In between the floodplains the land is covered with a very open type of forest, savanna woodland. Here you'll find a rich variety of trees and shrubs, a.o. Eucalyptus sp., Cycas sp., Pandanus spiralis. The trees are rather small, and leaf cover is often open scant enough to permit sun shine reaching the forest flore. Fire is essential for normal functioning of this ecosystem. Because the woodland is so open, fires are not so intensely hot that they destroy seeds and underground roots. However, the fires make reavailable the nutrients that are otherwise locked away in dead vegetation. |
Eucalyptus trees with palms | Cycas & Pandanus-dominated forest close to floodplain. |
Abrupt transition between floodplain and forest |
Forest around rocky outcrop |
Very open forest around rocky outcrops of Ubirr. |
Scars of a recent fire: left, Pandanus spiralis; right, young palm trees. |
Wildlife of the Forest |
Arecaceae |
Authority | : | Bercht. & J.Presl, 1820 |
Synonyms | : | Palmae |
Nederlands | : | Palmenfamilie |
English | : | palms |
Deutsch | : | Palmengewächse |
Loranthaceae: Decaisnina cf. signata |
Authority | : | (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Tiegh. 1895 |
Synonyms | : | Loranthus signatus F.Muell. ex Benth. 1867 |
The ants are stealing nectar, by making a hole near the flower's base. |
Passiflora foetida |
Authority | : | Linnaeus, 1753 |
Español | : | caguajasa, clavellin blanco, granadilla colorada, granadilla silvestre, maracuyá de cobra, norbo cimarrón, parchita de culebra, pedón, sandia de culebra, tumbillo |
Termites |
Wasps |
Scoliidae: Campsomeris radula |
Feeding at Haemodorum coccineum (Haemodoraceae) |
Ants |
Flies |
Bombyliidae |
Authority | : | Latreille , 1802 |
Nederlands | : | Wolzwevers |
English | : | bee flies, humbleflies |
Deutsch | : | Wollschweber, Trauerschweber |
Norsk | : | Humlefluer |
Svenska | : | Svävflugor |
Asilidae |
Nederlands | : | Roofvliegen |
English | : | Robber flies, Assassin flies |
Deutsch | : | Raubfliegen, Jagdfliegen |
Butterflies |
Hesperiidae |
Authority | : | Latreille, 1809 |
Nederlands | : | Dikkopjes |
English | : | skippers |
Deutsch | : | Dickkopffalter |
cf. Theclinesthes onycha |
Feeding at Tridax procumbens |
Psychidae |
Nederlands | : | Zakjesdragers |
English | : | Bagworm moth |
Deutsch | : | Echten Sackträger |
Orthoptera |
Authority | : | Latreille, 1793 |
Nederlands | : | Rechtvleugeligen |
Deutsch | : | Heuschrecken |
Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae |
Nederlands | : | vlinderhaften, bastaardlibellen, libelgaasvliegen |
English | : | owlflies |
Deutsch | : | Schmetterlingshafte |
Français | : | ascalaphidés |
Español | : | moscas búho |
Two lizards and an Owl |