Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153:body:0:p17
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 46087–49217

et al., 2016). In north-east Queensland climate change scenarios are predicted to result in increased temperature and increased potential evaporation, possible overall deceases in rainfall but increases in rainfall intensities, and changes in the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones resulting in potentially widespread impacts across tropical rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef (Suppiah et al. 2010).
Given its coastal location, sea level rise is of particular concern for Littoral Rainforest, as it will expose the ecological community to increased inundation and disturbance and is likely to result in increased habitat fragmentation and create opportunities for further weed invasion (Lavorel et al. 2016). Under conservative climate change predictions, Littoral Rainforest is likely to experience reductions in diversity and changes in community composition as plant tolerance limits are exceeded in response to temperature and water availability: As climate change scenarios increase in severity, the structure of the ecological community is expected to undergo a process of simplification (Lavorel et al. 2016), resulting in physical canopy damage, loss of emergent trees, reduced canopy height and increased canopy gaps (Kellner & Asner 2009). Dieback within patches of Littoral Rainforest may also be exacerbated by climate change (BAAM 2013).
Predicted rising sea levels, increases in storm surges, flood occurrences and cyclone intensity, and potential increases in extreme fire events during the dry season, are all expected to result in transformative changes to the structure, function and composition of Littoral Rainforest (Lavorel et al. 2016). The proliferation of coastal developments, together with natural barriers along the margins of many patches, considerably restricts the potential shoreward migration of Littoral Rainforest, thus many patches of this ecological community may be lost or transformed to mangroves as the impacts of climate change unfold (Lavorel et al. 2016).

2.2.4      Weed invasion
Weed species are dispersed across the landscape by people, animals and through physical processes such as wind and water. Due to its naturally fragmented distribution, Littoral Rainforest is susceptible to weed invasion, which is further exacerbated by natural and human-induced disturbances (BAAM 2013). Weed species compete with native plants for space, water and nutrients, and weeds have been observed to kill mature Littoral Rainforest trees (Peel 2010). Weed invasion has the potential to reduce native plant diversity in Littoral Rainforest patches (BAAM 2013).
Transformer weeds are highly invasive taxa with the potential to seriously alter the structure and function of the ecological community. Whilst it is accepted that the ecological community can tolerate a significant amount of weed cover due to its relative resilience, if left unchecked, such weeds will eventually take over and destroy the affected patch. Some weeds that invade Littoral Rainforest, notably pond apple (Annona glabra), lantana (Lantana camara), bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. rotundata),