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Integrated Terrain UnitClassification and Mapping of Boreal Ecosystems in Alaska
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Integrated Terrain Unit Classification and Mapping
of Boreal Ecosystems in Alaska
Torre JorgensonAlaska EcoScience
Hierarchical organization of
ecosystems
Issues for Terrain Unit Approach
• Bioclimate zonation– Existing maps (e.g. Rivas-Martinez et al. 2008) or higher
resolution approaches
• Floristic Regions– Differentiate dominant species
• Physiography– Land Unit Mapping versus DEM modeling– Ecodistricts, subsections, etc.– Alpine, subalpine, upland, lowland, riverine
• Surface-form– DEM modeling: TPI index
• Vegetation Structure– Satellite image processing vs photo-interpretation
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Boreal GlaciatedBarrens
Boreal Glaciated DryasDwarf Shrub
Boreal Glaciated WillowShrub
Boreal Glaciated PoplarForest
Boreal Glaciated WhiteSpruce Forest
Boreal UplandBearberry Dwarf Shrub
Boreal Upland ForbMeadow
Boreal UplandSagebrush Meadow
Boreal Upland TallAlder Shrub
Boreal Upland TallWillow Shrub
Boreal Upland AspenForest
Boreal Upland BirchForest
Boreal Upland Spruce-Birch Forest
Boreal Upland WhiteSpruce Forest
B.Glaciated Dryas D.S.
Upland Spruce-
Birch
Upland White Spruce
Upland Sagebrush
Upland Aspen
Glaciated WillowGlaciated Barrens
Upland Alder
Upland Birch
Upland Willow
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100
200
300
400
500
600
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Boreal GlaciatedBarrens
Boreal Glaciated DryasDwarf Shrub
Boreal Glaciated WillowShrub
Boreal Glaciated PoplarForest
Boreal Glaciated WhiteSpruce Forest
Boreal UplandBearberry Dwarf Shrub
Boreal Upland ForbMeadow
Boreal UplandSagebrush Meadow
Boreal Upland TallAlder Shrub
Boreal Upland TallWillow Shrub
Boreal Upland AspenForest
Boreal Upland BirchForest
Boreal Upland Spruce-Birch Forest
Boreal Upland WhiteSpruce Forest
B.Glaciated Dryas D.S.
Upland Spruce-
Birch
Upland White Spruce
Upland Sagebrush
Upland Aspen
Glaciated WillowGlaciated Barrens
Upland Alder
Upland Birch
Upland Willow
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Boreal GlaciatedBarrens
Boreal Glaciated DryasDwarf Shrub
Boreal Glaciated WillowShrub
Boreal Glaciated PoplarForest
Boreal Glaciated WhiteSpruce Forest
Boreal UplandBearberry Dwarf Shrub
Boreal Upland ForbMeadow
Boreal UplandSagebrush Meadow
Boreal Upland TallAlder Shrub
Boreal Upland TallWillow Shrub
Boreal Upland AspenForest
Boreal Upland BirchForest
Boreal Upland Spruce-Birch Forest
Boreal Upland WhiteSpruce Forest
B.Glaciated Dryas D.S.
Upland Spruce-
Birch
Upland White Spruce
Upland Sagebrush
Upland Aspen
Glaciated WillowGlaciated Barrens
Upland Alder
Upland Birch
Upland Willow
Physio-
graphy
Soil
Texture Geomorphic Units Slope Drainage Soil-water
Chemistry Vegetation Types (Level IV) Ecotype
Alpine
Barrens (<5% veg.),
Partially Vegetated (5-30% Vegetated), Dry Bryophyte
Boreal Alpine Barrens
Blocky,
Rubbly, Bouldery
Intrusive, Felsic, Volcanic,
Mafic, Younger, Noncarbonate Metamorphic, Noncarbonate
Sedimentary, Hillslope Colluvium, Talus, Older
Moraine, Younger Moraine
Crest, Slope,
Flats
Excessive
to Well
Circum-
neutral- Acidic
Dryas- Lichen Dwarf Shrub,
Dryas-Sedge Dwarf Shrub,
Dryas Dwarf Shrub Tundra
Boreal Alpine Dryas Dwarf Shrub
Well Circum-neutral-Acidic
Blocky-Rubbly-
Loamy
Hillslope Colluvium, Older Moraine, Younger Moraine,
Alluvial Fan Abandoned Deposit, Kame Deposit,
Solifluction, Upland Loess
Slopes, Nivation
Hollows,
Cassiope, Crowberry, Ericaceous and
Vaccinium Dwarf Shrub Tundras
Boreal Alpine Ericaceous Dwarf Shrub
Midgrass-Herb Boreal Alpine Sedge-Dwarf Willow
Meadow
Blocky-
Rubbly-
Loamy-
Organic
Crest, Slopes,
Nivation
Hollows,
Lake Margins
Hillslope Colluvium, Older
Moraine, Younger
Moraine, Alluvial Fan
Abandoned Deposit, Kame Deposit, Solifluction Deposits,
Upland Loess
Well to
Somewhat
Poor
Circum-
neutral-Acidic
Moist Sedge-Grass Tundra Moist Sedge-Shrub Tundra
