InpartsofFarNorthQueensland,whererainforest meetsopenwoodland,thereliesaspecialkindof habitat.Thisuniqueecosystemisknownaswet sclerophyllforest-anopenforestofmajesticrose gums,stringybarksandbloodwoodtrees.There,you canfindthetruffle-eatingnorthernbettong,the agileyellow-belliedglider,andtheelusiveAtherton delmaroamingaround.Traditionalowners, includingtheKuku-Yalanji,Muluridji,Djabuganjdji, Yidinjjdji,Djirbalngam,Wargamayganand Nyawaygipeople,havecaredfortheseforestsfor thousandsofyears.
Wetsclerophyllforestisuniquebecauseofhowit occursandwhereitoccurs: itsingredientsand location.Ifweweretostepoutintonatureandexplore theseforests,wewoulddiscoverthattheytowerover usinheight,butarealsoopenandbright;their canopiesstillletusseethesky!Takingacloserlook, we’dnoticethatthey’redominatedbyeucalyptsand anunderstoryoflushferns,shrubs,grassesandsmall trees.Sonowweknowwhatwe’relookingfor,let’sgo findthem!
Wetsclerophyllforestsextendalongthe easterncoastofAustralia,butintheWet Tropics of northernQueensland,theyare mainly found in a thin strip on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, at the transition between drier woodlandsandrainforests.
Keyword:ECOTONE(n.)
Thistransitioniswhatwecallanecotone: a special area where two different habitats meet. It’s like a blending zone whereyoumightfindanimalsandplants from both places, as well as some that are unique to this transitional area. However, ecotones are often sensitive to environmentalchanges.
Whenitoccursasanecotonalhabitat, wetsclerophyllforestsarelikeacontested borderland,caughtinaslowwarbetweentwo advancingneighbours oneisdryandoftenfieryin thewest,theotherisagreen-cloakedandleafyarmy fromtheeast.Botharepressuringwetsclerophyll’s land,pushinginfromeachside,anditsterritoryis gettingsmaller.
Q1.Whatmakeswetsclerophyllforestsdifferentfrom rainforests?
a)Theyhavefewertalltreesandmoreshrubs
b)Theyhavemoreeucalypttreesandanopencanopy
c)Theyaredrierthanrainforests
d)Theydon’texistoutsideofNorthQueensland
Q2.WherearewetsclerophyllforestsfoundinNorth Queensland?
a)Onbeaches
b)Deepinsiderainforests
c)OnthewesternslopesoftheGreatDividingRange
d)Indeserts
Q3.Whatisonereasonwetsclerophyllforestsare shrinking?
a)Toomanyanimals
b)Notenoughsunlight
c)Deforestationandlandclearing
d)Lackofrainbows
Aswe’vediscussed,manyoftheseforestsare shrinkingduetovariousthreats.Conservation efforts,suchasnationalparksandrestoration projects,arehelpingprotectandrestorethem,but ongoingcareisneeded.
Muchofthewetsclerophyllforestsinnorthern Queenslandareinabadstate.Forexample,by comparinghistoricalandrecentaerialimagery, scientistshaveestimatedthatonly18%ofthewet sclerophyllforestsontheCarbineTablelandsareina healthycondition.
Whilewetsclerophyllforestswillfindawayto withstandtheirenemiesandsurviveforhundredsof yearstocome,theirdecreasingsizeisconcerningfor manyreasons.Mostsignificantly,itmaymeanthe beginningoftheendforvariousnativespecies.
Theseforestsarehometoiconicbut endangeredanimals,includingtheyellowbelliedgliderandnorthernbettong(we’llmeet theselittleguysproperlysoon!).Reduced habitatmeanslessfoodandshelter, potentiallyleadingtolocalextinctions.
exploremoreon thenextpage
Thisecosystemisimportant formanyTraditionalOwners, includingtheKuku-Yalanji, Djabuganjdji,Yidinjjdji,and more.Ithasbeenhometo thesenationsforthousandsof years,eachwiththeirown connectiontoCountry.
InAustralia,we’relucky thatcleandrinkingwater issoaccessible.These forestshelpmaintain cleanwatersuppliesby filteringrainfalland reducingerosion.
SCLEROPHYLL s WELCOMETO FORESTS let’s finally meet the celebrity fauna and flora roaming these forests Iconicspecies:glidingfromtreetotreeorforaging thegroundfortruffles,manyspeciesinhabitthe wetsclerophyllforests.Remembertolookup,and down,andkeepyoureyesopen.Maybeyouwillbe rewardedwithaspecialencounter!
