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Towards biophysical mapping of ecosystems – 15.08.2012 1

Towards biophysical mapping of major ecosystems Draft proposal

1

Key objective

Developing a European approach for spatial representation of main

biophysical complexes providing quantitative aspect of ‘state of ecosystems’.

Specific objectives

Providing response to policy requirement ‘mapping ecosystems’ (i.e. EU

Biodiversity Strategy to 2020).

Taking stock of existing EEA reporting on ecosystems (e.g. Baseline 2010),

available European data sets (e.g. Corine Land Cover) and European habitat

lists (e.g Habitats Directive Annex I, EUNIS).

Creating links to ecosystem assessment, mapping of ecosystem services and

ecosystem capital accounting approaches, as they evolve in other work areas.

Outcome

Overall EEA proposal for implementing ‘ecosystem mapping’ at European level.

1 Contact Andrus Meiner and Branislav Olah


1. What is ‘ecosystem’ and what is ‘mapping’?

1.1 Definition of ecosystem

Ecological science defines ecosystem as a complex of living organisms with their

environment and their mutual relations. Although, this definition applies to all

hierarchical levels (from a single microorganism’s ecosystem to Earth’s biomes), for

practical reasons local (habitat, biotope) or landscape level ecosystems are mapped

and assessed (Box 1).

BOX 1. Theoretical (generic) model of ecosystem presenting ecosystem

components’ (subsystems) relations

Relationships of biotic and other ecosystem components.

Subsystem Providing to biota Receiving from biota

Climate Heat (energy) and water Impact to micro and local climate

Soil Substrate, nutrients, water supply Soil erosion protection, source of

soil carbon

Hydrology Water based processes Surface run-off regulation

Relief Aspect, water and gravitation

processes

Regulation of water-gravitation

processes (floods…)

Bedrock Underpinning relief and soil,

aquifers

Biotic weathering processes

Definition of an ecosystem adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity 2(CBD): “ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism

2 https://www.cbd.int/convention/text/

Bedrock

Relief

Biota

Soil

Hydrology Sediments/soil

substrate

Climate

https://www.cbd.int/convention/text/


communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit”

(United Nations 1992:Article 2).

Definition by Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA3): A practical approach to the

‘spatial delimitation of an ecosystem’ is to build up a series of overlays of significant

factors, mapping the location of discontinuities, such as in the distribution of

organisms, the biophysical environment (soil types, drainage basins, depth in a water

body), and spatial interactions (home ranges, migration patterns, fluxes of matter).

A useful ecosystem boundary is the place where a number of these relative

discontinuities coincide. Ecosystems within each category share a suite of biological,

climatic, and social factors that tend to differ across categories. More specifically,

there generally is greater similarity within than between each category in:

climatic conditions;

geophysical conditions;

dominant use by humans;

surface cover (based on type of vegetative cover in terrestrial ecosystems or on

fresh water, brackish water, or salt water in aquatic ecosystems);

species composition;

resource management systems and institutions.

The EU Habitats Directive4does not define ecosystems but natural habitats: natural

habitats mean terrestrial or aquatic areas distinguished by geographic, abiotic and

biotic features, whether entirely natural or semi-natural.

1.2 Mapping of ecosystems

Ecosystem mapping is spatial delineation of ecosystems following agreed ecosystem

classification (ecosystem types). Ecosystem classification strongly depends on

mapping purpose and scale. Mapping in broader sense may also include mapping of

status or health as the result of monitoring of ecosystems’ quality.

Global approaches to ecosystem classification and mapping (or reporting) apply two

basic principles: typological and regional (or their combination) (ANNEX 1).

Typological approach divides nature into ecosystem types – classes that can occur at

more geographical locations (i.e., temperate broadleaf and mixed forests). Regional

approach describes ecosystems from a regional (spatially unique) perspective (i.e.,

Dinaric mixed forests).

In the context of policy e.g. EU Biodiversity 2020 Strategy, ecosystem mapping also

has to satisfy management perspective and is largely determined by data availability.

In the absence of agreed and regularly updated European ecosystem map, the task of

mapping could be interpreted as aggregation of some proxy spatial information that

describes as good as possible the biophysical complex on the ground surface and

3 http://millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.300.aspx.pdf

4 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1992L0043:20070101:EN:PDF

http://millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.300.aspx.pdf

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1992L0043:20070101:EN:PDF


adequate representation in the seas. Such mapping should aim at providing

quantitative aspects of ‘state of ecosystems’.

For practical purpose and strong links to the emerging GMES Land monitoring

services, the proposed method of ecosystem mapping is based on the EU Biodiversity

2010 Baseline approach. This implies that CORINE land cover classes as used in

GMES are aggregated in most meaningful way to represent broad-scale ecosystem

areas. This aggregation is based on detailed expert analysis of relations between land

cover classes and habitat classification systems (i.e. EUNIS) to ensure consistency

between these approaches. The resulting cross-walk schema is used as look-up table

for spatial re-aggregation of land cover units in to broad-scale ecosystems suitable for

European ecosystems assessment (ANNEX 3).

Ecosystem mapping approach also has to be practical for setting up ecosystem

accounting. For that reason, constructed broad-scale ecosystem zones are converted in

to reference grid of 1 km2 cells (based on respective INSPIRE specifications).

Records of ecosystems presence and where possible, key qualitative properties, in

each cell across Europe provides direct input layer for accounting systems and enables

assessment of ecosystems and their services (Fig 1).

