Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01712:body:0:p15
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01712
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 43922–47025

limited by either regular burning by Aboriginal people or other land managers, or an inherent patchiness in fuels (due to presence of bare salt pan or rock outcropping).

 Tjakura commonly occurs on open spinifex sandplains and adjacent dune field swales but rarely in extensive dune fields or rocky outcrops. Most sites are on low nutrient soils derived from laterites, sandstones and quartzites, supporting a simple, low, open shrubland flora that is usually dominated by spinifex hummock grasses with scattered shrubs including various Acacia, Eucalypt, Grevillea and Hakea species, and often the sub-shrub Androcalva loxophylla. Tjakura inhabit sandplain habitat on the Kiwirrkurra IPA, Kintore area, Katiti Petermann IPA and UKTNP/Yulara. Spinifex species vary but is most commonly hard spinifex (Triodia basedowii).

 In the Tanami Desert and parts of the Great Sandy Desert (including Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, Lake Mackay and Punmu subpopulations), Tjakura also inhabits palaeodrainage country featuring slightly saline depressions or chains of dry salt lakes, with soft spinifex (T. pungens), tea tree (Melaleuca spp.) shrubs and the salt tolerant sub-shrub Pluchea ferdinandi-muelleri.
 In contrast to T. basedowii that can only regrow from seed, soft spinifex resprouts after fire, which means this habitat has the highest fire frequency (being able to carry fire again after about 7 years).

 In the Gibson Desert, north of Warburton, habitat includes areas of gently undulating gravelly downs (buckshot plain) known locally as 'Rira.' In this landscape the soil surface is characterised by a layer of small laterite pebbles and vegetated with hard spinifex
 (T. basedowii). Areas of "Rira' inhabited by Tjakura are notable for their 'islands' of diverse vegetation growing around the general area of the burrow entrances, possibly due to the burrowing activity, water harvesting into burrow depressions and a concentration of nutrients produced by burrow occupants (Steve McAlpin personal observations, 2014).

 The population at Watarru (in northern SA) is unique in occurring in grassy mulga woodland. It is the only known population to occur in non-spinifex systems. Here the habitat comprises open mulga (Acacia aneura sens. lat.) and minyura (A. minyura) woodland over woollybutt grass (Eragrostis eriopoda) with scattered Eremophila gilesii shrubs (McAlpin 2001, 2007, Partridge 2008). In contrast to the fire-prone spinifex sites, this habitat burns infrequently.

 Photograph 8. Sandplain habitat dominated by hard spinifex (Triodia basedowii) with mixed acacias and other shrubs on the Kiwirrkurra IPA in WA.
 Source: Kiwirrkurra IPA
  Photograph 9. Semi-saline Spinifex Sandplain habitat dominated by Soft Spinifex (Triodia pungens) and Tea Tree (Melaleuca glomerata) on Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in NT.
  Source: Desert Wildlife Services

  Photograph 10. Open mulga woodland habitat with an understorey of Woolybutt grass (Eragrostis eriopoda) with scattered Eremophila gilesii on the Watarru IPA in SA.
  Source: Desert Wildlife Services

Ecology

"Warrana lives with its