Ecological classification

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Ecological classification or ecological typology is the classification of land or water into geographical units that represent variation in one or more ecological features. Traditional approaches focus on geology, topography, biogeography, soils, vegetation, climate conditions, living species, habitats, water resources, and sometimes also anthropic factors.[1] Most approaches pursue the cartographical delineation or regionalisation of distinct areas for mapping and planning.[2]

Approaches to classifications

Different approaches to ecological classifications have been developed in terrestrial, freshwater and marine disciplines. Traditionally these approaches have focused on biotic components (

abiotic complex, the interactions between and within them, and the physical space they occupy (ecotope).[1]

Vegetation classification

vegetation structure and floristic composition. Classifications based entirely on vegetation structure overlap with land cover mapping categories.[3]

Many schemes of vegetation classification are in use by the land, resource and environmental management agencies of different national and state jurisdictions. The International Vegetation Classification (IVC or EcoVeg) has been recently proposed but has not been yet widely adopted.[4]

Vegetation classifications have limited use in aquatic systems, since only a handful of freshwater or marine habitats are dominated by plants (e.g.

seagrass meadows). Also, some extreme terrestrial environments, like subterranean or cryogenic
ecosystems, are not properly described in vegetation classifications.

Biogeographical approach

The disciplines of

zoogeographic regions.[5][6]

Environmental approach

soil
properties can affect terrestrial vegetation.

In marine disciplines, the

biogeochemical properties.[8]

Ecosystem classifications

American geographer

ecoregions, in the order of 100,000 square kilometres (40,000 sq mi)).[9]
: Ch:2, p:25–28 

Bailey outlined five different methods for identifying ecosystems:

spectral properties; or by a "controlling factors method" where a subset of factors (like soils, climate, vegetation physiognomy or the distribution of plant or animal species) are selected from a large array of possible ones are used to delineate ecosystems.[9]
: Ch:3, p:29–40 

In contrast with Bailey's methodology, Puerto Rico ecologist

georeferenced, quantitative data; that it should minimize subjectivity and explicitly identify criteria and assumptions; that it should be structured around the factors that drive ecosystem processes; that it should reflect the hierarchical nature of ecosystems; that it should be flexible enough to conform to the various scales at which ecosystem management operates.[10]

The

biota, conceptual consistency throughout the biosphere, scalable structure, spatially explicit units, parsimony and utility. This approach has led to a dual representation of ecosystem functionality and composition within a flexible hierarchical structure that can be built from a top-down approach (subdivision of upper units by function) and a bottom-up approach (representation of compositional variation within functional units).[11]

See also

References

  1. ^
    S2CID 241360441
    .
  2. JSTOR 3138756
    .
  3. ^ Lex Comber; et al. (2005). "What Is Land Cover?" (PDF). Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design (32): 199–209. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-11-03. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  4. ISSN 0012-9615
    .
  5. ^ Udvardy, M. D. F. (1975). A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world. IUCN Occasional Paper no. 18. Morges, Switzerland: IUCN, [1].
  6. ^ "Ecoregions and Ecosites" (PDF). pcap-sk.org. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  7. PMID 30375988
    .
  8. ^ Miller, Charles B. (2004). Biological Oceanography. Blackwell Publishing.
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0-387-89515-4
    .
  10. S2CID 11733879
    .
  11. PMID 36224387
    .

Bibliography

External links
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