Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland |
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Yellow-top mallee ash growing at Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
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| Ecology | |
| Realm | Australasia |
| Biome | Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands, Mediterranean forests |
| Borders | Eastern Australian temperate forests |
| Geography | |
| Country | Australia |
| Elevation | 300–600 metres (980–1,970 ft) |
| Coordinates | 33°37′5.45″S 151°15′30.82″E / 33.6181806°S 151.2585611°E |
| Geology | Sandstone, shale |
| Climate type | Humid subtropical climate (Cfa) |
| Soil types | Clay, sand (podsol), loam |
The Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland is a special type of forest found in Sydney, Australia. It's one of six main natural forest types in the area. You can mostly find it on the tops of hills and slopes of the Hornsby Plateau, Woronora Plateau, and parts of the lower Blue Mountains.
This woodland is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. It grows on poor sandstone soils. Even with regular wildfires and moderate rainfall, it's a place with lots of life.
Geography of the Woodland
The Ridgetop Woodland is a forest with eucalypt trees that aren't too tall. It has many different sclerophyll shrubs. These shrubs have hard, tough leaves that help them survive dry conditions. You'll also see mallee plants, which are like small trees with many stems growing from the ground.
The ground is covered with sedges, which are grass-like plants. This woodland grows on sandstone areas formed during the Triassic period. These areas surround the Sydney Basin. You can find this community in places that are about 300 to 600 meters (1,000 to 2,000 feet) above sea level. The amount of rain each year here is between 850mm and 1650mm.
Sadly, about a quarter of this woodland has been cleared. This happened to make space for city development. But don't worry, many parts of this special forest are still protected in nature reserves.
Plants You Might See
The Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland is full of amazing plants. They are adapted to the sandy soil and occasional bushfires. Here are some of the cool plants you might find here:
Tall Trees
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata): These trees can grow up to 15 meters tall. They have beautiful smooth, pinkish-grey bark.
- Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma): You can spot these by the "scribbles" on their bark. These marks are made by tiny insect larvae.
- Yellow bloodwood (Corymbia eximia): Another tall tree, it can also reach 15 meters. It has rough, flaky bark and often has yellow flowers.
Shrubs and Bushes
- Heath banksia (Banksia ericifolia): This shrub has long, narrow leaves and bright orange or yellow flower spikes. It's very popular with birds.
- Mountain devil (Lambertia formosa): This plant has unique, spiky red flowers that look a bit like a devil's head.
- Flaky-barked tea-tree (Leptospermum trinervium): This shrub has papery bark that peels off in flakes. It often has small white flowers.
Ground Covers
- Flannel flower (Actinotus helianthi): This beautiful plant has soft, white, woolly flowers that feel like flannel.
- Spreading flax lily (Dianella revoluta): This plant has long, strap-like leaves and produces small blue flowers followed by purple berries.
- Pale mat rush (Lomandra glauca): A common grass-like plant with tough, narrow leaves that grow in clumps.
Many other plants, like different types of wattle (Acacia terminalis), she-oaks (Allocasuarina littoralis), and various native peas, also thrive here. Each plant plays an important role in this unique woodland ecosystem.
