European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity Douglas Evans European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity The EUNIS habitats classification - a short history

European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity

Douglas EvansEuropean Topic Centre on Biological

Diversity

The EUNIS habitats classification-

a short history


Why classify habitats ?

• Improve our knowledge & understanding

• Inventory • Mapping• Framework for research• Planning & Management


Habitat classification usually considered as applied science, often funded by conservation & environment agencies rather than research councils

For example

• UK National Vegetation Classification - NCC

• Les biocénoses marines et littorales de Méditerranée - SFF

• Biomar – JNCC

• CORINE – DG Environment

• EUNIS – ETC/BD & EEA


Many national and regional classifications (land & sea)e.g. Pérès & Picard (1964)

No comprehensive classification available

Pre 1980s


1980s -CORINE Biotopes

• Inventory of sites of importance for nature conservation

• One part of the ‘Co-ordination of Information on the Environment’ project

• No suitable habitat classification available so CORINE biotopes classification produced


For the EU12 (later extended)

Largely based on phytosociology

“habitats that did not figure prominently in the mapping programme, such as marine ecosystems, were not detailed”

(from manual)


Palaearctic Classification(Council of Europe 1996)


• Neither CORINE or the Palaearctic classifications gave clear criteria to separate classes

• Both had a very poor treatment of marine habitats (circa 50% of the EU’s area)

Palaearctic habitats by group


EUNIS Habitats Classification

• Hierarchical• Criteria based• Developed to level 3 (terrestrial) and level 4

(marine)


A component of the EUropean Nature Information System

Protectedareas

Species


The development of the EUNIS habitats classification

• October 1995 Workshop in Paris

• 1996-97 series of meetings & workshops

(mostly terrestrial)

• 1998-2001 meetings for the marine

component, ICES & OSPAR involved

• 2004 Current version published

Only minor changes since 2004


• EUNIS has been developed to level 3 (land/freshwater) & level 4 (sea)

• Higher level units taken from other systems (mostly Palaearctic)


Bottom up or Top down ?G Forest

G1 G2G1.1 G1.2 G1.3

etcG2.1 G2.2 G2.3

etc

association

alliance

order

Aggregate

Divide


Keys & criteria

Ai. Is the bed permanently covered by water (path = Yes), or either regularly exposed at some stage in the tidal cycle (littoral / inter-tidal), subjected to frequent non-tidal change in water level, or above the high water mark but with a high water table (path = No)? Note that under extreme conditions the uppermost fringe of the ‘permanently water-covered’ zone may be exposed. Note that saltmarsh pools, rockpools (filled by splash and spray) located in the supralittoral and permanent brackish pools affected by spray in the waterlogged Baltic geolittoral zone follow path = No.


Crosswalks & correspondances

Also to HD Annex I


Some uses of the classification

• Emerald network (Resolution 4)• Ospar (threatened and/or declining habitats) • Marine Strategy Framework Directive

(predominant habitat types)• Inspire (approved code list)• Critical loads


Much new data has become available since 2004

e.g. from MESH, Balance, EUSeaMap, European Vegetation Archive, national projects, etc.

How can we use this to improve EUNIS –

• Better descriptions

• Better information on distribution

• Revise classification

From EUSeaMap


Recent activity

• Meeting held in October 2011 to discuss the way forward

• Proposal for a revised marine section now ready

• Work with European Vegetation Survey to propose changes, improve descriptions and produce distribution maps for forests & heaths

• Plans for grassland & freshwater sections

More details later in the meeting

Documents

European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity Douglas Evans European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity The EUNIS habitats classification - a short history