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Alluvial Woodland
River-flat eucalypt forest on coastal floodplains of the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions or alternatively known as Alluvial Woodland, Riparian Vegetation, Swamp Oak Forest or Red Gum Cabbage Gum Forest grows along minor watercourses and on flat areas next to riparian forest. Riparian forest is the name given to the vegetation found on the banks of rivers. It is found on soils which were deposited by floods in the past, called alluvial soils. It is an important vegetation community as it plays an important role in maintaining aquatic ecosystems. It also stabilises riverbanks to prevent erosion and plays an important role as a wildlife corridor, giving many animals a safer way to move around in urban areas. There is only 4176 ha of Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest left, 9.7 % of the original amount. It is listed as an endangered ecological community under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.
A section of Alluvial Woodland found at Nurragingy Reserve.
Dominant Plant Species
Below is an example of the dominant plant species of this community.
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Canopy Species Cabbage Gum (Eucalyptus amplifolia)
Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca) |
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Understory Species White Sally (Acacia floribunda)
Coast Myall (Acacia binervia)
Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia) | |
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Ground Species Kangaroo grass (Themeda australis)
Weeping Meadow Grass (Microlaena stipoides var stipoides) |
Surrounding Vegetation Communities
Where the soils become shale based, the vegetation changes to Cumberland Plain Woodland. (Shale Hills and Shale Plains Woodland). Where the alluvial soils are deeper, with clay deposits above them, the vegetation changes to Castlereagh Ironbark Forest. Examples of River-Flat Eucalypt Forest on Coastal Floodplain can still be found within the Blacktown LGA in Knudsen, Nurragingy, Morgan Power and Banks Reserves as well as Duncan Park along the creekline.
Major Impacts
Alluvial Woodland often occurs on floodplains, which are considered some of the most fertile soils for farming. As a result, it was rapidly cleared by the first European settlers to come to the area. Some sections have been cleared so the area can be mined for sand and soil.
The issues facing the remaining stands include:
Click on the above links to learn more about these impacts!
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