracoopa and near t he Sea Elephant est uary. The sw ales of t he Old Dune syst em in t he island’s f ar sout h (near Red Hut Point , Collier Sw amp, Big Lake and near Seal Rocks) and nort h-east (near Lake M art ha Lavinia) of t he island also support t his w oodland. The largest and most signif icant pat ch is on t he slopes nort h of Colliers Sw amp and Big Lake. Small pat ches occur in Lavinia St at e Reserve and on unallocat ed Crow n Land in t he nort h. Eucalypt us brookeriana dominat ed damp w oodlands occur in small areas near Reekara and Tin M ine Road. Richard Barnes. Red Hut Point , King Island. Example localities On t he nort hern slopes of Big Lake, sout hern King Island and near Lake M art ha Lavinia (Lavinia St at e Reserve) in t he nort h-east of King Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities Dry scrubby–heat hy w oodland (or f orest ) dominat ed by E. viminalis and/or E. globulus on King Island is dist inguished f rom similar veget at ion communit ies on t he basis of geographical locat ion. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DKW is included in RFA KG. 296 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence K (endemic t o King Island). Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This w oodland mainly grow s on light er and sandier w ell-drained soils. Eucalypt us viminalis dominat es areas of great est soil inf ert ilit y and drainage, w hile E. brookeriana and E. globulus generally dominat e t he highly organic soils t hat have developed over sands. From f ield observat ions, t he st ruct ure and species composit ion of E. globulus dominat ed w oodlands appears t o be st rongly relat ed t o f ire hist ory (f requency and int ensit y) and soil charact erist ics (e.g. dept h, clay cont ent , moist ure availabilit y, parent rock). Frequent f ires may eliminat e t he shrub component of t hese w oodlands, w hile st ock quickly dest roys heat hy underst oreys, convert ing t hem t o an underst orey of graminoids. On occasion, t he densit y and height of t he canopy eucalypt s reaches t hat of a f orest , especially if f ires have been inf requent . Vegetation composition and structure The dominant canopy species are E. globulus, E. viminalis and/or E. brookeriana. E. globulus and mallee-f orm E. viminalis t end t o dominat e t he w oodlands on drier, sandier ridges. M ost t rees grow t o about 8 t o 16 m t all, somet imes less in more f requent ly burnt areas and sit es exposed t o st rong coast al w inds. The canopy usually has a w oodland st ruct ure. Areas w it h poor–drainage are of t en co-dominat ed by E. globulus and E. brookeriana. In some areas, a f orest , rat her t han a w oodland canopy develops. Tall midst orey shrubs include Acacia mucronat a, M onot oca glauca, Banksia marginat a, Lept ospermum laevigat um, L. scoparium, Allocasuarina monilif era and Acacia longif olia subsp. sophorae. Dense t hicket s of shrubs occur w here f ire-f requency has been low and t he soils bet t er f ormed (e.g. a shallow peat over sand). The low er (and somet imes upper) shrub layer of t en cont ains heat hs such as Leucopogon ericoides, Pult enaea juniperina, Boronia anemonif olia, Epacris impressa, Amperea xiphoclada, Olearia glut inosa and O. ramulosa. Ground-layer species, w hich are more abundant and diverse in canopy gaps and at t he edge of scrub t hicket s, include Pt eridium esculent um, Dianella t asmanica, t he sclerophyllous graminoids Baloskion t et raphyllum, Lepidosperma concavum, Lept ocarpus t enax, Empodisma minus and Gahnia grandis, and t he grasses Aust rodant honia species, Poa poif ormis, Ehrhart a dist ichophylla and Ehrhat a st ipoides. Damp w oodlands dominat ed by Eucalypt us brookeriana are probably t he result of high-f ire regimes or incomplet e land clearance w it h subsequent regenerat ion of nat ive species. In some cases, t hese w oodlands possibly represent a f ire disclimax E. brookeriana w et f orest (included in t he KG mapping unit ). Eucalypt us brookeriana is relat ively resilient and can regenerat e eff ect ively even af t er high f ire f requencies, and part ial land clearance. This communit y generally lacks E. globulus, and E. viminalis is present only as a subdominant canopy t ree. Tall shrubs include Acacia mucronat a, M onot oca glauca, Banksia marginat a and Allocasuarina monilif era and t he low er (and somet imes upper) shrub layer of t en cont ains heat hs such as Leucopogon ericoides, Pult enaea juniperina, Pimelea linif olia, Boronia anemonif olia, Epacris impressa and Olearia ramulosa. Ground-layer species, w hich are more abundant and diverse in canopy gaps and at t he edge of scrub t hicket s, include Pt eridium esculent um, t he sclerophyllous graminoids Baloskion t et raphyllum, Gahnia grandis, Dianella t asmanica and Empodisma minus, and t he grasses, Aust rodant honia species, Ehrhart a dist ichophylla and Ehrhat a st ipoides. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-hGLOB Heat hy Eucalypt us globulus f orest DRY-hVIM Heat hy Eucalypt us viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DAC, DAZ & DAM Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 297 M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) General description This cat egory is an open w oodland communit y grow ing at alt it udes less t han 300 m on dolerit e and basalt . The t ree layer has less t han 20% solid crow n cover. The communit y comprises t he w oodland f acies of Eucalypt us ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV), E. viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG) and E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DPD). This mapping unit has mainly been applied in t he M idlands region. M icah Visoiu. Jericho. Example locality M ona Vale. Distinguishing features and similar communities Woodlands dominat ed by any or all of Eucalypt us ovat a, E. viminalis and E. paucif lora, predominant ly w it h grassy underst oreys, on f ert ile f lat s in t he M idlands area dist inguish t his communit y. Trees have less t han 20% solid crow n cover. The communit y grades int o Eucalypt us ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV), E. viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG) and E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DPD) at alt it udes less t han 300 m on dolerit e and basalt . This mapping unit has mainly been applied in t he M idlands region. This communit y does not include E. paucif lora on deep w indblow n sands (mapped as DAI) and E. paucif lora on sediment s w it h a diverse heat hy underst orey, w hich is mapped as DPO. RFA mapping unit TASVEG DM W is included in RFA OV, PS, or V depending on t he dominant eucalypt species. Distribution Alt hough t his communit y is largely conf ined t o t he Nort hern M idlands Bioregion, it has also been mapped in t he east ern margins of t he Nort hern Slopes Bioregion, on t he cent ral east coast and ot her low land dist rict s in t he sout heast , and in t he valleys around Ben Lomond. 298 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species are E. ovat a, E. paucif lora and E. viminalis. Ot her t ree species somet imes present are E. amygdalina, Acacia dealbat a and Bursaria spinosa. Grassy E. ovat a–E. paucif lora w oodlands have a diverse ground layer, rich in orchids, lilies, peas and herbs. Themeda t riandra, Poa rodw ayi and Aust rost ipa species dominat e t he underst orey. The shrub layer is poorly developed, consist ing of prost rat e shrubs such as Hibbert ia species, Leucopogon species, Ast roloma humif usum and Lissant he st rigosa. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Bioregional occurrence NM , SE, NS, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This w oodland complex covers t he grassy E. ovat a and E. paucif lora (and occasionally E. viminalis) w oodlands of t he river f lat s and low er slopes in t he M idlands. Upslope, it merges int o E. viminalis and E. amygdalina grassy w oodlands. These w oodlands occur on some of t he most f ert ile soils in t he low lands of t he M idlands and t he low er Derw ent River valley, and also experience some of t he coldest w int er and hot t est summer t emperat ures in t he St at e, and t he low est rainf all levels. The complex occurs on basalt and dolerit e, and alluvium on river f lat s at alt it udes less t han 300 m. This communit y does not include eit her E. paucif lora on deep, w ind-blow n sands (mapped as DAI) or E. paucif lora on sediment s w it h a diverse heat hy underst orey (mapped as DPO). Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 2b Grassy Eucalypt us amygdalina w oodland; also occurs in DAD, DAZ & DAM 2g Grassy Eucalypt us ovat a w oodland; also occurs in DOV & DAZ Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 19 Eucalypt us viminalis/E. ovat a/E. paucif lora–Convolvulus erubescens grassy w oodland 15 Eucalypt us ovat a–Hypoxis hygromet rica grassy w oodland Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-gPAUC Grassy Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest ; also occurs in DPO Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 299 Non-eucalypt forest and w oodland Community name Community code Acacia dealbat a f orest NAD Acacia melanoxylon f orest on rises NAR Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest NAF Allocasuarina lit t oralis f orest NAL Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest NAV Banksia serrat a w oodland NBS Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub NBA Callit ris rhomboidea f orest NCR Lept ospermum f orest NLE Lept ospermum lanigerum– M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest NLM Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest NLA M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest NM E Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest NNP Subalpine Lept ospermum nit idum w oodland NLN These f orest and w oodland communit ies are grouped t oget her eit her because t hey are nat ive f orest s and w oodlands not dominat ed by eucalypt species or because t hey do not f it int o ot her f orest groups. If t here is a f unct ional at t ribut e most share, it is t he w idespread init iat ion of even-aged st ands by f ire and t he abilit y of many of t hem t o f orm closed–canopy f orest s. Some of t hese communit ies have been ref erred t o as “ dry rainf orest s” . Some of t hese communit ies are probably seral or dist urbance–disclimax f orms of ot her communit ies. Examples are Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest (NLA) (w hich may have result ed af t er burning of At hrot axis rainf orest (RKP, RKS), and Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub (NBA) (result ing f rom rural t ree decline and ot her dist urbance t o Dry eucalypt f orest and w oodland, primarily DVG). M any of t he communit ies are climax f orms and t ypically regenerat e episodically f ollow ing f ire and t hus f orm even-aged st ands (e.g. Acacia dealbat a f orest (NAD), Callit ris rhomboidea f orest (NCR), Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest (NAV) and M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest 300 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation (NM E)). In f act , all t he communit ies in t he Noneucalypt f orest and w oodland group may be maint ained by episodic f ire. The Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest (NNP) may rely on dist urbance f or it s long-t erm perpet uat ion, but it s ecology is poorly know n. The boundaries bet w een many of t hese communit ies are gradat ional, but some are sharply marked, of t en by changes in t opography t hat reinf orce diff erent f ire int ervals. Some communit ies are dist inct ive in t he f ield because one species dominat es t he canopy and f orms a pure st and. The underst orey in all t hese communit ies is generally sparse. The species dominat ing t hese communit ies are common component s of many eucalypt -dominat ed communit ies and rainf orest communit ies. The ecology of some communit ies is relat ively w ell know n; f or example Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest (NAF) and M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E) (Pannell 1992) and Callit ris rhomboidea f orest (NCR) (Harris and Kirkpat rick 1991a, 1991b). The communit ies dominat ed by Lept ospermum are t he least know n, probably because t hey are of t en seral st ages and have not been surveyed syst emat ically. General management issues The communit ies in t his group may be subject t o various t hreat s and impact s. For example, Acacia dealbat a f orest may be convert ed t o anot her f orest t ype. Acacia dealbat a is host t o a nat ive def oliat or, t he f ireblight beet le (Pyrgoides orphana), w hich commonly inf lict s part ial or complet e def oliat ion on individual t rees or w hole st ands. In some sit uat ions af t er repeat ed at t acks, it can cause t he deat h of t he t ree and conversion t o anot her f orest t ype (Elliot t 1990). Some communit ies have been ident if ied as highly suscept ible t o degradat ion by t he plant pat hogen Phyt opht hora cinnamomi. Inf ect ion by t he pat hogen can result in a general decrease in plant diversit y; species f rom t he f amilies Dilleniaceae, Epacridaceae, Fabaceae, Prot eaceae and Rut aceae are part icularly suscept ible (Schahinger et al. 2003). Closing access t o inf ect ed areas is crucial t o rest rict ing it s spread and avoiding t he creat ion of new t racks t hrough t he bush reduces t he vulnerabilit y t o inf ect ion (Kirkpat rick & Harris 1999). Plant s on peat y soils are much more suscept ible t han t hose plant s on sandy soils. Banksia serrat a is list ed rare under t he Tasmanian Threat ened Species Prot ect ion Act 1995 due t o it s rest rict ed dist ribut ion in Tasmania. Very high f ire f requency is likely t o cause a long-t erm change f rom Callit ris rhomboidea f orest t o a diff erent veget at ion t ype (Williams 1991). Sw amp f orest s such a Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest (NAF) are able t o regenerat e in t he absence of heavy dist urbance such as f ire, how ever f ire has been not ed t o cause mass germinat ion of soil st ored seed, and is commonly used in silvicult ural management of t his f orest t ype. Nat ive animal brow sing of seedlings is considered t o be a signif icant issue f or regenerat ion (Wells and Hickey 1999). Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest (NAV) has been degraded t hrough at t rit ion f rom high f ire f requency and excessive grazing result ing in erosion problems in some inland areas. Grazing and f iring are incompat ible w it h conservat ion management of NAV (Williams 1991). Ref erences and f urt her reading CORBETT, S. & BALM ER, J. (2001) M ap and descript ion of t he Warra veget at ion. Tasf orest s. 13(1), 45-76. CORBETT, E., & BALM ER, J. (2003) The Veget at ion of Rocky Cape Nat ional Park. Records of t he Queen Vict oria M useum. 112, Launcest on. DUNCAN, A.M .R. (1991) M anagement of rainf orest in reserves. Tasmanian NRCP Technical report No. 5. Forest ry Commission, Tasmania and t he Depart ment of Art s, Sport , t he Environment , Tourism and Territ ories, Canberra. DUNCAN, F. & BROWN, M .J. (1985) Dry sclerophyll veget at ion in Tasmania. Wildlif e Division Technical Report 85/1 Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service Tasmania, Hobart . DUNCAN, F. & BROWN, M .J. (1995) Edaphics and f ire: an int erpret at ive ecology of low land f orest veget at ion on granit e in nort h-east Tasmania. Proceedings of t he Linnean Societ y of New Sout h Wales. 115, 45-60. ELLIOTT, H. (1990) The role of insect s in changing f orest veget at ion in Tasmania. Tasf orest s. 2(2). Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005). Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. GIBSON, N., W ILLIAM S, K., M ARSDEN-SM EDLEY, J. & BROWN, M . J., (1987) Regenerat ion charact erist ics of a sw amp f orest in nort h-w est ern Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 121, 93-100. HARRIS, S., ZIEGLER, K., LAZARUS, E. & A RTHUR, C. (in prep.) Cloud f orest s and f irest orms: t he veget at ion of St rzelecki Nat ional Park. Unpub. ms HARRIS, S. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1991a) The dist ribut ions, dynamics and ecological diff erent iat ion of Callit ris species in Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 39, 187-202. HARRIS, S. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1991b) The phyt osociology and synecology of Tasmanian veget at ion w it h Callit ris. In: Aspect s Of Tasmanian Bot any – A Tribut e To Winif red Curt is (ed. M .R. Banks, S.J. Smit h, A.E. Orchard & G. Kant vilas). Royal Societ y of Tasmania, Hobart . JARM AN, S.J. & CROWDEN, R.K.(1978) A survey of veget at ion f rom t he Low er Gordon River and associat ed cat chment s. Sout hw est Tasmania Resources Survey Occasional Paper, Tasmania. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1991) Reservat ion st at us of plant communit ies in Tasmania. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: a M anagement Handbook (ed. J.B. Kirkpat rick). Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 301 Non-eucalypt forest and w oodland KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1999) The Disappearing Heat h Revisit ed. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . NORTH, A., JOHNSON, K., ZIEGLER, K., DUNCAN, F., HOPKINS, K., ZIEGELER, D., & W ATTS, S. (1998) Flora of Recommended Areas f or Prot ect ion and Forest Reserves in Tasmania. Reserve Report s, Summary and Volumes 1-7. Forest Pract ices Board, Forest ry Tasmania, and Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. PANNELL, J.R. (1992) Sw amp Forest s of Tasmania. Report , Forest ry Commission. Tasmania POLLARD, T. (in prep) The Ecology of Dry Rainf orest in Tasmania. PhD t opic, Depart ment of Geography and Environment al St udies, Universit y of Tasmania. RFA (1996) Regional Forest Agreement . Environment and Herit age Report Vol II Background Report part C. Commonw ealt h and Tasmanian Government s. SCHAHINGER, R., RUDM AN, R. & W ARDLAW, T.J. (2003) Conservat ion of Tasmanian Plant Species and Communit ies Threat ened by Phyt opht hora cinnamomi: St rat egic Regional Plan f or Tasmania. Technical report 03/03, Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . W ELLS, P. & HICKEY, J. (1999) Wet sclerophyll, mixed and sw amp f orest . In: Veget at ion of Tasmania (Eds. J.B. Reid, R.S. Hill, , M .J. Brow n, & M .J. Hovenden). Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. ABRS. W ILLIAM S, K. (1991) Dry sclerophyll veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: a M anagement Handbook (ed. J.B. Kirkpat rick). Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . 302 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Non-eucalypt forest and w oodland Page 1 Forest s and w oodlands w here Lept ospermum species are prominent 2 Lept ospermum lanigerum w it h a signif icant proport ion of M elaleuca squarrosa in t he canopy, common in t he nort h-w est and nort h-east on low -lying sw ampy land Leptospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp forest (NLM ) 324 2 Lept ospermum lanigerum and/or L. glaucescens and/or L. scoparium and/or L. nit idum dominat ed f orest w it h negligible M elaleuca squarrosa Leptospermum forest (NLE) 322 2 Forest s dominat ed by Lept ospermum scoparium w it h Acacia mucronat a, of t en in associat ion w it h ot her sclerophyllous species such as Banksia marginat a and M elaleuca squarrosa Leptospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronata forest (NLA) 326 2 Open w oodland in subalpine areas dominat ed by a sparse cover of spreading Lept ospermum nit idum t rees Subalpine Leptospermum nitidum w oodland (NLN) 332 1 Forest s and w oodlands w here Acacia is dominant 2 Acacia dealbat a f orming f orest s up t o 30 m in height , somet imes in riparian st rips, or on valley f lat s in past ure areas, ot herw ise result ing f rom f ire in areas of w et eucalypt f orest Acacia dealbata forest (NAD) 306 2 Acacia melanoxylon f orming pure st ands in f lat , sw ampy or seasonally inundat ed areas part icularly in nort h-w est Tasmania Acacia melanoxylon sw amp forest (NAF) 310 2 Acacia melanoxylon f orming pure st ands on hillsides, especially in w est ern Tasmania, and usually result ing f rom burnt rainf orest Acacia melanoxylon forest on rises (NAR) 308 2 Forest s or w oodlands (somet imes scrub) dominat ed by Bursaria spinosa, Acacia species and Dodonaea viscosa (occasionally w it h emergent eucalypt s) Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub (NBA) 318 1 Forest s and w oodlands w here Banksia serrat a is dominant or co-dominant Banksia serrata w oodland (NBS) 316 1 Veget at ion of any height w here M elaleuca ericif olia is dominant M elaleuca ericifolia sw amp forest (NM E) 328 1 Forest s and w oodlands dominat ed by Callit ris rhomboidea Callitris rhomboidea forest (NCR) 320 1 Forest s w here Allocasuarina is dominant Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 303 Non-eucalypt forest and w oodland Key to Non-eucalypt forest and w oodland Page 2 Forest s usually coast al or on dry inland slopes, dominat ed by Allocasuarina vert icillat a Allocasuarina verticillata forest (NAV) 314 Allocasuarina littoralis forest (NAL) 312 2 Forest s dominat ed by Allocasuarina lit t oralis 1 Non-eucalypt f orest s and w oodlands not dominat ed by Lept ospermum, Allocasuarina, Banksia, Callit ris or M elaleuca 2 Forest s dominat ed by Not elaea ligust rina and/or Pomaderris apet ala Notelaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria forest (NNP) 304 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 330 This Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest (NAV) on Bruny Island occupies a precarious cliff -side habit at t ypical of much of it s range in sout heast ern and east ern Tasmania. This communit y is almost non-exist ent on Tasmania’s w est coast , but is very ext ensive in nort h-east Tasmania and t he east ern Bass St rait Islands. Phot ographer: St ephen Harris. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 305 Acacia dealbata forest (NAD) General description This mapping unit is a successional communit y f ound on dist urbed sit es, e.g. on old areas of improved past ure, st ream banks and riparian corridors subject t o f lood dist urbance and replaces w et f orest s and damp sclerophyll f orest af t er f ire. The canopy is variable in cover, but is most of t en composed purely of A. dealbat a t rees t hat can reach 20 m in height . The underst orey is variable ref lect ing t he diverse dist urbance sit uat ions in w hich t he communit y arises. Example localities St ream corridors and old f ields of t he Nort hw est Bay and Huon River valleys. Distinguishing features and similar communities Charact erised by t he dense canopy of Acacia dealbat a w it h occasional remnant s of predist urbance f orest . Dist inguished f rom A. dealbat a dominat ed f orms of NBA by it s associat ion w it h high rainf all areas or habit at s capable of support ing w et f orest . RFA mapping unit TASVEG NAD is equivalent t o RFA SI. Distribution Widespread. St ephen Harris. Art hur River. 306 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit BL, CH, NS, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y is most common on sit es dist urbed by f ire, past veget at ion clearing or f loods. Generally, st ands are less t han 5 ha in size but are occasionally more ext ensive. The communit y occupies sit es f rom f lat s t o st eep slopes and ridges on a variet y of subst rat es, but most of t en is f ound on relat ively f ert ile areas. No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or Acacia dealbat a dominat ed veget at ion communit ies in Tasmania. Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) OTHER 10 Acacia dealbat a closed f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 16 Acacia dealbat a–Pomaderris apet ala–Olearia argophylla–Dicksonia ant arct ica f erny-sedgy closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI Vegetation composition and structure The canopy is most of t en composed of purely of A. dealbat a alt hough ot her species may somet imes be present as a minor component (e.g. eucalypt or broad leaf w et sclerophyll or rainf orest species, < 5% ). Trees can reach 20 m in height , but t ypically t he communit y is short -lived and replaced by ot her w et f orest communit ies (e.g. rainf orest or w et eucalypt f orest ). Canopy cover can vary f rom dense in younger st ands t o sparse in more dist urbed or older st ands. Underst oreys are variable and range f rom Pt eridium esculent um and shrub species, represent at ive of dist urbed sit es, t o regenerat ing w et f orest species such as Olearia lirat a and O. argophylla, t o rainf orest species such as Not hof agus cunninghamii. The underst orey of t en ref lect s t he veget at ion present bef ore t he dist urbance. Except in riparian corridors subject t o regular f loods, t he communit y revert s t o t he pre-dist urbance communit y (e.g. w et eucalypt f orest , rainf orest ) if lef t undist urbed and appropriat e seed sources are present . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 307 Acacia melanoxylon forest on rises (NAR) General description This communit y is of t en a f ire-induced seral rainf orest or mixed-f orest communit y dominat ed by regrow t h Acacia melanoxylon t rees of even height ; it t ypically f orms a closed f orest . The underst orey ranges f rom relat ively open t o dense. A diversit y of species may be present , including eucalypt s (w hich may be co-dominant ) or rainf orest and w et sclerophyll species (including ot her species of Acacia) over a f erndominat ed ground layer. Example locality Hills around Rosebery. Distinguishing features and similar communities NAR is charact erised by t he almost complet e dominance of Acacia melanoxylon, w hich has f ollow ed f ire in rainf orest s and mixed f orest s. It occurs on soils of moderat e t o high f ert ilit y on slopes of hills and mount ains of w est ern Tasmania. It may be st ruct urally and f lorist ically similar t o Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest (NAF), w hich occurs on river f lat s and sw amps, mainly in nort h-w est ern Tasmania. It int ergrades w it h, and is replaced, by Acacia dealbat a f orest (NAD) on f ert ile subst rat es t hat have been cleared or cult ivat ed, or by A. mucronat a and Lept ospermum species post -f ire scrub and f orest communit ies on less f ert ile subst rat es. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NAR is equivalent t o RFA BR. M icah Visiou. M aw banna. Distribution This unit predominant ly occurs in t he w est and nort h-w est , but small areas may be f ound on moist sit es t hroughout t he St at e. 308 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation rainf orest . The long viabilit y of A. melanoxylon seed enables t his species t o regenerat e af t er dist urbance t o f orest communit ies (e.g. rainf orest ) t hat have no living A. melanoxylon at t he t ime t hey are burnt or ot herw ise dist urbed. The underst orey is a mixt ure of w et sclerophyll shrubs (e.g. Nemat olepis squamea, Pomaderris apet ala, various species of Lept ospermum) and rainf orest species (including Not hof agus cunninghamii, At herosperma moschat um and Eucryphia lucida). Ferns and occasionally Gahnia grandis, are t he main groundcover species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Bioregional occurrence Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies D1 Riparian blackw ood/paperbark f orest ; also occurs in NAF & NM E D2 Riparian blackw ood/w at t le f orest ; also occurs in NAF BL, CH, K, NS, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y grow s mainly on soils of moderat e t o high f ert ilit y, of t en on f iredist urbed low land slopes and spurs t hat previously support ed callidendrous or t hamnic rainf orest or mixed f orest (eucalypt s over rainf orest ). Vegetation composition and structure Acacia melanoxylon is t he dominant t ree species, w it h Eucalypt us obliqua, E. nit ida and Not hof agus cunninghamii somet imes present . M ost st ands of t his communit y consist of regrow t h t hat f orms a dense f orest . A single age-class of A. melanoxylon is usually present , w it h t he age relat ing t o a major dist urbance event . As t he st and mat ures, t he densit y of A. melanoxylon decreases and rainf orest species become more prominent in t he underst orey and secondary t ree layer. A prolonged period w it hout f ire (> 200 years) w ill result in t he A. melanoxylon f orest s succeeding t o pure D3 Riparian blackw ood/Olearia f orest D4 Riparian blackw ood/dogw ood f orest ; also occurs in NAF D5 Riparian blackw ood/myrt le/dogw ood f orest ; also occurs in NAF & RM T D6 Riparian blackw ood rainf orest ; also occurs in NAF & RM T D7 Riparian blackw ood/leat herw ood rainf orest ; also occurs in NAF & RM T Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 14 Acacia-Not hof agus-At herosperma w oodland and f orest over Olearia shrubland and Dicksonia ant arct ica f ernland; also occurs in SRI & NAF 17 Acacia melanoxylon–Not hof agus cunninghamii–Eucryphia lucida–Acacia mucronat a mossy-sedgy-f erny closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & NAF Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 309 Acacia melanoxylon sw amp forest (NAF) General description This communit y is t ypically a t all closed f orest (> 30 m in height ) dominat ed by Acacia melanoxylon, w it h a relat ively open and variable underst orey. Distribution M ost occurrences are in t he w est and nort h-w est of t he St at e (e.g. Dismal and Welcome sw amps) and on King Island, invariably on coast al plains at alt it udes of less t han 100 m. The communit y also occurs locally in t he east , sout h-east and nort h-east (e.g. Lit t le Forest er River), w here most sit es are less t han 200 m alt it ude. Leanne Rabjohns. Dismal Sw amp. Example locality Dismal Sw amp, bet w een Smit ht on and M arraw ah. Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities NAF int ergrades w it h, and is replaced by, Acacia dealbat a dominat ed t ypes (e.g. NAD) on f ert ile subst rat es t hat have been cleared or cult ivat ed, or by A. mucronat a and Lept ospermum post -f ire scrub and f orest communit ies on less f ert ile subst rat es. On rises, t he communit y may be st ruct urally, ecologically and f lorist ically similar t o Acacia melanoxylon f orest (NAR). It is associat ed w it h ot her sw amp f orest communit ies (NLM and NM E) f rom w hich it is dist inguished by t he prominence of A. melanoxylon. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NAF is equivalent t o RFA BF 310 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation K, F, SE, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs ext ensively on alluvial f lat s t hat are generally inundat ed, and locally on poorly–drained f lat s. Drainage channels meandering t hrough t he sw amp are charact erist ic. Vegetation composition and structure Acacia melanoxylon is t he dominant t ree species, w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii and ot her rainf orest species co-occurring at some sit es t hat have not had major dist urbance f or many years. On more recent ly dist urbed sit es, M elaleuca squarrosa, M . ericif olia and one or more species of Lept ospermum may be present . Eucalypt us obliqua and E. brookeriana occur in adjacent f orest s. In successionally advanced st ands, t he st ruct ure of t he f orest consist s of mat ure, spreading rainf orest species and large Acacia melanoxylon t rees, of t en w it h conspicuous eucalypt s. In younger st ands, dense st ands of paperbark and t ea-t ree rarely exceeding 20 m in height w it h an open underst orey (due t o t he densit y of t he canopy) are charact erist ic. The composit ion and st ruct ure of t he underst orey t ends not t o be dense, alt hough t his depends on t he sit e and dist urbance hist ory (e.g. f lood, f ire). The most conspicuous component s are t he sedges, including Gahnia grandis, G. sieberiana, Lepidosperma ensif orme, L. elat ius and Carex appressa, and t he w at er f erns Blechnum w at t sii, B. minus and B. nudum. Hummocks of Sphagnum species associat ed w it h myrt le logs occur in successionally advanced f orest . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies A1 Depauperat e callidendrous sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM A2 Callidendrous sassaf ras sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM A3 Depauperat e callidendrous f ern sw amp f orest A4 Callidendrous myrt le sw amp f orest A5 Callidendrous f ern sw amp f orest B1 Thamnic leat herw ood sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM B2 Thamnic f ern sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM B3 Thamnic horizont al sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM B4 Thamnic leat herw ood/Trochocarpa sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM B5 Thamnic Celery Top pine sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM C3 Coast al paperbark/Carex sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NM E C4 Coast al t ea-t ree/Carex sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM & NLE C5 Coast al sassaf ras sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NLM C6 Coast al myrt le sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NM E D1 Riparian blackw ood/paperbark f orest ; also occurs in NM E & NAR D2 Riparian blackw ood/w at t le f orest ; also occurs in NAR D6 Riparian blackw ood rainf orest ; also occurs in NAR & RM T D7 Riparian blackw ood/leat herw ood rainf orest ; also occurs in NAR & RM T Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 14 Acacia-Not hof agus-At herosperma w oodland and f orest over Olearia shrubland and Dicksonia ant arct ica f ernland; also occurs in SRI & NAR 17 Acacia melanoxylon–Not hof agus cunninghamii–Eucryphia lucida–Acacia mucronat a mossy-sedgy-f erny closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & NAR Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 311 Allocasuarina littoralis forest (NAL) General description Allocasuarina lit t oralis f orest is charact erised by a very dense st rat um (12–18 m high) of A. lit t oralis, somet imes overt opped by occasional eucalypt s. Shrubs grow in gaps in t he canopy and at t he margins of t he communit y. It includes pat ches of f orest dominat ed by Allocasuarina crassa on Tasman Peninsula. This mapping unit occurs in small pat ches. Example locality Banca Road, near Winnaleah. Distinguishing features and similar communities Dist inct ive, usually dominat ed by one species, w it h a sparse t o dense sedgy underst orey and heavy leaf lit t er. The communit y may occur as an underst orey or in pat ches t hat are t oo small t o map separat ely in dry sclerophyll Eucalypt us communit ies. