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½ to Broad Ecosystems main page ½ explanation of terms ½ Broad ecosystems: our text compared to Qld Herbarium text ½ Land zone description ½

Explanation of terms used in the Broad Ecosystems documents:
e.g.

1 rainforest, scrubs

36 seasonally very dry rainforest

dry deciduous evergreen (semi-evergreen) to deciduous microphyll semi-open to open thicket +/- closed +/- deciduous mid-high or
Hoop Pine emergents +/- vines and seasonally dry to very dry

EIU C 9.5.2 Dry vine forest on deep red earths on Tertiary sandstone plateaus

9.5.2 C near level sands 1 36

LANDFORM flat; VEG STRUCTURE & FLORISTICS Semi-evergreen vine thicket; GEOLOGY SOIL TQr

The above extract can be read without any interpretation really…. odd numbers or jargon can be ignored… they link to statewide systems for professional use… but for those risking confusion:

Broad Vegetation Types of Qld (Qld Herbarium) statewide broadest veg type (8 taxa): number ="1", brief descr = "rainforest, scrubs"

Note the word "ecosystems" is more correct than "vegetation types" as we are thinking in terms of all biodiversity not just plants)

Qld Herbarium’s "more detailed Broad Groups" have been extensively adapted and modified for local use to 28 taxa click here for an overview of vegetation type description derivations

More detailed Broad Ecosystem Group Number="36", name of the more detailed broad group is "seasonally very dry rainforest" followed by it’s general description "dry deciduous evergreen (semi-evergreen) to deciduous microphyll semi-open to open thicket +/- closed +/- deciduous mid-high or Hoop Pine emergents +/- vines and seasonally dry to very dry"

"EIU" refers to the biogregion "Einasleigh Uplands" (other bioregions in area BBN is brigalow Belt North, WT is wet tropics)

The next type in bold refers to the legal regional ecosystems as defined in the act’s regulations.

"C 9.5.2" the "C" part means this regional ecosystem has conservation status "Of Concern"

Note.. there are two entirely different sets of threatened ecosystem definitions and both are mapped by the Queensland Herbarium. There is a huge difference between the definitions. As yet we have not explained either system.

The "9.5.2" part is the legal regional ecosystem number where the "9" = the bioregion number, "5" = the land zone number.

"Dry vine forest on deep red earths on Tertiary sandstone plateaus" is the bioregion wide accepted name of the legally correct regional ecosystem. The local description underneath often provides more useful information.

The smaller text "9.5.2 C" underneath the larger text represents the regional ecosystem map legend code and often differs from the legal number. The "c" here is basically a repeat of the "C" above, but often it will be written as "~c" indicates while not "of concern" legally this part of the larger legal entity was considered at risk at least by some.

"near level sands" is the land zone name (of land zone "5"). Click here for more detail on landzones

"LANDFORM flat; VEG STRUCTURE & FLORISTICS Semi-evergreen vine thicket; GEOLOGY SOIL TQr" is the locally produced legend tag for the official regional ecosystem ecosystem map that is often far more complete than the legal bioregion wide tag.

At present we do not present a list of the geology/soil codes and their meanings

Note "Land Form" is based on Australian Soil and Land Survey field Handbook, second edition.

The 28 Broad Vegetation Groupings that give the best wild asset overview of the Townsville Region compared with Herbarium structures.

Intended as a standard for educational institutions, enthusiasts, public ecosystem displays, plant CD’s and natural asset managers.

Derived from the Qld. Herbarium’s "Broad Groups of Queensland" guidelines. That document is not considered core business for the Qld. Herbarium and is certainly not something to apply rigorously. In other words documents like this have to be adapted for regional use and here is our adaptation.