Figure 1. Concept for ecosystem mapping at European scale

CORINE LC 2006

Ecosystem assessments

Reference grid of 1 km2

cells

Broad-scale ecosystem

areas

Ecosystem accounts

EUNIS and HD

directive

Drivers, pressures, responses

CORINE LC /

EUNIS Cross-walk

Concept for ecosystem mapping at European scale

Stocks for 1990, 2000, 2006 and 2012 (foreseen)

Reporting WFD, MSFD

HD Art17

Reporting deadlines (various)

Annual statistics


In its Target 2, Action 5 the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020 clearly identifies a need

to map ecosystems and to assess their state.

EU biodiversity strategy to 2020

Target 2 - By 2020, ecosystems and their services are maintained and enhanced by

establishing green infrastructure and restoring at least 15 % of degraded ecosystems)

Action 5 - Improve knowledge of ecosystems and their services in the EU. Member

States, with the assistance of the Commission, will map and assess the state of

ecosystems and their services in their national territory by 2014, assess the economic

value of such services, and promote the integration of these values into accounting

and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020.

In order to integrate national assessments at pan-European scale, the ecosystem

mapping shall apply an ecosystem classification that is thematically applicable for the

whole EU territory and with a respective spatial resolution. It shall be typological -

without regional and zonal classes. Production of regional or zonal aggregation of

ecosystem types as well as scaling upwards in to useful reporting units will be,

however, possible applying spatial tools (GIS or OLAP cube).

2. Existing EEA approach for spatial representation of terrestrial, freshwater

and marine ecosystems for environmental assessments

Since the inception of the European Environment Agency there has been a continuous

work programme to develop a comprehensive framework for classification of

European habitats and to provide descriptions of European habitat types. The habitat

classification forms an integral part of the European Nature Information System

(EUNIS), developed and managed by the European Topic Centre for Nature

Protection and Biodiversity (ETC/NPB).

In order to assess ecosystems’ stock and its changes in Europe (EU Biodiversity

baseline5 and SEBI 004 Ecosystem coverage indicator

6) a spatial representation of

European ecosystems was produced by a combination of EUNIS (level 1)

classification7 and spatial data from Corine Land Cover (Table 1). CLC classes were

aggregated into either 8 (EU Biodiversity baseline8) or 13 ecosystem types (SEBI 004

Ecosystem coverage indicator9).

5 EU 2010 biodiversity baseline (p.118-119) http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/eu-2010-

biodiversity-baseline 6 http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/technical_report_2007_11 (p. 63-69)

7 http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/upload/EUNIS_2004_report.pdf

8 EU 2010 biodiversity baseline (p.118-119) http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/eu-2010-

biodiversity-baseline 9 http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/technical_report_2007_11 (p. 63-69)

http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/eu-2010-biodiversity-baseline


http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/technical_report_2007_11

http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/upload/EUNIS_2004_report.pdf



http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/technical_report_2007_11


Table 1. Comparison of EEA ecosystem classifications of EU Biodiversity baseline

and SEBI 004 Ecosystem coverage indicator with EUNIS level 1

EUNIS level1 Baseline 2010 SEBI004 indicator

A Marine habitats Marine Marine

B Coastal habitats Coastal Coastal

C Inland surface waters Lakes and rivers Inland surface waters

D Mires, bogs and fens Wetlands Mire, bog, fen

E Grasslands and land

dominated by forbs, mosses or

lichens

Grasslands Grassland and tall forb

F Heathland, scrub and tundra Heath and scrub Heathland, scrub and

tundra

G Woodland, forest and other

wooded land

Forests Woodland and forest

Transitional woodland

H Inland unvegetated or

sparsely vegetated habitats

(missing) Inland unvegetated or

sparsely vegetated

Glaciers and

permanent snow

I Regularly or recently

cultivated agricultural,

horticultural and domestic

habitats

Agro-ecosystems Regularly or recently

cultivated agricultural

Agricultural mosaics

J Constructed, industrial and

other artificial habitats

(not classified as

ecosystem but

present in the

assessment)

Constructed, industrial

and other artificial

X Habitat complexes (missing) (missing)

Both approaches closely follow the EUNIS level 1 classification. The Baseline 2010

does not recognise unvegetated areas and artificial areas (artificial ecosystem as such

is not amongst reported ecosystem types in Baseline) as this approach focused on

existing EU policy or policy sectors. Habitat complexes are missing in both Baseline

and SEBI approach as they are not directly represented in the CLC classification.

Additional ecosystem types (compared to Baseline) in SEBI are merely using less

aggregated CLC classes which can be easily re-aggregated to EUNIS like types.

Coastal habitats in EUNIS include only genuine coastal habitats affected by spraying

salt water whilst in Baseline and SEBI more traditional coastal CLC classes are

included (beaches, coastal wetlands and coastal waters without class sea and ocean).


3. Update of ecosystem classification

Based on analysis of existing approaches EEA has worked on an update of ecosystem

classification. The proposal for level 1 and 2 (Table 2, for detailed description see

ANNEX 2) corresponds directly with EUNIS habitat classification and SEBI 004

indicator on ecosystem coverage. It is relevant for EU policies and it is compatible

with global ecosystem classifications. It is typological (enabling comparison between

different parts of the Europe’s territory), keeps pan-European scale and takes into

consideration regular mapping aspect (applying CLC data for spatial delineation).

Table 2. Proposed ecosystem classification level 1 and 2

Major ecosystem

category (level 1)

Ecosystem type for mapping and assessment (level 2)

Terrestrial Urban

Cropland

Grassland

Woodland and forest


Heathland and shrub

Sparsely or unvegetated land

Inland wetlands

Coastal

Freshwater Rivers and lakes

Marine Benthic photic ecosystems

Benthic non-photic ecosystems

Pelagic photic ecosystems

Pelagic non-photic ecosystems

Compared to the baseline classification two new terrestrial (Urban and Transitional

woodland) and three new marine ecosystem types were added (Benthic photic

habitats, Benthic non-photic habitats and Pelagic habitats).

