Vegetation classification

Vegetation classification is the process of classifying and mapping the vegetation over an area of the earth's surface. Vegetation classification is often performed by state based agencies as part of land use, resource and environmental management. Many different methods of vegetation classification have been used. In general, there has been a shift from structural classification used by forestry for the mapping of timber resources, to floristic community mapping for biodiversity management. Whereas older forestry-based schemes considered factors such as height, species and density of the woody canopy, floristic community mapping shifts the emphasis onto ecological factors such as climate, soil type and floristic associations. Classification mapping is usually now done using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software.

Vegetation classification schemes in use

Many schemes of vegetation classification are in use by the land, resource and environmental management agences of different national and state jurisdictions.

Australia

New South Wales: Vegetation Information System.htm, NSW Vegetation Classification and Assessment (NSWVCA)^[1]

Victoria: Ecological Vegetation Class

Canada

Canadian National Vegetation Classification (CNVC)

New Zealand

New Zealand Terrestrial Ecosystems (based on Ecosystem Units)^[2]

United Kingdom

British National Vegetation Classification

United States

U.S. National Vegetation Classification

Bibliography

Alexander, R.W., and Millington, A.C. (eds.), 2000. Vegetation mapping: from patch to planet. Chichester ; New York: Wiley.

Pedrotti, F., 2013. Plant and Vegetation Mapping. Heidelberg ; New York: Springer.

Sun, D., Hnatiuk, R.J., and Neldner, V.J., 1996. Vegetation classification and mapping systems for Australian forest management. Canberra: Bureau of Resource Sciences.

See also

• Biogeography
• Ecological land classification
• Phytogeography

References

1. Benson, J.S. (2006). "New South Wales Vegetation Classification and Assessment: Introduction — the classification, database, assessment of protected areas and threat status of plant communities" (PDF). Cunninghamia 9 (3): 331–382.
2. Singers, Nicholas J.D.; Rogers, Geoffrey M. (2014). A classification of New Zealand’s terrestrial ecosystems (PDF). Wellington: Department of Conservation. ISBN 9780478150131.