Floristic diversity of poplar box woodlands in southern queensland and changes over a 20-year period

Abstract

Plant species richness data were collected from 60 poplar box (Eucalyptus populnea F.Muell.) woodland sites in fragmented landscapes in the southern Brigalow Belt, Queensland. A total of 335 vascular plant species (299 native species and 36 exotic species) were recorded. Native species grouped into five life forms (tree, shrub, vine, forb and graminoid) were surveyed and total species richness and composition results compared with those reported during an earlier south central Queensland study by Neldner (1984). Although forbs (34% of total native species) and graminoids (27% of total native species) remained the major life forms over the past two decades, there was a significant decline in the number of graminoid species in the current study. Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.), velvety tree pear (Opuntia tomentosa Salm-Dyck), Mayne's pest (Verbena aristigera S.Moore), purpletop (Verbena bonariensis L.), common verbena (Verbena officinalis L.) and soft roly-poly (Salsola kali L.) were among newly recorded exotic species, that have become common in the poplar box woodlands of southern Queensland. Verbenaceae (three Verbena species) and Chenopodiaceae (one Salsola species) were also newly recorded families of exotic species. © Royal Society of Queensland Inc.