Following paragraphs provide a brief description of proposed ecosystems types:

Urban

Urban ecosystems are areas where most of the human population lives and it is also a

class significantly affecting other ecosystem types. Urban areas represent mainly

human habitats but they usually include significant areas for synanthropic species.

This class includes urban, industrial, commercial, and transport areas, urban green

areas, mines, dump and construction sites.

Cropland

Main food production area both intensively managed ecosystems and multifunctional

area supporting many semi- and natural species along with food production (lower

intensity management). It includes regularly or recently cultivated agricultural,

horticultural and domestic habitats and agro-ecosystems with significant coverage of

natural vegetation (agricultural mosaics).

Comment [BRO1]: We may reconsider to delete this class as as it has a different character to other types – it is a transitional ecosystem that does not

exist more than ca. 10-15 years whilst others are

quasi-stable ecosystems. The question would be into which remaining ecosystem class(es) to put this

mapped CLC class.


Grassland

Area dominated by grassy vegetation (including tall forbs, mosses and lichens) of two

kinds – managed pastures and natural (extensively managed) grasslands

Woodland and forest

Area dominated by woody vegetation. Climax ecosystem type on most of the area

supporting many ecosystem services


Transitional ecosystems due to land abandonment, forest management or regeneration

processes. This class describes essential dynamic of ecosystems transition on

forest/on-forest boundary (afforestation of open land or internal forest management

processes).

Heathland and shrub

Area with vegetation dominated by shrubs or dwarf shrubs. Mostly secondary

ecosystems with unfavourable natural conditions. It includes moors, heathland and

sclerophyllous vegetation.


Inland unvegetated or sparsely vegetated habitats (naturally unvegetated areas).

Ecosystems with extreme natural conditions that might support valuable species. It

includes bare rocks, glaciers and inland dunes and sand plain.

Inland wetlands

Marshes and peatbogs with specific plant and animal communities supporting water

regulation and peat-related processes. This class includes mires, bogs and fens.

Coastal

Ecosystems on marine/terrestrial boundary that are defined by unique mix of

terrestrial, freshwater and marine components. It includes coastal wetlands (salt

marshes, salines and intertidal flats), lagoons, estuaries, beaches and dunes.

Rivers and lakes Permanent freshwater inland surface waters. This class includes water courses and

bodies.

Benthic photic ecosystems Littoral and shallow sublittoral marine water habitats.

Benthic non-photic ecosystems Shelf sublittoral and deep sea habitats.

Pelagic photic ecosystems Coastal, shelf and oceanic photic marine water habitats.

Pelagic non-photic ecosystems Coastal, shelf and oceanic non-photic marine water habitats.


4. Review of relevant European spatial data sets

Table 3 presents key European datasets available at EEA that may be applied for

ecosystems spatial delineation (addressing stock) and for ecosystems quality.

Table 3. Key European datasets related to biodiversity and land mapping.

Key data

sets

Brief

description of

the content

Spatial

coverage

e.g.

countries

Spatial

resolution

e.g. MMU,

meters

Update

frequen-

cy, latest

year

available

Presenting

quantity

(stock)

aspect of

ecosystems

Presen-

ting

quality

(health)

aspect of

ecosyste

ms

Biodiversity (Data centre http://www.eea.europa.eu//themes/biodiversity/dc)

NATURA

2000

The European network

of protected

sites(Special Protected Areas, Sites of

Community Importance and Special Areas of Conservation)

EU27 vector (1:100 000)

2011 indirectly(being

designated

N2000 site as proxy

for better natural

quality)

CDDA The European inventory

of nationally designated

areas holds information about protected sites and

about the national legislative instruments,

which directly or indirectly create protected areas

EEA39 vector 2011 indirectly(b

eing designated

site as

proxy for better

natural

quality)

Conservati

on status

of habitat

types and

species

All Member States are

requested by the Habitats Directive (1992

Article 17) to monitor habitat types and species

considered to be of Community interest.

EU25 10km grid

(1:10M)

2009 (temporal

coverage 2000-2006)

directly

Biogeogra

phical

regions,

Europe

The bio-geographic

regions dataset contains

the official delineations

used in the Habitats

Directive (92/43/EEC) and for the EMERALD

Network set up under the Convention on the

Conservation of European Wildlife and

Natural Habitats (Bern Convention)

EEA39 + ENPI East

countries and

European part of Russian

Federation

Varying (1:1M to

1:10M)

2012 ancillary

Land use (Data centre http://www.eea.europa.eu//themes/landuse/dc)

Corine

Land

Cover

Vector land cover map

with 44 classes derived

from satellite image at scale 1:100 000

EEA39 (38) 25ha (5ha changes)

1990, 2000, 2006

directly

Imperviou

sness

Raster map on degree of

soil sealing 0-100% derived from satellite image

EEA39 100m raster 2006, 2009 indirectly

Landscape

fragmentat

ion

Fragmentation of

landscape by urban

areas and transport infrastructure calculated

as mesh size on unfragmented land

EEA29 1km grid (EEA)

2009 indirectly

Urban

Atlas

Vector land cover map

of cities with their

surroundings at scale 1:10 000

EU27, ca. 300 large urban

zones

0.25ha 2006 directly

UMZ Urban morphological

zones – derived from CLC

EEA39 vector 1990, 2000,

2006

indirectly

http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/biodiversity/dc

http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/landuse/dc


EU-DEM EU digital elevation

model EU27? 30m raster 2012 ancillary

Water (Data centre http://www.eea.europa.eu//themes/water/dc)

WFD

Waterbase

Rivers and lakes quality, ecological staus

EU27+ (EEA37)

vector 2011 directly

Marine

MSFD and

WISE-

Marine

Reporting from MS e.g. Initial

assessments,

marine boundaries

EU27

Various scales, marine

boundaries

scale, vector

2012

Marine regions and subregions

TBD from MS

reporting

EMODnet

Compilation of

key marine thematic data

layers

EU27

Various

formats

2009-2011

Regional seas,

subdivisons

6-7

thematic layers with

key marine

environment variables

Note: Air quality and climate change data sets are not listed.