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution St ephen Harris. Lime Bay Nat ure Reserve. 312 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Allocasuarina lit t oralis f orest occurs in t he St at e’s nort h-east , e.g. in t he Great M usselroe River cat chment , near Old Chum Dam. Small pat ches are also f ound t hroughout t he drier part s of t he St at e. Bioregional occurrence F, N, M , SE, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs locally on broad ridges or f lat s, and on undulat ing count ry. The soils normally have a high sand cont ent and are w ell–drained, t hough on some sit es t he communit y grades int o w oodland or scrub grow ing on sit es w it h impeded drainage. Fire f requency is > 30 years. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is charact erised by a very dense st rat um (12–18 m high) of Allocasuarina lit t oralis, overt opped by occasional eucalypt s (Eucalypt us amygdalina, E. viminalis). The densit y of A. lit t oralis, coupled w it h t he presence of a deep lit t er layer, inhibit s t he development of an underst orey, except under gaps in t he canopy and at t he margins of t he communit y. The main shrub species include Banksia marginat a, Lept ospermum scoparium and Lomat ia t inct oria. Any of t he f ollow ing may be scat t ered in t he ground layer: Pt eridium esculent um, Diplarrena moraea, Gahnia grandis, Ehrhart a dist ichophylla and Goodenia lanat a. Lycopodium deut erodensum is occasionally present . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or Allocasuarina lit t oralis dominat ed veget at ion communit ies in Tasmania. Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) DRY-LIT Allocasuarina low f orest Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 313 Allocasuarina verticillata forest (NAV) General description Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest and w oodland varies f rom pure st ands w it h 100% lit t er layer or w it h lit t le else but leaf lit t er beneat h t he t rees, t o w oodlands in w hich umbrageous t rees are int erspersed in a species-rich sw ard dominat ed by t ussock grasses. These w oodlands and f orest s are on very dry sit es. Some have emergent eucalypt s or Callit ris rhomboidea. Example locality Wat erhouse Prot ect ed Area. Distinguishing features and similar communities The dominant t ree, Allocasuarina vert icillat a, dist inguishes t his communit y and is dist inct ive because of t he rounded f orms t o t he t rees. This communit y has a propensit y t o f orm dense st ands. The communit y may grade int o Callit ris rhomboidea dominat ed f orest (NCR) in some part s of east ern Tasmania. It may also include emergent s f rom adjacent eucalypt f orest . RFA mapping unit TASVEG NAV is equivalent t o RFA AV. Distribution St ephen Harris. Flinders Island, Bass St rait . Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest occurring inland and w oodland is w idespread in dry areas of east ern Tasmania and on t he east ern Bass St rait islands at alt it udes generally below 500 m, and most commonly near t he coast . In f act , a narrow belt of NAV grow s on t he coast w ard margin around much of t he east ern and nort hern Tasmanian coast w here t he nat ive veget at ion sequence has not been dest royed. The most ext ensive occurrences are on t he Bass St rait islands and east w ard of Wat erhouse Island in nort h-east Tasmania. 314 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure A. vert icillat a f orest varies f rom an almost closed f orest , w it h lit t le else but leaf lit t er beneat h t he t rees, t o a w oodland in w hich spreading t rees are int erspersed in a species-rich sw ard dominat ed by t ussock grasses. A. vert icillat a is more drought -resist ant t han t he eucalypt s, and can f orm pure st ands on t he driest sit es in Tasmania. Acacia mearnsii, Dodonaea viscosa, A. dealbat a and Bursaria spinosa are common underst orey shrubs, becoming dense in t he absence of f ire. Emergent eucalypt s can occur up t o a densit y of 5% . Bioregional occurrence F, SE, N, M , SR, BL. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 1a Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest usually grow s on heavy, black clay soils derived f rom dolerit e on nort h-f acing slopes in some of t he low est rainf all count ry in t he midlands and sout h-east Tasmania. The most ext ensive examples of NAV how ever, are on calcareous or siliceous sand and gravel in nort h-east Tasmania and t he Bass St rait islands. In t he sout h east it is charact erist ic of dry rocky dolerit e slopes adjacent t o E. pulchella and E. globulus f orest s. Coast al Allocasuarina low f orest ; also occurs in DVC 1b Inland Allocasuarina vert icillat a low f orest 1c Island Allocasuarina low f orest Grasslands and grassy w oodlands T8 Aust rodant honia spp.-Poa rodw ayi-Agrost is aemula t ussock grassland; also occurs in GRP, GCL & DGL Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 315 Banksia serrata w oodland (NBS) General description These w oodlands are dominat ed by Banksia serrat a and may be open and heat hy, as in Wingaroo Nat ure Reserve and part s of Rocky Cape Nat ional Park and t he Shakespeare Hills, or grow in dense st ands, as around t he Sist ers Beach area. It occurs mainly on f lat areas or subdued slopes and some hill slopes. Example localities, Sist ers Beach, and t he st art of t he t rack at t he end of Irbys Road, Rocky Cape. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished by t he presence of Banksia serrat a as t he canopy dominant , in eit her a w oodland or f orest densit y. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NBS is equivalent t o RFA BS. Distribution St ephen Harris. Wingaroo Nat ure Reserve, Flinders Island. The communit y grow s in a f ew small areas near Sist ers Beach, t he nort hern end of t he Dip Range and Shakespeare Hills on t he nort h-w est coast . A very small st and grow s in t he Wingaroo Nat ure Reserve on Flinders Island. Bioregional occurrence F, K. 316 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs on peat soils on slopes underlain by quart zit e, on sand plains near t he Sist ers Beach t ow nship or on granit e-derived siliceous soils as at Wingaroo. Almost all sit es f ace nort h or w est and are exposed t o t he prevailing w inds; t hey t end t o have f requent f ires. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 8 Banksia serrat a open-f orest /scrub Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is dominat ed by Banksia serrat a, but Eucalypt us nit ida may f orm a sparse canopy. East of Sist ers Beach, E. nit ida and a lit t le E. ovat a overt op B. serrat a, B. marginat a, M onot oca glauca and Acacia melanoxylon. Furt her east , t he canopy emergent s are E. nit ida, E. obliqua and E. viminalis, but B. serrat a does not persist f ar int o t his t all f orest . B. serrat a t rees may reach 8 m in height , w it h t hick, t w ist ed t runks, w hich are of t en scarred w here branches have broken off . In any st and, t ree ages vary f rom seedlings t o old grow t h. Banksia serrat a w oodland has a heat hy underst orey t hat includes various graminoids and Allocasuarina monilif era, Philot heca virgat a, Dillw ynia glaberrima and Lept ospermum scoparium. Xant horrhoea aust ralis is somet imes present . On t he sand plains, coast al heat hlands show very high diversit y. Lept ospermum glaucescens and/or M onot oca glauca may dominat e t all heat hlands. Acacia t erminalis and M . glauca in some areas co-dominat e a shrub layer, w it h lit t le more t han Pt eridium esculent um underneat h. There is an abrupt boundary bet w een B. serrat a w oodland (NBS) and t he adjacent Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus–M elaleuca squamea moorlands (M BS). Transit ion int o E. obliqua w et f orest (WOU) is more gradual. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 317 Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub (NBA) General description The communit y is charact erised by scat t ered small (< 10 m) Bursaria spinosa, Dodonaea viscosa, Acacia dealbat a, A. mearnsii, A. melanoxylon, A. vert icillat a and ot her small t rees and shrubs. They f orm a sparse t o dense layer over a grassy sw ard dominat ed by Themeda t riandra or Aust rodant honia species. St ephen Harris. Near Orf ord. Example locality Lisdillon Hills. Distinguishing features and similar communities Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub occurs on dolerit e or basalt and result s eit her f rom degradat ion of eucalypt f orest or f rom regenerat ion of Bursaria spinosa, Acacia species and Dodonaea viscosa af t er f orest has been cleared. A grassland communit y w here grazing has been minimal and small t rees are becoming prominent is usually classif ied as a grassland communit y. The f acies of NBA t hat is dominat ed by low, scrubby A. dealbat a is dist inguished f rom A. dealbat a f orest (NAD) by t he st at ure of t he Acacia and t he much drier environment s in w hich NBA occurs. NAD is dominat ed by t all, st raight A. dealbat a. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NBA w ould of t en be classed as a nonf orest communit y, how ever some f acies may occur in RFA V, w hile A. dealbat a dominat ed areas occur in RFA SI. Distribution NBA grow s on small hills and low er slopes marginal t o grazing land, part icularly in rural dist rict s in drier areas of t he east and M idlands. 318 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation viminalis, E. paucif lora, E. amygdalina and E. globulus. The f lorist ic complexit y can vary enormously. Some sit es ref lect a dist urbed management hist ory and can be depauperat e and w eedy. Ot hers ref lect a degraded phase of E. viminalis w oodland and are highly diverse, of t en including t hreat ened species t hat are charact erist ic of Themeda grassland. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or non coast al scrub communit ies in Tasmania. Bioregional occurrence SE, F, NS, NM , BL. Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 17 Eucalypt us viminalis/Allocasuarina vert icillat a–Acacia mearnsii grassy; also occurs in DVG T6 Themeda t riandra–Aust rost ipa st uposa– Chrysocephalum apiculat um t ussock grassland; also occurs in GTL T7 Themeda t riandra–Veronica gracilis– Solenogyne spp. t ussock grassland; also occurs in GTL Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y occurs on dry slopes at low alt it ude (< 600 m) and occasionally on f lat s (dominat ed by Acacia dealbat a), of t en on dolerit e or basalt , and generally in areas t hat have been ploughed or dist urbed. Such sit es w ere f ormerly of t en Eucalypt us viminalis and E. amygdalina w oodland and f orest , but rural t ree decline and t ree removal have result ed in t he virt ual eliminat ion of eucalypt s f rom t hese sit es. Vegetation composition and structure Scat t ered small t rees of Bursaria spinosa, Dodonaea viscosa subsp. spat ulat a, Acacia dealbat a, A. mearnsii, A. melanoxylon, A. vert icillat a and ot her small t rees and shrubs f orm a sparse t o dense layer over a grassy sw ard dominat ed by Themeda t riandra, Lomandra longif olia or Aust rodant honia species, w hich may have been ploughed or dist urbed. Ot her grasses, herbs and small heat hy shrubs may occur, as may scat t ered t rees of Eucalypt us Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 319 Callitris rhomboidea forest (NCR) General description This communit y ranges f rom dense st ands w it h pure Callit ris rhomboidea in t he canopy t o w oodlands and f orest s w here C. rhomboidea is a major component of t he canopy, somet imes codominant w it h Allocasuarina vert icillat a and such eucalypt s as E. viminalis, E. nit ida, E. pulchella and E. t enuiramis. The f orest may be dominat ed by t rees up t o 30 m in height and can have a shrubby, grassy or heat hy underst orey. Example locality Freycinet Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities The dist inguishing f eat ure of t his communit y is t he presence of Callit ris rhomboidea. C. oblonga is t he only ot her conif er t hat occurs in dry f orest s in east ern Tasmania, but is mainly riparian and is short er t han C. rhomboidea. It is not mapped separat ely. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NCR is equivalent t o RFA CR. Distribution It is f ound f rom Cape Pillar t o t he Denison River on t he east coast , and also in t he Furneaux Group. It occurs f rom sea level t o 600 m alt it ude. Sophie Underw ood. Freycinet Nat ional Park. Bioregional occurrence F, SE. 320 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Callit ris rhomboidea is a f ire-sensit ive species, generally conf ined t o inf requent ly burned veget at ion in east ern Tasmania. It is a garden escapee in nat ive veget at ion at Sist ers Beach, M oorinna and M argat e. C. rhomboidea is t olerant of a w ide range of soil t ypes, but does not grow in poorly–drained soil. Vegetation composition and structure C. rhomboidea is t he dominant t ree species in bot h f orest and w oodland, but is also a major underst orey component of eucalypt f orest (and occasionally occurs in Coast al heat hland SCH). C. rhomboidea is drought -resist ant and est ablishes readily in moderat ely shaded, undist urbed areas. The underst orey may be heat hy, shrubby or grassy. Dense st ands are now uncommon, but t here are examples on t he east coast of Flinders Island, on t he east ern shelf of M aria Island and on t alus slopes at Cape Bernier. C. rhomboidea may co-occur w it h Eucalypt us ovat a, E. rodw ayi, E. globulus, E. amygdalina, E. t enuiramis, E. nit ida, E. regnans, E. obliqua, E. amygdalina and E. viminalis. A variet y of species dominat e t he small-t ree layer, including Bursaria spinosa, Allocasuarina vert icillat a, A. monilif era, Dodonaea viscosa, Lept ospermum laevigat um, Bedf ordia salicina and Cassinia aculeat a. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 4 Callit ris rhomboidea–Lept ospermum spp. closed-f orest /scrub; also occurs in SCW 5 Callit ris rhomboidea–Bedf ordia salicina closed-f orest /scrub Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 321 Leptospermum forest (NLE) General description One or more of Lept ospermum lanigerum, L. scoparium, L. glaucescens or L. nit idum dominat es Lept ospermum f orest s (5–10 m t all) w it h semi-closed or closed canopies. M id- and ground layers may be sparsely shrubby and sedgy, or t he ground may be bare or covered by deep lit t er. Coast al NLE has L. glaucescens and somet imes L. scoparium in t he canopy, and may be diverse and uneven in height w here it has suff ered pat chy eff ect s of f ire or w indt hrow. Inland NLE below about 400 m alt it ude may also be uneven, w it h up t o t hree Lept ospermum species sharing t he canopy w it h Banksia marginat a and somet imes M onot oca glauca and Acacia mucronat a over Bauera rubioides and Gahnia grandis. Highland NLE is usually closedcanopy L. lanigerum (somet imes L. scoparium) and st raggling Banksia w it h lit t le underst orey. Short , dense and t angled highland f orest s in t he w est may be dominat ed by L. nit idum, w it h some Eucryphia milliganii, Not hof agus cunninghamii, Agast achys odorat a and Cenarrhenes nit ida. Nepelle Temby. Scot t s Peak Road. Example localities Slopes below M oonlight Flat s (Sout hern Ranges); coast al f orm at Rocky Boat Harbour (sout h coast ); Ralf s Falls t rack in t he nort h-east , near Ringarooma. 322 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Distinguishing features and similar communities Tall Lept ospermum glaucescens may be t he dominant mid-st orey species in Eucalypt us nit ida w et f orest WNU, but emergent eucalypt s are sparse or absent f rom NLE. On ridge crest s in t he w est and sout h-w est , WNU grades int o NLE bet w een 600 m and 750 m alt it ude. Coast al f orms of bot h NLE and WNU may be diverse or have an underst orey dominat ed by Gahnia grandis and/or Lepidosperma ensif orme (coast al NLE lacks Eucalypt us nit ida). NLA is short Lept ospermum f orest mapped around Queenst ow n and dist inguished f rom NLE by it s clearly def ined f lorist ics: L. scoparium and Acacia mucronat a dominat e, of t en w it h a dense and t angled st ruct ure. Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L), w hich has st rong rainf orest aff init ies, has co-dominant Not hof agus cunninghamii and species of Lept ospermum, and t ypically grades int o NLE w it h alt it ude. Lept ospermum f orest dominat ed by L. nit idum occurs above about 400 m in part s of sout h-w est Tasmania and around t he West Coast Range, w here it has aff init ies w it h w est ern rainf orest s and rainf orest scrubs, part icularly t hose t hat include At hrot axis selaginoides. NLE near sout hw est rivers has clear boundaries w it h riverine rainf orest and Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ) in w hich M elaleuca squarrosa is import ant . The coast al f orm of NLE may grade int o Coast al heat hland (SHC) w it h similar f lorist ics, but NLE is t aller and usually has a closed or nearly closed canopy, leading t o much low er diversit y. Lept ospermum scrub (SLW ) is dominat ed by L. lanigerum, but is less t han 4 m in height , w hile NLE w it h L. lanigerum grow s t o 8–10 m. NLM is similar in height t o NLE, but usually has more M elaleuca squarrosa in NLM . NLE is considered t o be a mat ure f orm of some f acies of SLW . TASVEG NLE w ould of t en be classed as a nonf orest communit y in t he RFA, how ever some f acies may occur in RFA L. about 800 m alt it ude. L. lanigerum pref ers relat ively f ert ile, shelt ered, w ell-w at ered and somet imes poorly–drained sit es, L. glaucescens grow s on skelet al soils and L. scoparium pref ers good drainage. Distribution Vegetation composition and structure RFA mapping unit Widespread but uncommon f rom sea level t o 950 m, highland NLE is f ound in sout h-w est and w est ern Tasmania, t he Sout hern Ranges and occasionally in Cradle M ount ain Nat ional Park. Below mat ure Lept ospermum f orest , t he underst orey may be sparse w it h a f ew shrubs, sedges, bryophyt es and f erns. Forest s may be f ringed by bands of small Lept ospermum, Gahnia grandis and low shrubs. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies C4 Coast al t ea-t ree–Carex sw amp f orest ; also occurs in SLW E1 Depauperat e mont ane t ea-t ree f orest ; also occurs in SLW 1 Lept ospermum nit idum closed-f orest /scrub; also occurs in SSW, RM L & RLS 2 Lept ospermum glaucescens–L. scoparium closed-f orest /scrub; also occurs in SLW Bioregional occurrence W, SR, CH, K, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Lept ospermum f orest s grow on moderat ely f ert ile soils in shelt ered sit es in high rainf all areas. Subst rat es vary f rom st able sand dunes t o sediment ary rocks. Some f orms of NLE grow in sout h-w est Tasmania w here quart zit e mount ain slopes meet t he plains and soil has accumulat ed, and also on t he bet t er-drained part s of sw amps round t he big sout h-w est rivers. Lept ospermum f orest s also grow on t he slopes below sandst one plat eaus and on ascending ridge crest s up t o Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 323 Leptospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp forest (NLM ) General description Sw amp f orest s dominat ed by Lept ospermum lanigerum and/or M elaleuca squarrosa are common in t he nort h-w est and w est and occur occasionally in t he nort h-east and east , w here L. lanigerum usually predominat es. There are also ext ensive t ract s on alluvial f lat s of t he major sout h-w est rivers. The f orest s are dominat ed by various mixt ures of L. lanigerum and M . squarrosa, but w it h varying lesser amount s of Acacia species. Rainf orest species are also present . Trees are usually > 8 m in height . Example localities M ont agu and Duck River cat chment s in nort hw est Tasmania. Distinguishing features and similar communities The f orest s are f lorist ically similar t o, and int ergrade w it h, Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest s (NAF). The f orest s also int ergrade in t he nort h-w est w it h t he predominant ly coast al M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E). NLM is considered t o be a mat ure-f orm f acies of Lept ospermum scrub (SLW ). Some of t hese sw amp f orest s have younger successional grow t h st ages t hat may be described in t he sect ion on scrub, heat hland and coast al complexes. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NLM is equivalent t o RFA L. Distribution Sib Corbet t . Lake Shelf , w est of Lot s Wif e, M t Anne area. 324 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Common in t he nort h-w est and w est including t he World Herit age Area (WHA), t his communit y occurs more sporadically in nort h-east and east ern Tasmania. Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit K, NS, SR, W. Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies Site characteristics, habitat and ecology These f orest s are charact erist ically f ound in t he high-rainf all area of t he w est and nort h-w est on low -lying sw ampy f lat s and river t erraces. There are mapped occurrences also at higher alt it udes in t he WHA, and in t he nort h-east , again in sw ampy areas of higher rainf all. The f lorist ic composit ion of t he f orest s depends on t he elapsed t ime since broad-scale dist urbance, and on soil f ert ilit y, drainage and sit e elevat ion. While t he canopies of t he f orest s may be evenaged – indicat ing a single regenerat ion event – t here is also some evidence t hat t he dominant s are able t o regenerat e via gap-phase replacement t o give cont inuous regenerat ion in long-undist urbed st ands. Vegetation composition and structure The dominant species are Lept ospermum lanigerum and M elaleuca squarrosa. The underst orey is locally very variable in species composit ion. A1 Depauperat e callidendrous sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF A2 Callidendrous sassaf ras sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF B1 Thamnic leat herw ood sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF B2 Thamnic f ern sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF B3 Thamnic horizont al sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF B4 Thamnic Trochocarpa sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF B5 Thamnic celery t op pine sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF B6 Thamnic Huon pine sw amp f orest ; also occurs in RHP C4 Coast al t ea-t ree/Carex sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF & NLE C5 Coast al sassaf ras sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF & NM E F2 Depauperat e t ea-t ree/paperbark scrub f orest ; also occurs in NM E But t ongrass moorland B13 Wet copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW , WNL, DOV & SM R Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 5 M elaleuca squarrosa–Lept ospermum lanigerum heat hy-f erny-sedgy closed scrub; also occurs in SRI, SLW & SM R Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 325 Leptospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronata forest (NLA) General description This communit y is a dense, closed-canopy, dw arf f orest generally 5–8 m t all w hen mat ure. It is charact erised by Lept ospermum scoparium f orming 50–95% of t he canopy, but most commonly in nearly equal proport ions w it h Acacia mucronat a. NLA includes all seral st ages f rom t he most recent burns t o f orest probably 30–50 years old. cont ains E. nit ida saplings. SLW is a Lept ospermum scrub class generally short er t han NLA and dominat ed by Lept ospermum lanigerum, w it h lit t le else. NLE is short Lept ospermum f orest w it hout appreciable Acacia mucronat a or A. melanoxylon, w hile A. mucronat a may make up t o 50% of NLA and A. melanoxylon is import ant in NLA t ransit ional f orms. Some f orms of RM L have similarit ies w it h NLA, but lack A. mucronat a and A. melanoxylon, and are more diverse, w it h st rong rainf orest aff init ies. RM L in all it s f orms is a longundist urbed communit y. RFA mapping unit Some f acies of TASVEG NLA may occur in RFA L. Distribution NLA is mapped on bot h sides of t he West Coast Range as f ar nort h as Dundas and w est w ards across t he Hent y Surf ace nearly t o t he coast . Nepelle Temby. Lyell Highw ay, near Queenst ow n. Example locality West ern slopes of M ount Huxley. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is t he result of severe and repeat ed f ires and has been mapped in recovery st ages f rom short (< 1 m) scrub t o mat ure Lept ospermum short f orest up t o 8 m high. NLM is a generalised t all Lept ospermum class, and is variable, but usually has M elaleuca squarrosa as an import ant component . In cont rast , M . squarrosa is seen only on t he f ringes of NLA. NLA is def ined as having no eucalypt canopy, alt hough it appears much of t he present area of NLA w as once Eucalypt us nit ida over t ea-t ree (WNL). There are t ransit ions f rom NLA t o WNL in a f ew places, and also int o t he scrub SNW , w hich is more diverse and variable t han NLA and 326 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology NLA occurs in f requent ly burnt areas up t o alt it udes of generally about 450 m on t he w est coast . The subst rat es are generally w eat hered Cambrian volcanic rocks and siliceous rocks t hat have developed peat soils, t hough repeat ed burning has rendered t hese soils skelet al in most areas. M ost NLA grow s on moderat e slopes. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y appears t o result f rom f requent burning over t he last 100 years. The original veget at ion may have been Eucalypt us nit ida w et f orest and possibly also E. nit ida mixed f orest . In some places, Huon pine st umps and logs have been f ound beneat h t he t ea t ree, so it is likely t hat some of t he original veget at ion w as rainf orest , like t hat preserved at New ell Creek. NLA is a dense, closed-canopy, dw arf f orest generally 6–8 m t all w hen mat ure. NLA is charact erised by Lept ospermum scoparium f orming 50–95% of t he canopy, but most commonly L. scoparium is in nearly equal proport ion t o A. mucronat a. A. melanoxylon may be scat t ered in t he canopy. There are generally no eucalypt s, but columnar t ops of L. glaucescens may be seen as emergent s along some ridget ops. Ot her species somet imes seen in t he canopy in mat ure f orest are Banksia marginat a and M . squarrosa, but t hese are not common. Nemat olepis squamea is usual as a subcanopy species w it h M onot oca glauca and somet imes occasional Dicksonia ant arct ica and Cenarrhenes nit ida. The ground layer may be very sparse, generally w it h Blechnum w at t sii and occasionally Dicksonia ant arct ica, and also Bauera rubioides, Calorophus elongat us, C. erost ris, Gahnia grandis, t angled Gleichenia dicarpa and St icherus t ener. Shrubs include Olearia st ellulat a, O. persoonioides and occasionally Oxylobium arborescens, Telopea t runcat a, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Lept ecophylla juniperina and Pimelea linif olia (w est coast f orm). All st ages in t he development of NLA are seen on t he St rahan Airst rip and Lake M argaret roads. Pat ch burns in mat ure f orest are uneven in t ext ure, w it h small Banksia marginat a and Acacia mucronat a over Sprengelia incarnat a, Gleichenia dicarpa, Bauera rubioides and Gahnia grandis. Lept ospermum regrow t h 1–2 m high consist s of t hick Lept ospermum scoparium, L. glaucescens, Acacia mucronat a, M elaleuca squarrosa and Olearia st ellulat a w it h Gahnia grandis, Baloskion t et raphyllum and Lepidosperma f ilif orme. The openings are rich in sedges and monocot yledons. M ounds w it h improved drainage w it hin burnt Lept ocarpus t enax moorland or dist urbed Baloskion t et raphyllum hillsides may be more diverse. There may be Bauera rubioides, Acacia mucronat a and Lept ospermum scoparium seedlings, M onot oca glauca, M . submut ica, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, At herosperma moschat um, Oxylobium arborescens, Dillw ynia glaberrima, Nemat olepis squamea, Epacris impressa and E. lanuginosa, Sprengelia incarnat a and Comesperma ret usum plus f erns, sedges and monocot yledons. As shelt er, moist ure and probably f ert ilit y increase, t he f orest becomes dominat ed by Acacia melanoxylon, w it h Lept ospermum scoparium and Nemat olepis squamea st ill import ant , and an int ermediat e or ground layer of Eucryphia lucida, At herosperma moschat um, Anopt erus glandulosus and f erns. Where Not hof agus cunninghamii appears, t here is a t ransit ion t o rainf orest communit ies. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies F1 Depauperat e t ea-t ree scrub f orest ; also occurs in SQR & SSK F3 Tea-t ree mesophyt ic scrub f orest ; also occurs in SQR Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 327 M elaleuca ericifolia sw amp forest (NM E) General description The communit y t ypically occurs as pure or almost pure st ands of M elaleuca ericif olia w it h t rees generally 10–12 m in height (but reaching 20 m) f orming a dense canopy over a simple, sedgy underst orey. It includes all successional grow t h st ages. Example locality The Nook Sw amp, King Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is charact erised by a dense, t ypically even-aged canopy of M elaleuca ericif olia over a ground layer of sedges, grasses and somet imes bare ground. The dominant species dist inguishes t his communit y. Small pat ches of short er (< 8 m) but pure M . ericif olia are considered t o be immat ure M . ericif olia and are mapped as NM E. RFA mapping unit TASVEG NM E is equivalent t o RFA M E. Distribution M icah Visoiu. Near St anley. The communit y is generally rest rict ed t o coast al or near-coast al areas, part icularly in t he nort hw est and Bass St rait Islands, but also in t he nort h-east (e.g. Great Forest er River). 328 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit F, K, N, M , NS, W. Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Dense st ands of M elaleuca ericif olia commonly occur as narrow st rips f ringing salt marshes, lagoons and rivers. They occupy a part icular edaphic zone t hat is f requent ly poorly–drained or int ermit t ent ly–w at erlogged. St ands of t en appear even-aged, but t here may be regenerat ion in mat ure st ands as a result of a t ree f alling or w ind-t hrow gaps. Old-grow t h st ands t hat demonst rat e a long hist ory of regenerat ion in t he absence of cat ast rophic dist urbance are very rare. C1 Coast al Poa sw amp f orest C2 Depauperat e coast al paperbark sw amp f orest C3 Coast al paperbark–Carex sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF C6 Coast al myrt le sw amp f orest ; also occurs in NAF & NLM D1 Riparian blackw ood–paperbark f orest ; also occurs in NAF & NAR F2 Depauperat e t ea-t ree/paperbark scrub f orest ; also occurs in NLM Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 4 M elaleuca ericif olia–Lomandra longif olia–Juncus kraussii est uarine f orest and scrub; also occurs in SRI Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is M . ericif olia, w it h Acacia melanoxylon (in nort h-w est sw amps) and Lept ospermum lanigerum occasionally subdominant or dominant in small areas of dist urbance. Emergent eucalypt s (mainly Eucalypt us ovat a and E. brookeriana) may be subdominant t o sparse. The underst orey is generally simple and devoid of shrubs because of low light levels and/or f requent f looding. It is most of t en dominat ed by Carex appressa and/or Gahnia grandis, and Blechnum w at t sii and Lepidosperma elat ius may be present . Weeds and ot her herbaceous species may be present , depending on t he level of dist urbance. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 329 Notelaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria forest (NNP) General description Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest s usually reach 8–12 m in height and are dominat ed by one or more of t he t ree species N. ligust rina, P. apet ala, and Beyeria viscosa. These f orest s have a relat ively closed canopy cover and open underst orey. Rare emergent t aller t rees may be present and represent ed by Acacia melanoxylon, Callit ris rhomboidea and occasional eucalypt species f ound in adjacent f orest s e.g. Eucalypt us globulus, E. obliqua, E. viminalis and E. dalrympleana. Sit es w it h a higher capacit y t o ret ain soil moist ure of t en have emergent t rees of At herosperma moschat um. One f acies of t his communit y appears t o have developed t his f orm in response t o a long-t erm absence of f ire. It occurs predominant ly in t he East ern Tiers, f oot hills of t he nort h-east ern highlands, t he Tamar basin, and on t he larger Furneaux Group islands. The second group occurs in nort h-w est and w est ern Tasmania, w it hin dist urbed regenerat ing moist eucalypt f orest . RFA mapping unit TASVEG NNP is equivalent t o RFA NP. Distribution Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest is scat t ered across t he east , nort h, and nort h-w est of t he St at e. St and sizes are generally small and comprise no more t han a f ew hect ares. St ephen Harris. Cape Pillar, Tasman Nat ional Park. Example locality Talus slopes at Cape Pillar, Tasman Peninsula. Distinguishing features and similar communities NNP is mapped separat ely f rom t he f lorist ically equivalent Broad-leaf scrub (SBR) dominat ed by N. ligust rina, P. apet ala, B. viscosa, Bedf ordia salicina and Olearia argophylla, w hich is generally < 8 m in height . 330 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, K, N, M , NS, SE, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y develops w here f ires have occurred at long int ervals. It is f ound f rom near sea level t o around 600 m alt it ude. Fire exclusion f rom t hese sit es is t he product of a combinat ion of prot ect ive t opography, aspect and t he rocky nat ure of t he sit es. The f orest communit y appears t o be relat ively drought resist ant . Typical sit es include rocky gullies, st eep scree slopes, t alus pediment s at t he base of sea cliff s, and some inland dolerit e cliff s. A cult urally induced f acies brought about t hrough logging of w et eucalypt f orest w it hout a subsequent regenerat ion burn can regenerat e t o a f orest dominat ed by “ secondary” species. Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species are usually N. ligust rina and/or P. apet ala and/or B. viscosa. Olearia argophylla, Pit t osporum bicolor and Bedf ordia salicina are subdominant in various combinat ions. A mixt ure of Beyeria viscosa, P. apet ala and Ast erot richion discolor dominat es many of t he sout hern examples of t his communit y. Ot her t ree species somet imes present include Bursaria spinosa, Acacia melanoxylon, A. dealbat a, At herosperma moschat um, Callit ris rhomboidea and Eucalypt us species. These f orest s usually reach 12 m in height w it h a canopy cover of bet w een 50 and 70% . On occasions, very large emergent individuals of N. ligust rina can reach 15 m t all. As basal and/or st em sprout ing are common met hods of regenerat ion in t he dominant t rees, mult ist emmed individuals are common. The underst orey is usually open and rocky, w it h a high densit y of bryophyt es. Ferns are common and include Polyst ichum prolif erum, Pt eridium esculent um, Ct enopt eris het erophylla, Grammit is billardierei, Asplenium f labellif olium, A. bulbif erum, Rumohra adiant if ormis and M icrosorum pust ulat um. Dicksonia ant arct ica is only prominent in t he w et t er sit es dominat ed by At herosperma moschat um and Olearia argophylla. Coprosma quadrif ida is commonly f ound in t he underst orey and Cyat hodes glauca and Pimelea drupacea occur in w et t er sit es. Olearia lirat a, Zieria arborescens, Lept ecophylla juniperina, Cassinia aculeat a and species of Ozot hamnus occur in gaps or dist urbance sit es. Ground herbs such as Viola hederacea, Acaena novae-zelandiae, St ellaria species, Galium species, Geranium solanderi and Hydrocot yle hirt a charact erise t hese f orest s. Grasses are an occasional element ; t hey include Echinopogon ovat a, Poa labillardierei, and various species of Poa, Agrost is, and Aust rodant honia. Common monocot yledonous species f ound in t he ground layer are Lomandra longif olia, Lepidosperma species and Dianella species. In f orest areas of w est ern Tasmania t hat have been subject t o dist urbance, t his mapping unit may ref er t o veget at ion t hat f orms an open t o dense layer of recolonising veget at ion. This may include shrubs or small t rees (1–8 m) of Pit t osporum bicolor, Tasmannia lanceolat a, Pomaderris apet ala, Acacia melanoxylon, Lept ospermum scoparium, Nemat olepis squamea and less commonly, Acacia dealbat a. The low er st rat um includes Cassinia aculeat a, Pt eridium esculent um, Senecio species and Lept ecophylla juniperina. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Ot her f orest /scrub communit ies 3 Pomaderris apet ala–Beyeria viscosa– Ast erot richion discolor closed-f orest /scrub; also occurs in SBR 7 Not elaea ligust rina closed-f orest ; also occurs in SBR Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 331 Subalpine Leptospermum nitidum w oodland (NLN) General description This communit y is def ined by t he presence of Lept ospermum nit idum as small, umbrageous t rees scat t ered over subalpine M elaleuca squamea sedgy moorland t hat may include Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus and Lepidosperma f ilif orme. Shrubby f orms occur in some areas. Eucalypt us coccif era and At hrot axis cupressoides may occur as emergent s. Above t he upper limit s f or M elaleuca, umbrageous Lept ospermum may be scat t ered over moorland. NLN is rest rict ed t o f lat s and gent le slopes on quart zit e and siliceous f lat -lying sediment s in subalpine areas of w est ern Tasmania, including sandst one shelves in t he Sout hern Ranges. Example locality Plat eau east of Adamsons Peak. Distinguishing features and similar communities The NLN communit y is dist inguished by t he presence of umbrageous Lept ospermum nit idum emergent over w est ern subalpine sedgy moorland or sedge/scrub. Eucalypt us coccif era, and in a f ew places At hrot axis cupressoides may also f orm scat t ered emergent s. The underst orey may have f lorist ic similarit ies w it h SM W and SM M or be dominat ed by Eurychorda complanat a. It is usually 1 m high or less. Subalpine shrubland w it h mallee-f orm Not hof agus cunninghamii, dw arf Eucryphia species and Eucalypt us vernicosa w it h Lept ospermum nit idum over a t angle of Richea milliganii and R. scoparia are included in NLN. NLN may occur in mosaics w it h At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest scrub (RKS) or At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF). RFA mapping unit Keit h Corbet t . Lake Sydney, Sout hern Ranges. TASVEG NLN is mainly a non-f orest communit y, how ever some f acies may occur in RFA L, or PP depending on t he prevalence of secondary species. Distribution NLN is an uncommon communit y, f ound on ledges and moorland f ringes on some w est ern mount ains w here f ire has been absent f or at least 50 years. 332 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology NLN is rest rict ed t o gent le slopes on inf ert ile soils over siliceous, f lat -lying rocks in highrainf all subalpine and low er alpine areas of w est ern Tasmania, including sandst one shelves in t he Sout hern Ranges. The shrubby f orms occur on exposed st eeper slopes below alpine plat eaus. It appears t hat at least 50 f ire-f ree years are needed f or Lept ospermum nit idum t o develop t he charact erist ic “ umbrella” f orms. This is a variable subalpine communit y in w hich mat ure Lept ospermum nit idum t rees bet w een 1 m and 6 m height are dominant . On t he f ew more f ert ile sit es (usually underlain by Permian mudst ones), Eucalypt us coccif era may also be scat t ered emergent s and t here may be a f ew At hrot axis cupressoides. The underst orey is t ypically M elaleuca squamea and of t en Persoonia gunnii over a mixt ure of graminoids and small heat h plant s, w hich usually include Eurychorda complanat a and Empodisma minus plus any of Ast elia alpina, M illigania species, Oreobolus species, Dracophyllum milliganii, Isophysis t asmanica, Carpha alpina, Anemone crassif olia, Leucopogon milliganii, Planocarpa pet iolaris, Bauera rubioides and Sprengelia incarnat a. Heat hy or scrubby f orms may have any of Eucalypt us vernicosa, Cenarrhenes nit ida, Agast achys odorat a, M onot oca submut ica, Richea pandanif olia, R. scoparia, R. milliganii and Leionema oldf ieldii. Orit es acicularis may occur on more nut rient -rich sit es, w hile Orit es milliganii and Eucryphia milliganii are t ypically f ound on quart zit e and may have closer aff init ies w it h RKS t hicket s in a mosaic w it h NLN. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit No syst emat ic bot anical survey has been carried out f or Lept ospermum nit idum dominat ed veget at ion communit ies in Tasmania. No equivalent f lorist ic communit ies have been ident if ied f or t his mapping unit . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 333 Wet eucalypt forest and w oodland Community name Community code Eucalypt us brookeriana w et f orest WBR Eucalypt us dalrympleana f orest WDA Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum WDL Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest WDR Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs WDB Eucalypt us delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) WDU Eucalypt us globulus King Island f orest WGK Eucalypt us globulus w et f orest WGL Eucalypt us nit ida f orest over Lept ospermum WNL Eucalypt us nit ida f orest over rainf orest WNR Eucalypt us nit ida w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) WNU Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum WOL Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over rainf orest WOR Eucalypt us obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs WOB Eucalypt us obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) WOU Eucalypt us regnans f orest WRE Eucalypt us subcrenulat a f orest and w oodland WSU Eucalypt us viminalis w et f orest WVI Eucalypt f orest s and w oodlands cover much of t he Tasmanian landscape, w it h t he great est diversit y of Eucalypt us species occurring in t he sout h-east of t he St at e. Eucalypt us vernicosa is a dw arf shrub t hat may be prominent in alpine heat h, but most Eucalypt us species dominat e w et f orest s, dry f orest s and mixed f orest s. Duncan and Brow n (1985) broadly divided w et and dry f orest s int o shrubby, grassy, and sedgy f orest s. M ost of t he eucalypt f orest communit ies on t he TASVEG map w ere f irst def ined f or mapping in t he st udies leading t o t he Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement . Ot her communit ies have 334 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation since been added t o t he mapping. Woodlands are included w here t he canopy is less t han 50% solid crow n cover. The w et eucalypt w oodlands in many cases exist only in areas w here many t rees have died of old age and t here has been no recruit ment because of t he absence of signif icant dist urbance. Commonly t hese “ w oodlands” occur as emergent Eucalypt us species over a rainf orest canopy. In several of t he higher alt it ude w oodland t ypes, t he w oodland f orm may be due t o nat ural dist urbance, coupled w it h t he sparseness of seedling est ablishment . “ Woodland” communit ies are not mapped w here t hey are know n t o be a result of select ive logging; in t hese cases t he code is given t he pref ix of “ co” t o indicat e it has been cut over. The w et eucalypt communit ies are relat ively easily dist inguished by t he dominant Eucalypt us species or t he Eucalypt us species in t he canopy, somet imes in combinat ion w it h a descript ion of t he t ype of underst orey. General management issues The f requency of f ires and int ensit y is a def ining inf luence in w et eucalypt f orest s, w it h diff erent t ypes of f ire aff ect ing diff erent part s of t he f orest (Wells 1991). The inf requent highint ensit y f ires result ing in a t ot al reduct ion of t he f orest t o an ash bed, f ollow ed by mass seedbed germinat ion, is a regime t o w hich many w et f orest t ypes are adapt ed. M ore f requent but low er-int ensit y f ires are now a more common regime, w hich may result in simplif icat ion of t he underst orey, t he est ablishment of w eeds, and in ext reme cases an underst orey of pure bracken (Wells 1991). Forest harvest ing is a major use of w et f orest communit ies, w it h prescribed pract ice in low land w et f orest s of clearf ell, burn and sow (Hickey et al. 2001). The eff ect s of t his pract ice have been ext ensively st udied and document ed (f or example Duncan 1988, Hickey et al. 2001, Hickey & Savva 1992). In recent years, t here has been an increasing move t ow ards clearing af t er logging and replacement w it h silvicult ural plant at ions. Wet eucalypt f orest communit ies have been t he most ext ensively cleared f orest t ypes in recent years: 56 000 hect ares w ere cleared bet w een 1996 and 2003 (Forest Pract ices Board Annual Report 2002-2003). Wet f orest s are generally resilient t o w eed invasion; how ever in areas t hat have been dist urbed or on f orest edges, species such as Elisha’s t ears (Leycest eria f ormosa), blackberry (Rubus f rut icosus), gorse (Ulex europaeus), English broom (Cyt isus scoparius) and f oxglove (Digit alis purpurea) may be invasive (Wells 1991). Ref erences and f urt her reading DUNCAN, F. (1999) Dry Sclerophyll Forest s and Woodlands. In: Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8 (Eds Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J.), pp. 244–264, Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005) Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. FOREST PRACTICES BOARD A NNUAL REPORT (2002-2003) Hobart . Tasmania. GILBERT, J.M . (1959) Forest Succession in t he Florent ine Valley, Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 93, 129–151. HARRIS, S (1987) The veget at ion of Kent f ord Forest St at e Reserve, King Island. The Tasmanian Nat uralist . 88, 1–7. HICKEY, J.E. (1994) A Florist ic comparison of vascular species in Tasmanian oldgrow t h mixed f orest w it h regenerat ion result ing f rom logging and w ildlif e. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 42, 383–404. BATTAGLIA , M . & W ILLIAM S, K.J. (1996) M ixed species st ands of eucalypt s as ecot ones on a w at er supply gradient . Oecologia. 108, 518-528. HICKEY, J., NEYLAND, M .G. & BASSETT, O.D. (2001) Rat ionale and Design f or t he Warra Silvicult ural Syst ems Trial in Wet Eucalypt us obliqua Forest s in Tasmania. Tasf orest s. 13(2). Forest ry Tasmania. CORBETT, S. (1995) Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau, Tasmanian Wilderness World Herit age Area. Report , Parks and Wildlif e Service, Depart ment of Environment and Land M anagement , Hobart . HICKEY, J.E. & SAVVA , M .H. (1992) The ext ent , regenerat ion and grow t h of Tasmanian low land mixed f orest . Report , Forest ry Commission, Tasmania. DUNCAN, F. & BROWN, M .J. (1985) Dry Sclerophyll Veget at ion in Tasmania. Wildlif e Division Technical Report 85/1 Nat ional Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1999) Grassy Veget at ion and Subalpine Eucalypt Communit ies, In: Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8 (Eds Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J.), pp. 265–285, Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. DUNCAN, F. & JOHNSON, K. (1995) Forest Bot any M anual NCR 10B. Forest Pract ices Board and Forest ry Tasmania, Hobart . DUNCAN, F. & PACKHAM , J. (1994) Forest Bot any M anual NCR 9. Forest Pract ices Board and Forest ry Tasmania, Hobart . DUNCAN, F. (1988) Tasmania’s Veget at ion and it s Response t o Forest Operat ions. Working Paper No. 6, t o t he Environment al Impact St at ement on Tasmanian Woodchip Export s Beyond 1988. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., BARKER, P., BROWN, M .J., HARRIS, S. & M ACKIE, R. (1995) The Reservat ion St at us of Tasmanian Vascular Plant Communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/4. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., PEACOCK, R. J., CULLEN, P.J. & NEYLAND, M .G. (1988) The Wet Eucalypt Forest of Tasmania. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust Inc., Hobart . NEYLAND, M .G. (2001) Veget at ion of t he Warra silvicult ural syst ems t rial. Tasf orest s. 13(2), 183–192. Forest ry Tasmania, Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 335 Wet eucalypt forest and w oodland NORTH, A., JOHNSON, K., ZIEGLER, K., DUNCAN, F., HOPKINS, K., ZIEGELER, D., & W ATTS, S. (1998) Flora of Recommended Areas f or Prot ect ion and Forest Reserves in Tasmania. Reserve Report s, Summary and Volumes 1–7. Forest Pract ices Board, Forest ry Tasmania, and Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania. REID, J.B. & POTTS, B.M . (1999) Eucalypt Biology. In: Veget at ion Of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8 (Eds Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brow n, M .J. & Hovenden, M .J.), pp. 198–223, Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. W ELLS, P. & HICKEY, J. (1999) Wet sclerophyll, mixed and sw amp f orest . In: Veget at ion Of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8 (Eds Reid, J. B., Hill, R. S., Brow n, M . J. & Hovenden, M . J.), pp. 224–243, Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. W ELLS, P. (1991) Wet Forest s. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush; A M anagement Handbook (Ed Kirkpat rick, J.B.), pp. 35–53, Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . W ILLIAM S, K.J. & POTTS, B.M . (1996) The nat ural dist ribut ion of Eucalypt us species in Tasmania. Tasf orest s. 8, 39–165. Forest ry Tasmania, Tasmania. 336 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Wet eucalypt forest and w oodland Page 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us brookeriana 2 2 Forest and w oodland on King Island E. globulus King Island forest (WGK) 355 E. brookeriana w et forest (WBR) 340 E. dalrympleana forest (WDA) 342 E. delegatensis forest over rainforest (WDR) 346 Forest and w oodland elsew here in Tasmania 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us dalrympleana 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us delegat ensis 2 2 Rainf orest species prominent as secondary t rees or shrubs Underst orey dominat ed by broad-leaved (sof t -leaved) shrubs E. delegatensis forest w ith broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) 2 Underst orey dominat ed by t all t ea-t rees E. delegatensis forest over Leptospermum (WDL) 2 349 344 Underst orey not diff erent iat ed E. delegatensis w et forest (undifferentiated) (WDU) 352 (has been used as a generic code incorporat ing WDR, WDB or WDL) 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us globulus 2 2 Forest and w oodland on King Island E. globulus King Island forest (WGK) 355 E. globulus w et forest (WGL) 358 E. nitida forest over rainforest (WNR) 362 Forest and w oodland elsew here in Tasmania 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us nit ida 2 2 Rainf orest species prominent as secondary t rees or shrubs Underst orey dominat ed by t all t ea-t rees or paperbarks E. nitida forest over Leptospermum (WNL) 2 360 Underst orey dominat ed by broad-leaved (sof t -leaved) shrubs or not diff erent iat ed E. nitida w et forest (undifferentiated) (WNU) 364 (has also been used as a generic code incorporat ing WNR or WNL) 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us obliqua 2 Rainf orest species prominent as secondary t rees or shrubs E. obliqua forest over rainforest (WOR) Chapter 4 368 The Vegetation Descriptions 337 Key to Wet eucalypt forest and w oodland Page 2 Underst orey dominat ed by broad-leaved (sof t -leaved) shrubs E. obliqua forest w ith broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) 2 Underst orey dominat ed by t all t ea-t rees or paperbarks E. obliqua forest over Leptospermum (WOL) 2 370 366 Underst orey not diff erent iat ed E. obliqua w et forest (undifferentiated) (WOU) 372 (has been used as a generic code incorporat ing WOR, WOB or WOL) 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us regnans E. regnans forest (WRE) 374 E. subcrenulata forest and w oodland (WSU) 376 E. viminalis w et forest (WVI) 378 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us johnst onii or E. subcrenulat a 1 Dominat ed by Eucalypt us viminalis 1 Dominat ed by any ot her eucalypt species see Dry eucalypt f orest and w oodland 338 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This wet Eucalyptus obliqua forest over rainforest (WOR) near Arthur River is characterised by a tall canopy dominated by Eucalyptus obliqua over a mature rainforest understorey. The community is widespread in the higher rainfall areas of Tasmania where fire frequency is low. This absence of fire allows the succession of wet eucalypt forest to rainforest and therefore the formation of forests such as WOR. The frequency of fires and intensity is a defining influence in wet eucalypt forests, with different types of fire affecting different parts of the forest. Photographer: Stephen Harris. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 339 Eucalyptus brookeriana w et forest (WBR) General description Eucalypt us brookeriana w et f orest is dominat ed by Eucalypt us brookeriana, w hich ranges in canopy height f rom 10–40 m. The underst orey is of t en made up of t w o layers; a t all, dense midlayer, and a layer of variable densit y underneat h. Example locality The 17-M ile Plain Nat ure Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities On King Island, E. brookeriana is mapped w it hin WGK. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WBR is equivalent t o RFA BA. Distribution The communit y grow s mainly in t he King bioregion; less t han 5% occurs in all ot her bioregions combined. Small pat ches are also present in t he sout h-east . Small, isolat ed pat ches are also f ound on t he larger w est coast rivers. St ephen Harris. Edit h Creek. 340 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence K, BL, NS, SE, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y has a disjunct dist ribut ion in Tasmania, w it h populat ions in t he f ar nort h-w est and in t he east ern highlands. It is usually locat ed on w ell–drained, rocky soils of dolerit e slopes and ridges and on alluvial deposit s adjacent t o st reams. In t he nort h-w est , E. brookeriana w et f orest occurs near blackw ood sw amps on f lat s and in w et f orest s, of t en in associat ion w it h E. obliqua. In t he east and nort h-east , E. brookeriana is f ound mainly on dolerit e in t all w et sclerophyll f orest in w ell–drained gullies and gully headw at ers, also of t en in associat ion w it h E. obliqua or E. delegat ensis. and ground f erns may be prominent and Gahnia grandis is of t en present . Where t he communit y is in t he east and nort h-east , a dense broadleaved shrub layer, w hich may include Pomaderris apet ala, Bedf ordia salicina and Olearia argophylla, of t en dominat es t he underst orey. The diversit y of f ern species is low ; t hey occur sporadically w it h G. grandis. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest BR00 E. brookeriana–P. aspleniif olius– H. cupressif orme mixed f orest BR01 E. brookeriana–N. cunninghamii–L. elat ius mixed f orest BR10 E. brookeriana–M . glauca–C. aust ralis w et sclerophyll f orest BR11 E. brookeriana–E. obliqua–B. salicina w et sclerophyll f orest Vegetation composition and structure Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) The communit y is dominat ed by Eucalypt us brookeriana. E. obliqua, E. delegat ensis and Acacia melanoxylon can be subdominant in w et f orest s in t he east ; E. obliqua, E. regnans, A. melanoxylon and rainf orest t rees can be subdominant in t he nort h-w est and w est or adjacent t o blackw ood sw amp f orest s. In t he Art hur River area in t he nort h-w est , E. brookeriana may be t he only dominant Eucalypt us species in Not hof agus cunninghamii f orest s. Wet eucalypt f orest WET–BR2 E. brookeriana–M . ericif olia– C. appressa–Lepidosperma sp. w et sclerophyll f orest In t he east , t his communit y grow s mainly in gullies, w here t he t rees can at t ain height s of 60 m. In t he nort h-w est w here t he communit y grow s on t he margins of sw amp f orest , t he t rees rarely exceed 40 m, except on more f ert ile sit es. The underst orey is variable. Where t he communit y is on t he margins of blackw ood sw amps, t he underst orey varies f rom dense t o open and can be dominat ed by rainf orest t rees and sclerophyllous shrubs. Dicksonia ant arct ica Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 341 Eucalyptus dalrympleana forest (WDA) General description This mapping unit recognises t he signif icance of Eucalypt us dalrympleana, w hich w as previously subsumed int o Eucalypt us delegat ensis (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU). The communit y is largely t all f orest , ranging f rom pure E. dalrympleana t o 45% E. delegat ensis. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WDA is included in RFA D f or short er f acies of t he f orest or RFA DT f or t all f acies. Distribution E. dalrympleana f orest has it s st ronghold in St at e Forest on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau and t he Fort h Valley. It is also present in t he East ern Tiers, w it h areas around t he headw at ers of t he Elizabet h River and Lake Leake. St ephen Harris. Whit ew at er Reserve, upper M ersey Valley. Example localities Lake Leake Road near Lake Leake; 14 M ile Road, nort h of Tarraleah. Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities Previously subsumed int o E. delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU), t his communit y of t en grades int o pure E. delegat ensis f orest (WDU) or E. delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland (DDE). Where E. paucif lora is a subdominant or co-dominant , t he f orest is mapped as E. dalrympleana–E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland (DDP). 342 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation CH, SR, SE, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This t all f orest communit y grow s predominant ly on dolerit e on t he east ern Cent ral Plat eau. Wit hin t he World Herit age Area, it occurs on t he plat eau near Derw ent Bridge and along t he Fort h River, generally over siliceous rocks. It is also present in t he East ern Tiers, w here it grow s in a mosaic w it h E. delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland (DDE) in undulat ing, rocky dolerit e t errain. The alt it ude range is f rom below 400 m in t he Nive River t o nearly 750 m on t he Cent ral Plat eau. Vegetation composition and structure E. dalrympleana is dominant , but only in small areas does it occur as pure st ands. E. delegat ensis is t he usual subdominant , commonly grading f rom pure E. dalrympleana f orest (WDA) t o pure E. delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU). This gradat ion commonly occurs on rocky slopes, w it h E. delegat ensis w it h sparse underst orey on very rocky high ground. The middle ground and gent le slopes are occupied by E. dalrympleana t all f orest s, w it h up t o 45% E. delegat ensis over t all w et heat hland or less commonly, over sparse, prickly subalpine heat hland. E. dalrympleana/E. delegat ensis usually f orms t all f orest s w it h a dense canopy. Woodland f acies occur as pure E. dalrympleana on st eep valley sides or E. dalrympleana w it h some E. paucif lora on very gent le slopes, w here it is t ransit ional int o DDP. In t he East ern Tiers, E. amygdalina is a common subdominant on dry or rocky sit es. The Eucalypt us species in t his communit y are t ypically st raight -st emmed and over 40 m high, w it h height usually decreasing in t he w oodland f orm. Trees are t ypically of unif orm age in undist urbed f orest , w hile in logged f orest s, regenerat ion of E. delegat ensis is apparent ly f avoured. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands 5i Shrubby Eucalypt us dalrympleana/E. viminalis f orest ; also occurs in DDP Wet eucalypt f orest DAL00 E. dalrympleana/E. delegat ensis–L. t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DDE & WDB DAL01 E. dalrympleana–P. apet ala–B. salicina w et sclerophyll f orest DAL10 E. dalrympleana–T. lanceolat a–D. ant arct ica mixed f orest DEL0000 E. delegat ensis–B. salicina–L. t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB & DDE The underst orey w it h a prominent rainf orest component appears t o be rare. The w et heat hy underst orey charact erist ic of WDA varies bet w een t w o f orms. One f orm comprises shrubs, including t all, sparse, Lomat ia t inct oria or L. polymorpha w it h Planocarpa juniperina, P. mont ana, Olearia phlogopappa, Not elaea ligust rina and f erns, and occasional t aller Hakea lissosperma. In drier part s t he underst orey may also have Pult enaea juniperina, Oxylobium ellipt icum and Richea procera. The ot her f orm is a denser and t aller underst orey cont aining most ly some t ypically w et f orest species including any of Pit t osporum bicolor, Prost ant hera lasiant hos, Bedf ordia salicina, Pomaderris apet ala and Nemat olepis squamea, w it h a ground layer of Blechnum nudum. There may be scat t ered Acacia dealbat a result ing f rom dist urbance such as f ire. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 343 Eucalyptus delegatensis forest over Leptospermum (WDL) General description Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum (WDL) is a t all w et Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest t ype charact erist ic of areas w it h impeded drainage. The underst orey is dominat ed by t all Lept ospermum species (predominant ly L. lanigerum). This ecological veget at ion communit y is a subset of t he mapping unit of E. delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU), w hich includes f orest s w it h underst oreys dominat ed by Lept ospermum species, broad-leaf and rainf orest species. In some inst ances, t his communit y is an early successional st age t ow ard E. delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest (WDR). How ever, t he nat ure of t he sit es indicat es t his succession may be st alled or very slow in some sit uat ions. Example locality Cradle M ount ain–Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities This f orest communit y is dominat ed by E. delegat ensis, w it h an underst orey of Lept ospermum species; t his dist inguishes it f rom ot her E. delegat ensis dominat ed veget at ion. The communit y is similar t o E. obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum (WOL) and E. nit ida f orest over Lept ospermum (WNL), but is easily dist inguished f rom t hese by t he dominant Eucalypt us species. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WDL is included in RFA DT. Distribution This f orest communit y is w idespread across midalt it ude w et t er areas of Tasmania, alt hough it is largely absent f rom t he sout h-w est , f ar nort hw est and nort h-east . In t he east ern part of t he St at e, t his f orest communit y is f ound in prot ect ed microclimat es and/or moist er sit es. Nepelle Temby. M ount Field Nat ional Park. 344 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence on bet t er drained subst rat e and of t en in associat ion w it h species of Hakea. CH, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This f orest communit y occurs predominant ly in associat ion w it h dolerit e, on upland ranges and plat eaus, part icularly in t he sout hern ranges and t he Cent ral Highlands. It also occurs less commonly on basalt , granit e and sandst one. Sit es are generally less w ell–drained t han t hose occupied by ot her E. delegat ensis communit ies. The alt it udinal range of WDL is mainly f rom 500–900 m, alt hough in areas t hat receive cold air drainage it w ill ext end dow nslope t o below 300 m. It is also know n t o ext end above 1 000 m. Vegetation composition and structure In E. delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum, t he dominant E. delegat ensis t rees t end t o be t all, generally over 40 m. M oreover, t he t rees are of t en mult i-aged, w it h t w o or t hree age classes ref lect ing f ire ages and/or dist urbance by select ive logging. Ot her t rees occurring across t he range of E. delegat ensis broad-leaf f orest include Acacia dealbat a, A. melanoxylon and E. dalrympleana. At low er alt it udes, E. obliqua, E. viminalis and E. globulus may be subdominant s. E. nit ida is t he most common subdominant in t he nort h-w est and w est . On upland ranges and plat eaus in nort hern and east ern Tasmania and t he Cent ral Highlands, E. amygdalina is t he most common subdominant peppermint . Throughout t he sout h-east E. cordat a is a very localised subdominant species, w hile E. brookeriana is of t en subdominant on t he east coast . Herbs are usually low in abundance and diversit y as a result of low light int ensit y at ground level, high lit t er levels and, on dolerit e subst rat es, high surf ace rock cover. The most common species across t he range are Hydrocot yle hirt a, Geranium pot ent illoides, Viola hederacea and Acaena novae-zelandiae. The diversit y and abundance of ground f erns is high in most w et sclerophyll E. delegat ensis f orest s, but t he diversit y of epiphyt e f erns increases in t he moist er f acies of t his communit y. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest GUN01 E. gunnii–E. delegat ensis–E. rodw ayi–M . linif olia subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in DCO & DRO Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-DEL3 E. delegat ensis–Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gahnia grandis w et sclerophyll f orest WET-URN2 E. urnigera w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DCO; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit The underst orey is of t en dense and dominat ed by Lept ospermum lanigerum. At t he low er alt it udinal range f or WDL, f acies of t his communit y t end t o be localised around st ream heads or springs, but at higher alt it udes Lept ospermum lanigerum occurs over vast areas Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 345 Eucalyptus delegatensis forest over rainforest (WDR) General description This mapping unit is a subset of t he mapping unit of Eucalypt us delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU), w hich includes broadleaved and mixed-f orest underst oreys. Where it is possible t o diff erent iat e t he underst orey dominat ed by rainf orest species, WDR is mapped separat ely. Example localities M aggs M ount ain Forest Reserve; M ount Field Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities The dominant Eucalypt us species is E. delegat ensis. A variet y of ot her species are coor subdominant s across t he considerable alt it udinal range of t his f orest communit y. WDR is dist inguished by t he presence of rainf orest species, eit her as a secondary t ree canopy or in an earlier successional st age as a prominent component of t he shrub layer. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WDR is included in RFA DT. Distribution This f orest communit y is w idespread and common across Tasmania, especially in t he w est ern half of t he St at e, alt hough it is largely absent f rom t he f ar sout h-w est and in east ern areas is rest rict ed t o t he moist er microclimat es w here f ire is inf requent . Jayne Balmer. Tiger Range, Florent ine Valley. 346 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, NS, W, BL. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This f orest communit y grow s mainly on w elldrained rocky sit es over dolerit e, but is also f ound t o a lesser ext ent on basalt , granit e, sandst one and occasionally siliceous met asediment s. The alt it udinal range of E. delegat ensis f orest over a rainf orest underst orey is generally f rom 500 t o 900 m, alt hough in areas t hat receive cold-air drainage it w ill ext end dow nslope. Where w et sclerophyll E. delegat ensis f orest occurs on t he w et t er sit es and t here has been no f ire f or a long t ime, t he rainf orest species replace t he broad-leaf species t hat dominat ed in t he earlier successional st ages t his communit y. f requent . Epiphyt ic f erns are bot h diverse and abundant . On less f ert ile subst rat es, t he low er shrub layer t ends t ow ard more scleromorphic species, such as M onot oca glauca, Oxylobium ellipt icum, Acacia mucronat a and Nemat olepis squamea. The rainf orest species t hat occur in subalpine f orest s t end t o be dw arf ed. St unt ed Not hof agus cunninghamii and/or Phyllocladus aspleniif olius of t en f orm a prominent secondary canopy above a broad-leaf shrubby layer of Telopea t runcat a and Tasmannia lanceolat a. Trochocarpa species can be a signif icant shrub in t he low shrub layer, especially in higher alt it ude areas. Lept ospermum lanigerum is of t en locally abundant in w et t er areas. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest Vegetation composition and structure At t he low er alt it udinal range of t his communit y, emergent E. delegat ensis are t all, generally over 40 m, w it h individuals up t o 70 m or more in many areas. Tow ards t he mid-range, t he ot her Eucalypt us species generally associat ed w it h t his E. delegat ensis f orest are E. obliqua and E. dalrympleana. At higher alt it udes, E. delegat ensis is generally less t han 35 m t all. In subalpine mixed f orest s, E. johnst onii, E. subcrenulat a and E. coccif era may occur on exposed sit es. On more f ert ile sit es, Not hof agus cunninghamii and At herosperma moschat um dominat e t he t allest underst orey st rat um. This f acies of t en has an open underst orey w it h broad-leaf species such as Olearia argophylla common in t he shrub layer, of t en in associat ion w it h Dicksonia ant arct ica. As t he soil declines in f ert ilit y and becomes less w ell–drained, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Eucryphia lucida and Anodopet alum biglandulosum become more DEL0110 E. delegat ensis–A. moschat um– O. argophylla w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0111 E. delegat ensis–Z. arborescens– H. sibt horpioides w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL1000 E. delegat ensis–N. cunninghamii– G. billardierei mixed f orest DEL1001 E. delegat ensis–N. cunninghamii– G. grandis mixed f orest DEL1010 E. delegat ensis–P. aspleniif olius– A. biglandulosum mixed f orest DEL1011 E. delegat ensis–M . glauca–H. rarum mixed f orest DEL1100 E. delegat ensis–T. t runcat a–P. bicolor subalpine mixed f orest DEL1101 E. delegat ensis–P. juniperina– P. labillardierei subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in DDE DEL1110 E. delegat ensis–H. lissosperma–M . glauca subalpine mixed f orest DEL1111 E. delegat ensis–E. coccif era–G. hispida subalpine mixed f orest GUN00 E. gunnii–P. aspleniif olius–T. cunninghamii subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in DCO SUB01 E. subcrenulat a–E. delegat ensis–C. parvif olia subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WSU Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 347 Eucalyptus delegatensis forest over rainforest (WDR) SUB1001 E. subcrenulat a/E. delegat ensis– G. billardierei mixed f orest ; also occurs in WSU URN E. urnigera subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in DCO; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-DEL2 E. delegat ensis–P. aspleniif olius– C. juniperina mixed f orest 348 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Eucalyptus delegatensis forest w ith broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) General description Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) is t all w et f orest (usually over 40 m) w it h a variable underst orey dominat ed by broad-leaf species, including Olearia argophylla, Bedf ordia salicina and Pomaderris apet ala. This mapping unit is a subset of t he mapping unit E. delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU), w hich includes underst oreys dominat ed by broad-leaf , Lept ospermum and rainf orest species. In some inst ances WDB is an early successional st age of E. delegat ensis f orest w it h an underst orey dominat ed by rainf orest species (WDR). Example locality Cradle M ount ain–Lake Saint Clair Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities This f orest communit y is charact erised by an underst orey of broad-leaf species w hich dist inguishes it f rom ot her communit ies dominat ed by E. delegat ensis, w it h underst oreys dominat ed by Lept ospermum species (WDL) or rainf orest species (WDR). At t he low er alt it udinal range of E. delegat ensis, it may int ergrade w it h E. obliqua, somet imes w it h a crossover int o E. obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WOB). At t he upper end of t he alt it udinal range, E. delegat ensis may int ergrade w it h E. coccif era, w it h a corresponding crossover int o E. coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO), w hich is generally a drier f orest t ype w it h f ew broad-leaf species. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WDB is included in RFA DT. Distribution This f orest communit y is w idespread and common across t he mid-alt it ude w et t er areas of Tasmania, alt hough it is largely absent f rom t he sout h-w est , f ar nort h-w est or nort h-east . In t he east ern part of t he St at e, t his f orest communit y is common in prot ect ed microclimat es and/or moist er sit e, such as on sout herly aspect s or along t he East ern Tiers w here t here is relat ively high rainf all. Richard Barnes. Nort h of Lake Lea, Cent ral Plat eau. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 349 Eucalyptus delegatensis forest w ith broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) Trees occurring across t he range of WDB include Acacia dealbat a, A. melanoxylon and E. dalrympleana. At low er alt it udes, E. obliqua, E. viminalis and E. globulus may be subdominant s. E. nit ida is t he most common subdominant in t he nort h-w est and w est . On upland ranges and plat eaus in nort hern and east ern Tasmania and t he Cent ral Highlands, E. amygdalina is t he most common subdominant . Bioregional occurrence CH, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Eucalypt us delegat ensis dominat ed veget at ion occurs predominant ly on dolerit e, w hich f orms most of t he upland ranges and plat eaus in nort hern and east ern Tasmania, t he sout hern ranges and t he Cent ral Highlands. It also occurs less f requent ly on basalt , granit e and sandst one. Sit es are rocky and w ell–drained. The alt it udinal range of E. delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs is mainly f rom 500–900 m, alt hough in areas t hat receive cold-air drainage it w ill ext end dow nslope t o below 300 m. It is also know n t o ext end above 1 000 m. Vegetation composition and structure In E. delegat ensis broad-leaf f orest , t he dominant E. delegat ensis t rees t end t o be t all, generally great er t han 40 m. M oreover, t he t rees are of t en mult i-aged, w it h t w o or t hree age classes ref lect ing f ire ages and/or dist urbance by select ive logging. 350 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The species composit ion, densit y and st ruct ure of t he underst orey vary considerably in response t o f ire hist ory, land-use, alt it ude and sit e condit ions. Bedf ordia salicina can f orm an almost cont inuous cover w it h Cyat hodes glauca and be sub- or co-dominant . The shrub layer becomes t aller, denser and more diverse on sit es w it h great er f ire int ervals, shelt er and more moist ure. In t hese sit uat ions Pomaderris apet ala and Olearia argophylla dominat e t he t all shrubs. Herbs are usually low in bot h abundance and diversit y as a result of low light at ground level, t hick lit t er and, on dolerit e subst rat es, high surf ace rock cover. The most common species across t he range are Hydrocot yle hirt a, Geranium pot ent illoides, Viola hederacea and Acaena novae-zelandiae. The diversit y and abundance of ground f erns are high in most w et sclerophyll E. delegat ensis f orest s, but t he diversit y of epiphyt e f erns increases in t he moist er f acies of t his communit y. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest DEL0100 E. delegat ensis–E. viminalis– A. melanoxylon w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB DEL0000 E. delegat ensis–B. salicina–L. t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDA & DDE DEL0001 E. delegat ensis–A. melanoxylon–B. salicina w et sclerophyll f orest DEL0010 E. delegat ensis–O. phlogopappa–O. viscosa w et sclerophyll f orest DEL0011 E. delegat ensis–T. t runcat a subalpine w et sclerophyll f orest DEL0101 E. delegat ensis–E. obliqua–A. novaezelandiae w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB DEL0110 E. delegat ensis–A. moschat um– O. argophylla w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL0111 E. delegat ensis–Z. arborescens– H. sibt horpioides w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DAL00 E. dalrympleana/E. delegat ensis–L. t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DDE & WDA Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-RAD1 E. radiat a w et sclerophyll f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit ; also occurs in WOB Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 351 Eucalyptus delegatensis w et forest (undifferentiated) (WDU) General description This f orest t ype, w hich is dominat ed by Eucalypt us delegat ensis, is f ound in areas of Tasmania above about 450 m alt it ude. It is a w et sclerophyll communit y w it h a dense, w et underst orey of t all shrubs or small t rees. WDU is a generic t ype, w hich can be f urt her divided int o eit her E. delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest (WDR), E. delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WDB), or E. delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum (WDL). Example locality Roses Tier Road bet w een Upper Blessingt on and Upper Esk. Distinguishing features and similar communities The mapping unit includes small, isolat ed pat ches of f orest dominat ed by E. cordat a. Where pat ches are large enough, t hey have been mapped as Eucalypt us cordat a f orest (DCR). E. dalrympleana dominat ed w et f orest has also been mapped in t his unit , but should be mapped separat ely as WDA w here possible. WDU is t he generic mapping unit f or w et E. delegat ensis f orest . It has t hree dist inct f orms: E. delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest (WDR), E. delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) and E. delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum (WDL). WDU is dist inguished f rom E. delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland (DDE) by t he presence of broad-leaf ed shrubs and/or rainf orest species in t he underst orey. Richard Barnes. M ount Wellingt on. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WDU is equivalent t o RFA DT. Distribution WDU is w idespread and common in t he w et t er upland areas t hroughout Tasmania. 352 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation nort hern and east ern areas. Ot her occasional Eucalypt us species are E. cordat a in localised areas of t he sout h-east , E. brookeriana on t he cent ral east coast , and E. johnst onii, E. subcrenulat a and E. coccif era in subalpine areas. Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, NS, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y grow s mainly on Jurassic dolerit e, w hich f orms most of t he upland ranges and plat eaus in nort hern and east ern Tasmania, t he sout hern ranges and t he Cent ral Highlands. It also grow s on basalt , granit e and sandst one. Sit es are w ell–drained and surf ace rock can be cont inuous on t alus slopes and boulder-f ields. The alt it udinal range of E. delegat ensis w et f orest is mainly f rom 500–900 m alt hough in areas t hat receive cold air drainage it w ill ext end dow nslope t o 300 m. On w et t er sit es w here t here have been no f ires f or long periods, t he underst orey is dominat ed by rainf orest species, including At herosperma moschat um, Not hof agus cunninghamii, Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Eucryphia lucida and Anodopet alum biglandulosum. These st ands t ypically have one or t w o age-classes of Eucalypt us species corresponding t o past f ire years. M ore age-classes may be present in w et sclerophyll f orest s, w hich have short er int ervals bet w een f ires t han as f orest s on sit es t hat are more humid. In t he drier and/or most f requent ly burnt areas support ing E. delegat ensis w et f orest , t he underst orey is relat ively open, w it h Pult enaea juniperina, Lomat ia t inct oria, Lept ecophylla juniperina subspecies parvif olia and Bedf ordia salicina dominat ing in a t aller shrub layer. The shrub layer becomes t aller, denser and more diverse on sit es w it h great er f ire int ervals and more moist ure. The diversit y and abundance of ground f erns are high in most w et sclerophyll E. delegat ensis f orest s, and f orest s w it h a rainf orest underst orey also have a component of epiphyt ic f erns. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y is a t all f orest dominat ed by E. delegat ensis, f rom 40 m t o over 80 m in height . Acacia dealbat a, A. melanoxylon and E. dalrympleana are common subdominant s t hroughout t he range of WDU. At low er alt it udes E. obliqua, E. viminalis and E. globulus may be subdominant s. E. nit ida is a common subdominant in t he nort h-w est and w est , w hile E. amygdalina is a common subdominant in Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 353 Eucalyptus delegatensis w et forest (undifferentiated) (WDU) Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest DEL0000 E. delegat ensis–Bedf ordia salicina–Lomat ia t inct oria w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0001 E. delegat ensis–Acacia melanoxylon– Bedf ordia salicina w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0010 E. delegat ensis–Olearia phlogopappa– O. viscosa w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0011 E. delegat ensis–Telopea t runcat a subalpine w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0100 E. delegat ensis/E. viminalis–Acacia melanoxylon w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0101 E. delegat ensis/E. obliqua–Acaena novaezelandiae w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB and WDR DEL0110 E. delegat ensis–At herosperma moschat um–Olearia argophylla w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0111 E. delegat ensis–Zieria arborescens– Hibbert ia sibt horpioides w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1000 E. delegat ensis–Not hof agus cunninghamii– Grammit is billardierei mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1001 E. delegat ensis–Not hof agus cunninghamii– Gahnia grandis mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1010 E. delegat ensis–Phyllocladus aspleniif olius– Anodopet alum biglandulosum mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1011 E. delegat ensis–M onot oca glauca– Hymenophyllum rarum mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1100 E. delegat ensis–Telopea t runcat a– Pit t osporum bicolor subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1101 E. delegat ensis–Pult enaea juniperina– Poa labillardierei subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1110 E. delegat ensis–Hakea lissosperma– M onot oca glauca subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR DEL1111 E. delegat ensis/E. coccif era– Gault heria hispida subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR 354 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Wet eucalypt f orest (Nort h et al. 1998) WET-DEL2 E. delegat ensis–P. aspleniif olius– C. juniperina M F; also occurs in WDR WET-DEL3 E. delegat ensis–Lept ospermum lanigerum–Gahnia grandis WSF; also occurs in WDL Eucalyptus globulus King Island forest (WGK) General description The WGK mapping unit used in t he Regional Forest Agreement previously comprised all Eucalypt us f orest on King Island, including purport ed st ands of E. nit ida dominat ed f orest ; how ever, t here are no such st ands present on King Island. The current WGK cat egory ref ers t o veget at ion dominat ed by E. globulus, but includes f orest ed st ands w here E. brookeriana dominat es or is codominant w it h E. globulus. The presence of E. ovat a is debat able, as some aut hors (e.g. Barnes et al. 2002) consider t his species t o be absent f rom t he island. Eucalypt us globulus King Island f orest is dominat ed by eit her E. globulus or E. brookeriana t rees. In E. globulus dominat ed veget at ion, t he canopy is open-crow ned and rarely exceeds 30 m. In E. brookeriana dominat ed veget at ion, t he canopy is most ly even-aged and reaches 25 m, or occasionally higher in long-unburnt f orest s. The communit y may have a w oodland st ruct ure and, in areas of bet t er drainage on sandy soils, may grade int o pat ches of t all, dry scrub w it h emergent mallee-f orm E. viminalis t o 20 m. Example localities Pegarah St at e Forest (Raff ert y Creek area) and Gent le Annie (Crow n Land). Distinguishing features and similar communities This King Island veget at ion communit y is charact erised by w et f orest dominat ed by E. globulus and/or E. brookeriana. Woodland f orms are mapped as King Island eucalypt w oodland (DKW ). The mapping unit includes an impeded drainage f acies w here it is not mappable as t he scrub component of Scrub complex on King Island (SSK). RFA mapping unit TASVEG WGK is equivalent t o RFA KG. Distribution WGK is f ound on sout h-w est King Island, ext ending t o t he cent re of t he island. A midsuccessional st age of t his f orest is in Kent f ord Forest St at e Reserve, w hile t here are diverse st ands on public land in St at e Forest in t he M ount St anley area and in Pegarah St at e Forest . Richard Barnes. Near Lynw ood, sout hern King Island. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 355 Eucalyptus globulus King Island forest (WGK) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant t ree species is eit her E. globulus or E. brookeriana. E. viminalis and/or Acacia melanoxylon (blackw ood) are somet imes present . In E. globulus dominat ed veget at ion, t he canopy is open-crow ned and rarely exceeds 30 m. E. brookeriana is a common subdominant , occasional co-dominant , or may dominat e t he overst orey. In E. brookeriana dominat ed veget at ion, t he canopy (also largely replacement regrow t h, and most ly even-aged) reaches 25 m. E. globulus is a w idespread subdominant , w hile E. viminalis is an occasional minor species on sandier soils. The communit y may have a w oodland st ruct ure. Bioregional occurrence K (endemic t o King Island). Site characteristics, habitat and ecology E. globulus dominat ed f orest is conf ined t o Cambrian volcanics and Precambrian sediment s and met a-sediment s on t he plat eau count ry of t he sout h-w est of King Island, ext ending t o t he cent re of t he island w here more f ert ile soils occur. Comparat ively shallow deposit s of recent and overlying sediment s support E. brookeriana f orest in t he sout h-w est of t he island, w here it is associat ed w it h drainage lines and slight depressions. Occasional E. viminalis occur on sandy soils. The mid-successional st age of t his f orest has a t all, dense st rat um of M elaleuca ericif olia, M . squarrosa and/or Lept ospermum scoparium, w hile older or less f requent ly burnt f orest has a midst orey of mesophyt ic shrub species, such as Nemat olepis squamea, Pomaderris apet ala, Acacia melanoxylon, Hedycarya angust if olia and Pit t osporum bicolor. Dicksonia ant arct ica and Cyat hea aust ralis are present in w et t er f orest s or riverine habit at s and scramblers and vines such as Billardiera longif lora, Parsonsia brow nii and Clemat is arist at a connect t he f orest f loor t o t he canopies above. The ground layer is generally sparse. Gaps are exploit ed by sedges (Gahnia grandis and Carex appressa) and f erns (Blechnum species, Hist iopt eris incisa, Hypolepis rugosula and Pt eridium esculent um). Occasional herbs include Drymophila cyanocarpa, Lagenophora st ipit at a and Hydrocot yle hirt a. The midst orey st rat um has generally f ew er broad-leaf shrubs t han t hat of t he w et E. globulus f orest f acies, but most species are common t o bot h. M elaleuca ericif olia, M . squarrosa and Lept ospermum scoparium f orm a dense st rat um 10 t o 15 m high in many st ands. M elaleuca ericif olia t ends t o dominat e 356 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation t he midst orey on heavier, clay soils, w hile L. scoparium f orms a dominant st rat um on bet t er drained sandy soils. There are except ions, w it h some dense L. scoparium remnant s occurring on heavier soils. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest GLOB000 E. globulus–N. ligust rina–P. axif lora w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WGL GLOB0101 E. globulus–A. dealbat a–C. aculeat a– A. melanoxylon w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WGL Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 357 Eucalyptus globulus w et forest (WGL) General description Classic Eucalypt us globulus w et f orest occurs mainly w it hin low er slopes and gullies in moderat e rainf all areas on w ell-drained sit es. It is charact erist ically dominat ed by an even-aged st and of t all Eucalypt us globulus (w it h E. regnans somet imes also present ) over a t all broad-leaved shrub layer w it h a prominent f erny underst orey. A dist inct ive f acies w it h a more sedgy ground layer occupies f ire prot ect ed gullies in drier rainf all areas. Example localities Sandspit River Forest Reserve; Wielangt a Forest Drive. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is charact erised by t all st raight st ands of E. globulus emerging high above a w et f orest underst orey. It int ersect s w it h part of t he dist ribut ion of E. regnans f orest (WRE) f rom w hich superf icially it can be diff icult t o dist inguish. In a minorit y of sit uat ions t here is a diff use boundary bet w een t hese t w o communit ies. WGL is more coast al in it s dist ribut ion t han WRE. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WGL is included in RFA R. Distribution Fred Duncan. Blue Gum Spur. Found predominant ly in t he sout h-east , t his communit y ext ends up t he east coast in shelt ered sit uat ions. This communit y has not yet been separat ely mapped. NOT YET M A PPED 358 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Vegetation composition and structure SE, SR, F. This communit y is dominat ed by E. globulus. It can occur in pure st ands alt hough in some sit uat ions E. regnans or E. obliqua are codominant . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y mainly occurs in t he sout h-east w here it t ypically occupies w ell-drained gullies and low er sout h f acing slopes. Elsew here it is quit e localised usually w it hin f ire prot ect ed gullies. It is most of t en associat ed w it h dolerit e or basalt subst rat es alt hough also occurs over sandst one. E. globulus w et f orest is uncommon and t here are f ew signif icant st ands prot ect ed w it hin secure reserves. It has been ext ensively cleared f or agricult ure. Where it is subsumed w it hin E. regnans f orest it is at risk of being convert ed t o plant at ion. Smaller remnant s can be in poor condit ion due t o t he ingress of w eeds. Where it occurs in deep gullies embedded in a f orest mat rix it is t ypically in good condit ion. Inappropriat e f ire regimes also t hreat en t he int egrit y of t his communit y in some sit uat ions. Trees can exceed 50 m on f ert ile sit es. In gullies in low er rainf all areas height s are more t ypically 30–40 m. Secondary t rees can eit her be absent or include a prominent component of Acacia melanoxylon or Acacia dealbat a. Underst orey composit ion varies. Pomaderris apet ala is of t en prominent w it h ot her species including some and not all of Bedf ordia salicina, Acacia vert icillat a, Beyeria viscosa, Cassinia aculeat a, Coprosma quadrif ida, Olearia argophylla and Olearia viscosa. Ferns can be prominent and include Dicksonia ant arct ica support ing a range of epiphyt ic f erns, Cyat hea aust ralis, Polyst ichum prolif erum, Pt eridium esculent um and species of Blechnum. Gahnia grandis, Lepidosperma elat ius and L. ensif orme are charact erist ic of some locat ions. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest WET-GLOB001 E. globulus–Dicksonia ant arct ica–Ct enopt eris het erophylla w et sclerophyll f orest WET–GLOB0100 E. globulus–Bedf ordia salicina–Beyeria viscosa w et sclerophyll f orest WET-GLOB0101 E. globulus–Acacia dealbat a– Cassinia aculeat a–Acacia melanoxylon w et sclerophyll f orest Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 359 Eucalyptus nitida forest over Leptospermum (WNL) General description This communit y is a t all w et eucalypt f orest dominat ed by Eucalypt us nit ida, w it h an underst orey dominat ed by one or more species of M elaleuca and/or Lept ospermum. Distribution WNL is f ound in t he w est ern half of Tasmania on low er slopes, valley bot t oms and river f lat s. Nepelle Temby. Scot t s Peak Road. Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W. Example locality Norf olk Range. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Distinguishing features and similar communities The f orest occurs f rom sea level t o about 600 m alt it ude. It is usually f ound on oligot rophic, peat y soils. The communit y is charact erised by t he overst orey of Eucalypt us nit ida over a dense layer of Lept ospermum and/or M elaleuca species. It is f lorist ically and st ruct urally similar t o E. obliqua over Lept ospermum (WOL). On more inf ert ile, poorly–drained sit es t he communit y merges w it h E. nit ida dry f orest and w oodland (DNI). WNL includes w oodland f orms of E. nit ida over t all t ea t ree. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WNL is primarily a World Herit age Area communit y; how ever it w ould be included in RFA NT. 360 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure The f orest has an overst orey of E. nit ida up t o 30 m (somet imes 40 m), w it h a dense secondary layer of Lept ospermum species and/or M elaleuca species. The underst orey may be sparse, but is more commonly dense, w it h Gahnia grandis, Gleichenia microphylla and Bauera rubioides common, t oget her w it h rainf orest shrubs such as Anopt erus glandulosus. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit But t ongrass moorland B13 Wet copses; also occurs in M BS, SWW , DOV, SM R & NLM Wet eucalypt f orest NIT0 E. nit ida–A. biglandulosum–L. glaucescens mixed f orest ; also occurs in WNR NIT1 E. nit ida–P. apet ala–D. ant arct ica mixed f orest ; also occurs in WNR Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-NIT2 E. nit ida–M . squarrosa–M . glauca w et sclerophyll f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 20 Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum–Baloskion t et raphyllum–Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus f erny-sedgy closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & WNR 21 Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland over Gleichenia dicarpa–Philot heca virgat a f erny closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 361 Eucalyptus nitida forest over rainforest (WNR) General description This communit y is a t all w et eucalypt f orest w it h a rainf orest underst orey. It is w idespread on low t o moderat ely f ert ile soils in nort h-w est and w est ern Tasmania. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WNR is included in RFA NT. Distribution WNR is w idespread in sout h-w est and w est ern Tasmania. St ephen Harris. Near Edit h Creek. Example locality Art hur–Pieman Conservat ion Area. Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, W. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished by a dominant overst orey of Eucalypt us nit ida reaching height s of 30–40 m (somet imes t o 60 m) over a t hamnic or implicat e rainf orest underst orey. On relat ively poorly–drained sit es, species of M elaleuca and/or Lept ospermum increase in abundance and t he communit y may int ergrade int o Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum (WOL). The veget at ion is st ruct urally and f lorist ically similar t o E. obliqua f orest over rainf orest (WOR). WNR includes w oodland f orms of E. nit ida over rainf orest . 362 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y is f ound on peat y soils of low t o moderat e f ert ilit y on w ell–drained slopes f rom sea level t o about 600 m. The nat ure of t he rainf orest underst orey varies, w it h t all Not hof agus cunninghamii, At herosperma moschat um and Eucryphia lucida on more f ert ile sit es, w it h Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Anodopet alum biglandulosum and species of Trochocarpa becoming more common on poorer sit es. The composit ion of t he underst orey is also dependent on t he f requency and int ensit y of f ires in t he f orest , w it h broad-leaf w et sclerophyll shrubs being more common in more recent ly burnt areas. Vegetation composition and structure The veget at ion is charact erist ically a t all f orest w it h E. nit ida 30–40 m (somet imes t o 60 m) over a t hamnic t o implicat e rainf orest underst orey. On long-unburnt , f ert ile sit es t he underst orey rainf orest t rees are t all and st raight , w it h a layer of t ree f erns and ground f erns such as Blechnum w at t sii. The underst orey may also cont ain Pomaderris apet ala and Nemat olepis squamea, but t hese are usually absent f rom long-unburnt sit es. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest AM 0 E. amygdalina–M . glauca–P. apet ala–D. ant arct ica w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but w here it most ly occurs it is int ergrading w it h E. nit ida and t hus is most readily associat ed w it h t his mapping unit ; also occurs in associat ion w it h WOB NIT0 E. nit ida–A. biglandulosum–L. glaucescens mixed f orest ; also occurs in WNL NIT1 E. nit ida–P. apet ala–D. ant arct ica mixed f orest ; also occurs in WNL Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 20 Eucalypt us nit ida w oodland over Lept ospermum lanigerum–Baloskion t et raphyllum–Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus f erny-sedgy closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & WNL Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 363 Eucalyptus nitida w et forest (undifferentiated) (WNU) General description This communit y is a t all f orest dominat ed by Eucalypt us nit ida, w it h a rainf orest , w et sclerophyll or Lept ospermum underst orey. It is w idespread in w est ern, nort h-w est and sout hw est Tasmania. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WNU is equivalent t o RFA NT. Distribution WNU is w idespread in w est ern, nort h-w est and sout h-w est Tasmania. M icah Visoiu. Table Cape area. Example locality Bioregional occurrence Table Cape area. Distinguishing features and similar communities The f orest s are dist inguished by t he upper canopy of t all (> 30 m) E. nit ida, t oget her w it h a closed secondary t ree canopy. The communit y is st ruct urally and f lorist ically similar t o t he t all E. obliqua f orest , but is f ound on less f ert ile sit es. E. nit ida w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WNU) is t he generic mapping unit f or w et E. nit ida f orest , but t he t w o dist inct f orms can be mapped separat ely: E. nit ida f orest over rainf orest (WNR) and E. nit ida f orest over Lept ospermum (WNL). 364 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation CH, K, NS, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This f orest is f ound f rom sea level t o about 600 m alt it ude. The underst orey varies w it h sit e f ert ilit y and age of t he st and since t he last f ire. Vegetation composition and structure The veget at ion is charact erist ically a t all f orest w it h E. nit ida 30–40 m (somet imes t o 60 m) over rainf orest , broad-leaf w et sclerophyll or Lept ospermum and M elaleuca underst oreys. On long-unburnt , f ert ile sit es t he underst orey rainf orest t rees are t all and st raight , w it h a layer of t ree f erns and ground f erns such as Blechnum w at t sii. The underst orey may also cont ain Pomaderris apet ala and Nemat olepis squamea, t hough not usually on long-unburnt sit es. As sit e qualit y decreases, t here is a progressive replacement f rom a t hamnic t o implicat e rainf orest underst orey. On poorly–drained sit es, species of Lept ospermum predominat e. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest NIT0 E. nit ida Anodopet alum biglandulosum– Lept ospermum glaucescens mixed f orest .; also occurs in WNR NIT1. E. nit ida Pomaderris apet ala–Dicksonia ant arct ica mixed f orest ; also occurs in WNR Wet eucalypt f orest (Nort h et al. 1998) WET-NIT2 E. nit ida–M . squarrosa–M onot oca glauca w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WNL Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 365 Eucalyptus obliqua forest over Leptospermum (WOL) General description This communit y is a t all f orest dominat ed by Eucalypt us obliqua over a secondary t ree or t all shrub layer of M elaleuca squarrosa or species of Lept ospermum. This communit y is a sub-unit of Eucalypt us obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WOU). Example locality Tahune Forest Reserve, Warra Long Term Ecological Research Sit e. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is charact erised by a t all, f ineleaf underst orey of species of Lept ospermum or M elaleuca squarrosa and t he dominant overst orey of E. obliqua. On less f ert ile subst rat es Eucalypt us nit ida also dominat es w et sclerophyll f orest w it h similar f ine-leaf underst orey species (mapped as WNL). RFA M apping Unit TASVEG WOL is included in RFA OT. Distribution Nepelle Temby. Near Humboldt Divide. This communit y is w idespread in t he higherrainf all areas of sout hern and nort h-w est Tasmania, and more occasionally in higherrainf all part s of east ern Tasmania. 366 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence SR, W, BL, SE. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is charact erist ically f ound on moderat ely f ert ile subst rat es in w et , f lat and low lying areas w here drainage may be impeded. Vegetation composition and structure The communit y has a t all t o very t all t ree canopy of E. obliqua over a dense secondary t ree cover of Lept ospermum lanigerum and/or M elaleuca squarrosa. Ot her t all shrub or t ree species include Nemat olepis squamea and Acacia vert icillat a. The ground layer is somet imes sparse, but more of t en is a dense t angle of Bauera rubioides, Gahnia grandis Gleichenia microphylla and Rest ionaceae species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest OB0111 E. obliqua–M . squarrosa–M . glauca w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 8 Eucalypt us obliqua–E. regnans w oodland over Acacia–Pomaderris f erny–sedgy–grassy closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 367 Eucalyptus obliqua forest over rainforest (WOR) General description Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over rainf orest (WOR) has a t all t o very t all overst orey dominat ed by Eucalypt us obliqua over a mat ure rainf orest underst orey. The communit y is w idespread in t he higher rainf all areas of Tasmania and is t he penult imat e st age of succession of E. obliqua w et eucalypt f orest t o rainf orest . Example locality Tahune Forest Reserve, Warra Long Term Ecological Research Sit e Distinguishing features and similar communities This mapping unit int ergrades w it h E. obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WOB), of w hich it is a lat e successional st age in areas of inf requent f ires and higher rainf all. On f ert ile sit es, it is st ruct urally and f lorist ically similar t o E. regnans mixed f orest (mapped as WRE) and on less f ert ile or less w ell–drained sit es t o E. nit ida f orest over rainf orest (WNR). RFA mapping unit TASVEG WOR is included in RFA OT. Distribution St ephen Harris. Near Kanunnah Bridge. Common in high-rainf all areas t hroughout t he St at e, WOR has st rongholds in t he sout h-w est . 