The Poplar Box Grassy Woodland on Alluvial Plains ecological community is typically a grassy woodland or occasionally open grassy forest, with a canopy dominated by Eucalyptus populnea and an understorey mostly of grasses and other forbs. Other sub-dominant tree species may include Callitris glaucophylla, Casuarina cristata, Eucalyptus coolabah, E. largiflorens and E. melanophloia. Occasionally with emergent taller trees such as E. microcarpa and E. pilligaensis (also known as E. woollsiana). Although not typical, there may also be a low density of medium shrubs and small trees including Acacia aneura, Alectryon oleifolius subsp. canescens, Apophyllum anomalum, Atalaya hemiglauca, Capparis mitchellii, Eremophila mitchellii and Geijera parviflora. Shrubby forms of Poplar Box woodland exist on lower nutrient sandy soils and are not part of the ecological community.
The ground layer is typically open and low, and can vary in composition across the geographical range of the community, depending on rainfall, local hydrological conditions, landscape, soil type and season. Grasses occurring throughout the range of the community include species of Aristida, Bothriochloa, Dichanthium, Themeda and Heteropogon. In drier areas on lighter texture soils in the west of the range, additional species include Eragrostis spp., Thyridolepis mitchelliana and Monachather paradoxus. While Enteropogon acicularis, Paspalidium spp. and Sporobolus spp. occur in both northern and southern locations. In southern areas with winter rainfall and heavy-textured soils, other C3 grasses are more prevalent, including Rytidosperma and Austrostipa spp., including plains grass (Austrostipa aristiglumis). Low-lying moist areas prone to occasional inundation may include sedges such as Carex inversa and Eleocharis plana, rushes such as Juncus spp. and ferns such as Marsilea drummondii. There are a diverse range of forbs which vary seasonally, examples include species of Bulbine, Brachyscome, Einadia, Erodium, Oxalis and Wahlenbergia. In addition chenopods such as Enchylaena tomentosa, Maireanaspp., Rhagodia spinescens, Sclerolaena birchii and Sclerolaena muricata may occur.
Distribution
This community occurs in a broad band west of the Great Dividing Range in gently undulating to flat landscapes and occasionally on gentle slopes, at altitudes typically less than 300 metres above sea level. In NSW it extends widely across the western slopes and plains from Leeton in the south, west to Bourke, Goondiwindi in the north and Tamworth in the east. It extends into Queensland as far north as Chinchilla and west to Longreach.
Habitat and ecology
- Poplar Box Grassy Woodland on Alluvial Plains ecological community occurs in areas where rainfall ranges as widely as 400 to 800 millimetres per year.
- The ecological community occurs on a wide range of soil types of alluvial and depositional origin, but typically on duplex clay, clay-loam, loam or sandy-loam soils in flat terrain.
- It occasionally occurs along watercourses in undulating country, where the soils are considered alluvial and the regularity of flow after heavy rain curtails shrub growth.
- In sandy, lighter textured soils, the ecological community is replaced by more shrubby types of Eucalypt woodland and Ironbark/cypress pine communities.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.