5. Main implementation steps of the proposed ecosystem mapping approach

Data model

Ecosystem mapping will follow existing CLC data model – all datasets assimilated to

raster (100m) and reported in 1km grid. Sharing CLC spatial data model makes it

fully compatible with the bio-physical part of the ecosystem accounting and enables

its combination with ecosystem services.

Ecosystem stock mapping

Generic approach for European ecosystems’ stock mapping will apply CLC classes

for spatial delineation of level 1 and 2 ecosystem types (ANNEX 3). In order to assess

how ecosystems support ecosystem services (in the ecosystem – ecosystem service

matrix approach) more detailed hierarchical level 3 of ecosystem types may be

needed. Following the classification criteria of EUNIS will require application of

various ancillary datasets beyond CLC (such as biogeographically regions, elevation

or proximity to sea) (ANNEX 4).

Ecosystem quality mapping

Ecosystem quality (health) is crucial for ecosystem functions and services. Quality

may be addressed either by direct monitoring or by using ancillary data or

assessments as proxies. As identified in Table 3 there are currently only two datasets

directly monitoring quality of ecosystems the Habitats Directive Art. 17 for habitats

and the WFD ecological status reporting for water courses and bodies.

Even if their original purpose and design (spatial resolution and monitored

parameters) may vary from the proposed ecosystem typology, they are being used as

indicators for ecosystem quality in ecosystem accounting. The reporting may be re-

designed or broadened in future to better respond to the EU biodiversity strategy to

2020. EEA currently explores options for using pan-European phyto-sociological

survey results (releves) as ecosystem quality indicators.

Change mapping

Mapping of ecosystem change shall reflect both stock and quality of ecosystems. In

order to assess changes, quantitative and qualitative information have to be reported

http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/dc


separately or combined as in the currently developed ecosystem accounting approach.

Implementation example of proposed approach as applies for 2000-2006 is presented

in ANNEX 5.


ANNEX 1 Examples of ecosystem classifications

A. Typological classification applied by the Convention on Biological Diversity

To make a global assessment of the losses of biomes, ecosystems and habitats, it is

important to obtain complete coverage of all major types of biomes/ecosystems, even

if data quality varies. Data sources include global remote-sensing data and national

land-cover maps and statistics. For some biome/ecosystem types, the identified

datasets will yield sufficient data points to give trend information relevant to the 2010

target assessment. For others, appropriate global datasets are yet to be identified or

need to be acquired (CBD).

Based on current and short-term future availability of trend information, the following

major ecosystem types are considered ready for immediate indicator implementation

(CBD):

(a) Forests (including different forest types, notably mangroves);

(b) Peatlands (as a component of inland waters or forests);

(c) Coral reefs (as a component of marine and coastal ecosystems);

(d) Croplands (as a component of agricultural systems);

(e) Grasslands/savannahs (as a component of dry and sub-humid lands);

(f) Polar/ice.

In the future efforts need to be made to apply the indicator to the following ecosystem

types to ensure coverage of all thematic areas recognized by the Convention:

(a) Inland wetlands (other than those already covered as peatlands);

(b) Tidal flats/estuaries (as an additional component of coastal ecosystems);

(c) Seagrass beds (as an additional component of coastal ecosystems);

(d) Dry and sub-humid lands (other than grasslands/savannahs);

(e) Urban areas.

Ecological taxonomy by WWF (typological and regional)

Biosphere (List of ecoregions)

Ecozones or realms (8)

Terrestrial biomes (major habitat types, 14)

Ecoregions (867) vbn,

Ecosystems (biotopes)

Freshwater biomes (major habitat types, 12)

Ecoregions (426)


Marine ecozones or realms (13)

Continental Shelf biomes (major habitat types, 5)

(Marine provinces) (62)

Ecoregions (232)


Open & Deep Sea Biomes (major habitat types)

Endolithic biome

Example:

Biosphere

Ecozone: Palearctic ecozone

Terrestrial biome: temperate broadleaf and mixed forests


Ecoregion: Dinaric Mountains mixed forests (PA0418)

Ecosystem: Orjen, vegetation belt between 1,100- 1,450 m, Oromediterranean

zone, nemoral zone (temperate zone)

Biotope: Oreoherzogio-Abietetum illyricae Fuk. (Plant list)

Plant: Silver fir (Abies alba)

B. Ecological taxonomy by WWF (typological and regional)

Biosphere (List of ecoregions)

o Ecozones or realms (8)

Terrestrial biomes (major habitat types, 14)

Ecoregions (867) vbn,


Freshwater biomes (major habitat types, 12)

Ecoregions (426)


o Marine ecozones or realms (13)

Continental Shelf biomes (major habitat types, 5)

(Marine provinces) (62)

Ecoregions (232)


Open & Deep Sea Biomes (major habitat types)

o Endolithic biome

Example:

Biosphere

o Ecozone: Palearctic ecozone

Terrestrial biome: temperate broadleaf and mixed forests

Ecoregion: Dinaric Mountains mixed forests (PA0418)

