Poplar box woodlands of Eastern Australia: an assessment of a threatened ecological community within the IVC framework

Aims : Ecosystems nationally at risk in Australia are listed under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act (EPBC Act), many cross State jurisdictional boundaries. The determination of these ecosystems across boundaries based on expert knowledge. International Vegetation Classification has potential to be useful as a cross-jurisdictional hierarchy which also gives global perspective ecosystems. Study Area All bioregions that include Eucalyptus populnea dominant or major component woodlands species known distribution. Methods We use plot-based data (455 plots) from two states (Queensland New South Wales) eastern quantitative classification methods assess definition description for Poplar Box Woodland ecosystem type (hereafter “ecological community” “community”) is endangered EPBC Act. Analyses were conducted using kR-CLUSTER generate alliances. Within alliances, analyses undertaken define associations agglomerative hierarchical clustering similarity profile testing (SIMPROF). then explore how assigning this community into IVC may provide mechanism linking Australian communities, defined association alliance levels, international communities risk. Results three alliances 23 results floristic analysis. Using standard rule-set system, we found was instrument correlating ecological where different systems used. It potentially important giving broader understanding continentally globally. Conclusions conclude can incorporate level units higher provides tool Taxonomic reference PlantNET (http://plantnet/10rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/) [accessed June 2019]. Abbreviations = Act; Classification; NMDS non-metric multidimensional scaling; NSW Wales; PCT Plant Community Type; QLD Queensland; RE Regional Community; SIMPER percentage analysis; SIMPROF Similarity