Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153:body:0:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 14902–17962

warm temperate, subtropical and tropical climate zones. The diversity of plant taxa (particularly canopy species) and the species composition within Littoral Rainforest changes on the macro-scale throughout the range, driven primarily by changes in temperature. Typically, species diversity declines in north to south direction (i.e. with increasing latitude).
Within Littoral Rainforest, structure can vary from low, closed thickets (approximately 5 m tall) to tall, closed forests (approximately 30 m high), with factors such as the amount of rainfall, shelter from wind and salt spray, and the depth of soil development, all influencing patch structure (BAAM 2013). Patches generally exhibit a closed canopy (with > 70 percent projected foliage cover) but may also be patchy and include emergents, and, due to wind sheering, stand profile generally increases in height with the progression from seaward to landward edge (Keith 2004). Those stands that occur in exposed coastal situations can have many rainforest gaps caused by storm events which, in turn, may lead to canopy decapitation. In these exposed sites, there is often a secondary canopy that has developed below the old canopy.
Littoral Rainforest's canopy species are well adapted to coastal exposure (e.g. strong and persistent salt-laden winds and storm events), while less tolerant species and propagules in the understorey are protected by the canopy. Canopy species vary from evergreen to semi-evergreen (facultative drought-deciduous) to obligate dry-season deciduous and common emergent species can include conifers such as hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) and kauri pine (Agathis robusta) (Queensland Herbarium 2011). Leaf size and structure within Littoral Rainforest tends to vary along a latitudinal gradient. Larger-leaved (i.e. 12.5-25 cm in length) mesophyll species typically occur where warmer temperatures and high rainfall are prevalent (Webb 1959; Gourlay 1994) and smaller-leaved (i.e. 2.5‑7.5 cm in length) microphyll species tend to occur in drier climates. However, medium-sized (i.e. 7.5–12.5 cm in length) notophyll species are predominant in most areas of Littoral Rainforest (BAAM 2013).
At its northern extent, particularly in high-rainfall sites, Littoral Rainforest can exhibit a complex rainforest structure (i.e. with features including large woody vines, epiphytes, palms and trees with buttressed roots), while at its southern extent, and in drier climes, structure tends to be simple and lacking complex features (Webb 1959). The presence and diversity of special life forms varies across the range of Littoral Rainforest, with large woody vines common in wetter and warmer areas and thinner vines more prevalent in dryer and cooler areas (BAAM 2013). Buttressed tree roots, feather palms, fan palms (Livistona spp.) and large-leaved epiphytes tend to be rare, except in the Wet Tropics where they are abundant (Worboys 2006), while strangler figs are common across the range of the ecological community with the exception of Victoria.

1.2      Distribution