Ecosystem: Orjen, vegetation belt between

1,100- 1,450 m, Oromediterranean zone,

nemoral zone (temperate zone)

Biotope: Oreoherzogio-Abietetum

illyricae Fuk. (Plant list)

Plant: Silver fir (Abies alba)

C. Reporting Categories used in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

For reporting the global Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) findings, a

practical, tractable, sufficiently rich classification based on 10 classes or systems has

been developed. Thus, for example, the MEA will report on “forest systems,” defined

to be areas with at least 40 percent canopy (tree) cover. Using this approach, a forest

system will contain a variety of different types of ecosystems, such as freshwater

ecosystems, agroecosystems, and so forth. But all areas within the boundaries of the

forest system as defined here will tend to share a suite of biological, climatic, and

social factors, so the system categories provide a useful framework for analysing the

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ecoregions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecozones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotope



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_shelf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregion#Marine



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endolith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecozone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palearctic_ecozone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperate_broadleaf_and_mixed_forests

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinaric_Mountains_mixed_forests

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orjen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotope

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinaric_calcareous_block_fir_forest#Plant_list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_alba


consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. Because the boundaries of

these reporting categories overlap, any place on Earth may fall into more than one

category. Thus a wetland ecosystem in a coastal region, for instance, may be

examined both in the MEA analysis of “coastal systems” as well as in the analysis of

“inland water systems.”

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Reporting Categories (Limits for Mapping)

Category Central Concept

Marine Ocean, with fishing typically a major driver of change

Coastal Interface between ocean and land, extending seawards to about the

middle of the continental shelf and inland to include all areas

strongly influenced by the proximity to the ocean

Inland

water

Permanent water bodies inland from the coastal zone, and areas

whose ecology and use are dominated by the permanent, seasonal,

or intermittent occurrence of flooded conditions

Forest Lands dominated by trees; often used for timber, fuelwood, and

non-timber forest products

Dryland Lands where plant production is limited by water availability; the

dominant uses are large mammal herbivory, including

livestock grazing, and cultivation

Island Lands isolated by surrounding water, with a high proportion of

coast to hinterland

Mountain Steep and high lands

Polar High-latitude systems frozen for most of the year

Cultivated Lands dominated by domesticated plant species, used for and

substantially changed by crop, agroforestry, or aquaculture

production

Urban Built environments with a high human density

The MEA’s classification system is typological but it introduces also regional or zonal

types – coastal, island and mountains.


ANNEX 2. Proposal for ‘ecosystem mapping’ at European level (ecosystem types level 2 correspond to SEBI004 classification)

Major

ecosystem

category

(level 1)

Ecosystem type for

mapping and

assessment (level

2)

Representation

of habitats

(functional

dimension by

EUNIS)

Representation

of land cover

(spatial

dimension)

Benefits of

mapping

Problems of

mapping

Listed as

ecosystems,

major habitat

types or

reporting

categories in

Spatial data

availability

Terrestrial Urban Constructed,

industrial and

other artificial

habitats

Urban,

industrial,

commercial

and transport

areas, urban

green areas,

mines, dump

and

construction

sites

Urban areas

represent mainly

human habitats

but they usually

include

significant areas

for synanthropic

species

CLC’s coarse

resolution that

needs to be

complemented

e.g. by Urban

atlas (ca 300

cities) and HRL

Imperviousness

EUNIS (SEBI)

UNEP/CBC

MEA

CLC

Urban Atlas

HRL

Imperviousness

Cropland

Regularly or

recently

cultivated

agricultural,

horticultural

and domestic

habitats and

agro-

ecosystems

with significant

coverage of

Annual and

permanent

crops as well

as

heterogeneous

agricultural

areas that

occur as a

single complex

at a given

spatial scale

Main food

production areas,

intensively

managed

ecosystems and

multifunctional

area supporting

many semi- and

natural species

along with food

production

Habitat

classification

(e.g. EUNIS)

includes

permanent crops

into Heathland

and scrub

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC

MEA

CLC


natural

vegetation

(lower intensity

management)

Grassland Grasslands and

land dominated

by forbs,

mosses or

lichens

Pastures and

natural

grasslands

Areas dominated

by grassy

vegetation of two

kinds – managed

pastures and

natural

(extensively

managed)

grasslands

Distinction

between

intensively used

and more

natural

grasslands

requires

additional

datasets (Art.

17)

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC

WWF

MEA***

CLC

HRL

grasslands

Woodland and

forest

Woodland,

forest and other

wooded land

Forests Climax

ecosystem type

on most of the

area supporting

many ecosystem

services

Missing

information on

quality and

management

requires

additional

datasets (Art.

17, HRL forest)

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC

WWF

MEA

CLC

HRL forests

Transitional

woodland

Transitional

ecosystems due

to land

abandonment,

forest

management or

regeneration

processes

Transitional

woodland

shrub

Describes

essential

dynamic of

ecosystems

transition on

forest-non forest

boundary

(afforestation of

open land or

Need good

interpretation of

involved process

type (by

location or

previous land

cover changes)

EUNIS (SEBI)

CLC

HRL forests (?)


internal forest

management

processes)

Heathland and

shrub

Heathland,

scrub and

tundra

(vegetation

dominated by

shrubs or dwarf

shrubs)

Moors,

heathland and

sclerophyllous

vegetation

Mostly

secondary

ecosystems with

unfavourable

natural

conditions

Mapping the

condition of

these areas

requires

combination

with Art.17

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

WWF

MEA***

CLC

Sparsely or

unvegetated land

Inland

unvegetated or

sparsely

vegetated

habitats

(naturally

unvegetated

areas)

