Land Unit Master

Land Unit Information Sheet

Land system name: Vacquera

Land unit: VA4

General description This land unit represents the gentle slopes extending out from the base of the scarp (land unit VA3). Yellowish-brown Chromosols (texture-contrast profiles), often with very deep sandy topsoils, are predominant. However it is not uncommon to find grey Sodosols (texture-contrast profiles with sodic subsoils) within the land unit. Mid-high woodlands of Eucalyptus brownii (Reid River box) predominate, but depending on the location within the land unit and the proximity to adjacent land units, the composition and proportion of dominant species may change. E. melanophloia (silver-leaved ironbark), E. platyphylla (poplar gum) and Corymbia sp. (bloodwood) show dominance, with variable occurrences of Petalostigma pubescens (quinine tree), Melaleuca nervosa (tea-tree), Corymbia dallachiana (ghost gum) and Pandanus sp. (pandanus) on the better-drained, sandy, reddish brown Chromosols, whereas E. persistens (Normanton box) is more likely to be dominant on the more gravelly slopes immediately below the scarp of land unit VA3. Alternatively, Acacia agyrodendron (blackwood) and E. cambageana (blackbutt) are more likely to predominate on texture- contrast profiles in low-lying areas with slow permeability and imperfect drainage. The mixed soil-vegetation associations of this land unit do not have equivalent regional ecosystem descriptions, although REs 11.5.3 and 11.3.8 are close approximations and have been chosen for the time being, until the RE descriptions for this area are reviewed.

Site characteristics Landform element Average slope Footslope 1 - 2% Site drainage Soil permeability Moderately well drained Moderately permeable Flooding risk Inundation risk Nil Nil Potential recharge to groundwater Soil depth Low Deep; 1.0 - 1.5m Present land use Limited grazing

Susceptibility to land degradation processes

Sheet erosion Gully erosion Wind erosion Salting Low Moderate Low Low

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.

7/12/2005 Land Unit VA4 - page 1 Representative site number: 5895

Soil classification Australian Soil Classification Principle Profile Form CH AC AH DQ Dy3.42 - 1/0/025

General soil description A texture-contrast profile with a fine sandy topsoil and bleached A2 horizon overlying a mottled, yellow clay

Soil profile morphology

Horizon Horizon no Depth Description A 1 0.00 - 0.90 Sand; B2 2 0.90 - 1.00 Medium clay;

Field sites within this land unit (see technical report for original site nos.) Site code Site type 4785 Corveg 4809 Corveg 5726 Dalrymple 5866 Dalrymple 5884 Dalrymple 5887 Dalrymple 5890 Dalrymple 5891 Dalrymple 5894 Dalrymple 5895 Dalrymple 5896 Dalrymple 5910 Dalrymple 5911 Dalrymple 5912 Dalrymple 5914 Dalrymple 5975 Dalrymple 5977 Dalrymple 5991 Dalrymple

Summary of plant species within this land unit

Species Common name Acacia argyrodendron blackwood*, black gidgee* Ammannia multiflora jerry-jerry* Aristida calycina dark wiregrass, branched wiregrass Aristida jerichoensis Jericho wiregrass, blue speargrass, Jericho three-awn, No. 9 wiregrass, Number nine Aristida sp. three-awn speargrass*, wiregrass Bothriochloa decipiens pitted bluegrass*, red grass, redleg grass

