Introduction to the Circumboreal vegetation map (CBVM) project
Stephen S. TALBOT
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, USA
The Circumboreal Vegetation Mapping group is a subgroup within the Conservation
of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Flora Group devoted to mapping the vegetation
of the boreal region (scale 1 : 7.5 million). Vegetation maps of the circumboreal
region currently exist at a wide variety of scales using many legend approaches;
these were developed by numerous authors for a wide variety of disparate applications
but were not integrated into a unified system. The development of the
CBVM through a unified legend approach aims at understanding the boreal in a
new way that looks beyond the confines of regional approaches. In this respect
it will form an important information, assessment and planning tool for solving
nature and environmental protection problems at a global level.
The need for a CBVM was discussed at an international circumpolar vegetation
workshop in Norway (2004) where participants resolved to develop a unified international
method for classifying and mapping boreal vegetation expanding the area
covered by the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map far to the south. Following this
workshop the CBVM group met in a several workshops in Canada, Faroe Islands,
Finland, and Sweden. At the CBVM workshop in Iceland (2011), participants agreed
to test a preliminary legend in several prototype areas of Alaska, Canada,
and Russia; these results and those of all CBVM workshops document and record
our approach and progress; they may be accessed online
HERE.
The CBVM will portray potential natural vegetation rather than existing vegetation
that is commonly generated by classification of satellite imagery. Although still
under development, the CBVM Vegetation Legend has been strongly influenced
by the principles used in the development of the Map of the Natural Vegetation
of Europe. The proposed legend will be a hierarchy that at the highest levels
should reflect the most essential regularities common for the boreal zone of
both continents (Eurasia and North America). Moving down the hierarchy, the
legend will reflect more detailed divergence in regional vegetation structure and
composition.
|
© 2012 Organizing Committee
| | |