Aligning quantitative vegetation classification and landscape scale mapping: updating the classification approach of the Regional Ecosystem classification system used in Queensland

Eda Addicott,Timothy Ryan,Victor John Neldner

doi:10.1071/bt20108

Abstract

Vegetation classification systems form a base for conservation management and the ecological exploration of the patterns and drivers of species’ distributions. A standardised system crossing administrative and geographical boundaries is widely recognised as most useful for broad-scale management. The Queensland Government, recognising this, uses the Regional Ecosystem (RE) classification system and accompanying mapping as a state-wide standardised vegetation classification system. This system informs legislation and policy at local, state and national levels, underpinning decisions that have wide-ranging implications for biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. It therefore needs to be robust from a scientific and legal perspective. The current approach in the RE system for identifying vegetation communities relies on expert-based class definition procedures. This is in contrast to best practice, which is based on quantitative procedures. This paper discusses the RE system in a global context and outlines the updated approach that incorporates quantitative class definition procedures, synthesises the research behind the updated approach and discusses its implications and implementation.

Highlights

Vegetation classification systems form a base for conservation management and provide for the ecological exploration of the natural patterns and drivers of species’ distributions (Kent 2012)
Vegetation classification systems are based on plot-based data, and maps on remotely sensed data, they both require a simplification of the complexity of the natural world
Queensland is a large state with a sparse population and a limited number of ecologists working in the field of vegetation classification

Summary

Introduction

Vegetation classification systems form a base for conservation management and provide for the ecological exploration of the natural patterns and drivers of species’ distributions (Kent 2012). To compare and contrast the RE system with others used around the world we cast the RE system into the framework developed by De Cáceres et al (2015) (Table 1) Using this common framework, we discuss the structural and procedural elements of the RE system compared with the classification systems included in a special issue of the journal Phytocoenologia (Vol 48, issue 2, 2018). We discuss the structural and procedural elements of the RE system compared with the classification systems included in a special issue of the journal Phytocoenologia (Vol 48, issue 2, 2018) This highlights the similarities and differences of the RE system with those used elsewhere (Table 1).

Procedures adopted by the Queensland Government

Conclusions

Findings

Conflicts of interest