Acacia loderi shrublands - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Acacia loderi shrublands

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered Ecological Community

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Gazetted date: 06 Oct 2000

Profile last updated: 19 Dec 2023

Description

The Acacia loderi Shrubland community is dominated by the tall shrub or small tree, Acacia loderi (commonly known in some parts of its range as Nelia). Other tree species that may occur in association with A. loderi are A. aneura, A. oswaldii, Callitris gracilis, Casuarina pauper and Flindersia maculosa.

Distribution

The Acacia loderi Shrublands are known from the Broken Hill Complex, Murray-Darling Depression, Cobar Peneplain, Riverina, Mulga Lands and Darling Riverine Plains Bioregions. Sites occur from south-western NSW to north-western Victoria and eastern South Australia. In NSW, the community is mainly confined to south-western NSW, extending east to Hillston and north to White Cliffs. The major stands occur between Broken Hill, Ivanhoe and Wilcannia, while isolated stands occur beyond these areas.

Habitat and ecology

The community has a naturally open structure of individual shrubs to small trees (to 8 m tall) with a low, diverse understorey dominated by chenopod sub-shrubs, herbs and grasses. The community is often interspersed by woodlands of Belah Casuarina pauper, Rosewood Alectryon oleifolius or Leopardwood Flindersia maculosa.
Indigenous people have a strong cultural association with Nelia.
Remnants are found on solonized brown and duplex soils on level to undulating plains or on calcareous red earths; at Kinchega National Park remnants are restricted to level areas on solonized brown soils; typical habitat has a rainfall range of 240mm to 280mm.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Grazing and browsing by domestic stock and wild, free-roaming introduced herbivores (mainly goats and rabbits) resulting in losses of plant species and structural diversity.
Lack of regeneration of tree and shrub species, especially seedling recruitment of Nelia.
Clearing for infrastructure, rural and agricultural development and associated activities.
TEC remnant fragmentation caused predominantly by clearing.
Inappropriate fire regimes changing TEC structure via loss of adult trees in fire, followed by seedling loss in a drought or by grazing, is likely to result in complete loss of over-storey. Multiple fires at small intervals will kill all adult plants risking the entire population since seedlings have not had time to grow.
Lack of knowledge of the ecology of the community.
Invasion of exotic weeds in the understorey.
Climate change making seasonal conditions (temperature & rainfall) more unpredictable and increasing drier periods impacting on plant establishment and growth.

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Activities to assist this species

Involve stakeholders in the management of remnants, and disseminate information about this EEC to the community.
Control rabbits and goats in Kinchega and Mungo National Parks.
Protect sites from inappropriate burning.
Ensure that the fire sensitivity of the community is considered when planning hazard reduction and asset management burning.
Ensure that this species is considered in the land use planning process, particularly development consents, rezonings and regional planning
Reduce the total grazing pressure (especially rabbits, sheep, cattle and goats) in critical dry periods on semi-arid and arid grazing land.
Manage the Menindee Lakes Water Storages to prevent detriment impacts on remnants.
Close or fence off the groundwater tanks in Mungo NP to reduce the concentrated impacts of stock, feral animals and native grazers on existing remnants.
Rehabilitate the understorey of remnants via weed control.
Protect all known habitat from clearing or disturbance.
Monitor status of all known remnants.
Investigate the impacts of grazing animals on remnants (particularly the effects of rabbit density and stocking rates).
Survey and map the extant distribution of remnants.

Information sources

Auld, T.D. (1995) The impact of herbivores on regeneration in four trees from arid Australia. The Rangeland Journal 17: 213-227
Benson, J.S., Allen, C.B., Togher, C. and Lemmon, J. (2006) New South Wales Vegetation Classification and Assessment: Part 1 Plant communities of the NSW Western Plains. Cunninghamia 9(3): 383-450
Fox, M. (1993) Acacia shrublands of western New South Wales. Unpublished National Estate Programme report.
Kodela, P.G. and Harden, G.J. (2002) Acacia. Pp 381-476 in Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2. Revised Edition (New South Wales University Press, Sydney)
NSW Scientific Committee (2000) Acacia loderi shrublands - Endangered ecological community determination - final.
Pickard, J. and Norris, E. H. (1994) The natural vegetation of north-western NSW: notes to accompany the 1:1 000 000 vegetation map sheet. Cunninghamia 3(3): 423-465
Westbrooke, M.E. and Miller, J.D. (1995) Vegetation of Mungo National Park, western NSW. Cunninghamia 4(1): 63-80
Westbrooke, M.E., Kerr, M.K.C. & Leversha, J. (2001) The vegetation of Kinchega National Park, western New South Wales. Cunninghamia 7(1): 1-26

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range Outwash	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Mootwingee Downs	Predicted	None
Broken Hill Complex	Scopes Range	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Barnato Downs	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Louth Plains	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Menindee	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Wilcannia Plains	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Cuttaburra-Paroo	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Kerribree Basin	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo Overflow	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo-Darling Sands	Known	None
Mulga Lands	West Warrego	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	White Cliffs Plateau	Predicted	None
Murray Darling Depression	Darling Depression	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	South Olary Plain	Known	None
Riverina	Lachlan	Predicted	None
Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields	Strzelecki Desert	Known	None

Images

Form and habitat, Nelia Wattle Image 1 of 5.
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