Commonwealth of Australia

Amendment to the list of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes under sections 178, 181 and 183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EC142)

I, SUSSAN LEY, Minister for the Environment, pursuant to paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, hereby amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by:

including in the list in the endangered category

Poplar Box Grassy Woodland on Alluvial Plains ecological community

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

Dated this…............24th........................day of…................June............................2019

SUSSAN LEY

Minister for the Environment

SCHEDULE

Poplar Box Grassy Woodland on Alluvial Plains

The Poplar Box Grassy Woodland on Alluvial Plains ecological community occurs inland of the Great Dividing Range from southern New South Wales to central Queensland. It is known to occur within the Brigalow Belt North, Brigalow Belt South, Cobar Peneplain, Darling Riverine Plains, NSW South Western Slopes and Riverina IBRA bioregions (Interim Biogeographical Regionalisation of Australia version 7, at the time of listing).

The ecological community typically occurs on palaeo and recent depositional soils in flat terrain, and occasionally along watercourses in undulating country. The woodland is mainly associated with active and relictual depositional plains and flats including back plains, higher terraces, levees along rivers and stagnant alluvial plain landscapes. It is sometimes found in close proximity to ephemeral watercourses and depressions.

The structure of the ecological community varies from grassy open woodland to grassy woodland and, occasionally as open forest.

The canopy is dominated by Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box or bimble box). Other tree species may occasionally occur in the tree canopy, including Callitris glaucophylla (White Cypress Pine), Casuarina cristata (Belah), Eucalyptus coolibah (Coolibah), E. largiflorens (Black Box) and E. melanophloia (Silver-leaved Ironbark). Emergent taller trees may occasionally include E. microcarpa (Inland Grey Box) and E. woollsiana (Narrow-leaved Grey Box).

Tall shrubs and small trees are mostly absent to sparse in the understorey. When present, they may include scattered occurrences of Acacia aneura (Mulga), Alectryon oleifolius subsp. canescens (Western Rosewood), Apophyllum anomalum (Warrior Bush), Atalaya hemiglauca (Whitewood), Capparis mitchellii (Wild Orange), Eremophila mitchellii (Budda) and Geijera parviflora (Wilga).

The ground layer is typically open, low and dominated by a variety of grasses and other herbs. Grasses typically present include: Aristida spp. (Wiregrass), Bothriochloa spp. (Red Grass), Dichanthium spp. (Bluegrass), Heteropogon sp. and Themeda sp. (Kangaroo Grass). At sites prone to occasional inundation, sedges and rushes such as Carex inversa (Knob Grass), Eleocharis plana (Flat Spike-sedge) and Juncus spp. may be more abundant, and the fern, Marsilea drummondii (Nardoo), may occur.

Seasonal herbs that may be present include: Bulbine alata (bulbine lily), Brachyscome dentata (Lobed-seed Daisy), Einadia nutans (Climbing Saltbush), Erodium crinitum (Blue Crowfoot), Oxalis chnoodes (Wood-sorrell) and Wahlenbergia spp. (Bluebells). Low shrubs may also be present, sometimes as localised patches, and typically include the chenopods: Enchylaena tomentosa (Ruby Saltbush), Maireana spp. (fissure weeds), Rhagodia spinescens (Thorny Saltbush), Sclerolaena birchii (Galvanized Burr) and Sclerolaena muricata (Black Roly Poly). During drought, the cover of grasses and herbs may decline, leaving low chenopod shrubs as the most conspicuous ground layer plants.

The ecological community includes a variety of fauna species, including nationally threatened species such as Anthochaera phrygia (Regent Honeyeater), Grantiella picta (Painted Honeyeater), Nyctophilus geoffroyi (Lesser Long-eared Bat), Onychogalea fraenata (Bridled Nailtail Wallaby) and Phascolarctos cinereus (Koala).