368 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit SR, W. Wet eucalypt f orest Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs ext ensively t hroughout sout hern Tasmania in regions of relat ively high rainf all. The communit y does not show st rong associat ions w it h part icular soil t ypes, but is f ound only w here past f ires have been inf requent (100–400 years) or not int ense. Recent ly burnt areas of t his communit y support broad-leaf underst orey species, or on less f ert ile sit es, sclerophyllous underst oreys of Lept ospermum and/or M elaleuca species. OB1000 E. obliqua–N. cunninghamii– P. prolif erum–H. f labellat um mixed f orest OB1001 E. obliqua–N. cunninghamii– A. glandulosus–H. f labellat um mixed f orest OB1100 E. obliqua–A. moschat um–C. nit ida mixed f orest OB11010 E. obliqua–O. diversif olia–C. juniperina mixed f orest OB11011 E. obliqua–L. f ranklinii mixed f orest OB1110 E. obliqua–A. glandulosus–A. vert icillat a mixed f orest OB1111 E. obliqua–A. mucronat a–N. cunninghamii mixed f orest OB101 E. obliqua–N. cunninghamii–M . glauca mixed f orest Vegetation composition and structure These f orest s t ypically support a t all t o very t all overst orey of E. obliqua over a w ell-developed secondary layer of rainf orest t rees. On f ert ile sit es t he rainf orest is callidendrous, w it h Not hof agus cunninghamii and/or At herosperma moschat um predominat ing over an underst orey of t ree f erns, ground f erns and relat ively diverse and abundant epiphyt ic f erns. The rainf orest becomes increasingly t hamnic as f ert ilit y decreases, w hen secondary dominant s may include Eucryphia lucida and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius. On t he f lood banks of t he major sout hern and w est ern rivers, t he rainf orest canopy may also include Lagarost robos f ranklinii and an increased diversit y of underst orey shrubs. Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-RAD1 E. radiat a w et sclerophyll f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit ; also occurs in WDB Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 369 Eucalyptus obliqua forest w ith broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) General description This communit y is a t all t o very t all f orest w it h a broad-leaf , w et sclerophyll underst orey. It is w idely dist ribut ed in moderat e t o high rainf all areas on a variet y of subst rat es. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WOB is included in RFA OT. Distribution Widespread t hroughout Tasmania. St ephen Harris. Nort h of Kanunnah Bridge. Example localities Low er slopes of M ount Wellingt on; Fort escue Bay; Evercreech Forest Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities Eucalypt us obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) is charact erised by emergent t rees of Eucalypt us obliqua over a dense broad-leaf w et sclerophyll underst orey. It is similar in st ruct ure t o E. regnans f orest (WRE) and E delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WDB). Where t he broad-leaf underst orey is replaced by rainf orest species, t he f orest is mapped as E. obliqua over rainf orest (WOR). Where a dense Lept ospermum layer f orms t he underst orey, E. obliqua over Lept ospermum (WOL) is mapped. E. obliqua w oodland over a broad-leaf underst orey is included in WOB. 370 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence W, SR, CH, BL, NS. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology The communit y is charact erist ic of moist sit es of moderat e t o high f ert ilit y t hroughout Tasmania. It is not conf ined t o part icular subst rat es. Typically t his communit y f orms even-aged st ands, w hich have regenerat ed af t er signif icant dist urbances such as w ildf ires, or f or younger f orest s, clear f elling. Vegetation composition and structure The mat ure communit y has t all t o very t all t rees w it h w ell-f ormed t runks about t w o-t hirds of t he t ot al height of t he t ree. In regrow t h t rees, t he crow ns are relat ively small, but mat ure t rees can f orm large, spreading crow ns. Across it s dist ribut ion range E. obliqua w et f orest of t en occurs in pure st ands. In areas w it h f ert ile soils and high rainf alls E. regnans may co-occur w it h E. obliqua. On relat ively dry sit es, E. viminalis is a f requent co-dominant t hat is eit her replaced or co-occurs w it h E. globulus in east ern and sout h-east Tasmania. At alt it udes above 300 m, E. dalrympleana replaces E. viminalis as a codominant . On alluvial f lat s in t he nort h-w est , E. brookeriana is t he most f requent codominant ; elsew here (i.e. not on alluvial f lat s) in t he nort h-w est , E. nit ida is t he most common peppermint co-dominant , and in t he cent ral nort h and nort h-east , t he most common codominant is E. amygdalina. At alt it udes above 600 m or in areas of cold-air drainage, E. delegat ensis may co-occur w it h, and at higher alt it udes replace, E. obliqua. The underst orey is t ypically composed of broadleaved shrubs, most commonly including Pomaderris apet ala, Nemat olepis squamea and Olearia argophylla, w it h a high proport ion of ground f erns. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest DEL0100 E. delegat ensis–E. viminalis– A. melanoxylon w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB DEL0101 E. delegat ensis–E. obliqua–A. novaezelandiae w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WDB GLOB001 E. globulus–D. ant arct ica–C. het erophylla w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WGL GLOB0100 E. globulus–B. salicina–B. viscosa w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WGL OB0110 E. obliqua–A. dealbat a–O. argophylla w et sclerophyll f orest OB010 E. obliqua–O. lirat a–P. juniperina w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DOB OB0111 E. obliqua–M . squarrosa–M . glauca w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOL Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Wet eucalypt f orest WET-OB2 E. obliqua–M onot oca glauca–Dianella t asmanica w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest WET-OB3 E. obliqua–P. squameum–B. rubioides w et sclerophyll f orest WET-RAD1 E. radiat a w et sclerophyll f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is most of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit WET-AM 0 E. amygdalina–M . glauca–P. apet ala–D. ant arct ica w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest ; t here is no TASVEG equivalent but it is of t en associat ed w it h t his mapping unit ; also occurs in WNR Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 15 Eucalypt us obliqua–E. regnans open-f orest over sedgy-f erny Pomaderris apet ala–Olearia lirat a shrubland; also occurs in SRI & WRE Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 371 Eucalyptus obliqua w et forest (undifferentiated) (WOU) General description Eucalypt us obliqua w et f orest is a t all t o very t all w et sclerophyll or mixed-f orest communit y. It is one of t he most w idespread f orest communit ies in Tasmania and is f ound grow ing on a number of diff erent subst rat es. WOU can be f urt her divided int o E. obliqua f orest over rainf orest (WOR), E. obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) or E. obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum (WOL). underst orey of dense w et scrub consist ing of small-leaf species such as species of Lept ospermum and/or M elaleuca. Woodland f orms of WOU may occur. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WOU is equivalent t o RFA OT. Distribution This mapping unit is f ound t hroughout t he St at e in areas of relat ively high rainf all. St ephen Harris. Cape Pillar. Example localities Tahune Forest Reserve; Dip Range Regional Reserve; Evercreech Forest Reserve. Bioregional occurrence BL, SE, NS, W, SR, K. Distinguishing features and similar communities Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This f orest communit y is charact erised by emergent E. obliqua t rees over a w et sclerophyll or rainf orest underst orey. E. obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WOU) is t he generic mapping unit f or w et E. obliqua f orest . The t hree dist inct f orms can be mapped separat ely: E. obliqua f orest over rainf orest (WOR); E. obliqua f orest over broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) and E. obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum (WOL). WOL has an 372 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation This communit y occurs ext ensively t hroughout t he nort h-w est , cent ral nort h, nort h-east , east and sout h-east of Tasmania in regions of relat ively high rainf all. WOU does not show st rong associat ions w it h part icular soil t ypes. Vegetation composition and structure Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit The communit y is dominat ed by E. obliqua. Across it s dist ribut ion range, E. obliqua w et f orest of t en occurs in pure st ands. In areas w it h f ert ile soils and high rainf all, E. regnans may cooccur w it h E. obliqua. The f orest is of t en composed of t all t o very t all t rees w it h w ellf ormed t runks about t w o-t hirds of t he t ot al height of t he t ree. In regrow t h t rees, t he crow ns are relat ively small, but mat ure t rees can f orm large, spreading crow ns. In w et sclerophyll f orest s on relat ively dry sit es, E. viminalis is a f requent co-dominant t hat is eit her replaced or co-occurs w it h E. globulus in east ern and sout h-east Tasmania. At alt it udes above 300 m, E. dalrympleana replaces E. viminalis. On alluvial f lat s in t he nort h-w est E. brookeriana is a f requent co-dominant , w hile t he most common peppermint co-dominant in t he nort h-w est is E. nit ida, and in t he cent ral nort h and nort h-east is E. amygdalina. At alt it udes above 600 m or in areas of cold air drainage, E. delegat ensis may co-occur w it h E. obliqua. In mixed f orest , t he rainf orest t rees w ill include Not hof agus cunninghamii, At herosperma moschat um, Eucryphia lucida and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius. In w et sclerophyll f orest t he underst orey is t ypically composed of broad-leaf shrubs, t he most common including Pomaderris apet ala, Nemat olepis squamea and Olearia argophylla, w it h a large number of ground f erns. In t he mixed f orest f acies of t his communit y, in t he nort h-east and upper cat chment s of t he Derw ent and Huon rivers, t he rainf orest underst orey ranges f rom callidendrous t o t hamnic, of t en w it h a component of broad-leaf shrubs. In cont rast , in t he nort h-w est and sout hw est on poorer soils, t he rainf orest underst orey t ends more t ow ard t hamnic/implicat e t ypes, of t en w it h a mix of sclerophyllous species present . In t he rainf orest underst oreys, t he diversit y and prevalence of epiphyt ic f erns increase. Wet eucalypt f orest OB010 E. obliqua–O. lirat a–P. juniperina w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB OB110 E. obliqua–A. dealbat a–O. argophylla w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB OB0111 E. obliqua–M . squarrosa–M . glauca w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOL OB1000 E. obliqua–N. cunninghamii– P. prolif erum–H. f labellat um mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB1001 E. obliqua–N. cunninghamii– A. glandulosus–H. f labellat um mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB101 E. obliqua–N. cunninghamii–M . glauca mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB1100 E. obliqua–A. moschat um–C. nit ida mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB11010 E. obliqua–O. diversif olia–L. juniperina mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB11011 E. obliqua–L. f ranklinii mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB1110 E. obliqua–A. glandulosus–A. vert icillat a mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR OB1111 E. obliqua–A. mucronat a–N. cunninghamii mixed f orest ; also occurs in WOR Wet eucalypt f orest (Nort h et al. 1998) WET-OB2 E. obliqua–M onot oca glauca–Dianella t asmanica WSF/M F WET-OB3 E. obliqua–Nemat olepis squamea– B. rubioides WSF; also occurs in WOL WET-RAD1 E. radiat a w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in WOB Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 373 Eucalyptus regnans forest (WRE) General description Tall f orest dominat ed by Eucalypt us regnans, w it h a dense, shrubby or f orest ed underst orey. M icah Visoiu. Sout h Springf ield. Bioregional occurrence CH, SR, BL, SE, K, NS. Example locality M ount Field Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities The f orest communit y is charact erised by emergent Eucalypt us regnans t rees over a w et sclerophyll or rainf orest underst orey. It has some similarit ies w it h Eucalypt us obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WOU) and E. globulus w et f orest (WGL). RFA mapping unit TASVEG WRE is equivalent t o RFA R. Distribution WRE has it s st rongholds in t he cent ral sout h and nort h-east , w it h smaller areas in t he sout h-east and cent ral nort h, and small, isolat ed pat ches t he nort h-w est . 374 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y grow s on deep, f ert ile soils in high-rainf all areas, f rom sea level t o about 600 m. Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is dominat ed by E. regnans and is t ypically in single-aged st ands because t he t rees are sensit ive t o f ire and w ill not re-sprout af t er a hot f ire. E. regnans is a very t all t ree generally bet w een 40 and 70 m, w it h some recorded over 90 m (t he t allest species of hardw ood in t he w orld). The st em is st raight and t he bole is generally more t han t w o t hirds of t he t ot al height . The crow n is relat ively small and sparse. E. regnans grow s predominant ly as single Eucalypt us species st ands. It occasionally int ergrades w it h E. obliqua. Non-eucalypt t ree species present can include Acacia dealbat a, A. melanoxylon, Not hof agus cunninghamii, At herosperma moschat um and Eucryphia lucida. The t all shrub layer is t ypically dense, and includes Pomaderris apet ala, Pit t osporum bicolor and Olearia argophylla. Ground f erns are common. Wit h increasing moist ure and absence of f ire, rainf orest element s are int ermixed w it h t he broad-leaved shrubs. When it occurs as a mixed f orest , t he underst orey is callidendrous rainf orest . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest REG1000 E. regnans–E. obliqua–P. apet ala–O. lirat a w et sclerophyll f orest REG1001 E. regnans–A. dealbat a–P. apet ala w et sclerophyll f orest REG101 E. regnans–A. moschat um–A. dealbat a– O. argophylla w et sclerophyll f orest /mixed f orest REG110 E. regnans–N. cunninghamii–A. moschat um mixed f orest REG111 E. regnans–A. moschat um mixed f orest Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 15 Eucalypt us obliqua–E. regnans open-f orest over sedgy-f erny Pomaderris apet ala–Olearia lirat a shrubland; also occurs in SRI & WOB Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 375 Eucalyptus subcrenulata forest and w oodland (WSU) General description Eucalypt us subcrenulat a f orest and w oodland occurs w it h diff erent Eucalypt us species as subor co-dominant s across it s alt it udinal range. At higher alt it udes, E. subcrenulat a can occur as a small t ree emergent over st unt ed rainf orest or w it h E. coccif era in exposed subalpine w oodlands. In t he mid-sect ion of it s alt it udinal range it is most commonly a co-dominant w it h E. delegat ensis. At it s low er alt it udinal range, E. subcrenulat a f orms a geographic cline w it h E. johnst onii, w hich is included in t his mapping unit . The species composit ion, densit y and st ruct ure of t he underst orey vary considerably in response t o f ire hist ory, alt it ude and sit e condit ions. The underst orey varies f rom rainf orest species t o broad-leaf shrubs t o scleromorphic shrubs and sedges. Eucalypt us species. E. subcrenulat a f orest f orms a geographic cline in shelt ered, f ert ile sit es w it h E. johnst onii in t he sout h-east and is replaced by E. vernicosa in exposed, alpine sit es on t he w est ern and sout h-w est mount ains. At t he highalt it ude end of t he cline, E. vernicosa never exceeds about 3 m in height and is mapped as Highland t reeless veget at ion. WSU includes w oodland veget at ion dominat ed by E. subcrenulat a. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WSU is equivalent t o RFA SU. Distribution E. subcrenulat a f orest s mainly occur in t he highlands of w est ern and cent ral Tasmania. Because t he communit y includes E. johnst onii f orest , it also ext ends int o sout h-east Tasmania. St ephen Harris. M ount Field Nat ional Park, below M ount M aw son. Example locality M ount Field Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. subcrenulat a f orest and w oodland (WSU) must have E. subcrenulat a and/or E. johnst onii present as eit her t he dominant or co-dominant 376 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence CH, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology E. subcrenulat a f orest s can occur on all subst rat es, but t he best st ands are on relat ively f ert ile soils derived f rom sandst one. E. subcrenulat a is generally f ound above 700 m, w it h an upper alt it ude limit of around 1 100 m. It grow s on w ell-drained, exposed rocky ridges, gully slopes and st ony plat eaus w here dolerit e scree f orms over sandst one bedrock or on t he margins of poorly–drained f lat s. E. johnst onii f orms t he low er-alt it ude cline, mapped w it hin t his unit . It occurs generally bet w een 300 m and 800 m. In pure st ands, it t olerat es poorer drainage t han E. subcrenulat a f orest s. Lept ospermum lanigerum. E. subcrenulat a associat ed w it h E. coccif era f orms a canopy over veget at ion w it h a mixt ure of subalpine and rainf orest species. The drier underst orey f acies t ypically cont ains scleromorphic shrubs or dry f orest species such as Oxylobium ellipt icum, Boronia cit riodora, Hakea species and Lept ecophylla juniperina subsp. parvif olia. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest JOH E. johnst onii mixed f orest SUB00 E. subcrenulat a–T. t runcat a–R. gunnianus subalpine mixed f orest Vegetation composition and structure This f orest communit y is dominat ed by E. subcrenulat a and/or E. johnst onii. At t he base of st eep slopes, E. subcrenulat a is commonly codominant w it h E. coccif era and somet imes E. paucif lora. The slopes may be pure E. subcrenulat a mixed f orest , but more of t en E. delegat ensis co-dominat es. At plat eau edges and t he shelt ered sides of alpine ridges, E. subcrenulat a occurs w it h E. coccif era. In t he east ern ext remit y of it s dist ribut ion E. subcrenulat a occurs w it h E. archeri and E. gunnii. To t he nort h, around Black Bluff , it also has E. nit ida as a subdominant . SUB01 E. subcrenulat a–E. delegat ensis–Lept ecophylla juniperina subsp. parvif olia subalpine mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR SUB1000 E. subcrenulat a–R. pandanif olia–C. glauca mixed f orest SUB1001 E. subcrenulat a/E. delegat ensis– G. billardierei mixed f orest ; also occurs in WDR Addit ional communit ies (Forest Bot any M anual) Dry sclerophyll f orest s and w oodlands DRY-shSUB Shrubby Eucalypt us subcrenulat a f orest Wet eucalypt f orest WET-JOHN2 E. johnst onii w et sclerophyll f orest Trees can reach up t o 60 m on shelt ered f ert ile slopes, w hile t hey may be only 10 m t all on t he edges of valleys and plat eaus. Dist urbance is unusual, since E. subcrenulat a f orest normally grow s in f ire-prot ect ed sit es except at it s upper alt it ude limit s, and old grow t h st ands are common. The underst orey in E. subcrenulat a st ands may be callidendrous or t hamnic rainf orest , or cont ain species t hat are t ypically bot h rainf orest and w et eucalypt f orest species, such as Not hof agus cunninghamii, Eucryphia lucida, At herosperma moschat um and Phyllocladus aspleniif olius, Richea pandanif olia, Telopea t runcat a, Tasmannia lanceolat a and Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 377 Eucalyptus viminalis w et forest (WVI) General description Eucalypt us viminalis w et f orest (WVI) is a w et sclerophyll communit y, t ypically w it h an underst orey mixt ure of f ine-leaf and broad-leaf species, w hich occurs mainly on f ert ile, w elldrained sit es. The dominant species – Eucalypt us viminalis – generally f orms an even-aged st and of t all and w ell f ormed t rees. In sit es t hat are drier or have a higher f ire f requency, t he underst orey may be low er and more sparse. may appear similar. E. regnans f orest (WRE) occupies similar sit es and t he t rees may look similar in some circumst ances. At higher alt it udes E. dalrympleana replaces E. viminalis as t he dominant Eucalypt us species. Forest s of t his species are mapped as E. dalrympleana f orest (WDA); how ever, ident if icat ion of t he species may be diff icult in t he f ield. WVI does not occur as a w oodland communit y. RFA mapping unit TASVEG WVI is equivalent t o RFA VW . Distribution This communit y is f ound predominant ly in t he cent ral nort h, w it h smaller pat ches in t he nort heast , east and sout h-east . Robbie Gaff ney. Kimberley, near M ersey River, nort hern Tasmania. Example locality Evercreech Forest Reserve near M at hinna. Distinguishing features and similar communities E. ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV), w hich may be dominat ed by E. viminalis, may be similar t o E. viminalis w et f orest (WVI) in some sit uat ions. The communit y can be dist inguished by t he underst orey, w hich is sedgy or scrubby in DOV, commonly w it h species of Lept ospermum and M elaleuca; WVI usually has a shrubby underst orey w it h broad- and small-leaved species. The dominant species – E. viminalis – dist inguishes WVI f rom ot her communit ies t hat 378 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, F, NM , NS, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs mainly on f ert ile, w elldrained f lat s and low er slopes of t he major valleys of t he cent ral nort h (f or example Leven River and Fort h River), and is less ext ensive in t he nort h-east , east and sout h-east . It is of t en present on basalt or alluvium. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet eucalypt f orest VIM 0011 E. viminalis–B. salicina–P. juniperina w et sclerophyll f orest VIM 0100 E. viminalis–A. dealbat a–P. apet ala w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DVF VIM 0101 E. viminalis–A. dealbat a–D. ant arct ica w et sclerophyll f orest ; also occurs in DVF Vegetation composition and structure The communit y is dominat ed by E. viminalis. It can be diff icult dist inguishing bet w een E. viminalis and E. dalrympleana in t he t ransit ion zone bet w een t hese species (generally 300–600 m alt it ude). Trees can exceed 60 m on f ert ile sit es. E. viminalis w et f orest at Evercreech Forest Reserve cont ains some of Tasmania’s t allest t rees: t hey reach nearly 90 m. Old-grow t h st ands are uncommon; most st ands are regrow t h t o 40 m. E. obliqua, E. delegat ensis, Acacia melanoxylon and A. dealbat a are somet imes subdominant s, w it h E. regnans an occasional subdominant in t he nort h-east . M ost sit es have a t ypical w et sclerophyll underst orey cont aining shrubs such as Pomaderris apet ala, Olearia argophylla and Coprosma quadrif ida. Ferns, including Dicksonia ant arct ica on w et sit es and t all Pt eridium esculent um on drier sit es, are common. On drier or less f ert ile sit es, t he underst orey is more diverse, w it h dry sclerophyll shrubs including Pult enaea juniperina and Lomat ia t inct oria. Rubus f rut icosus and ot her w eeds are common on dist urbed sit es. In many cases w here WVI occurs as remnant s in agricult ural regions, t he bush is heavily burnt and a disclimax underst orey of bracken dominat es. VIM 111 E. viminalis–N. cunninghamii– A. moschat um–D. ant arct ica mixed f orest Riparian communit ies 6 Pomaderris apet ala–M icrant heum hexandrum–Beyeria viscosa closed riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI & DAD 7 Pomaderris apet ala–Ehrhart a st ipoides–Coprosma quadrif ida open riparian scrub; also occurs in SRI Riparian communit ies (Daley & Kirkpat rick 2004) 9 Eucalypt us viminalis–E. ovat a– E. obliqua– Acacia dealbat a–Acacia melanoxylon w oodland over sedgy-f erny scrub; also occurs in SRI & DOV 10 Eucalypt us w oodland over Pomaderris apet ala–Pt eridium esculent um–Poa labillardierei–Lomandra longif olia–Carex appressa closed-scrub; also occurs in SRI & DVG Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 379 Native grassland Community name Community code Coast al grass and herbf ield GHC Highland Poa grassland GPH Low land grassland complex GCL Low land grassy sedgeland GSL Low land Poa labillardierei grassland GPL Low land Themeda t riandra grassland GTL Rockplat e grassland GRP Nat ive grasslands are def ined as areas of nat ive veget at ion dominat ed by nat ive grasses w it h f ew or no emergent w oody species. Diff erent t ypes of nat ive grassland can be f ound in a variet y of habit at s, including coast al f ore-dunes, dry slopes and valley bot t oms, rock plat es, and subalpine f lat s. The low land t emperat e grassland t ypes have been recognised as some of t he most t hreat ened veget at ion communit ies in Aust ralia. Some areas of nat ive grassland are humaninduced and exist as a result of heavy burning, t ree clearing or dieback of t he t ree layer in grassy w oodlands. There are seven grassland communit ies recognised by TASVEG: one is coast al, f our are low land, one is highland, and one is f ound in bot h highland and low land areas. Florist ic diff erences, alt it udinal dist ribut ion and environment al sit uat ion are used t o def ine t he communit ies. General management issues M ost low land nat ive grassland in Tasmania has been cleared f or agricult ure since European set t lement (Kirkpat rick et al. 1988, Gilf edder 1990, Kirkpat rick 1991, Barker 1999). Land clearance cont inues t o t hreat en nat ive grassland. Nat ive grassland has several management challenges, w hich vary w it h t he t ype of grassland. The impact s of livest ock grazing can be posit ive or negat ive, or posit ive f or some aspect s of t he communit y w hile negat ive f or ot hers. Some of t he variables t hat can aff ect t his impact are: st ocking rat e, st ocking period, sit e f ert ilit y, grassland t ype, and t he relat ionship bet w een t he grazing and f ire regimes. It is generally accept ed t hat in non-alpine grassland w here nat ive herbivore populat ions have been reduced, some st ock grazing is desirable (Kirkpat rick et al. 1988, Kirkpat rick 1991). A combinat ion of burning f ollow ed by st ock grazing in Highland Poa grassland (GPH) has in some cases result ed in t he est ablishment of unpalat able shrubs and t he conversion t o species poor heat hland (Balmer 1991, Kirkpat rick 1991). Fire is considered t o be an import ant management t ool f or nat ive grassland, as it impedes t he est ablishment of w oody species and provides dist urbance t hat maint ains high species diversit y. Appropriat e f ire regimes vary depending on t he grassland t ype, t he grazing regime, t he species present and t heir conservat ion value (Kirkpat rick et al. 1988, Kirkpat rick 1991). The eff ect s of f ert ilisers are not f ully underst ood, but f ert iliser applicat ion and associat ed grazing are observed t o result in a change in grassland composit ion and an increase in exot ic species (Kirkpat rick et al. 1988, Kirkpat rick 1991). Threat ened species are a signif icant component of nat ive grassland. About 40 f lora species and 5 f auna species occur predominant ly or solely in grassland and grassy w oodland and t hey are list ed under t he Tasmanian Threat ened Species Prot ect ion Act 1995 and/or t he Commonw ealt h’s Environment Prot ect ion and Biodiversit y Conservat ion Act 1999 (Gilf edder 1990, Barker 1999). All of t hese have part icular management requirement s. Coast al grass and herbf ield (GHC) is suscept ible t o erosion and degradat ion f rom human 380 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation act ivit ies such as use of recreat ional vehicles, st ock grazing and in some inst ances burning (Harris 1991, Barnes et al. 2002). Aust rof est uca and Spinif ex dominat ed communit ies are part icularly suscept ible t o displacement by w eed species such as Ammophila arenaria, Euphorbia paralias and Thinopyrum junceif orme (Rudman 2003). Weeds, such as on many river f lat s, also t hreat en Low land Poa labillardierei grassland (GPL). Gorse, w illow s and exot ic grasses invade some areas on river f lat s (Kirkpat rick 1991). FENSHAM , R.J. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1992) The eucalypt f orest –grassland/grassy w oodland boundary in cent ral Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 40, 123–138. FENSHAM , R.J. & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1989) The conservat ion of original veget at ion remnant s in t he M idlands, Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 123, 229–246. FENSHAM , R.J. (1989) The pre–European veget at ion of t he M idlands, Tasmania: a f lorist ic and hist orical analysis of veget at ion pat t erns. Journal of Biogeography. 16, 29–45. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005). Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. Ref erences and f urt her reading A RTHUR RYLAH INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONM ENTAL RESEARCH (2002) Nat ural Temperat e Grassland, Report preparat ory t o nominat ion of Nat ural Temperat e Grasslands under t he Environment Prot ect ion and Biodiversit y Conservat ion Act 1999. Flora Ecology Research Sect ion, Art hur Rylah Inst it ut e f or Environment al Research, Depart ment of Nat ural Resources and Environment , Vict oria. A SKEY–DORAN, M . (1993) Riparian Veget at ion in t he M idlands and East ern Tasmania. Parks and Wildlif e Service, Tasmania, Hobart . BARKER, P. (1999) Recovery Plan f or Tasmanian Nat ive Grasslands 2000–2002. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . BARNES, R.W., DUNCAN, F. & TODD, C.S. (2002) The nat ive veget at ion of King Island, Bass St rait . Nat ure Conservat ion Report 02/6. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . ELLIS, R.C. & THOM AS, I. (1989) Pre–set t lement and post –set t lement veget at ional change and probable aboriginal inf luences in a highland f orest ed area in Tasmania. In: Aust ralia’s Everchanging Forest s (Ed. K.J. Fraw ley, & N. Temple) pp 199–214), 1989: AUSTRALIA’S EVERCHANGING FORESTS. Dept . Geography and Oceanography, ADFA, Canberra. ELLIS, R.C. (1985) The relat ionships among eucalypt f orest , grassland and rainf orest in a highland area in nort h–east ern Tasmania. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 10, 297–314. GILFEDDER L., KIRKPATRICK, J.B., W APSTRA , H. & W APSTRA , A. (2003) The Nat ure of t he M idlands. Nort hern M idlands Council, Longf ord, Tasmania. GILFEDDER, L. & KIRKPATRICK, J. B. (1997) Charact erist ics and Conservat ion St at us of Rock Pavement Veget at ion in Low land Perhumid and Subhumid Tasmania. A report t o t he Nat ional Est at e Grant s Program, unpublished Universit y of Tasmania, Hobart . GILFEDDER, L. (1990) Threat ened species f rom Tasmania’s remnant grasslands. Tas Forest s. 2(2) 129–132. GILFEDDER, L. (1995) M ont ane grasslands of nort h–w est ern Tasmania. Report t o Nort h Forest s, Burnie and Forest ry Tasmania. HARRIS, S. (1991) Coast al veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (Ed. J.B. Kirkpat rick) pp 128–147. Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . JACKSON, W.D. (1973) Veget at ion of t he Cent ral Plat eau. In: The Lake Count ry Of Tasmania (Ed. M .R. Banks) pp. 61–85. Royal Societ y of Tasmania, Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & DUNCAN, F. (1987) Dist ribut ion, communit y composit ion and conservat ion of Tasmanian high alt it ude grassy ecosyst ems. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 12, 73–86. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S. (1995) The conservat ion of Tasmanian dry coast al vascular plant communit ies. Wildlif e Scient if ic Report 95/1. Depart ment of Parks, Wildlif e & Herit age, Hobart , Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 381 Native grassland KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (1991) Grassy veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (Ed. J.B. Kirkpat rick) pp 92–109. KIRKPATRICK, J.B., & HARWOOD, C.E. (1981) The conservat ion of Tasmanian w et land macrophyt ic species and communit ies. A report t o t he Aust ralian Herit age Commission and Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust Inc. unpublished. SPECHT, R.L. (1974) The Veget at ion of Sout h Aust ralia, (2nd edit ion. Government Print ers, Adelaide. M CDOUGALL, K.L, & KIRKPATRICK, J.B. (Eds.) (1993) Conservat ion of Low land Nat ive Grasslands in Sout h–east ern Aust ralia. Worldw ide Fund f or Nat ure, Sydney. THREATENED SPECIES UNIT (2003) Tasmanian nat ive grasslands recovery plan, 2003–2007. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries Wat er and Environment , Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B., GILFEDDER, L.A. & FENSHAM , R.J. (1988) Cit y Parks and Cemet eries: Tasmania’s Remnant Grasslands and Grassy Woodlands. Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust , Hobart . NEYLAND, M .G. (1992) The Pt unarra brow n but t erf ly Oreixenica pt unarra. Conservat ion Research St at ement . Scient if ic Report No. 92/2, Depart ment of Parks, Wildlif e & Herit age, Hobart , Tasmania. NEYLAND, M .G. (1993) The ecology and conservat ion management of t he Pt unarra brow n but t erf ly Oreixenica pt unarra (Lepidopt era; Nymphalidae: Sat yrinae) in Tasmania, Aust ralia. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 127, 43–48. READ, J. & HILL, R.S. (1983) Rainf orest invasion ont o Tasmanian oldf ields. Aust ralian Journal of Ecology. 8, 149–161. RUDM AN, T. (2003) Tasmanian beach w eed st rat egy f or marram grass, sea spurge, sea w heat grass, pyp grass and beach daisy. Nat ure Conservat ion Report 03/2. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . SCHAHINGER, R. (2002) Near–coast al nat ive grasslands of nort h–w est ern Tasmania: communit y descript ion, dist ribut ion and conservat ion st at us, w it h management recommendat ions. Nat ure Conservat ion Report 02/10, Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . 