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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


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


Heterogeneity of data

6510 Lowland hay meadows


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!


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


Can we use only the habitat map?

1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand


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


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



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



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)



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



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??


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


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


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

http://www.inbo.be/content/homepage_en.asp

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