Adaptations like this only emerge from the finely detailed study of ecosystems. But don't worry about the detail… what really counts is "what are the broad vegetation bodies that most enthusiasts or professionals in allied fields will with a little education and effort be able to readily recognise throughout our region. The purpose is to provide a very useful broad understanding of all our region's biodiversity and how it logically fits into the regional landscape in terms of microclimate, topography, altitude, distance inland, rainfall, soils. Conservation status can be delivered in the same way. All this can now readily be communicated on maps.

Simple consistent and clear communication to the general public and enthusiasts can emerge from this study if adopted as a regional standard. Discussions with authorities should press for it's extension to Bowen, up to Ingham and out to Pentland.

While these are derived for the Townsville 1:250,000 map sheet, they will apply far more broadly with only some modifications. However at this early stage in Queensland's regional ecosystem mapping, these broad entities will be harder to map on adjacent sheets where the mapping may not be consistent with Russell Cumming's far more detailed work. Russell has mapped other nearby map sheets and these will certainly help make broader definitions more technically accurate. Those other areas could be similarly mapped to communicate the same logical fit into the landscape.

An entirely different but most important outcome from this work is specific site interpretation. These same mapped broad entities can be used to describe specific sites. E.g. at the National Park picnic ground at Alligator Creek can be found three entities, riverine woodland or forest, Poplar Gum plains and dry rainforest. From this one site maps can readily show the extent of these ecosystems across our region and in return these same maps show likely site characteristics.. like microclimate, topography, altitude, distance inland, rainfall, soils. Site may deviate from the normal and this can be important to know or just interesting.

With the value of this work demonstrated, we can probably over decades as sheets get revised, ask the Queensland Herbarium to broaden this mapping work to ensure consistent coverage everywhere.

We aim to extend the general public are already familiar with "evergreen rainforests", "wetlands" and "mangrove" classifications and we aim to extend this knowledge to a few of the other 24 groups. Conservation priority also.

Understanding breeds respect.

We especially believe that the new Eucalypt dominated broad groups that emerged so clearly will contribute very practically towards a regional overview. These emerged from our analysis of all the eucalypt species listed in the Eucalypt dominated "VLU" descriptions by Russell Cumming (Qld. Herbarium).

