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Vegetation of montane bogs in east-flowing catchments of northern New England, New South Wales
(2007)
The floristics of the montane bogs in east-flowing catchments of northern New England, north-eastern New South Wales (lat 28° 47’–31° 25’ S; long 151° 50’–152° 30’ E), are described from 62 full floristic survey sites (20 x 20 m in area). Eight vegetation communities are based on flexible UPGMA analysis of cover-abundance scores of vascular plant taxa. Shrub species make up 26% of the flora and herb species 69%, with the remaining taxa trees, climbers or vines. Shrub species were of little diagnostic value, as a few common dominants were shared across most communities. The herbaceous layer was found to be of better circumscriptive value. Communities described (based on dominant herbaceous species) are: (1) Themeda australis – Gonocarpus micranthus, (2) Baumea articulata – Baloskion stenocoleum, (3) Lepidosperma limicola – Baloskion stenocoleum, (4) Baloskion fimbriatum – Lomandra longifolia, (5) Lepyrodia scariosa – Blandfordia grandiflora, (6) Lepidosperma gunnii – Lepidosperma scariosa, (7) Baloskion stenocoleum – Empodisma minus, (8) Lepidosperma limicola – Xyris operculata. The mean annual moisture index was found to account for 26% of the variation in species density. These montane bog systems are some of the richest in Australia, with a high number of rare and restricted taxa. They are vulnerable to both present landuse practices and future changes in climate, are restricted in area, and need further conservation efforts to ensure their long-term survival.
The vegetation of Imbota Nature Reserve (30° 35’S, 151° 45’E) (218 ha in area), 10 km south-east of Armidale, and Yina Nature Reserve (30° 29’S, 151° 45’E), (101 ha in area), 10 km east of Armidale, on the Northern Tablelands, NSW, is described. Based on classification analyses, air photo interpretation and ground-truthing, seven vegetation communities are described and mapped : 1. Eucalyptus caliginosa (Broad-leaved Stringybark) Grassy Forest and Woodland on deep soils at Imbota; 2. Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum) Grassy Forest and Woodland, Community; 3. Eucalyptus caliginosa (Broad-leaved Stringybark) Grassy Forest and Woodland on shallow soils at Imbota; 4. Eucalyptus caliginosa (Broad-leaved Stringybark) Grassy Forest and Woodland at Yina; 5. Eucalyptus blakelyi (Blakely’s Red Gum) – Eucalyptus melliodora (Yellow Box) Woodland; 6. Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum) – Eucalyptus nova-anglica (New England Peppermint) Grassy Forest and Woodland and 7. Riparian Herbfields 252 vascular plant taxa (from 59 families) were recorded from the two reserves, 179 species in Imbota NR, the larger reserve and 209 in Yina NR. The lower species richness at Imbota is likely to have resulted human disturbance rather than from overall habitat heterogeneity.