Abstract
Wetlands in the Kakadu region include mangroves, freshwater flood plains, salt flats and small permanent lakes. One of the major environmental changes in the region over the last 6000 years has been the reduction in mangrove swamps as freshwater flood plains were formed. Mangroves are now restricted to a narrow band along the coast and the tidal reaches of the rivers. Zonation within the mangroves is greatly influenced by the high tidal range with some forests extending and others receding. The tall creek-side mangroves are relatively productive compared to mangroves elsewhere with litterfall values of around 1 kg m −2 y−1. The freshwater wetlands are found along the major rivers and are greatly influenced by the seasonal hydrological cycle. During the wet season the flood plains are covered with 1–2 m of water and contain a multitude of plants. During the dry, in contrast, the plains are parched and the vegetation is sparsely distributed. The distribution of plants on the flood plains has been well documented over the past decade. Many of the plants on the flood plain are annuals and their relative abundance and distribution varies seasonally. Seasonal changes in the distribution and biomass dominance of the vegetation are greatly affected by the flooding patterns, although feral animals and exotic weeds have also exerted an influence. The widespread grasslands are very productive with dry weight biomass values ranging from 0.5–1.1 kg m−2 y−1 The Melaleuca forests are similarly productive with litterfall values of 0.7–1.5 kg m−2 y−1.
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Finlayson, C.M., Woodroffe, C.D. (1996). Wetland vegetation. In: Finlayson, C.M., Von Oertzen, I. (eds) Landscape and Vegetation Ecology of the Kakadu Region, Northern Australia. Geobotany, vol 23. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0133-9_5
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