Broad Veg No	Proposed Broadest Group names for Townsville	Broad Groups of Qld names (Qld Herbarium’s)	Proposed Broad Detail groups names for Townsville	Proposed Broad Detail group descriptions for Townsville, loosely based as far as possible on the Qld Herbarium’s descriptive text but more specific to the Townsville Region	Broad Groups of Queensland Qld. Herbarium descriptive text
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	seasonally very dry rainforest	dry deciduous evergreen (semi-evergreen) to deciduous microphyll semi-open to open thicket +/- closed +/- deciduous mid-high or Hoop Pine emergents +/- vines and seasonally dry to very dry	Semi-evergreen to deciduous microphyll vine thicket on sediments, metasediments and volcanics.
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	semi-evergreen rainforest on coastal dunes	dry deciduous evergreen microphyll low closed forest or thicket on coastal sand masses +/- Eucalypt or Melaleuca emergents +/- vines and seasonally dry to moderately dry	Rainforest: Notophyll and notophyll feather palm vine forest (often with sclerophyll and / or Araucarian emergents) on coastal sandmasses
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	semi-evergreen rainforest	dry deciduous evergreen notophyll / microphyll and microphyll usually mid-high closed forests +/- vines +/-Eucalypt or Hoop Pine emergents and seasonally dry to moderately dry	Araucarian notophyll / microphyll and microphyll vine forests, occasionally with Eucalypt emergents, on fine-grained sediments, metasediments and basic to intermediate (to acid) volcanics.
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	lowland/lower slopes wetter vine forest; +/- Black Bean (incorporate this into evergreen rainforest?)	lowland (warm) complex notophyll vine forest and notophyll vine forest +/- Black Bean	Rainforest: Lowland (warm) complex notophyll vine forest and Araucarian notophyll vine forest on basic volcanics.
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	evergreen rainforest	simple notophyl tall closed vine forest of the permanently damp highlands uplands and alluvial riparian lowlands +/- patchy closely related evergreen rainforest types +/- vines	Rainforest: Upland (cool) complex notophyll vine forest and microphyll fern forest to thicket.
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	NA to townsville		Rainforest: Notophyll and notophyll feather palm vine forest in alluvia and in moist situations on metasediments and intermediate/ acid volcanics.
1	rainforest, scrubs	Rainforest, Scrubs	NA to Townsville		Complex mesophyll to notophyll vine forests on lowlands and lower slopes (includes semi-deciduous mesophyll/ notophyll/microphyll vine forest)
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	open cliffs	open cliffs, +/- Lophostemon confertus, +/- E. exserta	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	riverine open forest on coastal plains	Eucalyptus tereticornis Melaleuca spp. Casuarina cunninhamiana riparian woodland or open forest	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Poplar Gum woodland on plains and slopes	E. platyphylla, C.clarkesoniana woodland (+/- open) usually with narrow leaved Ironbark and C. dallachyana	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Ironbark only woodland	narrow leaved Ironbark open woodland usually with C. dallachyana	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Eucalypt hilly woodland	E. exserta, shirleyi, peltata, acmenoides, citriodora, woodland (+/- open) to open forest usually with narrow leaved Ironbark and C. dallachyana on the ranges of the coastal plains +/- E. leichhardtii. More inland this grades into E. peltate and shirleyi woodland	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Eucalypt coastal ranges open forest	Corymbia intermedia, E. tereticornis, Syncarpia glomulifera open forest on coastal ranges	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	She-oak/Turpentine uplands open forest	Allocasuarina torulosa Corymbia intermedia, Syncarpia glomulifera open forest in uplands and highlands +/- sparse understorey	Moist open- forests to tall open- forests on coastal sands and sub-coastal sandstones and basalts. Mostly dominated by Eucalyptus pilularis but may include other species such as E. microcorys, E. siderophloia, E. montivaga, Corymbia trachyphloia as sub- dominants. Typically there is a low tree layer of Allocasuarina spp. Grasses are poorly represented in the understorey, apart from on basalts.