Open spaces

with little or

no vegetation

(bare rocks,

glaciers and

inland dunes

and sand

plains*

included)

Ecosystems with

extreme natural

conditions that

might support

valuable species

Becomes a

conglomerate of

distinctive

rarely occurring

ecosystems,

often defined by

different

geographical

location

EUNIS (SEBI)

MEA***

CLC

Inland wetlands

Mires, bogs and

fens (freshwater

wetland

habitats)

Inland

wetlands

(marshes and

peatbogs)

Specific plant

and animal

communities,

water regulation,

peat-related

processes

Separation from

grasslands

(temporary

inundation) and

forests (tree

canopy), HRL

wetlands

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC

MEA***

CLC

HRL wetlands

Coastal

Coastal habitats

(characteristic

Coastal

wetlands,

Includes

ecosystems on

‘Beaches, dunes,

and sand plains’

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

CLC

HRL small


coastal

wetlands and

open spaces)

lagoons,

estuaries,

beaches and

dunes*

marine/terrestrial

boundary that are

defined by

unique mix of

terrestrial,

freshwater and

marine

components

are divided to

coastal or inland

on the basis of

their location

UNEP/CBC**

MEA***

water bodies

Freshwater Rivers and lakes Inland surface

waters

(freshwater

ecosystems)

Water courses

and bodies

All permanent

freshwater

surface waters

Underestimation

of water courses

and small water

bodies needs

application of

external datasets

(ECRINS, (HRL

Small lakes)

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

WWF

MEA***

CLC

HRL small

water bodies

ECRINS

Marine Benthic photic

ecosystems

Littoral and

shallow

sublittoral

habitats

Marine waters

(sea and

ocean)

For benthic

ecosystems the

photic limit is

used rather than

a depth limit as

it relates to

productivity,

which is key for

marine

ecosystem

functioning

Marine

ecosystems are

not mapped by

by CLC and

needs alternative

sources e.g.

EUSeaMap

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC**

WWF

MEA

MSFD’s

‘Seabed’

EUSeaMap,

CLC for

coastal waters

extent only

Benthic non- Shelf sublittoral Marine waters For benthic Marine EUNIS (SEBI, EUSeaMap,


photic ecosystems and deep sea

habitats

(sea and

ocean)

ecosystems the

photic limit is

used rather than

a depth limit as

it relates to

productivity,

which is key for

marine

ecosystem

functioning

ecosystems are

not mapped by

by CLC and

needs alternative

sources e.g.

EUSeaMap

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC**

WWF

MEA

MSFD’s

‘Seabed’

CLC for

coastal waters

extent only

Pelagic photic

ecosystems

Coastal, shelf

and oceanic

marine water

habitats

Marine waters

(sea and

ocean)

MSFD water

column type’

Reduced salinity

water’: This

aspect will be

picked up when

ecosystem

classes are

allocated to

different MSFD

regions (regional

seas)

MSFD water

column type

‘Variable salinity

(estuarine)

water’ =

‘Transitional

water bodies’

Distinction

between photic

and non-photic

pelagic

ecosystems will

be different for

European

marine regions

and needs to be

determined

EUNIS (SEBI,

Baseline)

UNEP/CBC**

WWF

MEA

MSFD ‘Water

column’

CLC for

coastal waters

extent only


sensu WFD,

which would

belong to the

‘Coastal’

ecosystems class

Pelagic non-

photic ecosystems

Coastal, shelf

and oceanic

marine water

habitats

Marine waters

(sea and

ocean)

Refer to

comment on the

previous line

Refer to

comment on the

previous line

Refer to

comment on

the previous

line

Refer to

comment on

the previous

line

*CLC class 3.3.1. Beaches, dunes, and sand plains divided to coastal or inland coastal or inland on the basis of their location

**UNEP/CBC only partially covering/mentioning (http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta-10/information/sbstta-10-inf-10-en.pdf )

***MEA’s type may differ to our description (http://millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.300.aspx.pdf )

WWF – Global Ecoregions (http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/ )

http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta-10/information/sbstta-10-inf-10-en.pdf

