Land Unit Master

Land Unit Information Sheet

Land system name: Ludgate

Land unit: LE3

General description This land unit represents the numerous shallow closed depressions, which occur throughout the Ludgate land system and range in size from hundreds of hectares to very small, so small that they cannot be delineated at a map scale of 1:100 000. Grey Vertosols (uniform, cracking clay soils) are predominant, however the area and depth of clay seem to have a major influence on the density and composition of the native vegetation. Acacia cambagei (gidgee), A. farnesiana (mimosa bush), Eucalyptus coolabah (coolabah), Eremophila bignoniiflora (eurah) together with Astrebla species (Mitchell grass) and Brachyachne convergens (native couch) are common on the deep, self-mulching clay soils, whereas the smaller areas with shallow clays, and slightly saline areas tend to have only coolabah, mimosa bush and a ground cover of annual plant species. Invariably, Eucalyptus brownii (Reid River box) and E. whitei (White's ironbark) fringe the depressions. Regional ecosystem 10.3.15 is predominant.

Site characteristics Landform element Average slope Plain 0% Site drainage Soil permeability Poorly drained Slowly permeable Flooding risk Inundation risk Low Very high Potential recharge to groundwater Soil depth Low Variable; >1,5m Present land use Grazing, wetlands

Susceptibility to land degradation processes

Sheet erosion Gully erosion Wind erosion Salting Very low Very low Low High

This information has been generated from the Desert Uplands Land Resource Database. The Environmental Protection Agency accepts no liability for any decisions or actions taken on the basis of this information. State of Queensland. Environmental Protection Agency 2004.

6/12/2005 Land Unit LE3 - page 1 Representative site number: 1400

Soil classification Australian Soil Classification Principle Profile Form VE AD GS BR - E Q Q X Ug5.28 - 5/3/006

General soil description A deep, uniform, cracking-clay with a weak self-mulching topsoil and a grey, sodic subsoil.

Soil profile morphology

Horizon Horizon no Depth Description A11 1 0.00 - 0.06 Greyish brown light clay; No mottles; no coarse fragments; Strong <2 mm subangular blocky structure; no segregations; Dry firm; Abrupt to; B2 2 0.06 - 2.00+ Greyish brown light clay; No mottles; no coarse fragments; no segregations; Dry firm;

Soil chemical analysis P S H A D P h a G N o O S o i l H S l o u s m s r D r t u o t r o l s p i

a m a t g a z c t e d p a a r p v e r s k a o o p i i t i H t i e h r z s n c t e i n u n n t s n e o l o i i h i n i s

u t t i u r g c % n n r o e y t m m u

o n n s . t

A11 1 0.00 - 0.06 8.2 0.60 Deficient Satisfactory High - Low Very low N Y High B2 2 0.06 - 2.00+ 8.3 0.11 Deficient Satisfactory High - Very high - Severe Very low Y Y High

Field sites within this land unit (see technical report for original site nos.) Site code Site type 1250 DUSLARA Primary 1372 DUSLARA Primary 1374 DUSLARA Tertiary 1400 DUSLARA Primary 1437 DUSLARA Tertiary

Summary of plant species within this land unit

Species Common name Acacia cambagei gidgee*, stinking wattle, silver gidgee Acacia farnesiana (1,5) mimosa bush*, cassie, cassie flower, mimosa, needlebush, north-west curara, prickly mimosa, prickly mimosa bush, prickly moses, sheep's briar, sponge wattle, sweet acacia, thorny acacia Acacia sutherlandii corkwood wattle Acacia victoriae gundabluie*, prickly wattle*, bramble wattle, elegant acacia, elegant wattle Alternanthera nodiflora joyweed,* common joyweed, native carpetweed Aristida sp. three-awn speargrass*, wiregrass