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	tall highland Eucalypt open forest	tall to very tall open-forest on permanently damp highlands and uplands +/- E. grandis +/- Syncarpia glomulifera +/- Eucalyptus resinifera +/- well developed understorey with sclerophyllous and/or rainforest species	Wet tall open-forest on uplands and alluvia
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	riverine woodland on inland plains	Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. coolabah, E. tereticornis, Melaleuca western plains riparian	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Box (E. persistens) woodland	Eucalyptus persistens woodland (+/- open, usually dominates alone) on inland plains and foothills	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Red Bloodwood woodland	Corymbia erythrophloia Ironbark woodland (+/- open) usually with narrow leaved Ironbark and C. dallachyana on inland plains and foothills	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Reid River Box inland plains woodland	E. brownii plains woodland (+/- open)	New
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Queensland Yellowjacket woodlands	Eucalyptus similis, C. brachycarpa, C. setosa, C. leichardtii woodlands to open-woodlands on sand sheets	Eucalyptus similis, C. brachycarpa, C. setosa, C. leichardtii woodlands to open-woodlands on sand sheets
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	Miscellaneous Eucalypts	Miscellaneous, E. setosa vlu and E cambageana vlu	New temporary
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville	open forest and woodlands drainage lines (+/- alluvial plains)	Eucalyptus dominated open-forest and woodlands drainage lines and alluvial plains.
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville	dry woodlands (+/- open) out west on alluvial soils	Dry woodlands to open- woodlands in western areas on alluvium and associated flats.
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville	hilly dry woodlands (+/- open) on shallow soils	Dry woodlands to open-woodlands, mostly on shallow soils in hilly terrain (most extensive on sandstone)
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville		Low woodland with Acacia julifera +/- Eucalyptus drepanophylla
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville	hilly dry woodlands (+/- open) usually on coarse soils	Dry woodlands, often on coarse sandy soil, on undulating to hilly terrain.
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville		Eucalypt woodlands and open-forests occurring on granite traprock. Dominant species include E. andrewsii, E. campanulata, E. calignosa, E. dealbata etc.
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville		Moist to dry open- forests to woodlands in coastal areas
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville		Moist to dry open- forests to woodlands on coastal lowlands and ranges
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville		Woodlands and tall woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus tetrodonta
2	Eucalypt dominated	Eucalypt open forests/woodlands	NA to Townsville		Dry woodlands to open- woodlands on undulating to low hilly terrain. Mostly dominated by Corymbia citriodora, but including other species such as Eucalyptus crebra, E. acmenoides, E. fibrosa subsp. fibrosa, Angophora leiocarpa and C. trachyphloia. The understorey may be grassy or heathy.
3	Acacia dominated	Acacia dominated forests woodlands and shrublands	Brigalow, Belah forest	Acacia harpophylla, Casuarina cristata open- forests to woodlands on heavy clay soils. Includes areas co-dominated with A. camabgei and/or emergent eucalypts.	Acacia harpophylla, Casuarina cristata open- forests to woodlands on heavy clay soils. Includes areas co-dominated with A. camabgei and/or emergent eucalypts.
