Sclerophyll & Sclerophyll Rainforests transitions

Closed acacia forests represent a seral stage in the transition from sclerophyllous forest and woodland to rainforest. These communities exist in either unstable or meta-stable states depending on site history and disturbance. Communities where an acacia dominant canopy is the result of a single catastrophic disturbance event or a change in land management practice (e.g. removal of regular burning) are unstable and succession to rainforest is an ongoing process. 

View the closed acacia forests Fact Sheet here.

Closed eucalyptus forests represent a seral stage in the transition from sclerophyllous forest and woodland to rainforest. In the mapping process, sclerophyll rainforest transitions were identified by the presence of the component sclerophyll species in the canopy at widely varying levels of cover dependent on the stage of the transition process, and where, below the main sclerophyll canopy, a closed canopy of vine forest species could be detected. 

View the closed eucalyptus forests Fact Sheet here.

Wet Tropics Management Authority

Closed lophostemon forests (20a) may also include areas of open forest and occasional woodland within the broader closed forest mosaic due to seral stage variations.

View the closed lophostemon forests Fact Sheet here.

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