382 SHARPLES, C. (1995) A reconnaissance of landf orms and geological sit es of geoconservat ion signif icance in St at e f orest s of East ern Tasmania (part s of Derw ent and East ern Tiers Forest Dist rict s) Volume One: Invent ory. An unpublished report t o Forest ry Tasmania, Hobart . From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Key to Native grassland Page 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by Poa labillardierei, P. gunnii, P. rodw ayi, P. clivicola or P. cost iniana 2 Tussock grassland above 600 m in elevat ion Highland Poa grassland (GPH) 386 Low land Poa labillardierei grassland (GPL) 392 Low land Themeda triandra grassland (GTL) 394 2 Tussock grassland below 600 m in elevat ion 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by Themeda t riandra 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by Aust rodant honia species, or w it hout a clear dominant , commonly w it h Aust rodant honia, Poa, Themeda and/or Aust rost ipa species all present Low land grassland complex (GCL) 389 1 Veget at ion dominat ed by Aust rodant honia species or Themeda t riandra, rich in herbaceous species, and associat ed w it h shallow soils on rockplat es Rockplate grasslands (GRP) 396 1 Coast al grassland dominat ed by Poa poif omis or Aust rost ipa st ipoides and/or various nat ive sand-binding grasses Coastal grass and herbfield (GHC) 384 1 Veget at ion below 600 m w here Lomandra longif olia and Lepidosperma species are int erspersed w it h Poa species and ot her grasses Low land grassy sedgeland (GSL) Chapter 4 391 The Vegetation Descriptions 383 Coastal grass and herbfield (GHC) General description Coast al grass and herbf ield communit ies are f ound on sand dunes; sand plains behind dunes; f lat , rocky and occasionally sandy shores and cliff s in coast al areas. It includes grasslands dominat ed by Spinif ex sericeus, Aust rof est uca lit t oralis, Aust rost ipa st ipoides and Poa poif ormis. Example localities Long Spit Privat e Nat ure Reserve, Great Dog Island, Furneaux Group. Distinguishing features and similar communities Coast al grasslands are dominat ed by Spinif ex sericeus, Aust rof est uca lit t oralis and Aust rost ipa st ipoides. The communit ies in t his unit also include Cakile marit ima or C. edent ula open herbland, Carex appressa t ussock sedgeland and closed herbf ield or marsupial law n, w hich occurs in t he sw ales behind t he dunes. This unit also includes grasslands w it hin t he coast al zone dominat ed by Phragmit es aust ralis. Ammophila arenaria is of t en present and communit ies dominat ed by A. arenaria have been mapped in t his unit . How ever, w here A. arenaria dominat ed grasslands can be discriminat ed f rom nat ive coast al grassland communit ies t hey are mapped as M arram (A. arenaria) grasslands (FM G). St ephen Harris. Deal Island, Bass St rait . RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Coast of Tasmania, especially nort h-w est coast and Bass St rait islands. 384 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation grassland, and on sand dunes inland of S. sericeus grassland. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Dry coast al communit ies Bioregional occurrence 1 At riplex billardierei ephemeral herbland; also occurs in ASS 6 At riplex cinerea shrubland; also occurs in SCA & ASS 7 Spinif ex sericeus–Aust rof est uca lit t oralis grassland 8 Aust rof est uca lit t oralis grassland 9 Aust rof est uca lit t oralis–Calocephalus brow nii grassland 11 Spinif ex sericeus–Leucopogon parvif lorus grassland/shrubland; also occurs in SSC 15 Aust rost ipa st ipoides–Disphyma crassif olium t ussock grassland; also occurs in SCK 16 Poa poif ormis–Aust rost ipa st ipoides –Dichondra repens t ussock grassland 17 Aust rost ipa st ipoides–Leucopogon parvif lorus t ussock grassland F, K, SE, SR, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Coast al grasslands occur on sand dunes, sand plains behind dunes, and f lat , rocky shores and cliff s in coast al regions around Tasmania and it s islands. They grow on a range of rock t ypes, including granit e, dolerit e, mudst one, sandst one and calcarenit e. 28 Samolus repens–Schoenus nit ens herbland 29 Schoenus nit ens–Cot ula rept ans sedgeland Salt marsh 7 Aust rost ipa st ipoides t ussock grassland 8 Dist ichlis dist ichophylla closed grassland 9 Puccinellia st rict a open grassland 15 Deschampsia caespit osa t ussock grassland Vegetation composition and structure Spinif ex sericeus is a sand-binding grass t hat is most common grow ing in dunes rich in calcium carbonat e on t he w armer and drier part s of t he coast . Aust rof est uca lit t oralis is anot her sandbinding grass t hat f orms grasslands in t he drier part of t he coast , of t en in combinat ion w it h S. sericeus. Aust rost ipa st ipoides t ussock grassland occurs occasionally on sand, but more commonly on rocky shores and cliff s close t o t he high-w at er mark. Poa poif ormis t ussock grassland is t he most common coast al grassland on t he Bass St rait islands, of t en result ing f rom t he f requent burning of coast al heat hland and scrub. It occurs on cliff s inland of A. st ipoides Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 385 Highland Poa grassland (GPH) General description Highland Poa grasslands (above 600 m alt it ude) are dominat ed by large t ussock grasses (Poa gunnii and/or P. labillardierei) t hat may f orm a closed or open cover, w it h a variet y of smaller int er-t ussock grasses and herbs. Example localities Whit e M arsh, M urchison Highw ay; Surrey Hills Privat e Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities Highland Poa grassland is dist inguished f rom highland grassy sedgeland (M GH), w it h w hich it commonly int ergrades, by t he absence of Lepidosperma f ilif orme and t he dominance of Poa species. Grassy heat hlands dominat ed by Richea acerosa, Epacris gunnii or Leucopogon mont ana are mapped as part of East ern alpine heat hland (HHE), but may become GPH at high alt it udes. Some highland grasslands have been sow n w it h exot ic past ure species, but in most areas are now revert ing t o nat ive grasslands. If exot ic species make up more t han 75% of t he cover, such grasslands are mapped as regenerat ing cleared land (FRG). Some high alt it ude grassland such as at Saint Pat ricks Plains and Bront e are included in t his communit y w here Hakea microcarpa is a locally prevalent coloniser due t o f ire and grazing regimes. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Louise Gilf edder. Whit e M arsh, nort h-w est Tasmania. Distribution This communit y is f ound in valleys and on plains generally bet w een 600 m and about 1 000 m above sea level. The largest highland grasslands are on basalt plains of nort h-w est ern Tasmania (Surrey Hills, M iddlesex Plains, Lemont hyme Plains/Bare Hill) and on limest one and ot her subst rat es in t he Vale of Belvoir. Smaller grasslands on dolerit e in t he Cent ral Highlands of t en f orm narrow st rips bet w een broad, w et sedgeland basins and t heir marginal w oodlands. 386 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Bioregional occurrence BL, CH. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Highland Poa t ussock grassland is f ound on f ert ile soils, usually f ormed on basalt or limest one. Small highland grassland st rips occur at higher alt it udes on f ert ile mineral soils derived f rom dolerit e, usually on t he w ell–drained edges of broad basins. In some cases, such as at Paradise Plains in t he nort heast ern highlands, t he grassland has replaced rainf orest af t er f ire. How ever, in most cases t he grassland seems t o have occupied t he sit e f or many millennia. Logging and grazing in areas such as M iddlesex Plains and Lemont hyme (bot h on basalt ) have increased t he area of grassland and grassy heat hland. GPH does not occur on t he siliceous rocks of w est ern Tasmania. ground layer of herbs and grasses. Where heavy grazing f ollow s clearing, t ussocks are usually large and separat e, w it h an int er-t ussock mat of Ryt idosperma nudif lorum and a f ew individuals of Aust ralopyrum pect inat um or Ehrhart a species. Herbs include a rich array of daisies as w ell as species of Acaena, Geranium, Viola, Ranunculus, Ajuga aust ralis, Oreomyrrhis, Asperula and Euphrasia w it h Sclerant hus spp, Ajuga aust ralis, Dichondra repens and Velleia mont ana Dichondra repens and Velleia mont ana. Grevillea aust ralis, Hovea mont ana and Gault heria t asmanica may spraw l over t he f ew exposed rocks, and t here are usually small emergent shrubs, including Epacris gunnii, Richea acerosa, Lept ecophylla juniperina subsp. parvif olia, Bellendena mont ana, Olearia algida, Leucopogon hookeri and L. mont anus. Scat t ered t aller shrubs (1–2 m high) can include Tasmannia lanceolat a, Coprosma nit ida, L. rupest re, Hakea microcarpa, Richea scoparia and Orit es acicularis. Typical sedges may include Empodisma minus, Carpha alpina, Baloskion aust rale and Lepidosperma f ilif orme. The w et t ussock grasslands unique t o t he Cent ral Plat eau near Lake August a are dominat ed by a f ew t all grass species (Deschampsia caespit osa, Poa labillardierei, Poa cost iniana), w it h a f ew Ranunculus species as t he only ground cover. Grasslands not modif ied by clearing may cont ain scat t ered t rees such as Eucalypt us gunnii, E. rodw ayi or E. paucif lora, w hich usually also f orm f ringing w oodland. Scat t ered t rees remaining or regenerat ing af t er clearing are chief ly E. delegat ensis, w it h E. coccif era, E. gunnii and/or E. dalrympleana. Vegetation composition and structure Poa species, part icularly Poa gunnii and/or P. labillardierei (but occasionally P. cost iniana and P. clivicola) dominat e t he principal layer, eit her as nearly closed canopy or as scat t ered t ussocks w it h w ide spaces bet w een f illed by a Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 387 Highland Poa grassland (GPH) Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Alpine veget at ion 2 Poa gunnii–Aust rodant honia nudif lora marsupial law n 3 Poa labillardieri–Wahlenbergia saxicola t all t ussock grassland 4 Poa gunnii–Oreobolus dist ichus short t ussock grassland 5 Poa gunnii–Pimelea pygmaea short t ussock grassland 6 Poa labillardieri–Empodisma minus t all t ussock grassland 11 Richea acerosa–Exocarpos nanus heat h; also occurs in HHE & HSE Grasslands and grassy w oodlands 388 26 Poa labillardieri–Trachymene humilis t ussock grassland 27 Poa labillardieri–Veronica gracilis t ussock grassland 28 Richea acerosa–Coprosma pumila grassy shrubland; also occurs in HSE & HHE 29 Hakea microcarpa–Solenogyne spp. grassy shrubland 30 Poa gunnii–Drapet es t asmanicus t ussock grassland; also occurs in HHE 31 Poa gunnii–Carpha alpina t ussock grassland 32 Poa–Isolepis t ussock grassland; also occurs in HHE & HSE 33 Poa labillardieri–Oreobolus dist ichus t ussock grassland 34 Richea gunnii/R. acerosa–Ranunculus grassy shrubland; also occurs in HHE & HSE 35 Poa labillardieri–Triset um spicat um t ussock grassland 37 Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus– Comesperma ret usum grassy sedgeland; also occus in M BE From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Low land grassland complex (GCL) General description The low land grassland complex is dominat ed by species of Aust rodant honia, Aust rost ipa and Poa; Themeda t riandra may also be present and is somet imes dominant in pat ches. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Low land grassland complex occurs mainly t hrough t he Tasmanian M idlands, Derw ent valley, east coast and t he sout h-east . There are ext ensive areas of dist urbance-induced grasslands t hroughout t he range. Louise Gilf edder. Pont ville. Example locality Rif le Range Road, Pont ville (Commonw ealt h land). Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y generally cont ains nat ural or dist urbance-induced grasslands dominat ed by species of Aust rodant honia or Aust rost ipa, but commonly also cont aining Poa species and Themeda t riandra. Semi-improved past ure can revert t o t his communit y over t ime, especially w here drought condit ions f avour t he nat ive species. The mapping unit excludes rockplat e grasslands dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi or Aust rodant honia species, w hich are mapped as Rockplat e grasslands (GRP). GCL is dist inguished f rom Regenerat ing cleared land (FRG) by having a cover of more t han 25% nat ive species. Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, F, K, M , NS, SE, W. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Aust rodant honia/Aust rost ipa grasslands occur nat urally in valley bot t oms and low er slopes. How ever, f or t he most part , t his mapping unit comprises dist urbance-induced grasslands result ing f rom t he clearance of grassy w oodlands or f orest s. A large proport ion of ‘nat ive past ure’ t hrough t he Tasmanian M idlands, east coast and Derw ent Valley is included in t his mapping unit . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 389 Low land grassland complex (GCL) Vegetation composition and structure The dominant st rat um is a species-poor grassy sw ard of Aust rodant honia or Aust rost ipa species, w it h occasional pat ches of Poa species and Themeda t riandra. Low (< 10 m), scat t ered (< 5% cover) Eucalypt us viminalis and E. amygdalina t rees may be present , and Acacia dealbat a, A. mearnsii, A. melanoxylon, Bursaria spinosa and Dodonaea viscosa can f orm a scat t ered small-t ree layer, especially on slopes. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Grasslands and grassy w oodlands T8 Aust rodant honia spp.–Poa rodw ayi–Agrost is aemula t ussock grassland; also appears in GRP, DGL & NAV Peat lands w it h Sphagnum 6 390 Tussock grassland–Sphagnum mires; also occurs in M SP From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Low land grassy sedgeland (GSL) General description Low land grassy sedgeland is dominat ed by sedges such as Lomandra longif olia and Lepidosperma species int erspersed w it h grasses. Bioregional occurrence M icah Visoiu. Kellevie, sout h-east Tasmania. BL, CH, F, K, M , NS, SE, SR Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Example locality Kellevie. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is dist inguished by t he dominance of Lomandra longif olia and Lepidosperma species. This communit y possibly result s f rom w oodland t hat has been degraded by f requent f ires and overgrazing. It occurs on f ert ile subst rat es, such as dolerit e and basalt . Vegetation composition and structure Distribution The ground layer is dominat ed by a sedgy sw ard of mainly Lomandra longif olia, Diplarrena moraea or Lepidosperma spp., w it h occasional pat ches of Poa spp. and Themeda t riandra. The communit y may cont ain scat t ered eucalypt s such as Eucalypt us viminalis, E. paucif lora, E. ovat a, E. rubida and E. amygdalina with a density of < 5%. Acacia dealbata, A. mearnsii, A. melanoxylon, Bursaria spinosa and Dodonaea viscosa can form a scattered small-tree layer, especially on slopes. GSL occurs predominant ly in east ern and nort hern Tasmania, and is scarce or absent in t he f ar nort h-w est and t he sout h-w est . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. No equivalent f lorist ic communit ies have been ident if ied f or t his mapping unit . Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 391 Low land Poa labillardierei grassland (GPL) General description GPL low land grasslands are dominat ed by t ussocks of Poa labillardierei t hat may be large and spreading or small and t uf t y, depending on t he sit uat ion. The t ussocks may f orm a closed sw ard or an open layer w it h smaller grasses and herbs bet w een t he t ussocks. Example localities Tow nship Lagoon Nat ure Reserve, Tunbridge; M aria Island Nat ional Park. Distinguishing features and similar communities Low land Poa labillardierei grasslands are generally species-poor, t reeless communit ies charact erised by t ussocks of Poa labillardierei w it h herbs, graminoids and small grasses in bet w een. Dist urbance-induced grasslands dominat ed by P. labillardierei are included in t his mapping unit . Small pat ches of P. labillardierei in grasslands dominat ed by Aust rodant honia and Aust rost ipa are of t en mapped as Low land grassland complex (GCL). RFA mapping unit Louise Gilf edder. Tunbridge. Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Low land Poa labillardierei grasslands occur mainly t hrough t he Tasmanian M idlands, Derw ent Valley, east coast and t he sout h-east . Some subst ant ial areas of t his veget at ion communit y occur on Flinders and Cape Barren islands. 392 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Low land Poa labillardierei grasslands are charact erised by large t ussocks of Poa labillardierei w it h herbs and small grasses in t he spaces bet w een. Species richness is relat ively low and w eed species may be signif icant . GPL is t reeless or has a very light t ree cover, w it h scat t ered eucalypt s such as E. ovat a, E. viminalis or E. paucif lora. The t rees may be low (< 10 m) w it h a w oodland f orm, or in high rainf all areas or on f ert ile alluvial sit es may reach over 20 m in height . Dist urbance-induced communit ies may be similar in veget at ion composit ion and st ruct ure t o nat ural Poa labillardierei grasslands, t hough most represent a modif ied f orm of grassy w oodland w it h, mainly, E. viminalis, E. paucif lora, E. ovat a or E. globulus. Bioregional occurrence BL, M , NS, SE, SR. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Grasslands and grassy w oodlands Low land Poa labillardierei grassland occurs on alluvial river f lat s generally less t han 600 m above sea level. It usually occurs adjacent t o, or int ermixed w it h, Eucalypt us ovat a grassy w oodland. On alluvial f lat s w here inundat ion is common, t he t ussocks are of t en int erspersed w it h f lood-scoured and w at er-f illed hollow s. M any valley bot t om remnant s are likely t o be nat ural grasslands. Dist urbance-induced communit ies occur mainly on slopes and result f rom t he loss of t he t ree layer of grassy w oodlands and somet imes f orest s, f rom eucalypt dieback, t ree harvest ing and/or f ailure t o regenerat e because of heavy st ock grazing and/or burning. Repeat ed burning of areas t hat once support ed closed f orest may have induced t he P. labillardierei grasslands of Bass St rait . T1 Poa labillardieri–Dichelachne crinit a–Acaena novae-zelandiae–Lomandra longif olia–Juncus spp. t ussock grassland T2 Poa labillardieri/Themeda t riandra–Solenogyne dominii–Ehrhart a st ipoides grasslands; also occurs in GTL T3 Poa labillardieri–Juncus spp.–Epilobium spp. t ussock grassland Riparian communit ies 25 Acaena novae-zelandiae–Agrost is capillaris–Poa labillardieri riparian herbland; also occurs in DRO & DVG 26 Hypochaeris radicat a–Poa labillardieri–Holcus lanat us riparian herbland Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 393 Low land Themeda triandra grassland (GTL) General description GSL grassland is dominat ed by Themeda t riandra. This veget at ion communit y includes subcoast al grasslands dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi in nort h-w est ern Tasmania. Distribution Low land Themeda t riandra grasslands occur mainly t hrough t he Tasmanian M idlands, Derw ent Valley, east coast and sout h-east . Coast al communit ies dominat ed by Themeda t riandra occur sporadically in t he nort h-east and nort h-w est of t he St at e, w hile subcoast al communit ies dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi are rest rict ed t o t he nort h-w est . Nepelle Temby. Tinderbox. Example locality Tow nship Lagoon Nat ure Reserve, Tunbridge Bioregional occurrence Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y includes all nat ural and dist urbance-induced nat ive grasslands dominat ed by Themeda t riandra, as w ell as subcoast al grasslands dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi in t he nort h-w est . RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. 394 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation BL, M , SE. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y occurs on t reeless valley f lat s and w ell-drained slopes on basalt , dolerit e and deep sands. It occurs as nat ive past ure in agricult ural land, or as small remnant s on roadsides, count ry cemet eries and rail reserves. M any valley bot t om remnant s are likely t o be nat ural grasslands. Dist urbance-induced communit ies w ere previously grassy w oodlands or occasionally f orest s t hat have lost t he t ree layer because of eucalypt dieback, t ree harvest ing and/or f ailure t o regenerat e because of heavy st ock grazing and/or burning. Tw o dist inct f acies of t his mapping unit occur in Tasmania. Fert ile soil and areas exposed t o a high incidence of salt spray support grassland dominat ed by T. t riandra, such as t hose at Wat erhouse, Cape Port land and But lers Point . St able calcareous dunes in t he near-coast al zone in t he Art hur–Pieman area may support t ussock grassland dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi, w it h T. t riandra as a minor element . Those grasslands in t he Art hur-Pieman area occur in small, f ragment ed pat ches up t o 700 m f rom t he coast , w it h an est imat ed overall area of less t han 20 ha. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Grasslands and grassy w oodlands T2 Poa labillardieri/Themeda t riandra– Solenogyne dominii–Ehrhart a st ipoides grasslands; also occurs in GPL T5 Themeda t riandra–Hibbert ia hirsut a– Lissant he st rigosa t ussock grassland T6 Themeda t riandra–Aust rost ipa st uposa– Chrysocephalum apiculat um t ussock grassland; also occurs in NBA T7 Themeda t riandra–Veronica gracilis– Solenogyne spp. t ussock grassland; also occurs in NBA Vegetation composition and structure Themeda t riandra dominat ed t ussock grasslands are f lorist ically diverse, w it h many int er-t ussock herbs. Species richness is generally high. Ot her common grasses include species of Aust rodant honia, Aust rost ipa and Poa. Bot h nat ural and dist urbance-induced communit ies may have high biodiversit y and t hreat ened species values. GTL is largely t reeless, but scat t ered, low eucalypt s occur at a densit y of < 5% . These include E. ovat a, E. viminalis, E. paucif lora, E. rubida and E. amygdalina. Acacia dealbat a, A. mearnsii, A. melanoxylon, Bursaria spinosa and Dodonaea viscosa can f orm a scat t ered small-t ree layer, especially on slopes. Poa rodw ayi dominat ed grasslands of subcoast al nort h-w est Tasmania are charact erised by a high diversit y of herbs bet w een t he t ussocks, t oget her w it h somet imes sparsely emergent shrubs such as Acrot riche species nova, Beyeria viscosa, Spyridium vexillif erum, Hibbert ia sericea and Leucopogon parvif lorus. Themeda t riandra may have been a more signif icant component of t his communit y in t he past , but may have been pref erent ially grazed out at most sit es. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 395 Rockplate grassland (GRP) General description These grasslands are on skelet al soils over rockplat es. GRP is dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi or species of Aust rodant honia, and is usually devoid of all w oody species due t o t he ext remes of w et t ing and drying charact erist ic of t hese t hin soils. Example locality Tom Gibson Nat ure Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y generally support s nat ural grasslands dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi or Aust rodant honia species on shallow soil over rockplat es. It also includes small pat ches of herbf ield over exposed rockplat e and grasslands induced by eucalypt dieback of grassy w oodlands, mainly on dry hillt ops (usually Eucalypt us viminalis, E. amygdalina or E. pulchella) small pat ches of herbf ield over exposed rockplat e. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. M icah Visoiu. East ern Tiers. Distribution Rockplat e grasslands occur sporadically in response t o rest rict ive environment al condit ions below 600 m in alt it ude in t he Tasmanian M idlands, East ern Tiers, Derw ent Valley, east coast and sout h-east . This communit y has not yet been separat ely mapped. 396 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Grasslands and grassy w oodlands T4 Poa rodw ayi–Ast roloma humif usum–Dianella revolut a grassland T8 Aust rodant honia spp.–Poa rodw ayi–Agrost is aemula t ussock grassland; also occurs in GCL, DGL & NAV NOT YET M A PPED Bioregional occurrence SE, F, NS, NM . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Rockplat e grasslands occur on skelet al soils over rockplat es t hroughout t he range of low land nat ive grasslands. They are t ypically small in area – of t en less t han 1 ha. How ever, examples in t he East ern Tiers exceed 10 ha. Rockplat e grasslands are of t en isolat ed f rom ot her low land grassland communit ies by dry eucalypt (E. viminalis, E. pulchella or E. amygdalina) and/or Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest and w oodland. Accessible examples are grazed by domest ic st ock and nat ive w ildlif e. Vegetation composition and structure A short , dense grass and shrub layer dominat ed by Poa rodw ayi is t ypical of t his communit y, alt hough species of Aust rodant honia may also dominat e t he communit y, usually in associat ion w it h species of Schoenus and Themeda t riandra. The communit y is species-rich and t reeless, except on t he margins w it h grassy f orest or w oodland w here t ree seedling regenerat ion or drought -killed eucalypt s are common. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 397 Saltmarsh and w etland Community Community name code Freshw at er aquat ic herbland AHF Freshw at er aquat ic sedgeland and rushland ASF Lacust rine herbland AHL Saline aquat ic herbland AHS Saline sedgeland/rushland ARS Salt marsh (undiff erent iat ed) AUS Succulent saline herbland ASS Wet land (undiff erent iat ed) AWU as aerial phot ograph int erpret at ion) or w here t here is a f ine-scale mosaic of diverse communit ies. Where possible, t hese areas should be at t ribut ed t o one of t he specif ic mapping unit s. It should be not ed t hat t he mapping unit s in t his sect ion each incorporat e a w ide range of dist inct veget at ion t ypes; more comprehensive veget at ion analysis of w et lands can be f ound in Kirkpat rick and Harw ood (1981), and of salt marshes in Kirkpat rick & Glasby (1981). General management issues Wet lands are among t he most product ive ecosyst ems on eart h, f ulf illing many environment al and socio-economic f unct ions. They act as breeding grounds f or many species of f ish, w at er birds, amphibians and insect s. M any w et lands are import ant as st opover point s f or migrat ory bird species. Plant communit ies in w et lands f ilt er w at er and disperse heavy f low in t imes of f lood. Salt marshes are saline t ypes of w et lands. They occur predominant ly on low -energy coast lines w here w ave act ion does not hinder t he est ablishment of vascular plant s. In Tasmania t he best examples can be seen in shelt ered inlet s and bays on t he east and sout h coast s, w it h ot her large areas present in t he f ar nort h-w est of t he St at e and on some of t he Bass St rait islands. These syst ems are also highly product ive, as t hey receive nut rient input s f rom t he land and are regularly f lushed by t he sea. In some est uaries in t he nort h and east of t he St at e, t here may be a dense monocult ure of t he w eed species Spart ina anglica (Phillips 1975); t his veget at ion t ype is mapped as FSM and is described in Agricult ural, urban and exot ic veget at ion. Wet land (undiff erent iat ed) AWU and salt marsh (undiff erent iat ed) AUS are generic t ypes and are mapped w here t he specif ic w et land or salt marsh t ype cannot be ident if ied by remot e means (such 398 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation There are many management issues f or w et lands and salt marshes, as t hey are open syst ems, vulnerable t o dist urbances out side t heir borders. Wet lands are host t o many ubiquit ous w eed species, most of w hich have insignif icant impact s on t he communit y unless t here is a compounding dist urbance, such as st ock grazing or raised levels of nut rient s (Harw ood 1991). Change in t he w at er regimes result ing in draining, drow ning or part ial modif icat ion has been, and st ill is, a major issue f or w et land and salt marsh communit ies. Large areas have been lost in t his w ay, and most of t he remainder, in developed areas, have suff ered some level of dist urbance (Harw ood 1991, Kirkpat rick & Tyler 1988, Kirkpat rick & Harw ood 1983 a & b, Kirkpat rick & Harw ood 1981). Salt marsh and w et land veget at ion is adapt ed t o high levels of nat ive animal grazing. The product ivit y of t hese syst ems makes t hem f oci f or many nat ive animal populat ions. How ever t he hard hoof s of domest ic st ock break t he delicat e veget at ion layer in herbf ield and pug up aquat ic herbland. As t his usually result s in a high cover of w eed species and a loss of nat ive diversit y, Salt marshes and w et lands are not suit ed t o livest ock grazing. A similar eff ect t o st ock grazing is produced by t he t racks of off - road vehicles, w hich allow w eeds t o est ablish, and remain visible f or many years (Harw ood 1991, Barnes et al. 2002). Salt -t olerant past ure grasses such as Fest uca arundinacea can pose w eed problems in saline communit ies. Spart ina anglica has also replaced small areas of saline sedgeland/rushland in some est uaries; how ever t here appears t o be only a small overlap in suit able habit at s f or Spart ina anglica and ARS (Visoiu pers comm.). KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARRIS, S.(1999) Coast al, heat h and w et land veget at ion. In: Veget at ion of Tasmania (Ed. J.B. Reid, R.S. Hill, M .J. Brow n & J. Hovenden) Veget at ion of Tasmania. Flora of Aust ralia Supplement ary Series Number 8. Aust ralian Biological Resources St udy. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARWOOD, C.E. (1981) The conservat ion of Tasmanian w et lands macrophyt ic species and communit ies. A report t o t he Aust ralian Herit age Commission f rom t he Tasmanian Conservat ion Trust Inc., Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B., & HARWOOD, C.E. (1983a) Plant communit ies of Tasmanian w et lands. Aust ralian Journal of Bot any. 31, 437–451. Ref erences and f urt her reading BARNES, R.W., DUNCAN, F. & TODD, C.S. (2002) The nat ive veget at ion of King Island, Bass St rait . Nat ure Conservat ion Report 02/6. Nat ure Conservat ion Branch, Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . DPIWE (2004) A Wet lands St rat egy f or Tasmania. Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment , Hobart . FEARN, S., VISOIU, M . & M OLLISON, R.(2003) A Proposed M anagement Plan f or t he Flora and Terrest rial Vert ebrat e Fauna of t he Tamar Island Wet land Reserve, w it h part icular ref erence t o t he t hreat ened sout hern bell f rog (Lit oria ranif ormis) and it s decline in t he Launcest on area. A report prepared f or Wet land Care Aust ralia and t he Tamar Island Wet lands Volunt eers. Launcest on Environment Cent re Inc., Launcest on. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & HARWOOD, C.E. (1983b) The conservat ion of Tasmanian macrophyt ic w et land veget at ion. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 117, 5–20. KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & TYLER, P.A. (1988) Tasmanian w et lands and t heir conservat ion. In: The Conservat ion of Aust ralian Wet lands (Ed. A.J. M cComb, & P.S.Lake) pp 1–16. Surrey Beat t y and Sons and t he World Wildlif e Fund, Aust ralia. PHILLIPS, A. W. (1975) The est ablishment of Spart ina in t he Tamar est uary, Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 109, 65–75. RICHARDSON, A.M .M , SWAIN, R. AND W ONG, V. (1997) The Crust acean and M olluscan f auna of Tasmanian salt marshes. Papers and Proceedings of t he Royal Societ y of Tasmania. 131, 21–30. VISOIU, M .H. (2003) Pers comm. Fest uca arundanaceae and Spart ina anglica w eediness in salt marsh. 9 Sept ember 2003. FOREST PRACTICES A UTHORITY (2005) Forest Bot any M anual. Forest Pract ices Aut horit y, Hobart , Tasmania. HARWOOD, C.E. (1991) Wet land veget at ion. In: Tasmanian Nat ive Bush: A M anagement Handbook (Ed. J.B. Kirkpat rick) pp. 101–116.). Tasmanian Environment Cent re Inc., Hobart . KIRKPATRICK, J.B. & GLASBY, J. (1981) Salt marshes in Tasmania. Dist ribut ion, communit y composit ion and conservat ion. Occasional Paper 8. Depart ment of Geography, Universit y of Tasmania. