CICEI TC30

Advancing the International Vegetation Classification as a terrestrial ecosystem typology

The goal of the International Vegetation Classification (IVC) is to fully describe the diversity of the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems. The conceptual basis for the classification emphasizes the link between patterns of vegetation growth form, structure, and floristics and ecological and biogeographic drivers at multiple scales, from global biomes to local plant communities. The IVC remains unique among global terrestrial ecosystem typologies in providing units at all scales, with lower and mid-level units based on field surveys, plots, and mapping, whereas global levels are based on expert-based, synthetic interpretations of ecological and vegetation patterns. However, the typology was limited by lack of context with respect to the full range of earth’s ecosystems (including freshwater, marine, subterranean realms) and the limit of growth forms and structure to readily observable features, thereby excluding important functional traits. The release of the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (GET), which has a conceptually robust, scalable, and spatially explicit functional approach for all of earth’s ecosystems, presents an opportunity to revisit the conceptual basis of the IVC. Here we briefly summarize the IVC approach, introduce the main features of the GET typology, and then propose revisions to the IVC that build on the strengths of GET for terrestrial ecosystems. The outcome is a stronger ecological conceptual foundation for the IVC, enhanced engagement of the scientific community in its ongoing development, and a more robust application of the IVC and GET typology in the terrestrial realm for management, conservation, and restoration.

Participantes:
D. Faber-Langendoen1, R. Guuroh2, E. Helmer3, J. Hunter4, D. Keith5, C. Liu6, J. Loidi7, G. Navarro8, P. Pliscoff9, W. Willner10
NatureServe, Syracuse, NY, USA
CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, Ghana
International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Fort Collins, CO, USA
University of New England, Armidale, Australia
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
University of the Basque Country, Bilboa, Spain
“Saint Paul” Bolivian Catholic University, Cochabamba, Bolivia
Pontificia Universidad Catolica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria