Ecological land classification

Ecological land classification is a cartographical delineation of distinct ecological areas, identified by their geology, topography, soils, vegetation, climate conditions, living species, habitats, water resources, as well as anthropic factors (corroborated by ref).^[1] These factors control and influence biotic composition and ecological processes.

Types

Many different lists and ecological land classification schemes have been developed.^[2][3]

• Biogeography - Biogeographical provinces take into account both flora and fauna.
• Phytogeography - from Greek words phyto = plant and geography meaning also distribution, concerned with the geographic distribution of plant species.
• Botany - botanists have identified floristic provinces based on flora-plant communities
• Zoology - zoologists have identified zoogeographic provinces based on faunal communities.
• Conservation - approximating ecosystem capacity and potentials.
• Geology and Pedology (soil study) - the physical matter and energy that constitute the Earth.

In Canada ecological land classification schemes are commonly used. Provincial authorities have adopted methods to classify ecosystems within various ecoregions of the province. Ontario is one such province that uses an extensive method to define ecological units. Improvements in hand held technology have allowed for more efficient collection of vegetation and physiological data in the field, such as with the ELC eTool.

Hierarchy of classification levels in ecology compared to other fields

This classification table shows the parallel classification terms in similar spatial scales used in the study of the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems and the Earth.

From largest at top to the smallest at bottom the classification levels are:

CLASSIFICATION LEVELS IN ECOLOGY COMPARED TO OTHER FIELDS

	Biotic			Abiotic
ECOLOGY	BIOGEOGRAPHY	ZOOGEOGRAPHY	PHYTOGEOGRAPHY	PHYSIOGRAPHY	GEOLOGY	PEDOLOGY
ecosphere	biosphere	zoosphere	phytosphere	physiosphere	geosphere	pedosphere
ecozone	biome	zoozone (zoogeographic region) [4][5]	floristic kingdom
ecoregion	bioregion	zooregion	floristic region	physioregion	georegion	pedoregion
ecoprovince	bioprovince	zooprovince[6]	floristic province		geoprovince
ecodistrict	biodistrict		floristic sector
ecosection	biosection		floristic district
ecosite	biosite
ecotope (ecosystem sensu stricto?)	biotope‡	zootope‡	phytotope‡	physiotope	geotope‡	pedotope
ecoelement	bioelement				geoelement
Sources: ‡ These words are all loanwords from German science.

WWF system

• Biosphere
  • Ecozones or realms
    • Terrestrial biomes (major habitat types)
      • Ecoregions
        • Ecosystems (biotopes)
    • Freshwater biomes (major habitat types)
      • Ecoregions
        • Ecosystems (biotopes)
  • Marine ecozones or realms
    • Continental Shelf biomes (major habitat types)
      • (Marine provinces)
        • Ecoregions
          • Ecosystems (biotopes)
    • Open & Deep Sea Biomes (major habitat types)
  • Endolithic biome

See also

Biogeography Biome#Biome classification schemes Biosphere Ecozone Biome Ecoregion Ecosystem Terrestrial ecozone Land Cover Classification System (FAO) List of national vegetation classification systems Lists of ecoregions Lists of ecoregions by country List of ecoregions (WWF) - Global 200 List of terrestrial ecoregions (WWF) List of marine ecoregions (WWF) List of freshwater ecoregions (WWF) List of ecoregions in North America (CEC) List of ecoregions in the United States (EPA) Category: Biogeography Category: Ecozones Category: Ecoregions Category: Ecosystems

Tentative Physiognomic-Ecological Classification of Plant Formations of the Earth (UNESCO) Physiographic regions of the world Phytophysiognomy Phytogeography Phytochorion Floristic kingdom Floristic province Anthropogenic biome Landscape ecology Island biogeography Climate classification - with "land ecology" elements Köppen climate classification Category: Köppen climate classifications Aridity index Climate zones by altitude Holdridge life zones

References

• Klijn, F., and H. A. Udo De Haes. 1994. "A hierarchical approach to ecosystems and its implications for ecological land classification." In: Landscape Ecology vol. 9 no. 2 pp 89–104 (1994). The Hague, SPB Academic Publishing bv.
• Gregorich, E. G., and et al. "Soil and Environmental Science Dictionary." Canadian ecological land classification system, pp 111 (2001). Canadian Society of Soil Science. CRC Press LLC. ISBN 0-8493-3115-3.

Footnotes

1. Kellogg, Charles (February 1933). "A Method for the Classification of Rural Lands for Assessment in Western North Dakota". The Journal of Land & Public Utility Economics 9 (1): 12.
2. Part of the list proposed below is inspired by Miklos Udvardy classification of the Biographical Provinces in the World which was prepared by Unesco's Man and the Biosphere program, published in 1975 and updated in 1982.
3. http://www.pcap-sk.org/docs/6_skecositeguide/Ecoregions_and_Ecosites.pdf
4. "faunal region".
5. "Zoogeographical Region".
6. http://escholarship.org/uc/item/7sk9t2dz

External links

• Ecoregions and Ecosites
• Example of ecological land classification in British Columbia (Canada)
• EcoSim Software Inc ELC eTool
• International Association for Vegetation Scientists (IAVS) - Vegetation Classification Methods