Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands


Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands is one of 32 Major Vegetation Groups defined by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy.

Description

"Mallee" is an Aboriginal word for a groups of eucalypts that grow to a height of, have many stems arising from a lignotuber and have a leafy canopy that shades 30–70% of the ground. It is also a name given to a vegetation association where mallee eucalypts grow, and that is generally flat without hills or tall trees.
Of the 32 Major Vegetation Groups classified under the National Vegetation Information System, "Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands" -
The major vegetation subgroups of MVG14, based mainly on the perennial components of the understorey are:
Mallee woodlands and shrublands occur in 39 IBRA biogeographic regions.

Changes since european settlement

The present extent of this vegetation group is estimated to be about but the estimate prior to 1750 is. In 2001, the area covered by this vegetation group is estimated to be 65% of its pre-1750 coverage.
The most extensive area of this vegetation association in Australia today is found in the Great Victoria Desert. Prior to 1750, the largest area is estimated to have occurred in the Murray-Darling basin.
About 33% of the clearing of this vegetation type is estimated to have accounted for 10% of the total area of land clearing in Australia. In South Australia, clearing of the mallee started in about 1900, following the introduction of the stump-jump plough.