Microrelief

Question

Questions by Rachel Oh.

  • Microrelief > Ant mounds with annotation J (this is on pg 85 of Ausplots, which also references YB pg 131. But YB pg 131 only has ant mounds with annotation AM)

  • Microrelief > Holes with annotation Q (there exist only “hole” with annotation “H” on YB page 131)

  • Microrelief > Pig rooting (the annotation B is not for pig rooting but for “Bird”; see YB page 131)

  • Microrelief > Rabbit warrens (mentioned in Ausplots with annotation “Y”, but only mentioned in YB manual on page 131 with no annotation. So it seems that the definition was specified in Ausplot. Should I put the source as Ausplots then?)

  • Microrelief > Wallows (Mentioned in Ausplots on page 85 with annotation “F”. But not mentioned in YB despite specifying YB page 131 as reference source. Also, the “F” annotation is already used for microrelief::flat on YB page 133.)

  • Microrelief > Termitaria. (It is mentioned in Ausplots manual (page 83), and the reference given was YB page 129-133. But tracing back to the YB pg 129-133, there is no mention of “termitaria” nor the annotation of “X” . In fact, I’d say that “termite mounds” would be synonymous to “termitaria”.)

For the ones we can’t find definitions from either the YB or the AusPlots manual, would you please guide us to the source or give us your definition?

Answer

Responded by Emrys Leitch via email.

I have had a look back in the yellow book and the ausplots manual to try and answer your question.

Most of the issue seem to be related to the biotic microrelief. See the attached grab below from page 131 of the yellow book it explains most of how these have been created.

The letters here are meant to be used in combination to create the codes for the biotic microrelief. B therefore doesn’t stand for anything and has therefore been used for one of the types that we have created.

  • Microrelief > Pig rooting (the annotation B is not for pig rooting but for “Bird”; see YB page 131)

    • Pig rooting ( using the letter B) is an example of one that has been created to better differentiate these categories of microrelief

  • Microrelief > Wallows (Mentioned in Ausplots on page 85 with annotation “F”. But not mentioned in YB despite specifying YB page 131 as reference source. Also, the “F” annotation is already used for microrelief::flat on YB page 133.)

    • The letter F annotation used for “flat” is part of the component section of microrelief rather than type

  • Microrelief > Termitaria. (It is mentioned in Ausplots manual (page 83), and the reference given was YB page 129-133. But tracing back to the YB pg 129-133, there is no mention of “termitaria” nor the annotation of “X” . In fact, I’d say that “termite mounds” would be synonymous to “termitaria”.)

    • Yes this is correct but they have both been used interchangeably

Pasted below are definitions for microrelief types not covered directly in the yellow book

public_lut_microrelief

id

type

description

ND

Animal depression

A component of biotic microrelief. Depression caused by animals, often under trees or in shaded areas

NH

Animal hole

A component of biotic microrelief. Holes dug by a variety of animals such as snakes, wombats, other marsupials

AM

Ant mounds

A component of biotic microrelief. Structures created by ants and termites can range from ground level to several meters in height

J

Ant mounds

A component of biotic microrelief. Structures created by ants and termites can range from ground level to several meters in height

G

Contour gilgai

Long, elongate depressions and parallel downslope mounds which follow the contour

Q

Holes

Holes of undefined origin

B

Pig rooting

A component of biotic microrelief. Soil disturbance caused by pigs.

Y

Rabbit warrens

A component of biotic microrelief. Warrens created by rabbits

X

Termitaria

A component of biotic microrelief. Structures created by ants and termites can range from ground level to several meters in height

TM

Termite mounds

A component of biotic microrelief. Structures created by ants and termites can range from ground level to several meters in height

VM

Vegetation mounds

Mounds of soil found around the base of plants such as Triodia, Nitraria and other species

F

Wallows

A component of biotic microrelief. Depression caused by animals usually in areas seasonally inundated.