Survey/Project Number: |
15
Total No. of Sites:
1017
|
Survey/Project Name: |
Kangaroo Island |
Abstract: |
This project aims to examine the vegetation associations systematically for flora and fauna on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
Sites were chosen to represent variation across the study area, using standard Biological Survey of South Australia methods.
This project is part of the Biological Survey of SA programme run by the Biological Survey and Monitoring group, Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH).
Survey areas are defined in a DEH spatial layer managed by DEH Environmental Information Group.
|
|
Start Date: |
11/09/1989
End Date: 01/01/1993
|
Survey Type: |
Vegetation and Fauna |
|
|
Study Area Description: |
The Kangaroo Island Region consists of eight environmental associations. The island is characterised by an undulating upland plain with an extensive laterite cover which gives rise to mottled-yellow duplex soils. The plain rises to an average height of 100-150m and is bounded by a densely dissected scarp falling steeply to the cliffed coastline. Along the southern coastline some dunes are developed but otherwise these are rare. A characteristic feature of the eastern, somewhat lower-lying part of the island is the occurrence of numerous rounded salt lakes and depressions which may be due to the solution processes in the calcrete cover. Shallow red sands occur on the intervening plains. In the eastern part of the island mallee was the dominant vegetation. Due to extensive clearing in areas suitable for agriculture most of the mallee has disappeared. On deeper soils in the wetter, western part of the island the mallee is replaced by low open forest, or in sheltered positions, by open forest. Scattered stands of these forests occur as uncleared blocks in the central section of the island.
The study area is contained within the island - bounded by the coast. |