Biodiversity and Vegetation - South Australia

What major vegetation groups occurred in prior to European settlement?
What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?
Methods
Applications
Limitations
What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?
What is the area of major vegetation groups in (circa 1997)?
Methods
Applications
Limitations
What is the extent of native vegetation in ?
Methods
Limitations
Link to native vegetation information for 's bioregions
Knowledge, data and information gaps
References
Partnerships
Further information

South Australia

What major vegetation groups occurred in prior to European settlement?

Map: Pre-European Major Vegetation Groups in

Source:

Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.

The summary maps provide information on Australia's native vegetation collated within the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) at July 2001 and with additional mapped information. The NVIS will be updated as vegetation mapping becomes available.

The map is a compilation of data collected at different scales by different organisations. Major Vegetation Groups were compiled by Environment Australia based on data collated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and provided by Environment ACT, Department of Urban Services; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW Royal Botanic Gardens; NSW State Forests; NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency; SA Department for Environment and Heritage; Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Flora Section, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture Western Australia; Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management and Geoscience Australia, National Mapping Division.

Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data

What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?

Table 1: Area of vegetation groups in prior to European settlement
Major Vegetation Group	Area (km²)	% total extent
Eucalyptus open forest	4,153	.4
Eucalyptus low open forest	17	0
Eucalyptus woodlands	31,955	3.2
Acacia forest and woodlands	15,414	1.6
Callitris forest and woodlands	1,023	.1
Casuarina forest and woodlands	15,261	1.6
Melaleuca forest and woodlands	18	0
Other forests and woodlands	37,807	3.8
Eucalyptus open woodlands	7,652	.8
Acacia open woodlands	25,414	2.6
Mallee woodlands and shrublands	181,354	18.4
Low closed forest and closed shrublands	3	0
Acacia shrublands	155,311	15.8
Other Shrublands	28,268	2.9
Heath	2,680	.3
Tussock grasslands	88,736	9
Hummock grasslands	175,363	17.8
Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands	772	.1
Chenopod shrub, samphire shrub and forblands	183,263	18.6
Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes	28,897	2.9

Methods

The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

Pre-European vegetation of Australia has been reconstructed using a variety of interpolation and modeling techniques from mapping and information on the present types and extent, historical records and early aerial photographs. It is assumed that Australia had experienced no significant clearing other than changes due to fire regimes prior to European settlement.

The underlying data used to describe the pre-European vegetation is in many cases the same as that representing the present vegetation. Some States and Territories have assumed that vegetation types mapped as pre-European vegetation also approximate the present vegetation.

This presents varying problems in interpreting changes in vegetation. There are very few areas in Australia that have not undergone some modification in species or structure following European settlement (e.g. changes in fire regime). Australian scientists are still developing systems and techniques to assess the condition and changes to condition of native vegetation.

In all states, adding the present vegetation data from the National Vegetation Information System to the available pre-European mapping provided the source for the pre-European major vegetation groups. In South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania the pre-European vegetation is presented as an interim product to be used at broad State and national scales. In Tasmania the pre-European data set was derived from modelling techniques and is yet to be finalised.

The major vegetation groups that are mapped, represent the dominant vegetation occurring in a particular area.

Applications

The inferred pre-European vegetation mapping can provide:

a broad baseline to document change in the extent and type of native vegetation;
information to assist in understanding the landscape for management and conservation of biodiversity;
an understanding of native vegetation cover which, coupled with details on Australia's soils, topography and climate variability assists construction of a modelled; assessment of natural soil erosion. This then allows us to understand changes in soil erosion patterns that have accompanied land use and are now impacting on the condition of our rivers, estuaries and near shore zones (NLWRA in prep.);
species and vegetation community information to assist in regional revegetation activities; and
information to assist in understanding changes in water balance, the key driver of dryland salinity (NLWRA 2001a) and changes in catchment surface water hydrology (NLWRA 2001b).

Limitations

The variety of methods used to map pre-European vegetation, the scale of some of the data and the difficulty of mapping in fragmented landscapes has resulted in an Australia-wide map which presents a combination of very broad and detailed mapping.

Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory National Vegetation Information System data have the greatest reliability. The New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmanian data are interim products and provide a broad scale view of Australia's pre-European vegetation.

The Guidelines section of this report provides guidelines on the use of the information and Appendix 8 presents information on the sources of data that have been collated into the National Vegetation Information System to represent Australia's pre-European vegetation including the extent, scale and date of collection.

Figures 6 and 7 provide information on the location and extent of data sets, their scale and level of classification used to develop the major vegetation groups.

What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?

South Australia is dominated by arid lands and has extensive areas of mallee, chenopod (saltbush, bluebush) shrublands, acacia shrublands (mulga and myall) and hummock grasslands. Small areas only of eucalypt open forests and woodland are found in the south-east of the State.

Bioregions in South Australia

Channel Country

This bioregion extends to Queensland, Northern Territory and New South Wales. It has an arid climate with very dry, hot summers and short, dry winters. It is characterised by vast braided, flood and alluvial plains.

Dominated by mixed forests and woodlands, hummock and tussock grasslands and chenopod and samphire shrublands.
Small areas of acacia shrublands, acacia open woodlands and eucalypt woodlands occur.

Major land uses are cattle grazing and nature conservation (Innamincka Regional Reserve).

Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields

This bioregion extends to the Northern Territory with small areas in Queensland and New South Wales. The bioregion is characterised by long parallel sand dunes, fringing dune fields, extensive saltpans, sand plains and dry watercourses and a hot, dry climate. Lake Eyre and Lake Frome are two major salt lakes.

Dominant vegetation is hummock and tussock grasslands, acacia open woodlands, acacia shrublands small areas of mixed forests and woodlands and salt lakes.

Major land uses are grazing and nature conservation including the Simpson Desert Regional Reserve and Conservation Park, Lake Eyre National Park, Strzelecki Regional Reserve and Lake Frome Regional Reserve.

Broken Hill Complex

This bioregion extends into New South Wales, includes the entire length of the Barrier Ranges and has a dry hot to warm climate.

Dominated by chenopod and samphire shrublands, other shrublands, casuarina forests and woodlands and small areas of acacia shrublands.

The major land use is grazing of native pastures.

Stony Plains

The majority of the bioregion falls within South Australia with only the northern most tip of the area lying across the border in the Northern Territory. The region experiences extreme temperatures and climate change with hot dry spells for much of the summer period and mild dry winters and is characterised by lowland sand and stony plains.

The gilgai gibber tableland supports chenopod shrubland vegetation.
Acacia forests and woodlands (gidgee-Acacia cambagei) and eucalypt woodlands (coolibah-Eucalyptus coolabah) or river red gum (E. camaldulensis) follow the creek lines.
Other vegetation present includes tussock grasslands, acacia open woodlands, acacia shrublands and other shrublands.

Major land uses are cattle and sheep grazing with some nature conservation (Witjira National Park).

Finke

This bioregion extends to the Northern Territory and is characterised by arid sand plains with dissected uplands and valleys. The climate is arid and hot.

Dominated by tussock grasslands, acacia shrublands and chenopod and samphire shrublands. Major land uses are cattle grazing and traditional Indigenous uses.

Central Ranges

This bioregion extends to Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The bioregion is characterised by east-west trending rocky ranges of the Petermann, Musgrave and Mann Ranges and red sand plains. It has hot summers with temperatures that can exceed 50°C and cool to cold winters. Winter rainfall accounts for most of the rain in the region.

Vegetation includes acacia shrublands, tussock and hummock grasslands.

Major land uses are traditional Indigenous uses.

Great Victoria Desert

This bioregion extends into Western Australia and is characterised by dunes and swales with local occurrences of playa lakes, associated lee-sided mounds (lunettes) and rocky areas. The climate is arid, warm to extremely hot in summer and mild to warm winters. Rainfall generally occurs in the winter and summer.

Diversity of vegetation groups including chenopod and samphire shrublands, acacia shrublands and open woodlands, eucalypt open woodlands, casuarina and mallee communities and small areas of heath.

Major land uses are traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation including the Unnamed Conservation Park, Tallaringa Conservation Park, Yellabinna Regional Reserve and Yumbarra Conservation Park.

Nullarbor

The bioregion extends to Western Australia and has a semi-arid climate with mild winters and includes the Nullarbor Plain.