7/12/2005 Land Unit VA4 - page 2 Species Common name Bothriochloa pertusa (1,5) Indian bluegrass Canthium oleifolium myrtle tree,* wild lemon Carissa lanceolata currant bush*, conkerberry, Australian carissa, boonum bush, burrum bush, conkleberry Carissa ovata currant bush*, blackberry*, kunkerberry*, baroom bush, burrum bush Carissa sp. currant bush Chloris sp. - Chrysopogon fallax golden beardgrass*, golden-beard grass, ribbon grass Corymbia dallachiana (Eucalyptus ghost gum papuana) Corymbia peltata (Eucalyptus peltata) yellowjacket*, broad-leaved rustyjacket Cryptostegia grandiflora (1,5) rubber vine*, rubbervine, palay rubbervine Cyperus betchei - Cyperus sp. sedge* Dichanthium sp. - Enneapogon pallidus conetop nineawn*, bottlewashers, pale bottlewashers Enneapogon sp. bottlewashers* Enteropogon ramosus windmill grass*, twirly windmill grass Eragrostis elongata clustered love grass*, close-headed lovegrass Eragrostis lacunaria purple lovegrass*, lovegrass, neverfail Eragrostis sp. lovegrass Eremophila deserti (Myoporum deserti) Ellangowan poison bush*, turkey bush Eremophila mitchellii sandalbox*, bastard sandalwood*, budda, false sandalwood, sandalwood Eriachne sp. - Erythroxylum australe cocaine tree*, native cocaine, native cocoa, turkey bush Eucalyptus brownii Reid River box*, Brown's box* Eucalyptus coolabah coolabah*, coolibah* Eucalyptus crebra ironbark*, narrow-leaved red ironbark*, narrow-leaf ironbark, red ironbark Eucalyptus melanophloia silver ironbark*, silver-leaf ironbark, broad-leaf ironbark, silver-leaved ironbark Eucalyptus normantonensis Normanton box* Eucalyptus persistens Normanton box Eucalyptus platyphylla white gum*, poplar gum Eucalyptus shirleyi silver-leaved ironbark*, Shirley's silver-leaf ironbark Flindersia dissosperma leopardwood*, scrub leopardwood Grevillea sp. - Grevillea striata beefwood* Heteropogon contortus black speargrass*, bunch speargrass*, speargrass Lysiphyllum carronii ebony tree*, red bauhinia*, small-leaved bauhinia*, northern bean tree, bauhinia, pegunny, Queensland ebony Ophiuros exaltatus canegrass Panicum sp. panicum Parkinsonia aculeata (1,5) Jerusalem thorn*, jelly bean tree*, parkinsonia*, Mexican palo verde, palo verde, ratama Paspalidium caespitosum brigalow grass* Paspalidium gracile slender panic*, graceful picnic grass Petalostigma pubescens quinine tree*, bitterbark, native quince, quinine berry, quinine bush Planchonia careya cockatoo apple*, cocky apple*, cockey apple, billygoat plum, mangaloo Santalum lanceolatum plum bush*, sandalwood*, wild plum*, cherry bush, native plumbush, northern sandalwood, plumwood, true sandalwood, bush plum Sclerolaena sp. copperburr Sida sp. -

7/12/2005 Land Unit VA4 - page 3 Species Common name 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 Sporobolus sp. - Terminalia oblongata yellow wood*, yellowwood Triodia mitchellii buck spinifex*, spinifex, soft spinifex Triodia pungens soft spinifex, gummy spinifex, spinifex Triodia sp. spinifex

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 Ironbark-box woodlands support a very high number of The risk of sheet and gully erosion, increases if the protective terrestrial mammals, reptiles and woodland bird species, ground cover or tree vegetation is removed from within the including many of conservation significance. catchment. This unit is characterised by a wide variety of plant Maintaining a high density of the perennial grasses not only species at ground level and mid-strata level under the ensures a rapid response to rain and optimum grass open canopy of ironbark, box and bloodwood. This production, but the dense pasture holds the rain where it falls diversity is most likely due to the combined influences of and allows time for infiltration. deep sandy topsoils, the presence nearby of the Cape If pastures are overgrazed the more palatable, nutritious River, and being in a transition zone between the Desert species are removed, allowing the less desirable species such Uplands and the Brigalow Belt bioregions as neverfail, wiregrass and currant bush to take over. By moving stock from one paddock to another the grazing pressure on the more palatable plant species is reduced, giving those species a chance of maintaining a presence in the pasture. The sodic, mottled subsoils on the lowermost slopes support plant species that have adapted to this soil type. Any changes to the quantity and composition of the vegetative cover can produce undesirable changes to the profile hydrology, which can affect the ability of the remaining species to survive. The removal of trees and shrubs also removes the mechanism by which excess subsoil moisture and salinity is controlled. In addition to the grazing pressure of cattle on the pasture, the physical pressure of hooves sinking into the loose sandy topsoils and breaking the lateral roots or knocking out individual plants also reduces ground cover. The small areas of blackwood on the alluvial soils (RE 11.3.8) have an 'Of Concern' biodiversity conservation status*. This land unit is included in Land Management Unit 9.

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

7/12/2005 Land Unit VA4 - page 4