Specialtrees:wetsclerophyllforestsare dominatedbytalleucalyptsandotherhardytree speciesthatthriveinhigh-rainfallenvironments. Whenyouvisittheforest,seeifyoucanrecognise theseones.
YELLOWBELLIED GLIDER Thesenocturnalacrobats leapbetweentreesacrossthe openforest.Theyusetheirtail tocarryleavesandmake theirdensinhollowrosegum trees.Yellow-belliedgliders haveavarieddiet,butthey particularlylovethesap producedbyredmahogany.
Theirloud,distinctivecall soundslikeahigh-pitched shriek!
Fauna ATHERTON DELMA Asecretive,leglesslizard foundonlyinthewet sclerophyllforestsofFNQ.It hidesunderleaflitter,grass tussocksandlogs,feedingon insectsandother invertebrates.
NORTHERN BETTONG Thisendangeredratkangaroospeciesis nocturnal,diggingatthe baseoftreestofindtruffles –mycorrhizalfungigrowing onrootsthatprovidetrees withessentialnutrients.
NORTHERN GREATER GLIDER OneofAustralia’slargest glidingmarsupials,withthick, fluffyfurandlargeeyes adaptedfornightvision. Thesegliderscansoarover 100metersbetweentreesand relyonold-growtheucalypts withplentyoftreehollowsfor shelter.
Theworld’ssmallestgliding mammal,weighingonly1015grams!Thesetiny marsupialsusetheirfeatherliketailtohelpthemsteeras theyglidethroughtheforest insearchofnectarand insects.
RED MAHOGANY Eucalyptusresinifera
Recognisablebyitsrough, fibrousbarkanddeepred timber,thistreeisan importantsourceofnectar andsapformanyforest animals.Thetreepicturedhas manysapscarsfromyellowbelliedgliders.
Atoweringeucalyptthat cangrowover60meters tall;that’stallerthana15storybuilding!They providecrucialhabitat(in theformoftreehollows) forglidersandother wildlife.
FOREST SHE-OAK Allocasuarinatorulosa
Adistinctivetreewithneedle-like structuresandwoodycones,which providefoodforblackcockatoosand otherseed-eatingbirds.
Whatare wetsclerophyllforests? uniqueforeststhatin northernQueenslandhug thewesternslopesofthe GreatDividingRange
aspecialecotonal habitat;atransition betweendrywoodland andwetrainforest;a blendingzone
theyarecaredforby TraditionalOwners, includingtheKukuYalanji,Djabuganjdji, Yidinjjdji,Djirbalngam peopleandmore
hometoiconicfaunaand flora,suchastheyellowbelliedglider,northern bettong,Athertondelma andtalleucalypts
Whatthreatsaretheyfacing? wet sclerophyll territory is shrinking as woodland and rainforest encroach upon its territory from each side
Whyshouldwecare?
invasivespecies(lantana weeds,feralpigsand cats),changedfire regimes,landclearing andclimatechangeare allthreateningthis habitat
withoutaction, threatened speciesmay disappear theseforests carrysignificant culturalheritage forTraditional Owners
wetsclerophyll foreststakecareof us!Theyhelpkeep ourwatercleanand removecarbon fromtheair
DidYouKnow?Scientistsmonitortheseforests usingsatelliteimagesandcameratrapstostudy wildlifeandhabitatchangesovertime.
FunFact!Somewetsclerophyllforestshavebeen aroundforover60millionyears—meaningthey existedwhendinosaursroamedtheEarth!
Sometreescangrowover60meterstall:that’sas tallasa20-storybuilding!Therosegum (Eucalyptusgrandis)isoneofthetallesteucalypts intheworld—andit’saskyscraperforwildlifetoo.
The forest she-oak (Allocasuarina torulosa) makes a soft whooshing sound when the wind blows through its needle-like leaves. Some people say it sounds like the forest is whispering!
Build Your Own Forest Defender Map! 1)Drawyourforestkingdom
Inthecenter:drawthewetsclerophyllwithtalltrees, ferns,shrubsandgrasses.
Totheleft,drawthe“LandofFire”(showfirewhenit’s helpful,notharmful!).
Totheright,drawthe“RainforestRealm”startingto spreadin.
2)Addkeycharacters
Drawanimalsliketheyellow-belliedglider,northern bettongandAthertondelma.
Addaforestguardiancharacter—thiscouldbea superhero,animal,orevenyou!
3) Markdangerzones
Usesymbolsorcolourareaswherethere’stoomuch fire,landclearing,orinvasivespecies.
4)Writeyourplantoprotecttheforest
Useaspeechbubbletoanswer:whatwillyoudoto protectyourforestkingdom?
(e.g.,“Iwillstopinvasiveplants,”“Iwillteachothers aboutcoolburns,”etc.)