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 399 Saltmarsh and w etland Key to Saltmarsh and w etland Page 1 Lent ic w et lands 2 Any areas of w et land or salt marsh w here t here is insuff icient inf ormat ion about f lorist ic composit ion or environment al at t ribut es t o assign t he sit e t o any but a generic communit y (All areas should be mapped t o specif ic communit ies w here possible) 3 Any area of lent ic w et land w here communit y mapping has not been complet ed Wetland (undifferentiated) (AWU) 415 3 Any area of salt marsh w here communit y mapping has not been complet ed Saltmarsh (undifferentiated) (AUS) 412 2 Veget at ion requires inundat ion f or most of t he year, but can survive periodic drying out , and is dominat ed by aquat ic and/or f ree f loat ing herbaceous species 3 Veget at ion grow ing in w at er t hat is salt y t o t he t ast e, of t en associat ed w it h salt marsh communit ies Saline aquatic herbland (AHS) 408 3 Veget at ion grow ing in f low ing w at er t hat is f resh or slight ly brackish Freshw ater aquatic herbland (AHF) 402 2 Veget at ion dominat ed by sedges, rushes and occasionally t ussock grasses; persist ence of inundat ion variable 3 Veget at ion associat ed w it h highly saline environment s, of t en inundat ed by t idal w at er; common dominant species are Gahnia f ilum and Juncus kraussii Saline sedgeland/ rushland (ARS) 410 3 Veget at ion associat ed w it h f resh t o brackish environment s such as depression w et lands, riverine w et lands and f ringing w et lands of st anding w at er bodies, common dominant s are Baumea art hrophylla, Lepidosperma longit udinale and Eleocharis species Freshw ater aquatic sedgeland and rushland (ASF) 404 2 Veget at ion dominat ed by herbaceous species grow ing on t he margins of t he lent ic w et land 3 Veget at ion on highly saline, prot ect ed, f lat shorelines inundat ed w it h sea w at er during high t ides; dominat ed by halophyt ic plant s predominant ly Sarcocornia quinquef lora and/or Sclerost egia arbuscula Succulent saline herbland (ASS) 413 3 Low (< 50 cm in height ; usually < 5 cm), single-layer, dense veget at ion communit y grow ing in f resh t o brackish w at ers on t he margins of w et land or salt marsh basins, Sarcocornia quinquef lora and Sclerost egia arbuscula absent Lacustrine herbland (AHL) 1 Lot ic w et lands 400 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation 406 Key to Saltmarsh and w etland Page 2 Any areas of w et land or salt marsh w here t here is insuff icient inf ormat ion about f lorist ic composit ion or environment al at t ribut es t o assign t he sit e t o any but a generic communit y (All areas should be mapped t o specif ic communit ies w here possible) 3 Any area of lot ic w et land w here communit y mapping has not been complet ed Wetland (undifferentiated) (AWU) 415 3 Any area of salt marsh w here communit y mapping has not been complet ed Saltmarsh (undifferentiated) (AUS) 412 2 Veget at ion w it hin t he normally inundat ed port ion of t he river channel and dominat ed by aquat ic and/or f ree-f loat ing herbaceous species 3 Veget at ion grow ing in est uaries, of t en associat ed w it h salt marsh communit ies Saline aquatic herbland (AHS) 408 3 Veget at ion grow ing in f low ing w at er t hat is f resh or slight ly brackish Freshw ater aquatic herbland (AHF) 402 2 Veget at ion in a river channel; dominat ed by sedges, rushes and occasionally t ussock grasses 3 Veget at ion grow ing in highly saline environment s, of t en inundat ed by t idal w at er, common dominant species are Gahnia f ilum and Juncus kraussii Saline sedgeland/ rushland (ARS) 410 3 Veget at ion associat ed w it h f resh t o brackish environment s in and/or along t he river channel and it s margins; common dominant s are Baumea spp., Lepidosperma longit udinale and Eleocharis species Freshw ater aquatic sedgeland and rushland (ASF) 404 2 Veget at ion dominat ed by herbaceous species grow ing on t he margins of a shoreline or river bank 3 Veget at ion on highly saline, prot ect ed, f lat est uarine shorelines inundat ed w it h sea w at er at high t ide, dominat ed by halophyt ic plant s, predominant ly Sarcocornia quinquef lora and/or Sclerost egia arbuscula Succulent saline herbfield (ASS) 413 3 Low (< 50 cm in height ; usually < 5 cm), single-layer, dense veget at ion communit y grow ing in f resh t o brackish w at er on t he margins of f ast f low ing st reams; no Sarcocornia quinquef lora or Sclerost egia arbuscula Lacustrine herbland (AHL) Chapter 4 406 The Vegetation Descriptions 401 Freshw ater aquatic herbland (AHF) General description Wet lands can vary f rom f resh t hrough brackish t o saline. Only t he f reshw at er aquat ic communit ies are mapped in t his cat egory (AHF). M ont ia f ont ana, Neopaxia aust ralasica, Villarsia renif ormis and species of M yriophyllum, Pot amoget on and Triglochin are f ound in, but are not necessarily limit ed t o, f reshw at er aquat ic plant communit ies. M icah Visoiu. Nort hdow n near Port Sorell. Example locality Lit t le Wat erhouse Lake, Wat erhouse Prot ect ed Area. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is charact erised by t he presence of st anding permanent or semi-permanent f reshw at er t hat support s aquat ic and/or emergent herbaceous veget at ion. Saline aquat ic herbland (AHS) is similar; how ever, t he w at er is salt y t o t he t ast e and t he plant diversit y is usually much low er. Some sedge/rush w et land (ASF) communit ies may also be similar. In part icular Eleocharis sphacelat a w et land is f ound in st anding permanent or semi-permanent w at er, but is dominat ed by a rush rat her t han a herbaceous species. AHF diff ers f rom t he w at er and sea-mapping unit OAQ, in t hat it cont ains macrophyt ic vascular plant s. Veget at ion dominat ed by Isolepis f luit ans and Schoenus f luit ans is mapped as AHF, in w hich communit y it best f it s in t erms of bot h st ruct ure and environment al condit ions. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution The communit y is sparsely dist ribut ed t hroughout Tasmania. It is most common in coast al areas of t he nort h, east and sout h coast s, but is also f ound in highland areas. 402 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Vegetation composition and structure Bioregional occurrence F, SE (but probably all bioregions). There is of t en an emergent element in f reshw at er aquat ic herblands, w it h Triglochin procera being t he most common and obvious of t hese. In some areas, f loat ing species may f orm a dense mat at t he surf ace. Commonly Villarsia renif ormis and Neopaxia aust ralasica, along w it h species of M yriophyllum and Pot amoget on, are present . The aquat ic rush species Isolepis f luit ans and Schoenus f luit ans are also commonly present . In areas w here w at er f low or dist urbance does not allow a dense mat of veget at ion t o f orm, bot t om-hugging f orms of t he above species occur, as w ell as species such as Prat ia surrepens and, in alpine and subalpine areas, Isoet es gunnii. The composit ion and st ruct ure of t he communit y are heavily dependent on t he w at er dept h, w at er qualit y, chemist ry, t emperat ure and f low of t he w at er and on mechanical dist urbance such as animal grazing. Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Freshw at er aquat ic herbland (AHF) can occur in w at er f rom a f ew cent imet res t o several met res in dept h, but is usually at it s most diverse in shallow w at er less t han 1 m deep. It can be f ound f rom coast al t o alpine elevat ions. This range of condit ions means t hat t he mapping communit y is quit e diverse. Areas w it h clear w at er support t he most species-diverse communit ies, w hile silt y and t annin-st ained w at er support sparser and less diverse communit ies. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet lands 45 M yriophyllum salsugineum aquat ic herbland; also occurs in AHS 46 M yriophyllum simulans aquat ic herbland 49 Isolepis f luit ans aquat ic herbland 50 Triglochin procera aquat ic herbland When t he w et land dries out f or ext ended periods t he aquat ic species are reduced t o veget at ive t ubers t hat survive in t he w et land soil. Some species can persist f or a period in t he absence of w at er (e.g. M yriophyllum). Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 403 Freshw ater aquatic sedgeland and rushland (ASF) General description This communit y includes w et lands dominat ed by sedges and rushes, w it h salinit y ranging f rom f resh t o brackish. These sedges and rushes are generally t aller t han 50 cm. The communit ies dominat ed by t he f ollow ing genera are included in t he ASF unit : Juncus, Baumea, Carex, Cyperus, Eleocharis, Gahnia, Lepidosperma, Phragmit es, Schoenus and Typha. Example locality Cleveland Lagoon (visible east of t he M idlands Highw ay at Cleveland). Distinguishing features and similar communities Freshw at er aquat ic sedgeland and rushland is dist inguished f rom ot her w et land communit ies by t he dominance of sedge and/or rush species. One f acies of t he communit y, how ever, is charact erised by a dense sw ard of t he cane-like grass Phragmit es aust ralis. In highly saline areas a similar communit y, saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS), occurs. ASF is dist inguished f rom ARS by t he salinit y condit ions; t he lat t er is f ound in associat ion w it h succulent salt marsh and low er reaches of est uaries, w hile t he f ormer is much more w idely dist ribut ed and is not f ound in areas w it h t hese salinit y condit ions. M icah Visoiu. Apsley M arshes, nort h of M oult ing Lagoon. ASF may be conf used w it h Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR), but has a higher proport ion of species in t he f amilies Juncaceae and Cyperaceae t han species in t he f amily Rest ionaceae. Where Rest ionaceae species dominat e, t he communit y is mapped as M RR, except w here Baloskion t et raphylla, f orms dense sw ards along river margins. ASF communit ies dominat ed by very small species, such as herbaceous species of Isolepis, or Schoenus, are mapped as herbf ield and grassland marginal t o w et land (AHL) w hen t he st ruct ure is ident ical t o t his communit y. Likew ise, aquat ic communit ies dominat ed by Isolepis f luit ans or Schoenus f luit ans are mapped as f reshw at er aquat ic herbland (AHF) f or st ruct ural and environment al reasons. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. 404 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Distribution Vegetation composition and structure Freshw at er aquat ic sedgeland and rushland is w idespread across Tasmania. It is f ound f rom coast al t o subalpine areas in all part s of Tasmania and on t he larger off shore islands. A dense t o sparse sw ard of a sedge or rush species (usually one species dominat es) provides t he t allest st rat um in a sedge/rush w et land. This st rat um can vary in height f rom a f ew cent imet res in a communit y dominat ed by species of eit her Schoenus or Isolepis, t o over t hree met res f or a Phragmit es aust ralis communit y. A variet y of smaller sedges and herbs commonly f orm a sparse t o dense layer bet w een and below t his. The diversit y and f lorist ic composit ion of t his layer are heavily dependent on t he f requency of inundat ion and soil charact erist ics of t he sit e. Plant diversit y in sedge/rush w et land can vary bet w een 1 and 40 species. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet lands Bioregional occurrence BL, CH, M , SE, SR (but probably all bioregions). 5 Phragmit es aust ralis grassland 19 Juncus procerus rushland 22 Baumea art hrophylla sedgeland 22 Baumea juncea sedgeland 24 Carex gaudichaudiana; also occurs in M GH 27 Eleocharis pusilla sedgeland; also occurs in AHL 27 Eleocharis acut a sedgeland 29 Eleocharis sphacelat a sedgeland 32 Lepidosperma longit udinale sedgeland 33 Schoenus t esquorum sedgeland; also occurs in AHL Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This mapping unit incorporat es a range of diff erent f lorist ic communit ies t hat occupy a diversit y of habit at s f rom coast al t o subalpine areas. Eleocharis sphacelat a sedge/rush w et land occupies sit es t hat are inundat ed f or long periods (of t en permanent ly) and can occur in w at er up t o 2 m deep. Lepidosperma longit udinale dominat ed sedge/rush w et land inhabit s t he margins of shallow seasonal w et lands t hat may be inundat ed f or only a f ew mont hs each year. The most common and w idespread communit y is dominat ed by Baumea art hrophylla, w hich occurs in shallow, seasonally inundat ed w et lands. 34 Bolboschoenus caldw ellii sedgeland 35 Isolepis cernua sedgeland; also occurs in AHL Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 405 Lacustrine herbland (AHL) General description This communit y includes marsupial law ns and herbf ields, w hich grow in areas t hat are occasionally inundat ed. They consist of species less t han 20 cm high, and are commonly less t han 5 cm. Some communit ies of herbf ield marginal t o w et lands can be species-rich, w it h upw ards of 20 species in a square met re. Diff erent f acies of t he communit y occupy sit es ranging f rom f resh t o brackish. As a general rule t he species diversit y decreases as salinit y increases. St ephen Harris. Lime Bay Nat ure Reserve. aust ralasica have diff erent grow t h f orms in t hese marginal environment s. Grazing pressure of t en keeps t he communit y less t han 5 cm in height . Herbf ields t hat are very similar in appearance t o AHL are f ound on coast al verges and in dune sw ales. In t his inst ance, t he areas are mapped w it hin t he coast al grass and herbf ield unit GHC. Diverse herbf ields f ound in associat ion w it h rock-plat e communit ies are mapped w it hin t he rockplat e grassland unit GPR. There is of t en a gradat ion bet w een saline herbland (ASS) and herbf ield marginal t o w et land (AHL). In many areas AHL is present around t he edges of ASS w here salinit y decreases in concent ric gradat ions moving aw ay f rom t he basin cent re. The t w o can be dist inguished by t he presence of Sarcocornia quinquef lora in ASS; t his species grow s only in highly saline environment s, and t here is of t en a w ell-def ined boundary bet w een suit able and unsuit able habit at . Short areas of sedge/rush w et land (ASF) dominat ed by such species as Schoenus nit ens, Isolepis cernua, Isolepis plat ycarpa and Cent rolepis st rigosa t hat are usually less t han 20 cm high are mapped in t he AHL unit , as t hey of t en grow w it hin herbf ield communit ies and are st ruct urally analogous t o AHL. Example localities RFA mapping unit Springlaw n w et lands, Naraw nt apu Nat ional Park; Long M arsh on t he M acquarie River. Distinguishing features and similar communities Lacust rine herbland (AHL) is charact erised by a single, low -grow ing veget at ion layer, w hich is generally f airly species-diverse. Lacust rine w et lands are largely conf ined t o t he margins of w et lands, and species are t heref ore semiaquat ic. Species such as Ranunculus amphit richus, Villarsia renif ormis and Neopaxia 406 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution Small areas are f ound t hroughout Tasmania, usually in associat ion w it h ot her w et land communit ies. dominance of one species is f ar less common in areas w it h low er salinit y, w here many diff erent species can be co-dominant . Species may include Ehrhart a st ipoides, Isolepis cernua, I. marginat a, I. plat ycarpa, Cent rolepis st rigosa, C. f ascicularis, C. arist at a, Schoenus nit ens, S. apogon, S. t esquorum, Cent ella cordif olia, Gonocarpus micrant hus, Prat ia pedunculat a, Lept inella rept ans, Hydrocot yle muscosa, Isot oma f luviat ilis, Limosella aust ralis, M azus pumilio and M yriophyllum pedunculat um. These and many more species may grow in a f ine-scale mosaic, as a single diverse communit y, or commonly as a series of narrow concent ric bands around a w et land basin. The species diversit y in herbf ield communit ies generally increases as salinit y decreases. Bioregional occurrence CH, F, SE, K (but probably all bioregions). Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Found on f lat areas, somet imes marginal t o w et lands, or w here t he w at er t able is at or very close t o t he surf ace f or most of t he year; t hey are also regularly inundat ed and dried out . The soils can be f ine silt sediment s, deep peat or may incorporat e a high proport ion of sand. The pH and salinit y vary great ly, depending on t he sit e, and have a signif icant inf luence on t he f lorist ic make-up of t he communit y. Vegetation composition and structure The st ruct ure of a herbf ield communit y dist inguishes it f rom ot her w et land communit ies. The single, low veget at ion layer may have a single dominant species, depending on t he environment al condit ions. In saline areas halophyt es such as Wilsonia backhousei, Wilsonia rot undif olia or Selliera radicans may be dominant , w it h over 95% cover. Ot her common subdominant species in t he more saline herbf ields are M imulus repens, Lept inella longipes and Cent rolepis arist at a. This st rong M ost herbf ield areas suff er soil dist urbance f rom st ock t rampling, rabbit grazing, and/or use of off -road vehicles. This of t en allow s t he est ablishment of w eed species, w hich can be a major component of communit ies. Plant ago coronopus is t he most w idespread and invasive species; annual grasses can also be a signif icant problem. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet lands 8 Diverse herbf ield 9 Hydrocot yle muscosa herbf ield 10 Lilaeopsis polyant ha herbf ield 12 M imulus repens herbf ield 15 Selliera radicans herbf ield; also in ASS 27 Eleocharis pusilla sedgeland; also in ASF 33 Schoenus t esquorum sedgeland; also in ASF 35 Isolepis cernua sedgeland; also in ASF Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 407 Saline aquatic herbland (AHS) General description Wet lands can vary f rom brackish t o saline. The saline aquat ic herbland incorporat es t he brackish and saline aquat ic communit ies w here w at er is not iceably salt y t o t he t ast e. Species of Ruppia, Lepilaena and st onew ort algae in t he genus Lamprot hamnium are of t en present in, but not necessarily limit ed t o, saline aquat ic plant communit ies. Example locality Sellars Lagoon, on Flinders Island. Distinguishing features and similar communities Saline aquat ic veget at ion occurs in areas of permanent or semi-permanent brackish t o hyper-saline w at er, w hich are commonly f ound in depressions in salt marshes. The salinit y of t he w at er dist inguishes it f rom Freshw at er aquat ic herbland (AHF) and t he absence of emergent sedges or rushes dist inguishes it f rom Saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS). RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution St ephen Harris. Cape Barren Island. 408 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation The communit y occurs in associat ion w it h salt marsh on low -energy coast lines, predominant ly on t he sout h and east coast s w it h occasional occurrences in t he nort h and w est . The largest areas are f ound on t he east coast of Flinders Island. Bioregional occurrence F, SE (but probably also NS, SR, W, K). Site characteristics, habitat and ecology This communit y is dist ribut ed in coast al areas, w here it is f ound in small pools in salt marshes, or along t he edges of est uaries. It may also occur as open areas in inundat ed Juncus kraussii or Gahnia t rif ida (AGS). High evaporat ion rat es can mean t hat t he w at er in isolat ed pools in salt marshes becomes hyper-saline. When t he w et land dries out f or ext ended periods t he aquat ic species are reduced dow n t o veget at ive t ubers t hat survive in t he w et land soil. Some species can persist f or a period in t he absence of w at er (e.g. M yriophyllum). Vegetation composition and structure Saline aquat ic w et lands are t he most speciespoor of w et land communit ies. In less saline areas, species such as M yriophyllum salsugineum may occur sparsely w it h Lepilaena and Ruppia species. In more saline areas, algae in t he genus Lamprot hamnium dominat e, w it h occasional Lepilaena and Ruppia species. There are of t en only one or t w o species in t his communit y and rarely more t han f ive. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Wet lands 41 Lamprot hamnium spp. aquat ic herbland 42 Lepilaena cylindrocarpa aquat ic herbland 45 M yriophyllum salsugineum aquat ic herbland; also occurs in AHF 48 Ruppia aquat ic herbland Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 409 Saline sedgeland/ rushland (ARS) General description Saline sedgeland/rushland is a coast al communit y f requent ly dominat ed by Juncus kraussii or, somet imes, ot her species such as Gahnia f ilum. Some succulent species may be int ermixed. Example localities M out h of Nort h West Bay River, near M argat e; M oult ing Lagoon Game Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities The communit y is dist inguished by t he dominance of one or more of t he graminoid coast al species. Discret e st ands of Phragmit es aust ralis grassland may occur as a border or incursion int o ARS, and are mapped w it h ARS w here diff erent iat ion at 1:25 000 scale is not possible. St ephen Harris. Fort h River Est uary. ARS has a close relat ionship w it h sedge/rush w et land (ASF) and can be diff icult t o dist inguish at t imes. The main dist inguishing f eat ure is t hat ARS is f ound only on t he margins of salt marsh areas and t he low er reaches of est uaries. Bot h ARS and ASF may be dominat ed by Juncus kraussii, w it h t he ARS f orm being less speciesdiverse and occurring in areas w here t he inundat ing w at er t ast es salt y. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution At least small pat ches are represent ed in nearly every coast al est uary, but some of t he best examples are f ound in Lavinia Nat ional Park on King Island, and around M oult ing Lagoon. 410 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation low er and inundat ion w it h salt w at er less f requent . The communit y may be dense, or have sparse sedges and rushes w it h smaller sedges and herbs in t he int er-t ussock spaces. Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Salt marsh 10 Gahnia f ilum t ussock sedgeland 11 Juncus kraussii open rushland 12 Lept ocarpus brow nii open rushland Wet lands 19 Bioregional occurrence Juncus kraussii rushlands 30 Gahnia f ilum t ussock sedgeland 30 Gahnia t rif ida t ussock sedgeland F, K, NS, SE, W, M . Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Saline sedgeland/rushland of t en f orms a zone on t he landw ard margins of saline herbf ield (ASS). The replacement of succulent herbs w it h sedge and/or rush species in t hese areas is a result of t he low er salinit y in t hese areas or, in some sit uat ions, t he low er f requency of inundat ion w it h sea w at er. Somet imes ext ensive areas can occur, such as t hose f ringing some est uaries and coast al lagoons on Flinders Island and in t he Lavinia Nat ional Park on King Island. Vegetation composition and structure This communit y consist s of rushland or sedgeland dominat ed most commonly by Gahnia f ilum, Juncus kraussii or occasionally Gahnia t rif ida. The height of t he communit y may vary bet w een 0.5 m and 2 m. Associat ed species include Baumea juncea, Poa poif ormis, M imulus repens, Samolus repens, Dist ichlis dist ichophylla and Schoenus nit ens. In some sit uat ions small pocket s of Phragmit es aust ralis may occur, usually on slight ly higher ridges w here salinit y is Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 411 Saltmarsh (undifferentiated) (AUS) General description Salt marsh (undiff erent iat ed) is a generic salt marsh code, w hich has been used w here remot e-mapping of t he specif ic salt marsh ecological veget at ion communit ies has not been possible. Nepelle Temby. Lauderdale. Distribution Not applicable. Bioregional occurrence As f or ARS and ASS. Example locality Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Not applicable. As f or ARS and ASS. Distinguishing features and similar communities Vegetation composition and structure As f or ARS and ASS. Where possible, all areas mapped as AUS should be re-coded t o one of t he f ollow ing: saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS) or saline herbland (ASS). Dist inguishing f eat ures and similar communit ies are det ailed f or t he specif ic ecological veget at ion communit ies. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. 412 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit As f or ARS and ASS. Succulent saline herbland (ASS) General description Succulent saline herbland (ASS) is a low -grow ing communit y dominat ed by Sarcocornia quinquef lora and somet imes Sclerost egia arbuscula, t he lat t er shrubs being up t o 80 cm high. Of t en t he communit y has a st rong reddish t inge result ing f rom t he visibilit y of leaf ant hocyanin, w hich is an adapt at ion t o highly saline and sunny environment s. indicat or species such as Sarcocornia quinquef lora, Sclerost egia arbuscula, Suaeda aust ralis and Hemichroa pent andra can diff erent iat e AHL. AHL may occur on t he margins of ASS; how ever, t here is usually a w elldef ined margin bet w een t he t w o, dict at ed by soil salinit y. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Distribution These salt marshes are abundant in f ar nort hw est Tasmania and around t he Derw ent est uary. Signif icant t ract s occur on t he east and nort h coast s of Tasmania and around some of t he larger Bass St rait islands. Some occur in t he M idlands of Tasmania, w ell aw ay f rom t he coast . DPIWE. M arion Bay. Example locality M oult ing Lagoon Game Reserve. Distinguishing features and similar communities This communit y is dist inguished by t he dominance of one or more of t he succulent coast al species. Graminoids such as Juncus kraussii are absent or in t race proport ions or may f ringe t he landw ard side of t he succulent saline herbland. Where t hese graminoids cover over 50% of t he communit y, it is mapped as saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS). Bioregional occurrence SE, F, NM , K (small pat ches probably occur in all coast al bioregions). In some sit uat ions ASS may be conf used w it h herbf ield and grassland marginal t o w et lands (AHL). The absence, or very low abundance, of Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 413 Succulent saline herbland (ASS) Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Succulent saline herbland occurs on gent ly graded, low -energy coast s, most commonly in est uaries. Some areas occur in t he low est rainf all zone of t he M idlands. The subst rat e is usually f ine mud or silt s. These habit at s are import ant f or molluscs, crabs, isopods and amphipods as w ell as several bird species. Vegetation composition and structure Saline herbf ields vary in dominance, but a f ew halophyt es recur as dominant s in almost all of t hese marshes. Open herbland, succulent herbf ield, closed herbland and open heat hland are variously dominat ed by Sclerost egia arbuscula, Suaeda aust ralis, Sarcocornia quinquef lora (S. blackiana in t he most exposed saline sit uat ions), Hemichroa pent andra and Disphyma crassif olium. Plant species diversit y may not be high, but plant cover can vary f rom 100% dow n t o around 10% . Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit Salt marsh 1 Sclerost egia arbuscula heat h 2 Suaeda aust ralis heat h 3 Sarcocornia quinquef lora low open heat h 4 Sarcocornia blackiana low open heat h 5 Hemichroa pent andra low open heat h 6 Disphyma crassif olium succulent herbf ield 13 Wilsonia backhousei herbf ield 14 Samolus repens herbf ield Wet lands 414 15 Selliera radicans herbf ield; also occurs in AHL 17 Wilsonia backhousei herbf ield 18 Wilsonia rot undif olia herbf ield From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Wetland (undifferentiated) (AWU) General description Wet land (undiff erent iat ed) is a generic w et land code, w hich has been used w here remot emapping of t he specif ic w et land ecological veget at ion communit ies has not been possible. Distribution Not applicable. Nepelle Temby. Franklin. Bioregional occurrence As f or AHF, AHL, AHS and ASF. Example locality Site characteristics, habitat and ecology Not applicable. As f or AHF, AHL, AHS and ASF. Distinguishing features and similar communities Vegetation composition and structure As f or AHF, AHL, AHS and ASF. Where possible, all areas mapped as AWU should be re-coded t o one of t he f ollow ing: f reshw at er aquat ic herbland (AHF), herbf ield and grassland marginal t o w et land (AHL), saline aquat ic herbland (AHS) or sedge/rush w et land (ASF). Floristic communities know n to occur in this mapping unit As f or AHF, AHL, AHS and ASF. Dist inguishing f eat ures and similar communit ies are det ailed f or t he specif ic ecological veget at ion communit ies. RFA mapping unit Not covered by RFA mapping. Chapter 4 The Vegetation Descriptions 415 Glossary and Abbreviations A Adventitious describing part s of organisms t hat arise in unusual or irregular posit ions such as root s grow ing f rom a leaf Adventive dispersal upon int roduct ion, such as an escape f rom cult ivat ion Aeolian (sediment deposit ed af t er) having been carried by t he w ind Alluvium silt , sand, mud et c deposit ed by f low ing w at er such as rivers w hen t hey f lood Alpine t he part s of t he mount ain above t he t ree-line but below permanent snow Anaerobic biological processes t hat occur w it hout oxygen Argillaceous substrate rich in clay minerals Ash any of t he group of eucalypt s charact erised by t heir smoot h bark, f ine grained t imber similar t o t he European Ash, suscept ibilit y t o deat h f rom f ire and t he inabilit y t o regenerat e by coppicing Back sw amps a marshy area or depression occurring in t he f lood plain, out side t he river channel Base rock or basement rock; bedrock; unw eat hered rock below t he soil; t he complex of met amorphic and igneous rocks t hat underlies t he sediment ary deposit s Biome t he large-scale grouping of a t errest rial ecological communit y Bioregion a def ined area of land w it h similar environment al, physical and climat ic condit ions and cont aining charact erist ic ecosyst ems; a part of t he Nat ional Reserve Syst em Program (NRS), w hich describes regions according t o an ecosyst em-based planning f ramew ork. The nine Tasmanian Bioregions are King, Flinders, Nort hern Slopes, Ben Lomond, West , Nort hern M idlands, Cent ral Highlands, Sout hern Ranges and Sout h East From Forest to Fjaeldmark Blanket moor moorland t hat clads a range of landscape f eat ures, w it h mainly shallow peat y subst rat es; usually moorland veget at ion on inf ert ile rocks such as Precambian quart zit e and Ordovician conglomerat e f rom sea level t o 1000 m Block fields a cont inuous spread of broken angular rock f ragment s (of boulder dimensions) w hich mant le t he surf ace of a high mount ain or plat eau Bog an area of w et , acidic soil dominat ed by Sphagnum, peat and some charact erist ic shrub and herb species Bolster heath or cushion heat h. Communit ies dominat ed by cushion plant s (many plant s closely packed f orming a raised “ cushion-like” mat ) Brackish a t erm applied t o any w at er w hich exhibit s salinit y int ermediat e bet w een seaw at er and f resh w at er e.g. est uaries Bryophytes in Bryophyt a, a division of t he plant Kingdom comprising liverw ort s, mosses and hornw ort s; non-vascular, simple plant s B 416 Bioturbation dist urbance and displacement of sediment s by living t hings Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Buttongrass moorland t reeless veget at ion communit y dominat ed by sedges – especially Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus; occurs in very humid/w et climat es w it h oligot rophic (nut rient poor) soils C Calcareous rich in calcium carbonat e Calcarenites limest one or dolomit e rock w it h a coarse t ext ure due t o small sand, coral or shell f ragment s Callidendrous underst orey t all rainf orest w it h an open Cambrian a period in t he Paleozoic era of geological t ime, approximat ely 590-505 million years ago Cainozoic or Cenozoic. The lat est era of geologic t ime, ext ending f rom t he beginning of t he Tert iary period (approximat ely 65 million years ago) t o t he present Coppicing abilit y t o grow new advent it ious shoot s f rom t he base of t he t runk; usually developing af t er damage t o t he t runk (e.g. f ire or cut t ing) Carboniferous a period of geological t ime bet w een approximat ely 360 and 286 million years ago, named f or t he t hick deposit s of coal f ound in rocks of t his age Copse CARSAG Comprehensive, Adequat e and Represent at ive Scient if ic Advisory Group, est ablished f ollow ing t he Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement Climatic effect t he response (of living organisms) t o climat e change (i.e. t emperat ure and precipit at ion), w hich is usually measured seasonally or annually Climax vegetation t he f inal and st able veget at ion t ype in t he development of an ecosyst em; t he result of succession and in equilibrium w it h t he environment Cold air drainage w here relat ively higher areas of land cool air f ast er at night and, being heavier t han surrounding air, f low s dow n-slope int o valleys or depressions w here it t hen collect s Colluvial deposit s of w eat hered mat erial (loose sediment s) t ransport ed by gravit y dow n slopes Complex a group of veget at ion communit ies t hat occur in int imat e associat ion, w here it is diff icult t o discriminat e part icular component s at t he given scale of mapping Conglomerate coarse-grained sediment ary rock w it h individual grains/rocks larger t han 2 mm in diamet er; w at er–w orn f ragment s of rocks or pebbles cement ed t oget her by anot her mineral subst ance Connate f usion of similar part s of a plant e.g. paired leaves at a node, t he base of w hich has become f used t o complet ely encircle t he st em Consolidated sand t ight ly packed sand t hat has become coherent or f irm; f orming a solid mass a lit t le pat ch; a small low land w oodland Crevice deep f issure in t he surf ace; a long narrow crack Cryptogam non-vascular plant , in part icular lichen and moss Cryptogamic crust layer of crypt ogams t hat grow s on subst rat e surf aces, f orming a biot ic layer Culm t he st em bearing leaves or inf loresences part icularly in grasses and sedges Curtail t o short en, t o diminish, t o reduce D Depauperate usually low er species diversit y present t han in similar environment s due t o various environment al f act ors Devonian A period of geological t ime ext ending f rom approximat ely 395-345 million years ago Dieback The progressive deat h of a t ree or shrub, usually branch by branch due t o any number of causes, such as drought , salinit y, insect or f ungal at t ack DPIWE Depart ment of Primary Indust ries, Wat er and Environment E Ecological vegetation community t he ent it y used in t he veget at ion mapping classif icat ion and charact erised by f lorist ic and st ruct ural f eat ures t hat are more or less consist ent across it s range. It may be abbreviat ed t o veget at ion communit y or communit y Ecotone a t ransit ional zone or region separat ing t w o biomes Glossary and Abbreviations 417 Glossary and Abbreviations Edaphic pert aining t o t he soil, especially w it h respect t o it s inf luence on organisms Fire disclimax an ecosyst em t hat does not reach a climax st age due t o dist urbance by f ire Edge effects t he ecological changes t hat occur at t he boundaries of a communit y or ecosyst em; t hese can of t en be measured as a rat io of “ edge” or boundary relat ive t o it s “ core” or area. As t he edge t o area rat io becomes larger, t he likelihood of negat ive consequences of t he edge eff ect becomes higher, mainly due t o t he higher f luct uat ions in climat e (e.g. moist ure loss, t emperat ure, w ind, et c) Fjaeldmark veget at ion communit y represent ed by isolat ed mat s, cushions, or ot her prost rat e f orms of dw arf plant s on very exposed st ony (almost soil-less) sit es at t he highest alt it udes Endemic a species having a nat ural dist ribut ion t hat is conf ined t o a part icular geographical area e.g. a King Island endemic is nat ive only t o King Island Epicormic buds buds arising f rom a dormant bud on old w ood, especially f ollow ing injury t o t he plant above t hat bud Epiphytic a plant t hat grow s on anot her plant w it hout being parasit ic Ephemeral short -lived Estuarine pert aining t o t he mout h of a river w here it broadens int o t he sea and w here t he f resh (river/st ream) w at er meet s t he ebb and f low of t he t ides – leading t o a mixing of saline and f resh w at er Eutrophic of an environment (usually w at er) w it