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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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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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)