http://millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.300.aspx.pdf

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/


ANNEX 3. CLC vs. ecosystem types level 2 crosswalk table

CLC Level 1 CLC Level 2 CLC Level 3 Ecosystem types

level 2

1. Artificial surfaces

1.1. Urban fabric 1.1.1. Continuous urban fabric

Urban

1.1.2. Discontinuous urban fabric

1.2. Industrial, commercial and transport units

1.2.1. Industrial or commercial units

1.2.2. Road and rail networks and associated land

1.2.3. Port areas

1.2.4. Airports

1.3. Mine, dump and construction sites

1.3.1. Mineral extraction sites

1.3.2. Dump sites

1.3.3. Construction sites

1.4. Artificial non-agricultural vegetated areas

1.4.1. Green urban areas

1.4.2. Sport and leisure facilities

2. Agricultural areas

2.1.Arable land

2.1.1. Non-irrigated arable land

Cropland

2.1.2. Permanently irrigated land

2.1.3. Rice fields

2.2. Permanent crops

2.2.1. Vineyards

2.2.2. Fruit trees and berry plantations

2.2.3. Olive groves

2.3. Pastures 2.3.1. Pastures Grassland

2.4. Heterogeneous agricultural areas

2.4.1. Annual crops associated with permanent crops

Cropland 2.4.2. Complex cultivation patterns

2.4.3. Land principally occupied by agriculture, with significant areas of natural vegetation


2.4.4. Agro-forestry areas

3. Forests and semi-natural areas

3.1. Forests

3.1.1. Broad-leaved forest

Woodland and forest 3.1.2. Coniferous forest

3.1.3. Mixed forest

3.2. Shrub and/or herbaceous vegetation association

3.2.1. Natural grassland Grassland

3.2.2. Moors and heathland Heathland and

shrub 3.2.3. Sclerophyllous vegetation

3.2.4. Transitional woodland shrub Transitional

woodland

3.3. Open spaces with little or no vegetation

3.3.1. Beaches, dunes, and sand plains Coastal

3.3.2. Bare rock

Sparsely or

unvegetated land

3.3.3. Sparsely vegetated areas

3.3.4. Burnt areas

3.3.5. Glaciers and perpetual snow

4. Wetlands

4.1. Inland wetlands 4.1.1. Inland marshes

Inland wetlands 4.1.2. Peatbogs

4.2. Coastal wetlands

4.2.1. Salt marshes

Coastal 4.2.2. Salines

4.2.3. Intertidal flats

5. Water bodies

5.1 Inland waters 5.1.1 Water courses

Rivers and lakes 5.1.2 Water bodies

5.2 Marine waters

5.2.1 Coastal lagoons Coastal

5.2.2 Estuaries

5.2.3 Sea and ocean Marine


ANNEX 4. Proposal for delineation ecosystem types level 3 (corresponding to EUNIS level 2)

EUNIS was designed as a theoretical hierarchical classification of habitats following defined criteria without intention for their biophysical

mapping. However, for practical reasons a EUNIS-CLC crosswalk10

was proposed. Appointing CLC classes to respective EUNIS classes, in

some cases, result in one-to-many or many-to-many relations (CLC classes belonging to more than one habitat type). A feasible option how to

spatially delineate EUNIS habitats (level 1 and 2) using CLC as base information would be to apply ancillary datasets (following EUNIS

breakdown criteria11

) that will appoint a concrete CLC polygon to respective ecosystem type by its location (according to ancillary dataset).

Level 1 types L1 explained by Level 2 classes Datasets for mapping*

Issues

A Marine

habitats

A1 Littoral rock and other hard substrate 1) CLC 332, 421, 423

2) EUSeaMap

Supralittoral is included in B3

A2 Littoral sediment

A3 Infralittoral rock and other hard

substrate

N/A

A4 Circalittoral rock and other hard

substrate

A5 Sub-littoral sediment

A6 Deep sea-bed

A7 Pelagic water column

A8 Ice-associated marine habitats

B Coastal

habitats

B1 Coastal dunes and sandy shores 1) CLC 231, 311, 312, 322, 323, 331

2) Elevation: low

3) Proximity to sea: Coastal zone

4) Biogeographical regions

Sharing of CLC 521, 522 between B

and C B2 Coastal shingle

B3 Rock, cliffs, ledges and shores, inl.

supralittoral

C Inland C1 Surface standing waters 1) CLC 212, 331, 332, 411, 511, 512, - Sharing of CLC 521, 522 between

10

http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/upload/EUNIS-CLC.pdf

11


http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/upload/EUNIS-CLC.pdf



surface waters C2 Surface running waters 522

2) ECRINS Rivers, Lakes

3) HRL Small water bodies

4) optional – elevation zones

B and C;

C3 Littoral zone of inland surface

waterbodies

D Mires, bogs

and fens

D1 Raised and blanked bogs 1) CLC 411, 412

2) HRL Wetlands


4) Any RAMSAR data source (TBD)

Separation from grasslands

Wetlands with tree canopy D3 Aapa, palsa and polygon mires

D2 Valley mires, poor fens and transition

mires

D6 Inland saline and brackish marshes and

reedbeds

D5 Sedge and reedbeds, normally without

free-standing water

D4 Base-rich fens and calcareolus spring

mires

E Grasslands

and land

dominated by

forbs, mosses

or lichens

E7 sparsely wooded grasslands 1) CLC 141, 142, 231, 244, 321, 322,

323, 324, 331, 333

2) HRL Agriculture (grassland)

3) Elevation zones


Separation from wetlands (E3)

Separation from pastures (I1)

E6 Inland salt steppes

E5 Woodland fringes, clearings and tall

forbs stands

E4 alpine and subalpine grasslands

E3 Seasonally wet and wet grasslands

E2 Mesic grasslands

E1 Dry grasslands

F Heathland,

scrub and

tundra

FA Hedgerows 1) 221, 222, 231, 322, 323, 331, 333

2) HRL Forest (grassland)

3) ESA Small Linear Features

4) Elevation zones


FB Shrub plantations

F1 Tundra

F9 Riverine and fen shrubs

F8 Thermo-Atlantic xerophytic scrub

F7 Spiny Mediterranean heaths


F6 Garrigue

F5 Maquis, arborescent matorral and

thermo-Mediterranean brushes

F4 Temperate shrub heathland

F3 Temperate and mediteraneo-montane

scrub

F2 Arctic, alpine and subalpine scrub

G Woodland,

forest and

other wooded

land

G5 Lines of trees, small woodlands,

recently felled woodlands, early stage

woodland, coppice

1) CLC 222, 223, 311, 312, 313, 322,

323, 324

2) HRL Forest

3) Elevation zones


G4 Mixed woodland

G3 Coniferous woodland

G2 Broadleaved evergreen woodland

G1 Broadleaved deciduous woodland

H Inland

unvegetated or sparsely

vegetated

habitats

H1 Terrestrial underground caves… 1) CLC 112, 131, 331, 332, 333, 334,

335

2) Elevation zones


Note! Not addressed by current

matrix approach.

