Marlock, part 1

(writing in progress)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/201389-Eucalyptus-platypus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlock

On the southern coastal plain of Western Australia there occurs an odd type of vegetation that deserves to be better-known. This is marlock low forest.

Marlock low forest is dominated by Eucalyptus, but in a form strange to most naturalists. This is because of the following combination:

• the stand consists of trees, not the shrubby form of eucalypts called mallee,
• it is as dense as the densest-known forests of eucalypts elsewhere, but only about 7 meters high,
• there is minimal understorey,
• the trees are as fire-prone as other eucalypts but their wildfire regime is restricted to the canopy because there is no understorey capable of carrying fire, and
• the trees lack any basal burl and regenerate germinatively, not vegetatively.

To the naturalist familiar with mallee tall-shrublands or eucalypt open-forests, marlock low forest seems odd because it is dense, hardly taller than mallee, single-stemmed, and mortally affected by combustion of its crown..

MAMMALS

Tarsipes rostratus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/42788-Tarsipes-rostratus and Cercartetus concinnus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/42798-Cercartetus-concinnus both present in all sample sites!

Sminthopsis griseoventer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-bellied_dunnart

Rattus fuscipes in tall form on coastal dune https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/44570-Rattus-fuscipes

Pseudomys albocinereus ditto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash-grey_mouse

BIRDS

Dromaius novaehollandiae https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/20504-Dromaius-novaehollandiae

Lophoictinia isura https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/5286-Lophoictinia-isura

Glossopsitta porphyrocephala https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19245-Glossopsitta-porphyrocephala

Barnardius zonarius https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19265-Barnardius-zonarius

Cacomantis flabelliformis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1850-Cacomantis-flabelliformis

Chrysococcus lucidus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1723-Chrysococcyx-lucidus

Coracina novaehollandiae https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/7990-Coracina-novaehollandiae

Eopsaltria griseogularis always found in this vegetation and not in other types in the study area https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/14152-Eopsaltria-griseogularis

Pachycephala occidentalis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/506042-Pachycephala-occidentalis

Colluricincla harmonica https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/8514-Colluricincla-harmonica

Rhipidura albiscapa https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/144737-Rhipidura-albiscapa

Myiagra inquieta https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/204547-Myiagra-inquieta

Drymodes brunneopygia https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/14157-Drymodes-brunneopygia

Lichmera indistincta https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12526-Lichmera-indistincta

Melithreptus brevirostrus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12254-Melithreptus-brevirostris

Melithreptus lunatus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/501272-Melithreptus-lunatus

Lichenostomus cratitius https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12164-Lichenostomus-cratitius

Where veg taller than typical:

Chrysococcyx basalis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1719-Chrysococcyx-basalis

Gliciphila melanops https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/144710-Gliciphila-melanops

Pomatostomus superciliosus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/144710-Gliciphila-melanops

Occurring in tall, double-storey marlock on greenstone but not in moort

Zosterops lateralis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/202505-Zosterops-lateralis

Sericornis frontalis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13510-Sericornis-frontalis

Acanthiza apicalis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/72439-Acanthiza-apicalis

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12632-Phylidonyris-novaehollandiae

Nesoptilotis leucotis https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/508981-Nesoptilotis-leucotis

Corvus coronoides https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/8040-Corvus-coronoides

Species notably absent

Lichenostomus virescens https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/370319-Gavicalis-virescens

Anthochaera carunculata https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12622-Anthochaera-carunculata

Strepera versicolor https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/8425-Strepera-versicolor

Smicrornis brevirostris https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13540-Smicrornis-brevirostris

Hylacola cauta https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/72928-Hylacola-cauta

Pardalotus striatus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13532-Pardalotus-striatus

Pardalotus punctatus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13531-Pardalotus-punctatus and/or Pardalotus punctatus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13531-Pardalotus-punctatus

HERPS

Pseudophryne guentheri https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/25254-Pseudophryne-guentheri

Crinia georgiana https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/25232-Crinia-georgiana

Underwoodisaurus milii https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/62598-marlock-part-1/edit

Diplodactylus granariensis tall marlock on greenstone only https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/33185-Diplodactylus-granariensis

Acritoscincus trilineatus https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/62598-marlock-part-1/edit

Varanus rosenbergi https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/39441-Varanus-rosenbergi

Ctenophorus maculatus griseus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/31231-Ctenophorus-maculatus

Hemiergis peronii https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/38366-Hemiergis-peronii

Hemiergis initialis marlock on greenstone https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/38367-Hemiergis-initialis

Ctenotus impar https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/37089-Ctenotus-impar

Morelia imbricata tall marlock on greenstone only https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1224418-Morelia-imbricata

(writing in progress)

Posted on Μάρτιος 05, 2022 0827 ΠΜ by milewski