Vegetation survey of Ginghet Nature Reserve. VIS_ID 3975

The composition and extent of the present vegetation within Ginghet Nature Reserve (former property Wyninebah) is described and mapped by Porteners (2010). Twenty-five quadrat-based sites were sampled, with intensive field traverses, opportunistic sampling and aerial photograph interpretation. The survey sites were selected using stratified random sampling with replication where possible within the attribute class. The sites were distributed primarily to reflect the geomorphological gradients and soil changes across the study area, and to a lesser extent the structural variation of the vegetation. The data were then analysed using PATN multivariate analysis and identified five vegetation communities. 136 taxa of vascular plants were recorded from 36 families, eight of which are considered to be regionally significant. At each site, all vascular plant species were recorded within 20 by 20 metre (0.04 hectare) quadrats, and assigned a cover abundance rating based on a modified Braun-Blanquet six-point scale (Poore 1955). Bryophytes were not included in the survey. Vegetation structure was described by measuring the height and canopy cover of the dominant species in each stratum. Physiographic data additional to those defined by the stratification were also recorded, including soil type, landform, fire history and disturbance. All sites were located using a GPS, photographed and nested from the south-west corner Vegetation communities were mapped using colour aerial photographs at approximately 1: 50 000 scale (runs dated 3rd April 2005). The air photos formed the basis of the vegetation map polygons, supplemented by various orthophoto, SPOT satellite and other GIS layers. The photos were interpreted stereoscopically for patterns of vegetation and geomorphology, and then matched to the vegetation site data via direct visual assignment of floristic group attributes on the remote imagery. A provisional vegetation map was drafted and the study area traversed, with particular sites investigated to confirm polygon labels and resolve vegetation boundaries. The final vegetation polygons were transferred and visually corrected (orthorectified) to the orthophoto map and coded, ready for digitising into the GIS. The final vegetation map was digitised by DECCW Scientific Services (Dubbo) using ArcGIS. VIS_ID 3975