Transcript Vegetative versus Wildlife Habitat Classifications

Vegetative versus Wildlife Habitat
Classifications
Vegetative Classifications
•Vegetation Classes aim to reflect differences in vegetation
patterns caused by time, climate, soils, topography, and
human influences.
•Plant classes, like plant species are hierarchically nested
to describe a vegetative community in the appropriate
level of detail.
A. PHYSIOGNOMY
System: Terrestrial/Aquatic - (hydrological regime)
Class: Woodland - (spacing & height of dominant
form)
Subclass: Evergreen Woodland - (morphological &
phenological similarity)
Group: Temperate Evergreen Needle-leaved (climate latitude, growth form, leaf form)
Formation: Evergreen needle-leaved
forest with conical crowns (mappable units)
-
B. FLORISTICSAlliance (or cover type): Abies lasiocarpa
Forest - (dominant species)
Association (or community): Abies
lasiocarpa/Vaccinium scoparium [Subalpine
fir/Grouseberry] - (subdominant or associated species with
similar ecological processes)
Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium scoparium forest
Subalpine fir/Grouseberry forest
•Plant Alliances and associations are the
finest level of detail, going beyond the
dominant structural species to describe
subdominant species often found together.
*USGS – 1997 National Vegetation Classification system
Regional Classifications
•Numerous vegetation classification systems exist, many of
which focus on a specific region.
•This increases their ability to describe local variation
and specific plant communities but reduces their
relevance to other broad scale systems.
•The result is national vegetation classification systems
which broadly describe plant associations and local systems
that must be cross walked to other systems for many
applications.
Wildlife Habitat Classifications
Most all so-called wildlife habitat are actually
Vegetation classes determined by individuals
or small groups and then assigned wildlife
species to them.
Habitat is mostly implied as components
to support wildlife but seldom defined.
“Stop thinking like a plant ”
because……….
based on a review of about
100,000 literature citations
wildlife information is not collected uniformly
Wildlife Habitat Types are
determined based on the similarity
of wildlife species that interact or
are associated with different
vegetation groups
Animals select habitat in a hierarchical
manner:
 first level is determined by the species.
geographic range;
 second level is where a species conducts its
daily/seasonal activities (i.e., home range);
 third level is for habitat components that are
local or site-specific within their home ranges per
Hutto (1985).
“Stop calling everything Habitat”
Hall et al.1997
because……….
the term needs to be redefined by recognizing the
interrelationships of wildlife with different vegetation types.
Further, as Hall et al. stated, there is also a need to
standardize terminology
Peer Reviewed Panels tied species to habitat
types, structural conditions and Key
Environmental Correlates, and Key Ecological
Functions
mostly ecology 101 stuff
Wildlife Habitat Types
Role -up
Vegetation Classifications
Vegetative versus Wildlife Habitat
Classifications
Our ability to identify floristic types is greater
than our ability to identify associated fauna.
Therefore, each identifiable vegetation type probably
does not represent a unique wildlife-habitat.
Pacific
Northwest Habitat Classification
Systems
Segue way into description of habitat
crosswalking systems-
<http://icontoo.com/PHaCS/ComplemetarySystems.aspx>
IBIS Proposal
The primary goal:
1) enhancing access to habitat and biodiversity
information,
2) updating and refining wildlife habitat mapping at
multiple scales,
3) developing GIS repository an decision support tools,
4) developing regional coordination, and
5) conducting outreach and education.
Objectives &Tasks
Operating and
Maintaining the Regional
Habitat and Biodiversity
Information System
Update and Refine
Wildlife Basin,
Ecoprovince, and
Subbasin Habitat Maps
Wildlife Habitat and GIS
Repository, Tools and
Services
Regional Coordination
Educational Outreach and
Publications
Supporting
Addressing
Costs
Subbasin
Regional Core
Data Data At Risk Currently Requested
Planning NED Data
Data Standards Gap Data Allocated Addition
Center Source
Total
X
X
X
X
X
$161,177
$80,495
$238,326
X
X
X
X
X
$0
$165,530
$165,530
X
X
$0
$75,777
$75,777
X
X
$0
$465,108
$465,108
$0
$161,177
$10,000
$796,909
$10,000
$954,740
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Total
Track Change
Species Accounts for Monitoring
Short-eared Owl
VEMA Desktop
- VEMA is a Microsoft Access 2003 based
relational database that helps record, calculate
and report vegetation performance based on
user determined performance thresholds.
-The database allows users to document and
record vegetation data at reference sites for the
purposes of helping develop vegetation
mitigation and restoration plans and subsequent
vegetation performance criteria and thresholds.
- Uses standardized data collection forms and
reports to help streamline the workflow and
tracking of projects.
-Vema Mobile extends field data collection capabilities
using handheld computing devices.
-GPS enabled data collection for collecting geographic
and tabular information concurrently.
-Automatically syncs with Desktop VEMA to provide
seamless data transfer between the office and field.
Coordinate with State, Federal and Tribal
organizations at the subbasin or
ecoprovince level to assist with data
collection like collecting and verifying focal
wildlife and habitat facts and records;
collection and reporting inventorying and
monitoring information….what else
Objective 5
$400,000.00
600% increase - Yikes!!
Data Coordination
Confirm or validate Wildlife Habitat
Relationships… need feedback loop
Map focal habitats
-for change detection of vegetation type &
change total functional diversity
Systematically sample wildlife focal
populations based on statistical design
Incorporate Citizen Science
As Part of effectiveness monitoring
Knowledge and Management sites
addressing three underlining themes –
species response (both plants and
animals), ecological functions, and
climate change.
Ecosystem Services Priorities
Water
Land
Biota
Atmosphere
Monitoring
Perspective:
1)Your River now has 1 million people surro
2)Your Forest is Falling Apart
Year - Today
Mission: Return Ecosystem Function
High Level Indicators
Focal Vegetation types
amounts and distribution
Change of amount and
distribution over time
Number of project under,
meets, or above goals based
on performance objectives