Victorian Volcanic Plain grasslands

Last updated

Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain
Wallaby habitat.jpg
A wallaby in the grassy plain of Griffiths Island
Ecology
Realm Australasia
Biome Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Borders
Geography
Area22,000 km2 (8,500 sq mi)
CountryAustralia
Elevation10–50 metres (33–164 ft)
Coordinates 38°12′S143°15′E / 38.2°S 143.25°E / -38.2; 143.25
Climate type Oceanic climate (Cfb)
Mediterranean climate (Csb) (western fringe)
Soil types Basalt

The Victorian Volcanic Plain Grasslands are a critically endangered temperate grasslands that occur in the Australian state of Victoria, stretching from Hamilton in the northwest to the city of Melbourne. Part of the Southern Volcanic Plain and bordering the Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland to the east, the grasslands sit on Cainozoic volcanic deposits. [1] In 2011, the Victoria State Government had reserved 15,000 hectares of land to protect the critically endangered community. [2] Only less than 5% of the pre-European concentration of the grasslands remain. [3]

Contents

Geography

Barwon South West region, which features a portion of the grasslands. ISS055-E-114721 - View of Victoria, Australia.jpg
Barwon South West region, which features a portion of the grasslands.

The Victorian grasslands stretch 350 km (220 mi) west, from Melbourne (around Doreen) in the east, to Portland in the southwest, reaching the border of South Australia, on a flat to mildly undulating country at low altitudes, where they feature a belt around 100 km (62 mi) wide, covering approximately 20,000 square kilometres. The soils in the grassland are susceptible to cracking during drought and being miry in wet periods. Grazing and bushfires have an impact as well. [3] The grasslands also include the Natural Damp Grassland of the Victorian Coastal Plains.

The grasslands were once a large vegetation zone on the volcanic plain, but they have since been reduced to a small, highly divided remnants in a landscape that has been mostly cleared for agriculture. The area is dominated tussock grass alongside wildflowers (which make up 50% of the total landcover), with very few trees and shrubs. The grasslands feature dry warm summers and cool, wet winters. Annual rainfall ranges from 400 mm (15.75 in) to 1,000 mm (39.37 in) a year. [4]

Biodiversity

In addition to Kangaroo grass, Plume grass, Wallaby-grasses and Spear grasses, the area includes Spiny Rice flower, common tussock grass, Hoary Sunray, Eryngium ovinum, Acaena echinata, Button Wrinklewort, Leptorhynchos squamatus, purple clover, Convolvulus angustissimus, Schoenus apogon and as well as native orchids, lilies, daisies and peas. In wetter places, such as in the west, species that are more prevalent include Microtis unifolia and Drosera peltata. In drier regions, Chrysocephalum apiculatum and Calocephalus citreus are more common.

Native animals include striped legless lizard, Tussock Skink, common dunnart, Southern Grass Skink, eastern barred bandicoot, Golden Sun Moth, growling grass frog, eastern grey kangaroo and grassland earless dragon. [2] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydenham, Victoria</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Sydenham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 22 km (14 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Brimbank local government area. Sydenham recorded a population of 10,578 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Alps</span>

The Victorian Alps, also known locally as the High Country, is a large mountain system in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Occupying the majority of eastern Victoria, it is the southwestern half of the Australian Alps, the tallest portion of the Great Dividing Range. The Yarra and Dandenong Ranges, both sources of rivers and drinking waters for Melbourne, are branches of the Victorian Alps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalkallo, Victoria</span> Suburb of City of Hume, Victoria, Australia

Kalkallo is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km (19 mi) north of Melbourne's central business district, located within the City of Hume local government area. Kalkallo recorded a population of 5,548 at the 2021 census.

<i>Synemon plana</i> Species of moth

Synemon plana, commonly known as the golden sun moth, is a diurnal moth native to Australia and throughout its range, it is currently classified as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serendip Sanctuary</span>

Serendip Sanctuary is a 250 ha protected area in Victoria, Australia, near the You Yangs and the town of Lara, some 22 km (14 mi) north of Geelong and 60 km (37 mi) south-west of Melbourne. Originally used for farming and other purposes, it was purchased in 1959 by the State Government of Victoria for wildlife research and the captive management and breeding of species threatened in Victoria, such as the brolga, magpie goose, Australian bustard, and bush stone-curlew. The sanctuary contains many different types of wetland and is home to many plant species as well, such as river red gums, tall spikerush, and tussock grass. Serendip now focuses more on environmental education about the flora and fauna of the wetlands and open grassy woodlands of the Volcanic Western Plains of Victoria. It was opened to the public in 1991 and is now managed by Parks Victoria.

Scottsdale Reserve is a 1,328-hectare (3,280-acre) nature reserve on the Murrumbidgee River in south-central New South Wales, Australia. It is 79 kilometres (49 mi) south of Canberra, and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Bredbo. It is owned and managed by Bush Heritage Australia (BHA), which purchased it in 2006. The purchase was supportive of projects aiming to connect existing fragmented remnant habitat such as K2C. Since the 1870s up until 2006, the land was used for agriculture – primarily sheep grazing with some minor cropping. A significant component of the Reserve has been cleared of native vegetation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Australia temperate savanna</span>

The Southeast Australia temperate savanna ecoregion is a large area of grassland dotted with eucalyptus trees running north–south across central New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Melbourne</span>

Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria, Australia, is situated on the southeastern fringe of the Australian landmass and in the southern central part of the state. Melbourne covers an urbanised area of approximately 2,453 km²–larger than that of Sydney, Greater London and Mexico City, with population density roughly around 16 people per hectare on average.

<i>Poa labillardierei</i> Species of tussock grass

Poa labillardierei, also known as common tussock-grass, is a species of tussock grass that is endemic to Australia. It is found in southern and eastern Australia, including Tasmania. There are differing variations, Poa labillardierei var. acris Vickery and Poa labillardierei Steud. var. labillardierei.

The Queanbeyan Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 67-hectare (170-acre) reserve is situated approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west-south-west of the City of Queanbeyan.

<i>Lomandra effusa</i> Species of plant

Lomandra effusa is a perennial, dioecious, rhizomatous herb native to Australia. It is a perennial tussock with bluish green, large, arching leaves which are distinctive by the two toothed leaf tip. It has white, cream or pink fragrant flowers during the months of June to October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumberland Plain Woodland</span> Indigenous woodland community in Sydney, Australia

The Cumberland Plain Woodland, also known as Cumberland Plain Bushland and Western Sydney woodland, is a grassy woodland community found predominantly in Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that comprises an open tree canopy, a groundcover with grasses and herbs, usually with layers of shrubs and/or small trees.

<i>Pseudemoia pagenstecheri</i> Species of lizard

Pseudemoia pagenstecheri, also known commonly as the southern grass tussock skink or the southern tussock grass skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Australia temperate forests</span> Terrestrial ecoregion in Australia

The Southeast Australia temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of south-eastern Australia. It includes the temperate lowland forests of southeastern Australia, at the southern end of the Great Dividing Range. Vegetation ranges from wet forests along the coast to dry forests and woodlands inland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland</span> Ecological community in southern Victoria

The Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland is an ecological temperate grassland community located in the Gippsland region in southern Victoria, Australia. Stretching from Bairnsdale in the east to the eastern portion of Melbourne in the west, they typify one of Victoria's most threatened and disconnected indigenous ecosystems. The Gippsland Red Gum Grassy Woodland is the most prominent community in the system situated in the centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia</span> Ecological community in South Australia

The Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia is a temperate grassland in the southeast of South Australia that stretches from Orroroo in the north, to Strathalbyn in the south, just straddling the eastern fringes of Adelaide's Mount Lofty Ranges. Listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act, the grasslands predominantly feature Iron-grasses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Plains Grassland</span> Ecological community in northern Victoria

The Northern Plains Grassland (NPGL) is an open, shrubby temperate grassland community located in northern Victoria straddling the Murray Darling Depression and Wimmera, extending to the Riverina and South Western Slopes regions in southern New South Wales. Floristically rich, the area features 30 native plant species per 100 m2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Tablelands Temperate Grassland</span> Ecological community in New South Wales

The Southern Tablelands Temperate Grassland, formally Natural Temperate Grassland of the Southern Tablelands, is a temperate grassland community situated in the Southern Tablelands and Monaro region of New South Wales, extending into the Australian Capital Territory and the Victorian border. Listed as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the grassland is dominated by reasonably tall, dense to open tussock grasses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lowland Native Grasslands of Tasmania</span> Ecological community in southern Victoria

The Lowland Native Grasslands of Tasmania are a temperate grassland situated in the eastern portion of Tasmania, Australia. Listed as a critically endangered ecological community listed under the national environment law, they are dominated by kangaroo grass, velvet tussock grass and/or silver tussock grass.

References

  1. Victorian Volcanic Plain Victorian Resources Online. Victoria State Government. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 The Western Grassland Reserves Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Retrieved 3 September 2022. CC-BY icon.svg Text was copied from this source, which is available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
  4. Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains – The Western Volcanic Plains State of Victoria (Department of Education). Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  5. Victorian Volcanic Plains by Greening Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2022.