6/12/2005 Land Unit LE3 - page 2 Species Common name Astrebla lappacea curly Mitchell grass*, wheat Mitchell, white Mitchell Astrebla squarrosa bull Mitchell grass* Atalaya hemiglauca whitewood*, cattle bush Bothriochloa pertusa (1,5) Indian bluegrass Brachyachne convergens common native couch*, Gulf star grass, native couch, spider grass Capparis lasiantha nipan,* nepine*, split jack *, wait-a-while Carissa lanceolata currant bush*, conkerberry, Australian carissa, boonum bush, burrum bush, conkleberry Chamaesyce drummondii caustic-weed*, caustic creeper, creeping spurge, flat spurge, mat spurge, spurgewort Chloris divaricata slender chloris,* slender windmill grass, small chloris Chloris pectinata comb chloris,* comb windmill grass Cyperus sp. sedge* Desmodium sp. desmodium* Dichanthium sp. - Eragrostis elongata clustered love grass*, close-headed lovegrass Eragrostis leptostachya paddock love grass*, slender lovegrass Eragrostis speciosa handsome lovegrass Eragrostis tenuifolia (1,5) elastic grass* Eremophila bignoniiflora eurah*, bignonia emubush*, creek wilga*, gooramurra Eremophila mitchellii sandalbox*, bastard sandalwood*, budda, false sandalwood, sandalwood Eriachne armitii long-awned wanderrie, long-awned wanderrie grass Eriachne sp. - Eucalyptus coolabah coolabah*, coolibah* Eulalia aurea silky browntop*, browntop, satintop, sugar grass, swamp grass Euphorbia sp. - Flaveria australasica speedy weed*, yellow daisy, yellow twin stem Flindersia maculosa leopardwood* Glycine tomentella woolly glycine*, rusty glycine Goodenia sp. goodenia* Iseilema vaginiflorum red Flinders grass* Marsilea drummondii common nardoo*, nardoo* Marsilea hirsuta hairy nardoo*, short-fruited nardoo, nardoo Myoporum acuminatum coastal boobialla*, boobialla, water bush, native myrtle, western boobialla Neptunia gracilis forma gracilis sensitive plant* (Neptunia gracilis) Neptunia monosperma - Neptunia sp. Oldenlandia mitrasacmoides Operculina aequisepala Panicum laevinode pepper grass* Paspalidium jubiflorum warrego grass*, vandyke grass, warrego summer grass, yellow-flowered panic grass Pimelea decora Flinders poppy Polymeria longifolia polymeria*, clumped bindweed, erect bindweed, Peak Downs curse, take- all Portulaca pilosa hairy pigweed* Sclerolaena muricata copperburr, black roly-poly, electric burr, five-spined bassia, five-spined saltbush, prickly roly-poly, roly-poly, spiny roly-poly Sclerolaena ramulosa - Sclerolaena sp. copperburr Senna artemisioides subsp. coriacea desert cassia*, butterbush

6/12/2005 Land Unit LE3 - page 3 Species Common name Sida sp. - Sida trichopoda high sida*, narrow-leaf sida Solanum esuriale quena*, potato bush, potato weed, tomato bush, tomato weed, wild tomato Sporobolus actinocladus katoora grass*, katoora, fairy grass, ray grass, western grass, yakka grass Sporobolus australasicus Australian dropseed*, fairy grass Sporobolus caroli fairy grass*, yakka grass*, pretty sporobolus, small pepper grass Stemodia glabella smooth bluerod Streptoglossa adscendens desert daisy* Streptoglossa sp. -

1. Introduced plant 2. Consider for protection 3. Pending registration 4. Rare plant 5. Environmental weed 6. Endangered plant 7. Vulnerable plant 8. Agricultural pest * Wildnet preferred common name; Species in brackets refer to previously known name

Special features Implications for land use The wetlands provide seasonal feeding and breeding The soil profiles have a high nutrient status, but phosphorus is sites for migratory waterbirds, as well as refuge for local deficient. species. Grazing animals can have a significant impact on the very high The area is susceptible to infestation by parkinsonia and biodiversity value of these areas. Water points for stock water parthenium. are usually located in these low-lying areas - management needs to take into account the risk of inundation, weed infestation and salinity. Evaporation from areas of bare soil will bring salt to the soil surface and adversely affecting plant growth, particularly salt- sensitive species. Ephemeral wetlands (RE 10.3.15) have an 'Of Concern' biodiversity conservation status*. This land unit is included in Land Management Unit 14.

*See definitions at http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/biodiversity/reg ional_ecosystems/introduction_and_status.

6/12/2005 Land Unit LE3 - page 4