H is relevant to 3 types of services:

-Nutrition (water storage)

-Energy (hydro)

-Cultural (tourism)

H4 Snow or ice-dominated habitats

H6 Recent volcanic features

H3 Inland cliffs, rock pavement and

outcrops

H2 Screes

H5 Miscellaneous inland habitats with

very sparse on no vegetation

I Regularly or

recently

cultivated

agricultural,

horticultural

and domestic

I1 Arable land and market gardens CLC 141, 211, 212, 242, 243 Separation from grasslands (entire E)

Note! EUNIS system does not

distinguish between arable (CLC

2.1, 2.2) and rural mosaic/ pasture

(2.3, 2.4).

I2 Cultivated areas of gardens and parks


habitats

J Constructed,

industrial and

other artificial

habitats

J5 Highly artificial man-made waters and

associated structures

1) CLC 111, 112, 121, 122, 123, 124,

131, 132, 133, 422, 511, 512

2) HRL Imperviousness

3) Urban Morphological Zones

Separation from green urban areas

(I2)

Separation of J5 water bodies from C

J6 Waste deposits

J4 Transport networks and other

constructed hard-surface areas

J3 Extractive industrial sites

J2 Low density buildings

J1 Buildings of cities, towns and villages


ANNEX 5. Ecosystem coverage in 2006 and its changes 2000-2006

In order to test the proposed classification system we applied 13 ecosystem types on Corine Land Cover 2006 (v.16). The map and the pie chart

show the ecosystem stock in 2006. Changes between 2000 and 2006 are presented in the ‘Ecosystem coverage summary balance table 2000-

2006’ and the bar diagram below. An even distribution of 9 terrestrial classes justifies the applied CLC grouping (especially valid for sparsely

vegetated land comprising bare rocks, sparsely vegetated, burnt and glaciers ecosystems that separately would have only minimal coverage).

Marine ecosystem (level 1) is currently represented only by CORINE Land cover class 5.2.3 ‘Sea and ocean’ that is representing the zone

seaward of the lowest tide limit and extends to the limit of 12 nautical miles in the sea. This class appears only in change assessment.

Transitional woodlands represent significant ecosystem coverage (6%) but more importantly it is the most dynamic ecosystem type between

2000-2006 with a total turnover of 16.2% and a net increase of 7.6%. Mapping this type separately provides important information on ecological

processes in forested (management) and agricultural (land abandonment) areas.

Note: The current results present class Agricultural mosaics separately as they were prepared following the SEBI04 methodology. In the

proposed ecosystem classification (table 2) Agricultural mosaics are merged with Cropland.


SEBI 004 Ecosystem coverage 2006

Note: Marine ecosystems presented in ecosystem coverage summary table (below) are not shown


Terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem stocks in 2006

Woodland and forest 28%

Cropland 25%

Agricultural mosaics

11%

Grassland 11%


6%


6%

Heathland and shrub 4%

Urban 4%

Rivers and lakes 2%

Inland wetlands 2%

Coastal 1%

Others 9%

Terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem stocks in 2006


Ecosystem coverage summary balance table 2000-2006

(ha)

Urb

an

Cro

pla

nd

Agr

icu

ltu

ral

mo

saic

s

Wo

od

lan

d a

nd

fo

rest

Gra

ssla

nd

Hea

thla

nd

an

d

shru

b

Tran

siti

on

al

wo

od

lan

d

Spar

sely

or

un

vege

tate

d

lan

d

Inla

nd

w

etl

and

s

Co

asta

l

Riv

ers

an

d

lake

s

Mar

ine*

Ecosystem 2000 20,848,150 142,603,341 62,417,659 165,517,350 60,603,248 25,095,852 31,479,904 34,819,887 11,930,146 3,263,563 13,941,404 125,013,731

Consumption of initial ES -63,162 -555,496 -246,661 -3,528,860 -346,553 -167,999 -1,364,657 -189,392 -62,126 -22,239 -28,956 -4,917

Formation of new ES 709,885 258,855 115,313 1,260,401 156,720 71,389 3,742,235 125,768 14,097 30,589 94,627 1,139 Net Formation of ES 646,723 -296,641 -131,348 -2,268,459 -189,833 -96,610 2,377,578 -63,624 -48,029 8,350 65,671 -3,778 Net formation as % of initial year 3.1 -0.2 -0.2 -1.4 -0.3 -0.4 7.6 -0.2 -0.4 0.3 0.5 0.0 Total turnover of ES 773,047 814,351 361,974 4,789,261 503,273 239,388 5,106,892 315,160 76,223 52,828 123,583 6,056 Total turnover as % of initial year 3.7 0.6 0.6 2.9 0.8 1.0 16.2 0.9 0.6 1.6 0.9 0.0 Ecosystem 2006 21,494,873 142,306,700 62,286,311 163,248,891 60,413,415 24,999,242 33,857,482 34,756,263 11,882,117 3,271,913 14,007,075 125,009,953

*Marine ecosystem (level 1) is currently represented only by CORINE Land cover class 5.2.3 ‘Sea and ocean’ that is representing zone seaward

of the lowest tide limit and extends to the limit of 12 nautic miles in the sea. It does not include coastal lagoons and estuaries.


Relative changes in ecosystem coverage 2000-2006

-2% -1% 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8%

Woodland and forest (-2.268.459ha)

Inland wetlands (-48.029ha)

Heathland, shrub and tundra (-96.610ha)

Grassland and tall forb (-189.833ha)

Agricultural mosaics (-131.348ha)

Cropland (-296.641ha)

Sparsely or unvegetated land (-63.624ha)

Marine (-3.778ha)

Coastal (8.350ha)

Rivers and lakes (65.671ha)

Urban (646.723ha)

Transitional woodland (2.377.578ha)

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