Minnamurra Rainforest Ecosystem
The types of rainforest which exist in the Minnamurra area are
subtropical and warm temperate rainforest. A third type, riparian
rainforest, exists along the river gully. Riparian means "next
to" or "adjacent to a water body". The rainforest in this area
is more sheltered from the drying westerly winds and fires and
therefore is more abundant because of a larger supply of rainfall,
fertile soils and moisture-laden air. Using GIS a map
has been constructed of the two major types of rainforest.
Subtropical rainforest
 |
Ma. Subtropical rainforest
Click picture for full diagram |
Subtropical rainforests develop in environments with fertile soils
and high rainfall, and are similar to tropical rainforests, although
the subtropical rainforest has slightly fewer species. This particularly
applies to the canopy of a subtropical rainforest. The main characteristics
of a subtropical rainforest include:
- a mixed composition of many species with no obvious domination
by any one species
- trees of large to medium size with a range of leaf forms and sizes
- palms, strangler figs, buttressed trunks, large vines and
large epiphytes, such as orchids and ferns, are common and diverse.
Common subtropical species at Minnamurra Rainforest include brown beech, red cedar, flame tree, black apple, pigeonberry ash and cabbage palm.
Warm temperate rainforest
 |
Mb. Warm temperate rainforest
Click picture for full diagram |
Warm temperate rainforests grow at higher altitudes, in less fertile
soils and cooler climates than subtropical rainforests. These rainforests,
when compared to subtropical rainforests, have order and uniformity.
Characteristics of warm temperate rainforests include:
- two tree layers
- vegetation less diverse than in subtropical rainforests, with
as few as three species making up the canopy
- leaf size on average smaller than in subtropical rainforest.
- leaves usually simple with toothed margins
- no buttress roots
- vines thin and wirey
- no palms and stranglers: some large epiphytes and vines but
they are not abundant or diverse.
The major species around Minnamurra that tell us we are looking at a warm temperate rainforest include: coachwood, sassafras, lilly pilly and the native laurel.
|
|