A vegetation classification represents a collection of plant communities where each type of community has distinguishing flora and environmental characteristics within an overall classification system for a given geographic area of interest. Classification protocols including EcoVeg and the US National Vegetation Classification offer standards and consistent hierarchical solutions for classifying vegetation. When coupled with research and observational data, these classifications can augment natural resource inventory, analysis, and management including those efforts directed at climate adaptation.
The value of plant community classification in real-world applications is becoming more apparent in the context of conservation issues and global change. The roles for classification cover a broad spectrum including the identification of rare plant associations, habitat modeling for wildlife species, stratifying landscapes for resource analyses, and informing management plans and conservation strategies. Classification and vegetation typologies underpin mapping efforts, further empowering natural resource organizations, their partners, and the public to inventory, monitor, and assess ecological conditions and trends for purposes of land management. Here we discuss case studies of recent applications of vegetation classification that have enabled such success.
Results/Conclusions
Our case studies were taken from China and the US and show how vegetation classification has been used in real-world applications. For example, we demonstrate how classification was applied to help develop vegetation maps in both countries and how classification is useful for landscape stratification and analysis of ecosystems. In a another case study, we illustrate how classification was key to the description of vegetation states and the modeling of ecosystem dynamics for an important vegetation type that has been targeted for forest restoration. Finally, we demonstrate how vegetation classification was used to depict habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl, a species listed as Threatened in the US.
The broadening of classification systems across continents is encouraging given their potential impact on our understanding of natural resources and options for their conservation. Our case studies in vegetation classification suggest that the absence of these types of systems in many areas of the world points to the need to develop classifications as a means of facilitating programs of work that involve sustainable resource management.