Post on 05-Jan-2016
Research Institute for Nature and Forest Kliniekstraat 25 • B-1070 Brussels www.inbo.be
Different approaches to habitat assessment in the Belgium Atlantic region
Learning for the future
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Data sources
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Heterogeneity of data
6510 Lowland hay meadows
“actual” flora distribution
historical flora distribution
Flanders > 1972 very intensive and rather complete inventory
1930 – 1972 reliable inventory 4 x 4 km2
Walloon Atlantic From 1980 on systematic inventory of Walloon’s Red List species, but not all wanted typical species included additional expert judgement
< 1980 reliable inventory 4x 4 km2
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Heterogeneity of data
6510 Lowland hay meadows
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Decisions to make
Which data source to use for which purpose?Uniformity within one habitat type !! habitat type within both Flanders AND Walloon
Atlantic region grid 4 x 4 km2 is most obvious
Habitat type only in Flanders free choice?
Is it more obvious to combine data sources or is one satisfactory?
• For Flanders the grid 4 x 4 (> 1972) contain all data available within 1 x 1 grid, and vice versa
• habitat map and flora distribution database are completely independent!
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Can we use only the habitat map?
Pink = habitat map
Yes, if we are sure this is complete, BUT, e.g. 6510 (lowland hay meadows):
Green = flora distribution without matches in the habitat map
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Can we use only the habitat map?
1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
General approach
• Distribution and range < • Flanders: combination of habitat map and flora
distribution data• Walloon Atlantic: expert judgement by
interpretation of the flora distribution data • Area <
• Flanders: habitat map• Walloon Atlantic: other data sources and/or expert
judgement• Favourable reference range < historical flora
distribution data combined with:• Flanders: maps of potential distribution and expert
opinion• Walloon Atlantic: expert opinion• For forest habitat types: Potential natural
vegetation map
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Makes it a difference?
Case 1: dune habitats
2120 Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria
area < habitat map; distribution and range 1 x 1 km2
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Makes it a difference?
Case 2: specific structures and functions, e.g. 6510 Lowland hay meadows
Habitat MapFlora 4 x 4 km2 Flora 4x4 grid cells with habitat < habitat map
Flora 1 x 1 km2
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Makes it a difference?
Case 2: specific structures and functions, e.g. 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand
Flora 1 x 1 km2 (75) Flora 4x4 for grid cells with habitat < habitat map (10)
Flora 4 x 4 km2 (31)
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Makes it a difference?
Case 2: specific structures and functions, e.g. 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand
the areas with a large surface of 1310 = favourable condition most likely that habitat quality is inadequate instead of bad
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Makes it a difference?
6510 Lowland hay meadowsHabitat MapFlora 4 x 4 km2 Flora 4x4 grid cells with habitat
< habitat mapFlora 1 x 1 km2
1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sandFlora 1 x 1 km2 (75) Flora 4 x 4 km2 (31) Flora 4x4 for grid cells with
habitat < habitat map (10)??REAL FIELD SITUATION??
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Use of Red List information on typical species
Most of the time we do not really use this information < it is to largely depended on the choice of the typical species
Gives mostly a much favourable output than all other data and expert judgement indicate
But e.g. 2160 Dunes with Hippophae rhamnoides
Flora distribution data
Analysis of Red List Species
84%
8%
8%
rarenear threatenedleast concern
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
Conclusions for future work
In stead of use of flora distribution data of typical species focus on:
• Direct habitat mapping and monitoring in the field • Direct field assessment and monitoring of the
local conservation status in a monitoring network
A first priority is:- Search the habitats within the grid cells only
indicated by the flora distribution data- Defining the monitoring network(s) and starting
the monitoring- ALREADY DONE IN THE WALLOON REGION! (see next
presentation)- To start up completely in the Flemish region
Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne
More information on our habitat map?
• It is derived from the so called Belgian Biological Valuation Map, which is a uniform survey of the whole surface (including e.g. urban and agricultural areas) using a predefined legend of landcover units, vegetation types and small landscape elements at a scale of 1/10.000
• Since the translation of its legend to Natura 2000 habitat types gives some problems since 2003 we started mapping these habitats directly in the field
See http://www.inbo.be/content/homepage_en.asp