Cadellia pentastylis community in the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South bioregions - endangered ecological community listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the Cadellia pentastylis (Ooline) community in the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South IBRA regions as an ENDANGERED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY on Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act. Listing of Ecological Communities is provided for in Division 2 of Part 2 of that Act.
Note: This determination has been superseded by the 2011 minor amendment Determination.
NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. The Cadellia pentastylis community is a forest community with the canopy dominated or co-dominated by the tree Cadellia pentastylis ( Ooline). Other canopy species include Eucalyptus albens, Eucalyptus beyeriana, Eucalyptus chloroclada, Eucalyptus melanophloia, Eucalyptus pilligaensis, Eucalyptus viridis and Callitris glaucophylla.
Understorey species include Alstonia constricta, Beyeria viscosa, Carissa ovata, Einadia hastata, Geijera parviflora, Notelaea microcarpa and Aristida and Stipa species.
Details of the species composition of individual stands is provided in Benson J.S. (1993) The Biology and Management of Ooline ( Cadellia pentastylis) in NSW. Species Management Report No.2 (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service).
The species composition of stands varies, with stands on claystone having a more herbaceous understorey than those on sandstone or conglomerate. However, all stands are similar in having Cadellia pentastylis as a dominant overstorey species.
2. Stands of Cadellia pentastylis occur in northern NSW on undulating terrain on a variety of soil types, usually between 300-450 m asl. The distribution of the community falls within the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South bioregions in the IBRA scheme. The Cadellia community also occurs in Queensland, where it has been extensively cleared.
3. Cadellia pentastylis is the only species in the genus and has affinities with rainforest species. The community may provide links to the more extensive rainforest cover of Australia which was present until the late Tertiary development of widespread aridity.
Cadellia pentastylis exhibits the capacity to resprout and coppice - the number of genetic individuals in some stands may be much less than the number of stems present.
Cadellia pentastylis is listed on Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act, and is coded 3R Ca by Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants CSIRO Publications, Melbourne.
4. The total area of the Cadellia pentastylis community in NSW is c1200 ha. in 8 major locations (locations 1 -7 in Fig.1 of Benson 1993, plus an additional location at Mosquito Creek. Location 8 in Benson's Fig. 1 is in Queensland).
5. At all locations there has been a substantial reduction in the area of the community over the last 200 years (see Fig. 2-8 in Benson 1993).
6. Stands of the community occur under a variety of tenures. Some areas are conserved in the Scrub Myrtle Flora Reserve, Gamilaraay Nature Reserve and under a voluntary conservation agreement.
7. Threats to the community include grazing and accompanying compaction of soil leading to poor recruitment of seedlings. The response of Cadellia pentastylis to fire is unknown so that impact of changed fire regimes on the community is uncertain.
Historically the major threat to the community has been from clearing, which has caused the dramatic reduction in extent of the community. Further clearing would be a major danger to the survival of the community.
Fragmentation of formerly more extensive stands, and the possibility of low genetic diversity within stands (because of the prevalence of vegetative reproduction) may pose long term threats to the survival of the community.
8. In view of 4, 5 and 7 above, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the Cadellia pentastylis community is likely to become extinct in nature in NSW unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.
Proposed gazettal date: 11/9/98
Exhibition period: 11/9/98 to 23/10/98