Science Skills How to name habitats learning Care:

queensland museum learning
Science Skills
Topic
How to name habitats
Care:
In your 10 m x 10 m quadrat:
It is illegal to destroy, to damage or remove marine
plants such as mangroves from their habitats —
even dead parts (Fisheries Act 1994). You should
wear sturdy enclosed shoes, a long-sleeved shirt
and long pants to avoid being scratched or bitten
by mosquitoes. Apply a DEET-based insecticide.
Be aware that saltwater crocodiles live in mangroves
in some parts of Queensland.
1. Identify the common plant group (for example,
Avicennia) using the key or handbook.
2. Identify the structure of the vegetation by:
a. estimating the height of the tallest tree or shrub
A person of known height stands next to the tree
— use the person as a reference to estimate tree
height. Record the data.
b. estimating canopy cover
Canopy cover is equal to the percentage of your
quadrat under shade. For example, 70% shade
means 70% canopy cover. This method works well
in Queensland when the sun is directly overhead
from 10am to 2pm. Record this data.
3. Use the table below to name the habitat’s structure.
4. Combine 1 and 2 to name the habitat. For example,
in an Avicennia forest, the most common tall plant
is Avicennia, growing to at least 10 m high, with a
70% canopy.
Avicennia forest with canopy cover of about 70% at
Wynnum, south-east Queensland. QM
Structural characteristics of vegetation
Vegetation type
of tallest plants
Canopy cover of tallest plants
Dense
(70–100%)
Mid-dense
(30–70%)
Sparse
(10–30%)
Very sparse
(0–10%)
Medium-height trees
(10–30 m)
Closed forest
(Rainforest)
Open forest with
heath understorey
(Eucalypt forests)
Woodland
(Paperbark swamps)
Open woodland
Low trees
(<10 m)
Low closed forest
Low open forests
(Mangroves)
Low woodland
(‘Wallum’)
Low open woodland
(‘Wallum’)
Tall shrubs — woody
shrubs with many stems
(>2 m)
Closed scrub
—
Tall shrubland
with heath understorey
(Mallee heath)
Tall open shrubland
with heath understorey
Low shrubs
(<2 m)
Closed heath
Open heath
(Heath)
Low shrubland
—
Non-woody plants
– grasses, sedges or herbs
Closed grassland
(Sporobolus saltmarsh)
Sedgeland
(Saltmarsh or rushes)
Open herbland
(Coastal dune grassland)
—
(Adapted from Clifford, H.T. and Specht, R.L. 1979. The vegetation of North Stradbroke Island. University of Queensland Press: St Lucia.
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