Moist Sedge-Willow Tundra Wet Sedge-Willow Tundra
Dryas-Forb Dwarf Shrub Tundra, Willow Dwarf Shrub
Boreal Alpine Sedge-Dwarf Willow Meadow
Loamy-
Organic
Hillslope Colluvium, Older
Moraine, Younger Moraine, Alluvial Fan Abandoned Dep.,
Kame, Solifluction, Loess
Shoulder,
Slopes
Somewhat
Poor to Poor
Circum-neutral
Tussock Tundra, Open Mixed-
Shrub Tussock Tundra
Boreal Alpine Tussock Meadow
Organic-Peat
Organic Fens, Lacustrine, Solifluction Deposits
Basins, Flat, Concave
Upper Slope
Poor to Very poor
Circum-neutral-Acidic
Wet Sedge Meadow Tundra Boreal Alpine Sedge Meadow
NA Snow and Glaciers Variable NA NA Barren Snow and Glaciers
Water Shallow & Deep Isolated
Morainal Lakes
Waterbodies,
Kettle Basins
Flooded Circum-neutral Water Alpine Lake
Subalpine
Blocky-Rubbly-
Bouldery- Gravelly-
Sandy- Loamy
Hillslope Colluvium, Older Moraine,
Upland Loess, Alluvial Fan Abandoned Deposit
Alluvial Fan Inactive Deposit
Crest, Plateau, Shoulder,
Slopes, Toe Slope,
Flat, Kettle Basin,
Nivation
Hollows
Somewhat Excessive
to Somewhat
Poor
Circum-neutral-Acidic
Ericaceous-Lichen Dwarf Shrub Tundra, Low Closed
Birch-Willow, Low Closed Willow, Open Shrub Birch-
Ericaceous Shrub, Closed Low Shrub Birch-Willow, Open
Low Willow, Closed Tall Shrub
Birch, Closed Tall Willow,
Open Tall Willow
Boreal Subalpine Willow and Birch Shrub
Loamy Hillslope Colluvium, Older
Moraine, Upland Loess,
Slope, Nivation
Hollows
Well to
Mod. Well
Acidic Mixed Herbs Boreal Subalpine Forb Meadow
Top Down Bottom Up
Hierarchy
• Climate (Boreal, Subboreal, Maritime)
– Physiography (e.g. Upland, Riverine)
• Moisture (or drainage)
– Chemistry (e.g. Alkaline, Acidic)
Physiognomy (Forest, Woodland, Dwarf Shrub)
Dominant Species (white Spruce, Dryas)
Cold Boreal Upland Moist Acidic White Spruce ForestMaritime Alpine Dry Alkaline Dryas Dwarf Shrub
Global Hierarchy
• Climate (Boreal, Subboreal, Maritime)– Floristic Region
• Physiography (e.g. Upland, Riverine)– Moisture (or drainage)
– Chemistry (e.g. Alkaline, Acidic)
» Physiognomy (Forest, Woodland, Dwarf Shrub)
» Dominant Species (white Spruce, Dryas)
Subboreal Berigian Upland (Moist Acidic) White Spruce ForestMaritime Alpine (Dry Alkaline) Dryas Dwarf Shrub
Bioclimates of North AmericaRivas-Martinez et al. 2008
Physiography Topography
Physiography from Ecodistricts
Physiography Derived from TPI
Physiography from DEM Elevations
From Jorgenson et al. 2008. Permafrost Characteristics of Alaska. NICOP Proceedings
Vegetation Structure
• Photo-interpreted
• Image Processing (Land cover)
Rarely can we identify individual species
But by placing vegetation structure within a framework of landscape components you can reliably differentiate plant communities
Ecosystems of Northern Alaska
NRSC Soil Landscapes
Considering using new soil landscape map and rule-based modeling
Rules that Need Resolution
• Alpine Classes
– Alpine as one unit vs multiple classes
– Delineate when possible or always lump into
mountain complex
– Different Alpine vegetation in different climate
zone
• Subalpine Classes
– Similar as to Alpine
• Upland (zonal)– Moisture, moist vs dry
– Potential natural vegetation pretty straight forward
• Lowland– Potential Natural Vegetation?
– Complexing
– Thermokarst
– Often gradual ecotone with upland
Rules that Need Resolution
Rules that Need Resolution
• Riverine– Level of resolution
– Lines versus polygons
– Recommend mapping at higher resolution to provide more structure to landscape
• Coastal– Often too narrow to map
– Recommend buffering coastline to get it on map
• Photo-interpretation of individual polygons
versus rule-based modeling
• Integrated terrain unit mapping and attribution
• What kind of attributes to include with polygons
Rules that Need Resolution
Phases in Map Development
• Preliminary Protocol Development
• Pilot-scale Testing
• Protocol Refinements
• Full-scale Implementation
• Consistency Review (small team to review entire map, identify inconsistencies, send back to mapper for revision)