Mapping habitats to describe ecosystems
EEA Technical report No 1/2014
Satellite imagery and other remote sensing techniques can quickly show us that forest cover is increasing in Europe. But in order to capture the complexity of ecological conditions and dynamics on the ground, it is essential to also use field-based surveying methods. A new report, ‘Terrestrial habitat mapping in Europe: an overview’, includes in-depth information on recent mapping work, a historical perspective and a review of current methods.
The EEA report includes contributions from more than 70 scientists and was initiated by the French National Musem of Natural History. The report focuses on projects which cover large areas, often entire countries, at relatively large scales (typically 1:50 000) and using related classification systems developed in the field of phytosociology, the study of plant communities. Several projects are described in some detail, in order to highlight the variety of methods used and the level of organisation required for successful projects. Vegetation scientists have made significant advances in the development of habitat mapping across Europe, the report says, although there is still a need to make classification systems compatible, which is one of the aims of the EEA’s EUNIS habitat classification.
Mapping of natural and semi-natural habitats are gaining recognition in the sphere of environmental policy implementation. Although plant science remains at the core of the approach, habitat mapping increasingly finds applications in land planning and management and is often a necessary step in preparing nature and biodiversity conservation plans.