Introduction and status
The regional ecosystems classification scheme, described here, and the associated Biodiversity Planning Assessments are part of the biodiversity planning framework has been developed to assist planning for biodiversity both on and off reserve. The framework has been incorporated into several planning initiatives including the development of guidelines for clearing on leasehold lands under the Lands Act 1994 and more recently the Vegetation Management Act 1999, the preparation of, or amendments to, local government planning schemes, the assessment of the comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness of the conservation reserve network and as a guide for proactive conservation actions by government and non-government organisations.
Regional ecosystems
Regional ecosystems were defined by Sattler and Williams (1999) as vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil. Readers should refer to this publication for background information about regional ecosystems and the bioregional planning framework used in Queensland.
Compilation of the information about regional ecosystems presented in Sattler and Williams (1999) was derived from a broad range of existing information sources including land system, vegetation and geology mapping and reports. However, the framework is dynamic and is regularly reviewed as new information becomes available. The Queensland Herbarium has developed a program for explicitly mapping regional ecosystems across Queensland. This has resulted, and will continue to result, in updates to the descriptions and status of regional ecosystems. Therefore updated regional ecosystem descriptions in the format of Sattler and Williams (1999) are maintained in the Regional Ecosystem Description Database.
The Biodiversity Status of regional ecosystems
The Regional Ecosystem Description Database lists the Biodiversity Status of each regional ecosystem. The Biodiversity Status is based on an assessment of the condition of remnant vegetation in addition to the pre-clearing and remnant extent of a regional ecosystem which is used to determine the Vegetation Management Act 1999 (Vegetation Management Status).
The specific criteria used to assess the Vegetation Management Act 1999 Status and Biodiversity Status of regional ecosystems are given below. However, users should refer to appropriate guidelines and codes for more information, including the most up to date regulation, about the Vegetation Management Status.
Endangered
A regional ecosystem is listed as endangered under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 if:
Remnant vegetation is less than 10 per cent of its pre-clearing extent across the bioregion; or 10-30% of its pre-clearing extent remains and the remnant vegetation is less than 10,000 hectares.
In addition to the criteria listed for an endangered regional ecosystems under the Vegetation Management Act 1999, for biodiversity planning purposes a regional ecosystem is listed with a Biodiversity Status of endangered if:
- less than 10 per cent of its pre-clearing extent remains unaffected by severe degradation and/or biodiversity loss1; or
- 10-30 per cent of its pre-clearing extent remains unaffected by severe degradation and/or biodiversity loss and the remnant vegetation is less than 10,000 hectares; or
- it is a rare2 regional ecosystem subject to a threatening process3.
Of concern
A regional ecosystem is listed as of concern under Vegetation Management Act 1999 if:
Remnant vegetation is 10-30 per cent of its pre-clearing extent across the bioregion; or more than 30 per cent of its pre-clearing extent remains and the remnant extent is less than 10,000 hectares.
In addition to the criteria listed for an of concern regional ecosystems under the Vegetation Management Act 1999, for biodiversity planning purposes a regional ecosystem is listed with a Biodiversity Status 'of concern' if: 10-30 per cent of its pre-clearing extent remains unaffected by moderate degradation and/or biodiversity loss4.
Not of concern/No concern at present
A regional ecosystem is listed as Not of concern under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 if:
Remnant vegetation is over 30 per cent of its pre-clearing extent across the bioregion, and the remnant area is greater than 10,000 hectares.
In addition to the criteria listed for Not of concern regional ecosystems under the Vegetation Management Act 1999, for biodiversity planning purposes a regional ecosystem is listed with a Biodiversity Status of No concern at present if:
the degradation criteria listed above for endangered or of concern regional ecosystems are not met.
Definitions
1 Severe degradation and/or biodiversity loss is defined as:
- floristic and/or faunal diversity is greatly reduced but unlikely to recover within the next 50 years even with the removal of threatening processes; or
- soil surface is severely degraded, for example, by loss of A horizon, surface expression of salinity, surface compaction, loss of organic matter or sheet erosion.
2 Rare regional ecosystem
- pre-clearing extent (1000 ha); or
- patch size (100 ha and of limited total extent across its range)
3 Threatening processes are those that are reducing or will reduce the biodiversity and ecological integrity of a regional ecosystem. For example, clearing5, weed invasion, fragmentation, inappropriate fire regime or grazing pressure, or infrastructure development.
4 Moderate degradation and/or biodiversity loss is defined as:
- floristic and/or faunal diversity is greatly reduced but unlikely to recover within the next 20 years even with the removal of threatening processes; or
- soil surface is moderately degraded.
5 Clearing includes cultivation of non-woody natural vegetation.
Pre-clearing vegetation is defined as the vegetation present before clearing.
Remnant Remnant woody vegetation is defined as vegetation that has not been cleared or vegetation that has been cleared but where the dominant canopy has >70% of the height and >50% of the cover relative to the undisturbed height and cover of that stratum and is dominated by species characteristic of the vegetation's undisturbed canopy. For further clarification of the definition and mapping methods of remnant vegetation see Neldner et al. (2005).
Last updated: 27 April 2009