MVG 9 - MELALEUCA FORESTS AND WOODLANDS Sandplain wetland forests and woodlands north of Grafton, NSW (Photo: M. Fagg) Overview MVG 9 includes vegetation that has a canopy dominated by Melaleuca species with a forest or woodland habit. Distributed in tropical northern Australia extending to warm temperate latitudes on sandplains or depositional plains and along eastern coastal and near coastal Australia in inundated areas e.g. along watercourses, in dune swales and swamps. Occupies a range of wetland and riparian habitats (Beadle 1981). Often occurs as small areas in mosaics of wetland vegetation types or as narrow bands fringing watercourses. Fire-prone ecosystems in dry seasons. Facts and figures Major Vegetation Group MVG 9 - Melaleuca Forests and Woodlands Major Vegetation Subgroups (number of NVIS descriptions) 15. Tropical sandplain woodlands WA, NT, QLD (299) xx Tropical riparian forests WA, NT, QLD, xx Tropical floodplain forests NT, QLD, possibly WA xx Sandplain wetland forests and woodlands QLD, NSW Typical NVIS structural formations Open forest (mid, low) Woodland (mid, low) Open woodland (low) Number of IBRA regions 50 Most extensive in IBRA region Est. pre-1750 and present: Gulf Plains (Qld) Estimated pre-1750 extent (km 2 ) 106 057
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MVG 9 Melaleuca Forests and Woodlands DRAFT · MVG 9 - MELALEUCA FORESTS AND WOODLANDS ... Melaleuca leucadendra or Melaleuca fluviatilis along streams, sometimes with Casuarina cunninghamiana.
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MVG 9 - MELALEUCA FORESTS AND WOODLANDS
Sandplain wetland forests and woodlands north of Grafton, NSW (Photo: M. Fagg)
Overview
MVG 9 includes vegetation that has a canopy dominated by Melaleuca species with a forest or
woodland habit.
Distributed in tropical northern Australia extending to warm temperate latitudes on sandplains or
depositional plains and along eastern coastal and near coastal Australia in inundated areas e.g.
along watercourses, in dune swales and swamps.
Occupies a range of wetland and riparian habitats (Beadle 1981).
Often occurs as small areas in mosaics of wetland vegetation types or as narrow bands fringing
watercourses.
Fire-prone ecosystems in dry seasons.
Facts and figures
Major Vegetation Group MVG 9 - Melaleuca Forests and Woodlands
Major Vegetation Subgroups (number of NVIS descriptions)
15. Tropical sandplain woodlands WA, NT, QLD (299) xx Tropical riparian forests WA, NT, QLD, xx Tropical floodplain forests NT, QLD, possibly WA xx Sandplain wetland forests and woodlands QLD, NSW
Typical NVIS structural formations Open forest (mid, low) Woodland (mid, low) Open woodland (low)
Number of IBRA regions 50
Most extensive in IBRA region Est. pre-1750 and present: Gulf Plains (Qld)
Estimated pre-1750 extent (km2) 106 057
Present extent (km2) 99 561
Area protected (km2) 10 023
Litchfield National Park, NT (Photo: NT, P & WC)
Structure and physiognomy
The tree canopy varies with hydrological conditions from 5 to 20 m tall. Canopy cover also
varies from sparse in some savanna wetlands to dense in forested wetlands, where projective
foliage cover may exceed 70% (Neldner et al. 2013).
Leaves in the canopy are sclerophyllous, vertically or obliquely oriented and range in size from
nanophyll (0.25 – 2.5 cm2) to microphyll (22..5 – 20 cm
2).
In tropical areas Eucalyptus, Corymbia or Terminalia species may occur as emergents or
subdominants within the lower canopy (Neldner et al. 2013).
In temperate areas, sclerophyllous shrubs may occur in the understorey, depending on
hydrological conditions and the density of the tree canopy (Keith 2004; Neldner et. al 2014).
The shrub layer in most forms of this MVG is sparse.
The ground layer can be dense to sparse and dominated by graminoids with forbs and ferns less
frequent (Keith 2004; Neldner et al. 2013).
Indicative flora
Dominance by species of Melaleuca is the uniting feature of this subgroup, with a few such as
Melaleuca quinquenervia, Melaleuca leucodendra and Melaleuca viridiflora widespread.
However, species composition varies substantially and three subgroups are recognised.
o Tropical sandplain woodlands are dominated by Melaleuca viridiflora or Melaleuca
citrolens in pure stands or in various combinations with each other or Melaleuca
foliolosa, Melaleuca stenostachya, Melaleuca acacioides, Melaleuca tamariscina or
Melaleuca monantha. Emergents include species of Corymbia, Eucalyptus and
Terminalia, while a shrub layer may include species of Melaleuca, Grevillea,
Petalostigma and Acacia. The ground layer includes the graminoids from the genera