3	Acacia dominated	Acacia dominated forests woodlands and shrublands	Gidgee/Blackwood woodland	Acacia cambagei/A. georginae/A. argyrodendron dominated woodland and closed woodland	Acacia cambagei/A. georginae/A. argyrodendron dominated associations (A. tephrina?)
3	Acacia dominated	Acacia dominated forests woodlands and shrublands	Lancewood/Bendee woodland	Acacia spp. on residuals. Species include A. stowardii, A. shirleyi, A. microsperma, A. catenulata, Acacia rhodoxylon woodland and closed woodland	Acacia spp. on residuals. Species include A. stowardii, A. shirleyi, A. microsperma, A. catenulata, Acacia rhodoxylon
3	Acacia dominated	Acacia dominated forests woodlands and shrublands	Mulga woodland	Acacia aneura dominated associations on red earth plains, sandplains or residuals.	Acacia aneura dominated associations on red earth plains, sandplains or residuals.
3	Acacia dominated	Acacia dominated forests woodlands and shrublands	NA to Townsville		Woodland with Acacia burdekenensis
4	grassland (+/- very open woodland)	Tussock grassland, forbland	grassland and very open woodland	Tussock and closed-tussock grasslands (various species) +/- very open woodland	Tussock and closed-tussock grasslands (various species)
5	Spinafex grassland	Spinafex grassland and low open-woodlands with spinafex understorey	NA to Townsville		Triodia basedowii / Zygochloa paradoxa associations on dunefields or sandplains.
5	Spinafex grassland	Spinafex grassland and low open-woodlands with spinafex understorey	NA to Townsville		Eucalyptus spp. low open-woodlands and Triodia spp. dominated associations (Mt Isa area)
6	wetlands or Melaleuca dominated	Wetlands (sedgelands, melaleuca, lakes)	wetlands and fringing woodlands	Vegetation of permanent lakes and swamps, as well as ephemeral lakes, claypans and swamps. Includes fringing woodlands and shrublands	Vegetation of permanent lakes and swamps, as well as ephemeral lakes, claypans and swamps. Includes fringing woodlands and shrublands
6	wetlands or Melaleuca dominated	Wetlands (sedgelands, melaleuca, lakes)	Melaleuca low woodland	Low woodlands and low open-woodlands of Melaleuca spp. predominantly on depositional plains in the tropical north +/- open	Low woodlands and low open-woodlands of Melaleuca spp. predominantly on depositional plains in the tropical north
6	wetlands or Melaleuca dominated	Wetlands (sedgelands, melaleuca, lakes)	coastal seasonally inundated lowland Melaleuca open woodland	Seasonally inundated open-forests and woodlands of lowland coastal areas. Dominated by Melaleuca spp.	Seasonally inundated open-forests and woodlands of lowland coastal areas. Dominated by Melaleuca spp.
7	shrubland and heathland	heathland (also Callitris woodland)	low woodlands and heathlands	Open to closed scrub, low woodlands, shrublands, heathlands and sedgelands in low altitude coastal locations and montane locations	Open to closed scrub, low woodlands, shrublands, heathlands and sedgelands in low altitude coastal locations and montane locations
7	shrubland and heathland	heathland (also Callitris woodland)	NA to Townsville		Callitris glaucaphylla dominated associations.
8	coastal communities	Coastal communities	Mangroves and saltmarshes	Mangroves and saltpans or samphire flats +/- grasses	Mangroves and saltmarshes
8	coastal communities	Coastal communities	Sand blows, rock pavements, sand islands	coastal sand blows, rock pavements, sand islands	Sand blows, rock pavements, sand islands
8	coastal communities	Coastal communities	coastal dune dry woodlands (+/- grassy)	Dry woodlands, primarily on coastal sandplains and dunes, especially C. tessellaris, Melaleuca dealbata +/- grassy	Dry woodlands, primarily on coastal sandplains and dunes
8	coastal communities	Coastal communities	NA to Townsville		Open- forests to open- woodlands in coastal locations. Dominated by non-eucalypt species such as Casuarina spp., Allocasuarina spp., Callitris spp., Lophostemon suaveolens, Asteromyrtus spp., Neofabricea myrtifolia.
9	not sure	not sure	not sure	not sure, Casuarina leuhmanii and separately Acacia burdekinensis	New Temporary