h high nut rient concent rat ions, and of t en excessive biological product ion F Facies a local t ype or variant of communit y t hat is relat ed t o ot her t ypes or variant s, and are not considered diff erent enough t o be described as a separat e ecological veget at ion communit y FAO Food and Agricult ure Organisat ion Fen mesophyt ic or eut rophic w et land w here w at er and nut rient s inf low f rom t he surrounding cat chment (minerot rphic); dominat ed by graminoids; neut ral t o alkaline w et land 418 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Floret t he reduced f low er of a grass t oget her w it h t he palea or lemma Floristic t he complet e ident if ying and list ing of t he plant species t hat occurs in a part icular communit y or region Fluvial deposits sediment s deposit ed by running w at er and it s erosive act ivit y Foliose leaf -like grow t h Forbs herbaceous dicot yledons; all herbaceous plant s except grasses Forest veget at ion w it h t rees more t han 5 m high and more t han 50% solid canopy cover FPA Forest Pract ices Aut horit y FPP Forest Pract ices Plan, previously Timber Harvest ing Plan G Gallery rainforest closed rainf orest t o 20 m t all, occurring in t he riparian zone w it h periodic f looding Gap phase replacement a successional t erm f or t ree regenerat ion in rainf orest s. When a t ree f alls dow n, a gap in t he canopy is creat ed. This gap allow s sunlight t o direct ly reach t he f orest f loor. Tree seedlings t hen germinat e in t his sunlight and grow up t o f ill t he gap in t he canopy Generic ref erring t o all members of a genus Genetic variants variat ion of alleles (genes) w it hin a gene pool – t heref ore variat ion in t he expression of t rait charact erist ics (e.g. colour variat ions) Geographic cline a gradual change in charact er over t he range of a species (w it h a change in geography) Geophytes plant s w hich have underground st orage organs t hat lie ent irely beneat h t he surf ace of t he soil and are t heref ore prot ect ed f rom cold or dry air (e.g. corm, t uber, bulb or rhizome) Glacial refuge an area or habit at t hat has been prot ect ed f rom great changes in t he environment such as climat e (ice age), so t hat a relict populat ion has cont inued t o exist . In t his case, plant s f rom a pre-glacial climat e Glaucous surf ace of plant having a w axy greyish-blue surf ace e.g. leaves of some juvenile eucalypt s Gnamma pits hollow w eat hered pit s in rock, usually granit e, w here soil can build up and plant s est ablish. The deeper t he pit and soil, t he larger t he plant s can grow Graminoid f low ering plant t hat is grass-like in appearance; a t erm t hat encompasses sedges, rushes, t assel rushes and some lilies and irises I IBRA Int erim Biogeographic Regionalisat ion f or Aust ralia Implicate low and t angled rainf orest Inselberg a st eep-sided hill of solid rock (e.g. granit e) – a st eep ridge or eroded mount ain on an ot herw ise f lat plain Insolated slopes a slope w hich receives high amount s of sunshine Interstadial a short phase of w armer climat e during t he course of a major glacial st age t hat is not w arm or long enough t o be deemed an int erglacial st age J JANIS Joint Aust ralian New Zealand Nat ional Forest Policy St at ement Implement at ion Sub Commit t ee Jurassic middle period of t he M esozoic era of geological t ime, approximat ely 195-135 million years ago. Also know n as t he Age of Dinosaurs Granodorite a course grained acid igneous rock 20-40% quart z, t ypically light in colour L H Halophyte a plant adapt ed t o living in highly saline soil and/or accumulat ing a high concent rat ion of salt Hard pan a layer of st rongly cement ed mat erial occurring in unconsolidat ed sediment s, of t en f ound a short dist ance below t he surf ace Holocene recent geological t ime ext ending f rom approximat ely 10 000 years ago t o t he present day Hummock a low mound, knoll or hill Hydrology t he st udy of w at er movement and st orage in soil and landf orms; it s composit ion and propert ies Lateritic sediments comprised of a variet y of coloured soils (e.g. red, brow n and yellow ) – due t o t he presence of iron and aluminium oxides or hydroxides Leaf anthocyanin a red phot osynt het ic compound f ound in t he cell vacuole; act s as an ant ioxidant t o increase resist ance t o UV damage Legumes a plant w hich bears a dry dehiscent f ruit (pod) cont aining one or more seeds (Fabaceae) Lentic pert aining t o st ill w at ers such as ponds, lakes, or sw amps Lithosere a st age in succession on rock Lotic pert aining t o f low ing w at er such as rivers and st reams Glossary and Abbreviations 419 Glossary and Abbreviations Lunette a t erm ref erring t o an asymmet rical crescent ridge (half moon shape) of aeolian origin on t he leew ard side of cert ain Aust ralian lakes and sw amps M M acroalgae mult icellular algae e.g. kelp M acroclimate region t he climat e of a large area or M allee plant s w it h st ems arising f rom lignot ubers at t he base of t he plant (part ially or w holly underground) f orming a small bushy t ree or shrub; ref ers especially t o eucalypt s M apping units all t he mapping cat egories used on t he TASVEG map, most of w hich are ecological veget at ion communit ies M arsh a low land area of sof t , w et soil, charact erised by sedges, grasses and rushes M arsupial law n a nat ive grassy herbf ield grazed very closely t o t he ground by marsupials, or in some cases by rabbit s M at heath heat h less t han 15 cm t all f ound on most Tasmanian mount ains M esic habit at charact erised by a moderat e amount of moist ure M esophyllous a plant inhabit ing moist environment s and charact erised by large sof t leaves M etamorphosed rocks alt ered in t heir mineralogy, t ext ure and int ernal st ruct ure ow ing t o ext ernal sources of heat , pressure or chemical st ruct ure - creat ed by heat and pressure such t hat t he minerals, f abric, colour are changed, but not t he composit ion. Usually caused by deep burial w it hin t he eart h’s crust M etasediments rocks met amorphosed sediment ary M ire small muddy marsh, including any peat f orming w et land M ixed forest w et eucalypt f orest w it h an underst orey of rainf orest species 420 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation M onoculture t he cult ivat ion of a crop of a single species in successive years M ontane occurring in or relat ed t o mount ainous areas – especially below t he t reeline, having cool, moist t emperat ures M oorland a region of open highland t hat is f ound in w et exposed condit ions w here t he soil w at er can seep lat erally. It has an acid peat y soil and permanent ly w at erlogged subsoil M oraine rock debris t hat is t ransport ed and deposit ed by glacial ice act ion M yrtaceous belonging t o a large and import ant order of t rees and shrubs (M yrt aceae) N Nala a soil associat ion on Flinders Island w it h deep grit t y sands and w ell developed B horizon NFI NFPS N.P. Nat ional Forest Invent ory Nat ional Forest Policy St at ement Nat ional Park Niche t he place and role occupied by an organism w it hin it s environment , det ermined by it s nut rit ional requirement s, habit et c. Non vascular having no vessels or duct s t o cont ain or t ransport w at er and nut rient s e.g. algae, lichens, f ungi and mosses NVIS Nat ional Veget at ion Inf ormat ion Syst em O Obligate seeder only able t o exist under st rict condit ions i.e. a plant t hat can only reproduce via seed Old grow th f orest w it h mat ure dominant t rees and in w hich t he eff ect s of dist urbance are negligible Oligotrophic peaty soils w et soils comprised of peat , w it h low levels of nut rient s and product ivit y Open w oodland veget at ion w it h t rees more t han 5 m high and solid crow n cover bet w een 5% and 20% Ordovician t he second earliest period of t he Paleozoic era (af t er t he Cambrian), f rom approximat ely 505-438 million years ago Outw ash plains t he dist inct f ans f ormed f rom f luvial glacial mat erial (released f rom glacial melt ). Formed f rom gravels, sands and clays P Parabolic dune a t ype of curved U-shaped sand dune w it h a crest point ing dow nw ind. The elongat ed arms of parabolic dunes f ollow rat her t han lead because t hey have been f ixed by veget at ion, w hile t he bulk of t he sand in t he dune migrat es f orw ard Peat very dark unconsolidat ed f ibrous mat erial f ormed in a w et environment f rom nat urally decayed and part ly decayed plant mat t er, especially moss Perennial plant t hat f low ers more t han once and survives more t han t w o years Permian last period of t he Paleozoic era of geological t ime; approximat ely 286-245 million years ago. Time of t he f irst great mass ext inct ion w it h 95% of species disappearing Permo-Triassic t he Permian syst em and t he Triassic syst em considered t oget her Petibela soil a soil associat ion on Flinders Island w it h sodic propert ies (cont aining t he element Sodium), poorly–drained and high salinit y Phyllodes a f lat t ened pet iole resembling and perf orming t he f unct ions of a leaf e.g. possessed by many Acacia species Phyllodinous having phyllodes Physiographic pert aining t o t he origin and evolut ion of landf orms, in part icular t he charact er and dist ribut ion of slope and elevat ion Phytogeography t he st udy of t he geographic dist ribut ion of plant s Phytophthora a soil-based Chromist a disease of plant s, Phyt opht hora cinnamomi inf ect s plant root s and kills some nat ive species Plantation int ensively managed t rees of eit her nat ive or exot ic species, usually monospecif ic (single species) st ands Plateau an elevat ed or highland area of comparat ively f lat land t hat has an abrupt descent t o low er land on at least one side Pleistocene geologic period beginning approximat ely 1.6 million years ago and ending w it h t he melt ing of t he large cont inent al glaciers approximat ely 11 500 years ago. Also know n as t he Ice Age Podsol soil t ype of cool t emperat e, moist or humid climat es, t ypically develops under heat h veget at ion t o f orm an organic mat over a st rongly developed grey leached layer Projective foliage cover percent age of sky blocked out w hen looking up at t he t ree canopy Prostrate lying f lat on t he ground Pteridophyta f erns and allied plant s, i.e. all vascular plant s t hat reproduce w it h spores rat her t han seeds Pyrogenic very f lammable or plant s t hat are f ire promot ing R RAC Resource Assessment Commission Regenerating veget at ion recolonising an area previously dist urbed or removed of it s original veget at ion Regrow th young plant s produced f rom t he regenerat ing process, part icularly t hose result ing f rom nat ural regenerat ion RFA Regional Forest Agreement : an agreement bet w een t he Commonw ealt h and St at e government s about t he long-t erm management and use of f orest s in a region Glossary and Abbreviations 421 Glossary and Abbreviations Rhizome a root like horizont al st em, grow ing part ially or w holly underground; can f orm “ new ” plant s by producing root s f rom t he st em nodes Riparian vegetation plant s grow ing by and associat ed w it h rivers, creeks, w et lands or ot her w at ercourses Rosette an arrangement of leaves t hat radiat e in a clust er or w horl, usually close t o t he ground Ruderal species robust , st urdy or vigorous plant s; can be w eedy grow ing in dist urbed sit es (e.g. roadsides) Runnels an alt ernat ive t erm f or t he linear depression (sw ale) w hich lies bet w een parallel ridges (bars) on a shoreline beach or on a river f loodplain S Sagg a sedge, t ypically Lomandra longif olia Siliceous cont ains silica or silicon dioxide Silviculture t he management of f orest s f or t imber product ion Skeletal barely in exist ence; poorly developed (e.g. skelet al soil is st ony, shallow soil t hat is poorly developed) Soak an area t horoughly w et or sat urat ed; usually a depression in sand or soil w here rainw at er collect s Stand age f orest t he age of a group of t rees w it hin a Stochastic disturbance random dist urbance, exhibit ing variabilit y due t o random event s rat her t han by an ident if iable cause Stratum a layer of rock or soil t hat is dist inguishable f rom t he surrounding rock; each layer is generally one of a number of parallel layers t hat lie one upon anot her Schist a f ine t o medium grained met amorphic rock w it h roughly parallel orient at ion of micaceous minerals (layers); it can t heref ore be split int o t hin plat es Subalpine describing t he region, climat e, and veget at ion just below t he t ree line t hat is covered w it h snow f or part of t he year Scleromorphic veget at ion having charact erist ics of leat hery and/or hard leaves w it h a t hick w axy out erlayer of prot ect ive skin and a large amount of f ibrous t issue Succession describes t he sequence of nat ural gradual change in species composit ion in a communit y, t he f inal result of w hich (w it hout dist urbance) is t he development of a st able climax communit y Scree an accumulat ion of rock f ragment s (e.g. boulders) at t he base of a cliff , or a sheet of coarse rock debris on a mount ain slope Sedimentary rocks f ormed by t he accumulat ion of sediment (any solid t hat has set t led out of suspension in a liquid) Senescence t he condit ion of old age especially applied t o plant s (or plant part s) but also lakes Seral stage a st age of succession of plant colonisat ion, w hich is t ransit ional. Wit hout f urt her dist urbance, t he seral st age w ill give w ay t o anot her plant communit y t hat represent s a f urt her st age of succession leading t o a veget at ion climax 422 Serpentinite a rock composed primarily of t he mineral Serpent ine From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Succulent a f leshy plant t hat st ores excess w at er in it s t issues so t hat it is able t o survive in hot dry condit ions Sw ale a linear depression in t he landscape, of t en f ormed by w ind erosion or by t he build up of ridges t hat is seasonally w et or marshy Sw amp a seasonally f looded low land w it h more w oody plant s t han a marsh and bet t er drainage t han a bog Sw ard of grass an area covered by grass Synecology t he branch of ecology t hat examines w hole communit ies and t he int eract ions of t he organisms w it hin t hem T U Talus pediment a plain of eroded bedrock developed f rom t alus bet w een mount ain and basal areas; a mass of rock f ragment s at t he base of a cliff Umbrageous shady, usually cool. As used here – t he t rees t hat provide shade by a spreading dense crow n Talus slope a slope produced by t he gravit at ional erosion of a cliff or ot her st eep slope Tarn cirques a small lake f ound in mount ainous regions of t en f iling a depression lef t by glacial erosion Terrestrial t erm used t o describe anyt hing originat ing on t he land as dist inct f rom w at er Tertiary t he f irst geological t ime period of t he Cenozoic Era, beginning approximat ely 65 million years and last ing t o approximat ely 1.6 million years bef ore t he present ; includes t he f ormat ion of high mount ains, t he dominance of mammals on land, and angiosperms superseding gymnosperms as dominant plant s Thamnic medium height rainf orest w it h shrubby underst orey THP Timber Harvest ing Plan now called Forest Pract ices Plan Understorey t he short er plant s t hat do not f orm part of t he f orest canopy or t he ground layer W Wetland an area of land t hat is periodically f looded and cont ains aquat ic herbs, sedges and/or rushes WHA World Herit age Area Windrow s veget at ion w ind pruned int o row s; long piles of compost ing mat erial, including f orest ry slash by-product in areas cleared f or plant at ion or sow ing grass Windthrow s shallow -root ed t rees t hat are blow n over, creat ing a gap in t he canopy Woodland veget at ion w it h t rees more t han 5 m high, and solid canopy cover of bet w een 5% and 50% . See also open w oodland, f orest Tombolo a t ype of sandy or shingly coast al spit t hat ext ends out w ard f rom t he shore, linking an island t o t he mainland Tor a pile of rock slabs or slabs st anding on end; a rocky out crop Tufa porous limest one f ormed f rom calcium carbonat e deposit s creat ed by evaporat ion around springs or f rom a lake surf ace Tussock grass t uf t or clump, usually of a perennial Triassic t he f irst period in t he M esozoic era of geological t ime; approximat ely 250–190 million years ago TVM P Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Program Glossary and Abbreviations 423 Appendices Appendix 1: Characteristics of some forest and w oodland definitions. From Brow n (2005) Program Specht (1970) FAO Vegetation type Tree form Potential height Cover* M inimum area Unspecif ied Forest Single st em >5 m >30% (pf c) Woodland Single st em >5 m 10-30% (pf c) Unspecif ied Open w oodland Single st em >5 m <10% (pf c) Unspecif ied >10% (crow n) 0.5 ha Scrub M ult i-st emmed 2-8 m Forest Unspecif ied 5m FORWOOD Forest Unspecif ied 20 m Unspecif ied Unspecif ied NFPS Forest and w oodland Unspecif ied 5m 30% (pf c) Unspecif ied Unspecif ied RAC Forest Single st em 5m 30% (pf c) Woodland Single st em 5m 10-30% (pf c) Unspecif ied NFI/St at e of Forest Forest and w oodland Single st em 2m 20% (crow n) Unspecif ied Tas RFA Forest and w oodland Single st em 8m >5% (crow n) 3 ha NVIS Forest (non-mallee) Unspecif ied <10 m >50% (crow n) Unspecif ied Woodland (non-mallee) Unspecif ied <3 m 20-50% (crow n) Unspecif ied TASVEG Forest and w oodland Single st em >5 m >5% (crow n) 1-3 ha FT PI maps Forest Unspecif ied >8 m >5% 3 ha FPA Forest Unspecif ied >5 m Unspecif ied Unspecif ied * pf c = project ed f oliage cover 424 Unspecif ied From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Appendix 2: Table of equivalence betw een TASVEG forest ecological vegetation communities and RFA forest communities TASVEG/ RFA Non-eucalypt forest community equivalence RFA code RFA community title TASVEG TASVEG community title code BS Banksia serrat a w oodland NBS Banksia serrat a w oodland ME M elaleuca ericif olia f orest NM E M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest BF Acacia melanoxylon on f lat s NAF Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest SI Acacia dealbat a f orest NAD Acacia dealbat a f orest BR Acacia melanoxylon on rises NAR Acacia melanoxylon f orest on rises NP Not elaea ligust rina and/or Pomaderris apet ala f orest NNP Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest AV Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest NAV Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest CR Callit ris rhomboidea f orest NCR Callit ris rhomboidea f orest L Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest NLM Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest PL Plant at ion FPL Plant at ions f or silvicult ure No equivalent RFA Code NAL Allocasuarina lit t oralis f orest No equivalent RFA Code NLA Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest (may have been included in RFA L) No equivalent RFA Code NLE Lept ospermum f orest (may have been included in RFA L) TASVEG/ RFA Rainforest community equivalence RFA code RFA community title TASVEG TASVEG community title code F King billy pine w it h deciduous beech RKF At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest X King billy pine RKP At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest PP Pencil pine RPP At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest H Huon Pine RHP Lagarost robos f ranklinii rainf orest and scrub M+ Tall rainf orest RM T RCO Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest Coast al rainf orest M- Short rainf orest RM S RCO Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest Coast al rainf orest PD Pencil pine w it h deciduous beech short rainf orest RPF At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii No equivalent RFA Code RSH Highland low rainf orest and scrub (may have been included in RFA M -) No equivalent RFA Code RM L Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (may have been included in RFA L or M -) No equivalent RFA Code RPW At hrot axis cupressoides open w oodland (may have been included in RFA PP) Appendix 425 Appendices Appendix 2 (continued): Table of equivalence betw een TASVEG forest ecological vegetation communities and RFA forest communities TASVEG/ RFA Wet eucalypt forest community equivalence RFA code RFA community title TASVEG TASVEG community title code KG King Island E. globulus–E. brookeriana– E. viminalis f orest WGK DKW King Island eucalypt w oodland BA E. brookeriana w et f orest WBR E. brookeriana w et f orest NT E. nit ida w et f orest WNU WNL WNR E. nit ida w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) E. nit ida f orest over Lept ospermum E. nit ida over rainf orest SU E. subcrenulat a f orest WSU E. subcrenulat a f orest and w oodland OT E. obliqua w et f orest WOU WOB WOL WOR E. E. E. E. VW E. viminalis w et f orest on basalt WVI E. viminalis w et f orest DT E. delegat ensis t all f orest WDU WDB WDL WDR WDA DCR E. E. E. E. E. E. R E. regnans f orest WRE WGL DCR E. regnans f orest E. globulus w et f orest E. cordat a f orest E. globulus King Island f orest obliqua obliqua obliqua obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs f orest over Lept ospermum f orest over rainf orest delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest dalrympleana f orest cordat a f orest TASVEG/ RFA Dry eucalypt forest community equivalence RFA code RFA community title TASVEG TASVEG community title code AC Coast al E. amygdalina dry sclerophyll f orest DAC E. amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland AD E. amygdalina on dolerit e DAD E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e AI Inland E. amygdalina f orest DAI DAM DAZ E. amygdalina inland f orest E. amygdalina f orest on mudst one (new RFA) E. amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (new RFA) E. viminalis shrubby/heat hy w oodland AS E. amygdalina on sandst one DVS 426 From Forest to Fjaeldmark DAS Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation E. amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one TASVEG/ RFA Dry eucalypt forest community equivalence RFA code RFA community title TASVEG TASVEG community title code P E. pulchella–E. globulus–E. viminalis grassy shrubby dry sclerophyll f orest DPU E. pulchella f orest and w oodland DCR DBA E. cordat a f orest E. barberi f orest and w oodland DDE DDP E. delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland E. dalrympleana–E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland E. cordat a f orest E. dalrympleana f orest D E. delegat ensis dry f orest DCR WDA MO E. morrisbyi f orest DM O E. morrisbyi f orest and w oodland N E. nit ida dry f orest DNI E. nit ida dry f orest and w oodland O E. obliqua dry f orest DOB E. obliqua dry f orest PJ E. paucif lora on Jurassic dolerit e DPD E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e E. dalrympleana–E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland DDP PS E. paucif lora on ot her subst rat es DPO DM W E. paucif lora f orest and w oodland not on dolerit e M idlands w oodland complex RI E. risdonii f orest DRI E. risdonii f orest and w oodland RO E. rodw ayi f orest DRO E. rodw ayi f orest and w oodland SG E. sieberi f orest on granit e DSG E. sieberi f orest and w oodland on granit e TD E. t enuiramis f orest on dolerit e DTD E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on dolerit e TI Inland E. t enuiramis f orest DTO E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s E. perriniana f orest and w oodland SO E. sieberi f orest on ot her subst rat es DSO E. sieberi f orest and w oodland not on granit e V E. viminalis grassy f orest DVG DM W E. viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland M idlands w oodland complex VF Furneaux E. viminalis f orest DVF E. viminalis Furneaux f orest and w oodland T E. t enuiramis f orest on granit e DTG E. t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e DPE NF Furneaux E. nit ida f orest DNF E. nit ida Furneaux f orest C E. coccif era f orest DCO DGW E. coccif era f orest and w oodland E. gunnii w oodland G E. viminalis and/or E. globulus coast al shrubby f orest DVC E. viminalis–E. globulus coast al f orest and w oodland OV Shrubby E. ovat a–E. viminalis f orest DOV DOW DM W E. ovat a f orest and w oodland E. ovat a heat hy w oodland M idlands w oodland complex DSC E. viminalis–E. ovat a–E. amygdalina– E. obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest DSC E. amygdalina–E. obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest GG Grassy E. globulus f orest DGL E. globulus dry f orest and w oodland Appendix 427 Index Acacia dealbat a f orest (NAD) 306 climat e 20-22 Acacia longif olia coast al scrub (SAC) 60 Coast al complex on King Island (SCK) 66 Acacia melanoxylon f orest on rises (NAR) 308 Coast al grass and herbf ield (GHC) 384 Acacia melanoxylon sw amp f orest (NAF) 310 Coast al heat hland (SCH) 68 Agricult ural land (FAG) 198 Coast al rainf orest (RCO) 164 Agricult ural, urban and exot ic veget at ion 194 Coast al scrub (SSC) 70 Alkaline pans (M AP) 122 Coast al scrub on alkaline sands (SCA) 72 Allocasuarina lit t oralis f orest (NAL) 312 complex (def init ion) 8-9, 417 Allocasuarina vert icillat a f orest (NAV) 314 Cushion moorland (HCM ) 40 Alpine conif erous heat hland (HCH) 38 At hrot axis cupressoides open w oodland (RPW) 154 At hrot axis cupressoides rainf orest (RPP) 156 At hrot axis cupressoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RPF) 152 At hrot axis selaginoides rainf orest (RKP) 160 At hrot axis selaginoides subalpine scrub (RKS) 162 At hrot axis selaginoides–Not hof agus gunnii short rainf orest (RKF) 158 Aust ralian Government Product ivit y Commission Inquiry vi Banksia marginat a w et scrub (SBM ) 62 Banksia serrat a w oodland (NBS) 316 bioregions 8, 29, 31 Broad-leaf scrub (SBR) 64 Bursaria–Acacia w oodland and scrub (NBA) 318 But t ongrass moorland (undiff erent iat ed) (M BU) 124 But t ongrass moorland w it h emergent shrubs (M BS) 126 Cainozoic deposit s 224, 228, 235, 295 Callit ris rhomboidea f orest (NCR) 320 cat ast rophic dist urbances t o veget at ion 21, 328 428 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation dieback 21, 216, 380, 393, 394, 396 disease 117, 147, 175, 180 dolerit e 21-22, 226, 269, 283 Dry eucalypt f orest and w oodland 214 Dry scrub (SDU) 74 East ern alpine heat hland (HHE) 42 East ern alpine sedgeland (HSE) 44 East ern alpine veget at ion (undiff erent iat ed) (HUE) 46 East ern but t ongrass moorland (M BE) 128 Eucalypt us amygdalina coast al f orest and w oodland (DAC) 224 Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DAD) 226 Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest and w oodland on sandst one (DAS) 228 Eucalypt us amygdalina f orest on mudst one (DAM ) 230 Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest (DAI) 233 Eucalypt us amygdalina inland f orest and w oodland on Cainozoic deposit s (DAZ) 235 Eucalypt us amygdalina–Eucalypt us obliqua damp sclerophyll f orest (DSC) 238 Eucalypt us barberi f orest and w oodland (DBA) 240 Eucalypt us brookeriana w et f orest (WBR) 340 Eucalypt us coccif era f orest and w oodland (DCO) 242 Eucalypt us cordat a f orest (DCR) 244 Eucalypt us dalrympleana f orest (WDA) 342 Eucalypt us dalrympleana–Eucalypt us 246 paucif lora f orest and w oodland (DDP) Eucalypt us delegat ensis dry f orest and w oodland (DDE) 248 Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over Lept ospermum (WDL) 344 Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest over rainf orest (WDR) 346 Eucalypt us delegat ensis f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WDB) 349 Eucalypt us delegat ensis w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WDU) 352 Eucalypt us globulus dry f orest and w oodland (DGL) 250 Eucalypt us globulus King Island f orest (WGK) 355 Eucalypt us globulus w et f orest (WGL) 358 Eucalypt us gunnii w oodland (DGW) 252 Eucalypt us morrisbyi f orest and w oodland (DM O) 254 Eucalypt us nit ida dry f orest and w oodland (DNI) 256 Eucalypt us nit ida f orest over Lept ospermum (WNL) 360 Eucalypt us nit ida f orest over rainf orest (WNR) 362 Eucalypt us obliqua f orest w it h broad-leaf shrubs (WOB) 370 Eucalypt us obliqua w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WOU) 372 Eucalypt us ovat a f orest and w oodland (DOV) 262 Eucalypt us ovat a heat hy w oodland (DOW) 265 Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland not on dolerit e (DPO) 267 Eucalypt us paucif lora f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DPD) 269 Eucalypt us perriniana f orest and w oodland (DPE) 271 Eucalypt us pulchella f orest and w oodland (DPU) 273 Eucalypt us regnans f orest (WRE) 374 Eucalypt us risdonii f orest and w oodland (DRI) 275 Eucalypt us rodw ayi f orest and w oodland (DRO) 277 Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland not on granit e (DSO) 279 Eucalypt us sieberi f orest and w oodland on granit e (DSG) 281 Eucalypt us subcrenulat a f orest and w oodland (WSU) 376 Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on dolerit e (DTD) 283 Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on granit e (DTG) 285 Eucalypt us nit ida Furneaux f orest (DNF) 258 Eucalypt us t enuiramis f orest and w oodland on sediment s (DTO) 287 Eucalypt us nit ida w et f orest (undiff erent iat ed) (WNU) 364 Eucalypt us viminalis Furneaux f orest and w oodland (DVF) 289 Eucalypt us obliqua dry f orest (DOB) 260 Eucalypt us viminalis grassy f orest and w oodland (DVG) 291 Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over Lept ospermum (WOL) 366 Eucalypt us obliqua f orest over rainf orest (WOR) 368 Eucalypt us viminalis shrubby/heat hy w oodland (DVS) 295 Index 429 Index Eucalypt us viminalis w et f orest (WVI) 378 Eucalypt us viminalis–Eucalypt us globulus coast al f orest and w oodland (DVC) 293 int ersect ional key 32 King Island eucalypt w oodland (DKW) 296 Ext ra-urban miscellaneous (FUM ) 200 Lacust rine herbland (AHL) 406 f ire 8, 22, 24, 34, 53, 117, 147, 215, 300, 334, 380 Freshw at er aquat ic herbland (AHF) 402 Lagarost robos f ranklinii rainf orest and scrub (RHP) 170 Freshw at er aquat ic sedgeland and rushland (ASF) 404 Lept ospermum f orest (NLE ) 322 Geo Temporal Species Point Observat ions Tasmania (GTSpot ) 14 Lept ospermum scoparium–Acacia mucronat a f orest (NLA) 326 geology 20, 21-23, 41, 70, 75, 238, 385 Lept ospermum scrub (SLW) 86 Lept ospermum lanigerum–M elaleuca squarrosa sw amp f orest (NLM ) 324 geomorphology 21-23 Lept ospermum w it h rainf orest scrub (RLS) 172 granit e 22, 78, 279, 281, 285 Lichen lit hosere (ORO) 188 grazing 34, 117, 131, 198, 215, 229, 231, 237, 251, 255, 274, 391, 301, 318, 380, 387, 391, 393, 395, 398, 403, 407 Low land grassland complex (GCL) 389 GTSpot Low land grassy sedgeland (GSL) 391 Low land Poa labillardierei grassland (GPL) 392 14 Low land sedgy heat hland (SHL) 89 Heat hland on calcarenit e (SHC) 76 Low land Themeda t riandra grassland (GTL) 394 Heat hland on granit e (SHG) 78 Heat hland scrub complex at Wingaroo (SCW) 80 430 mapping unit (def init ion) 420 M arram grassland (FM G) 201 M elaleuca ericif olia sw amp f orest (NM E) 328 Heat hland scrub mosaic on Flinders Island (SHF) 82 M elaleuca pust ulat a scrub (SM P) 91 Highland grassy sedgeland (M GH) 130 M elaleuca squamea heat hland (SM M ) 93 Highland low rainf orest and scrub (RSH) 166 M elaleuca squarrosa scrub (SM R) 95 Highland Poa grassland (GPH) 386 M idlands w oodland complex (DM W) 298 Highland rainf orest scrub w it h dead At hrot axis selaginoides (RKX) 168 M oorland, sedgeland, rushland and peat land 116 Highland t reeless veget at ion 34 mosaic (def init ion) 8-9 Hist ory of Tasmanian veget at ion mapping 12-16 mudst one 131, 183, 230, 333, 385 Inland heat hland (undiff erent iat ed) (SHU) 84 Nat ural Herit age Trust (NHT) vi, 13 int egrat ion of mapping 12-16 Nat ional Veget at ion Framew ork vi From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation Nat ive grassland 380 Regenerat ing cleared land (FRG) 207 Non-eucalypt f orest and w oodland 300 Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) 12-13, 214 nomenclat ure of mapping unit s 9 relief map of Tasmania 23 Not elaea–Pomaderris–Beyeria f orest (NNP) 330 resolut ion of mapping 15 Not hof agus gunnii rainf orest and scrub (RFS) 182 Rest ionaceae rushland (M RR) 133 Not hof agus–At herosperma rainf orest (RM T) 174 Not hof agus–Lept ospermum short rainf orest (RM L) 177 Not hof agus–Phyllocladus short rainf orest (RM S) 180 RFA Forest Communit ies M ap 13 Riparian scrub (SRI) 99 Rockplat e grassland (GRP) 396 Saline aquat ic herbland (AHS) 408 Saline sedgeland/rushland (ARS) 410 Salt marsh (undiff erent iat ed) (AUS) 412 Ot her nat ural environment s 186 Salt marsh and w et land 398 Sand, mud (OSM ) 190 peat 41, 47, 50, 63, 79, 80, 82, 87, 95, 112, 113, 116-165, 157, 163, 181, 183, 301, 317, 327, 360, 362, 407 Permanent easement (FPE) 202 pest s 147 Phytophthora cinnamomi 53, 89, 117, 147, 216, 300 PI t yping 12-14 Plant at ions f or silvicult ure (FPL) 203 Post 2000 WHA mapping 13-14 Privat e Forest Board 15 Prot ect ed Areas on Privat e Land Program vi Pt eridium esculent um f ernland (FPF) 205 Pure but t ongrass moorland (M BP) 132 sandst one 50, 93, 161, 162, 228, 332, 376 scale (of mapping) 13-15 Scient if ic Advisory Commit t ee (SAC) 14 Scient if ic Ref erence Group (SRG) 14 Scrub complex on King Island (SSK) 102 Scrub, heat hland and coast al complexes 52 Seabird rookery complex (SRC) 105 sediment s 224, 230, 233, 235, 267, 287 soil 21-22 Sparse but t ongrass moorland on slopes (M BR) 136 Spart ina marshland (FSM ) 209 Sphagnum peat land (M SP) 138 quart zit e 50, 116, 136, 323, 332 Subalpine Diplarrena lat if olia rushland (M DS) 140 Queenst ow n regrow t h mosaic (SQR) 97 Subalpine heat hland (SHS) 107 rainf all (Tasmania) 20-21 Subalpine Lept ospermum nit idum w oodland (NLN) 332 Rainf orest and relat ed scrub 146 Succulent saline herbland (ASS) 413 Rainf orest f ernland (RFE) 184 Recommended Areas f or Prot ect ion (RAPs) 12 Index 431 Index Tasmanian Veget at ion M apping Program (TVM P) 13, 214 TASVEG2000 mapping 13-16 t emperat ure (Tasmania) 20-21 Urban areas (FUR) 210 volcanics 21-22, 49, 63, 110, 178, 327, 356 Wat er, sea (OAQ) 192 Weed inf est at ion (FWU) 212 w eeds 53, 99, 191, 194, 201, 209, 212, 215, 237, 295, 319, 329, 355, 359, 379, 381, 393 West ern alpine heat hland (HHW) 48 West ern alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW) 50 West ern but t ongrass moorland (M BW) 142 West ern low land sedgeland (M SW) 144 West ern subalpine scrub (SSW) 109 West ern w et scrub (SWW) 111 Wet eucalypt f orest and w oodland 334 Wet heat hland (SHW) 113 Wet land (undiff erent iat ed) (AWU) 415 WHA Complex mapping 13-15 World Herit age Area (WHA) 13-16 432 From Forest to Fjaeldmark Descriptions of Tasmania’s Vegetation