Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains 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 Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions as an ENDANGERED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY in Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered ecological communities is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions occurred mainly in the Dubbo - Narromine - Parkes - Forbes area. Within this region it is now found principally in the South Western Slopes Bioregion and also occurs in parts of the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion and Brigalow Belt South Bioregion.

Species that are characteristic of the community include:

2. Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions is a woodland or open forest usually dominated by Fuzzy Box Eucalyptus conica, which often grows with Inland Grey Box  Eucalyptus microcarpa, Yellow Box  Eucalyptus melliodora or Kurrajong  Brachychiton populneus. Buloke  Allocasuarina luehmannii is common in places. Shrubs are generally sparse and include  Acacia deanei,  Dodonaea viscosa, Geijera parviflora, Acacia implexa, Senna artemisioides sens. lat.,  Myoporum montanum and  Cassinia aculeata. Small shrubs include  Maireana microphylla and  Sclerolaena muricata. The ground cover may be dense after rain but is usually moderately dense. It comprises native forbs, including  Calotis cuneifolia, Sida corrugata, Einadia hastata, Dianella revoluta and  Bracteantha viscosa, prostrate shrubs such as  Eremophila debilis, Maireana enchylaenoides, and native grasses including  Austrostipa scabra, Chloris truncata, Elymus scaber, Themeda australis and  Austrodanthonia setacea.

The species Fuzzy Box Eucalyptus conica is more widely distributed than this community on the western slopes of NSW and may occur in association with other eucalypt species to form other communities.  Weeds may be common at disturbed sites under favourable seasonal conditions.

3. The total species list of the community is considerably larger than that given above, with many species present in only one or two sites or in very low abundance. The species composition of a site will be influenced by the size of the site, recent rainfall or drought conditions and by its disturbance (including fire) history. At any one time, above ground individuals of some species may be absent, but the species may be represented below ground in the soil seed banks or as dormant structures such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, rootstocks or lignotubers. The list of species given above is of vascular plant species, the community also includes micro-organisms, fungi, cryptogamic plants and a diverse fauna, both vertebrate and invertebrate. These components of the community are poorly documented.

4. Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South bioregions occurs on brown loam or clay, alluvial or colluvial soils on prior streams and abandoned channels or slight depressions on the undulating plains or flats of the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range. This community often occurs upslope from River Red Gum communities, just above frequently inundated areas on the floodplain. It also occurs on colluvial soils on lower slopes and on valley flats (King 1998, Murphy and Lawry 1998).

5. Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South bioregions includes the 'Eucalyptus microcarpa-E. conica Association' and ' Eucalyptus pilligaensis-E. conica Association' of Biddiscombe (1963), 'Group 14  Eucalyptus conica' of Austin  et al. (2000), 'Community C: Fuzzy Box Woodland' of Seddon  et al. (2002) and the 'Fuzzy Box / Grey Box open-woodland on levees and alluvial flats' broad vegetation type described by Kerr and Jowett (2003). Fuzzy Box Woodland is included within 'Community P4 Box woodlands' of Sivertsen and Metcalfe (1995), 'Community P4 Poplar Box Woodlands' and 'Community P13 Grey Box Woodlands' of Metcalfe  et al. (2003), and 'Map unit PNP1, PNP2, PNP3 Bimble Box Woodlands of the Plains and Map unit FLP2 Belah Tall Woodlands' of DLWC (2002), and belongs to the 'Floodplain Transition Woodlands' vegetation class of Keith (2004).

6. Less than 5% of Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South bioregions is estimated to remain compared to pre-European times due to past clearing (Austin et al. 2000, Seddon  et al. 2002). Fuzzy Box was considered a plentiful tree along the Lachlan River plains west of Forbes at the start of the 20th century (Cambage 1902). While broadscale clearing has now largely ceased in these areas, clearing of isolated paddock trees and further clearing of remnants, including regrowth, remain threats. Other symptoms of degradation prevail, including the senescence of relict plants, lack of regeneration due to grazing, lack of fire and weed invasion. Weeds may be very common at some sites. They include the forb species  Plantago lanceolata, Verbena bonariensis and  Marrubium vulgare and the grass species  Bromus diandrus, Vulpia myuros, Lolium perenne, Paspalum dilatatum and  Hyparrhenia hirta. Clearing of native vegetation and Invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses are listed as Key Threatening Processes under the  Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995).

7. Only one small stand is currently known from a conservation reserve, at Weddin Mountains National Park near Grenfell.

8. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival cease to operate.

Associate Professor Paul Adam

Chairperson

Scientific Committee

Proposed Gazettal date: 24/09/04

Exhibition period: 24/09/04 - 05/11/04

References: 

Austin MP, Cawsey EM, Baker BL, Yialeloglou MM, Grice DJ, Briggs SV (2000) Predicted vegetation cover in the central Lachlan region. National Heritage Trust Project AA 1368.97. CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, Canberra.

Bidiscombe EF (1963) A vegetation survey in the Macquarie region, New South Wales. Division of Plant Industry Technical Paper. CSIRO, Australia.

Cambage RH (1902) Notes on the botany of the interior of New South Wales - Part V: From Parkes to Marsden. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of NSW 26 , 685-699.

DLWC (2002) Native vegetation map report. No. 1. Bogan Gate, Boona Mount, Condobolin, Dandaloo, Tottenham and Tullamore 1:100 000 map sheets. NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Dubbo.

Keith DA (2004) Ocean shores to desert dunes. Department of Environment and Conservation, Sydney.

Kerr M, Jowett A (2003). Reconstructed distribution and extent of native vegetation in the Lower Macquarie-Castlereagh Region. Unpublished report. NPWS, Dubbo.

King DP (1998)Soil Landscapes of the Forbes 1: 250 000 Sheet. (Condobolin - West Wyalong - Parkes - Grenfell). Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney.

Metcalfe L, Sivertsen DP, Tindall D, Ryan KM (2003) Natural vegetation of the New South Wales Wheat-belt (Cobar-Nyngan-Gilgandra-Nymagee-Narromine-Dubbo 1:250 000 vegetation sheet). Cunninghamia8 , 253-284.

Murphy BW, Lawrie JW (1998) Soil Landscapes of the Dubbo 1: 250 000 Sheet. (Dubbo, Wellington, Gulgong, Mudgee). Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney.

Seddon J, Briggs S, Doyle S (2002) Little River Catchment biodiversity assessment. Report for the TARGET Project by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, c/- CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra.

Sivertsen D, Metcalfe L (1995) Natural vegetation of the southern wheat-belt (Forbes and Cargelligo 1:250 000 map sheets).  Cunninghamia4 , 103-128.