Derivation of Land Zone description

LZNo	Land Zone Name as used by the Qld. Herbarium	Proposed Land Zone Name for use in Townsville	Land Zone example near Townsville	Proposed Land Zone Description for use in Townsville	Land Zone Full Description as used by the Queensland Herbarium
9	undulating fine textured sedimentary rock & soils	not used here		usually undulating landscapes on fine grained sedimentary rock (largely undeformed) with fine textured moderately fertile soils	Cainozoic to Proterozoic consolidated, fine-grained sediments with little or no deformation. Siltstones, mudstones, shales, calcaroeus sediments and lithic sandstones are typical rock types although minor interbedded volcanics may occur. Usually undulating landscapes with fine textured soils of moderate to high fertility. Excludes areas of duricrust (land zone 7).
2	dunes and beaches	dunes and beaches		coastal dunes, sandy beaches and dune swamps	Quaternary coastal dunes and beaches. Includes associated degraded dunes, sand plains, swales, dune lakes and swamps, as well as coral and sand cays. Soils are predominantly siliceous or calcareous sands, podzols or peats.
1	tidally inundated heavy soils	tidally inundated heavy soils		heavy soils that are occasionally inundated by sea or brackish water.	Quaternary marine deposits, subject to periodic inundation by saline or brackish marine waters. Includes mangroves, salt pans and offshore tidal flats. Soils are predominantly saline muds or solonchaks.
3	plains	plains	Townsville plain, inland plains	alluvial floodplains and piedmont fans with swamps and channels	Cainozoic alluvial plains and piedmont fans. Includes terraces, levees, swamps, and channels of Quaternary alluvium and palaeo-estuarine deposits, and older floodplain complexes and piedmont fans with palaeo-stream channels. Also includes inland freshwater lakes and associated dune systems. Does not include talus slopes. Soils include deep cracking clays, loams, earths, and poorly developed alluvial soils.
12	Granite and acid volcanic ranges and lowlands, coarser soils	Granite and acid volcanic ranges	Almost all of Townsville’s Ranges	Ranges, hills and lowlands, granite and acid volcanic rocks, low fertility soils (texture contrasting)	Mezozoic to Proterozoic igneous rocks. Predominately granitoids and intermediate to acid terrestrial volcanics, forming ranges, hills and lowlands with lithosols and texture contrast soils of usually low fertility. Includes granites, granodiorites, andesites and rhyolites, as well as minor areas of interbedded sediments and basic rock types such as gabbros. Excludes serpentinites (land zone 11).
11	Metamorphosed ranges and lowlands, finer soils.	Metamorphosed ranges	Reid River, Calcium	Ranges, hills and lowlands, strongly deformed and metamorphosed sediments and volcanics, low to moderate fertility soils (low texture contrast)	Mezozoic to Proterozoic moderately to strongly deformed and metomorphosed sediments and interbedded volcanics. Ranges, hills and lowlands with lithosols and shallow texture contrast soils of low to moderate fertility. Includes low to high grade metamorphics suck as shales, slates, gneisses of indeterminate origin, and minor areas of associated serpentinite.
10	ranges & plateaus; coarse textured sedimentary rock & soils	sandstone ranges	Mingela bluff	usually undulating landscapes on coarser grained sedimentary rock (largely undeformed) with coarser textured low fertility soils	Cainozoic to Proterozoic consolidated, medium to coarse grained sediments with little or no deformation. Includes siliceous sandstones and conglomerates forming ranges, plateaus and scarps with shallow soils of low fertility. Minor interbedded volcanics may occur. Excludes overlying Cainozoic cand deposits (land zone 5), but includes in situ earths and texture contrast soils. Also includes springs associated with these sediments.
8	basalt plains and scarps	basalt plains	Basalt Wall	basalt plains and scarps, with directly associated fertile black soils	Cainozoic igneous rocks, including extrusive and intrusive types. Predominantly flood bassalts forming extensive plains and occasional low scarps, but including hills, cones and plugs on trachytes and rhyolites, and minor interbedded sediments. These igneous rocks have diverse origins such as flows, pyroclastics, plugs and dykes. Associated soils include black earths, krasnozems, shallow clays and lithosols of generally moderate to high fertility. Excludes alluvial soils derived from these rocks. As well as springs (land zone 3), but includes associated talus.
7	mesas and scarps	inland mesas		mesas, scarps; various rock types; usually skeletal soils with coarse soils on colluvial fans and red earths on plateau margins	Cainozoic duricrusts formed on a variety of rock types. Includes ferruginous, silicaceous and mottled horizons and associated talus and colluvium. Usually low mesas and scarps, or low stony rises on downs. Soils are usually skeletal, with shallow texture contrast soils on the adjacent colluvial fans, and shallow red earths on plateau margins and on larger mesas.
6	inland dunes	not used here			Caonozoic inland dunefields, interdune areas and degraded dunefields. Excludes alluvial systems (land zone 3) which may traverse this zone. Soils are predominantly sands and earths, with clay soils in some interdune areas.
5	near level sands	sand plains		Cainozoic sand deposits, usually forming extensive uniform, near level or gently undulating plains. Soils are usually sands, earths or texture contrast and often overlie laterite profiles.	Cainozoic sand deposits, usually forming extensive uniform, near level or gently undulating plains. Includes slightly dissected surfaces and small remnants of these surfaces. Soils are usually sands, earths or texture contrast and often overlie laterite profiles. Includes extensive sand plains of uncertain origin overlying weathered or unweathered bedrock. Excludes alluvial deposits (land zone 3), exposed duricrust (land zone 7), and shallow soils derived from underlying bedrock.
4	fertile deep cracking clays	not used here			Cainozoic clay deposits, usually forming gently undulating plains with poorly developed drainage systems. Deep cracking clays of moderate to high fertility, often with gilgai microrelief, and texture contrast soils. Excludes clay plains and down formed on older bedrock

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