Dominant vegetation is chenopod and samphire shrublands, mallee and casuarina communities, other shrublands and tussock grasslands.

Major land uses are traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation including the Nullarbor Regional Reserve and National Park and Yalata Indigenous Protected Area.

Gawler

The Gawler Ranges forms the southernmost extent of the bioregion, with the northern part of the region characterised by plains and salt lakes. It has mild to hot summers, cool to mild winters, and a low variable annual rainfall.

Vegetation includes acacia shrublands, mallee woodlands and shrublands, chenopod and samphire shrublands and eucalypt woodlands and tussock grasslands surrounding the salt lakes. Major land uses are sheep grazing and nature conservation including the Lake Gairdner and Lake Torrens National Parks.

Eyre Yorke Block

This bioregion consists of undulating to occasionally hilly plains and sands.

Dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands, with areas of eucalypt woodlands, chenopod and samphire shrublands, callitris woodlands, melaleuca shrublands, and tussock grasslands.

This region has been cleared (65%) extensively and the major land uses are cropping for cereals, grazing of native and modified pastures, and nature conservation including the Pinkawillinie Conservation Park and Coffin Bay National Park.

Flinders Lofty Block

This bioregion has a general pattern of mountain ranges and wide flat plains and contains the Flinders and Olary Ranges. It has a semi-arid to arid climate with hot dry summers and cool mild winters.

Vegetation is very diverse and includes tussock grasslands, chenopod and samphire shrublands, acacia forests and woodlands, callitris forests and woodlands, eucalypt open woodlands, hummock grasslands, mallee woodlands and shrublands and acacia open woodlands in the north.

Major land uses in the north are grazing and nature conservation including the Flinders Ranges and Gammon Ranges National Parks and the Nantawarrina Indigenous Protected Area.

The undulating lowlands in the south of the bioregion were extensively cleared for crops in the early days of settlement, and subsequent over-grazing has reduced the vegetation density and diversity.
Vegetation remaining includes casuarina communities, eucalypt woodlands and very small areas of eucalypt open forests.

Major land uses are dryland cropping for cereals, grazing of native and modified pastures, urban development and small areas of forestry and irrigated vines.

Murray-Darling Depression

The bioregion extends into New South Wales and Victoria.

Dominant vegetation in the far north of the region which remains uncleared is mallee woodlands and shrublands, casuarina forests and woodlands and chenopod and samphire shrublands.

Major land uses are grazing and nature conservation.

The middle and southern parts of the region have been extensively cleared and include some large areas of mallee woodlands and shrublands and heath, tussock grasslands, acacia shrublands, other forests and woodlands and other grasslands. In the far south very small fragments of eucalypt woodlands, heath and eucalypt open woodlands remain.

Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, cereal cropping and nature conservation.

Kanmantoo

This bioregion covers Kangaroo Island as well as some land on the mainland. Substantial areas in the central, central northern and eastern parts have been cleared (66%).

Vegetation on Kangaroo island is dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands, eucalypt woodlands and small patches of eucalypt open woodland, other shrublands, heath and low closed forests and closed shrublands.

Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, nature conservation (Cape Bouguer, Ravine Des Casoars and Cape Gantheume Wilderness Protection Areas and Flinders Chase National Park) with small areas of cropping for cereals, oilseeds and oleaginous fruit and legumes.

Vegetation on the mainland includes mallee woodlands and shrublands, eucalypt woodlands, eucalypt open forests and other forests and woodlands.

Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures and small areas of plantations, nature conservation and cropping for cereals.

Naracoorte Coastal Plain

This bioregion extends into Victoria.

Extensively cleared with remaining vegetation including mallee woodlands and shrublands, heath and other shrublands, mangroves, sedgelands, eucalypt woodlands, chenopod and samphire shrublands and eucalypt open woodlands.

Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, cereal cropping and some irrigated cropping, plantations, nature conservation and small areas of state forests.

Victorian Volcanic Plain

The majority of this bioregion is in Victoria.

The South Australian portion is cleared except for small fragments of eucalypt woodlands.

Map: Major Vegetation Groups in (circa 1997)

Source:

Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.

Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data