Ecosystems in a global context: The IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology Ecosystem Red List Thematic Group Prof. David Keith Centre for Ecosystem Science UNSW, Australia [email protected]Dr Jose Rafael Ferrer Paris Centre for Ecosystem Science UNSW, Australia A/Prof. Emily Nicholson Deakin University, Australia [email protected]Prof. Richard Kingsford Centre for Ecosystem Science UNSW, Australia & 36 co-authors 2019 Commission on Ecosystem Management Steering Committee, Sept 2019
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Ecosystems in a global context: The IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology
Ecosystem Red List Thematic Group
Prof. David Keith Centre for Ecosystem Science UNSW, Australia [email protected]
Dr Jose Rafael Ferrer Paris Centre for Ecosystem Science UNSW, Australia
A/Prof. Emily NicholsonDeakin University, Australia [email protected]
Prof. Richard Kingsford Centre for Ecosystem Science UNSW, Australia
& 36 co-authors
2019 Commission on Ecosystem Management Steering Committee, Sept 2019
Needs for a globally consistent ecosystem typology
Why a functional approach?
• Sustaining ecosystem functions and services, irrespective of specific biota involved, depends on understanding the ecological processes and mechanisms that drive ecosystem change
Environmental education
Natural capital accounting
Key Biodiversity
Areas
Comparative ecosystem research
Ecosystem monitoring & management
Reporting: global goals
& targets
Global Ecosystem Typology
Red List of Ecosystems:
risk assessment
Conservation planning
But… identity of biota is central to conservation concepts & cultural values
• represent both ecosystem functions and the biota engaged in them
• conceptually consistent throughout the biosphere
• a scalable structure
• spatially explicit, mutually exclusive units
• avoid superfluous complexity
Design criteria for a Global Ecosystem Typology
We reviewed 21 typologies:- None represented both functions & biota- Only two encompassed whole biosphere- Limited theoretical basis- Some not mapped
Theoretical foundations
• Conceptual model based on community assembly theory
• Common ecological drivers shape ecosystems with shared functional traits
IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology: scope & structure
• All ecosystems of the biosphere
• Hierarchical structure• Representation of
function – upper levels, top-down
• Representation of composition – lower levels, bottom-up
Marine & transitional
102 Ecosystem Functional Groups across 4 realms & their transitions-14 anthropogenic- 88 natural/seminatural- detailed descriptive profiles- indicative global maps
Biome Functional group (ecotype) x
T1 Tropical-subtropical forests T1.1Tropical/Subtropical lowland rainforests x 1
T1 Tropical-subtropical forests T1.2 Tropical/Subtropical dry forests and scrubs
x 1
T1 Tropical-subtropical forests T1.3 Tropical/Subtropical montane rainforests x 1
T1 Tropical-subtropical forests T1.4 Tropical heath forests x 1
T2 Temperate-boreal forests
& woodlands
T2.1 Boreal and montane needle-leaved forest
and woodland x 1
T2 Temperate-boreal forests
& woodlands
T2.2 Temperate deciduous forests and
shrublands x 1
T2 Temperate-boreal forests
& woodlands
T2.3 Cool temperate rainforests
x 1
T2 Temperate-boreal forests
& woodlands
T2.4 Warm temperate rainforests
x 1
T2 Temperate-boreal forests
& woodlands
T2.5 Temperate pyric humid forests
x 1
T2 Temperate-boreal forests
& woodlands
T2.6 Temperate pyric sclerophyll forests and
woodands x 1
T3 Shrublands & shrub-
dominated woodlands
T3.1 Seasonally dry tropical shrublands
x 1
T3 Shrublands & shrub-
dominated woodlands
T3.2 Seasonally dry temperate heaths and
shrublands x 1
T3 Shrublands & shrub-
dominated woodlands
T3.3 Cool temperate heathlands
x 1
T3 Shrublands & shrub-
dominated woodlands
T3.4 Rocky pavements, screes and lava flows
x 1
T4 Savannas and grasslands T4.1 Trophic savannas x 1
T4 Savannas and grasslands T4.2 Pyric tussock savannas x 1
T4 Savannas and grasslands T4.3 Hummock savannas x 1
T4 Savannas and grasslands T4.4 Temperate wooded savannas x 1
T4 Savannas and grasslands T4.5 Temperate grasslands x 1
T5 Deserts and semi-deserts T5.1 Semi-desert steppes x 1
T5 Deserts and semi-deserts T5.2 Thorny deserts and semi-deserts x 1
T5 Deserts and semi-deserts T5.3 Sclerophyll deserts and semi-deserts x 1
T5 Deserts and semi-deserts T5.4 Cool temperate deserts x 1
T5 Deserts and semi-deserts T5.5 Hyper-arid deserts x 1
T6 Polar/alpine T6.1 Ice sheets, glaciers and perennial
snowfields x 1
T6 Polar/alpine T6.2 Polar/alpine rocky outcrops x 1
T6 Polar/alpine T6.3 Polar tundra x 1
T6 Polar/alpine T6.4 Temperate alpine meadows and shrublands
x 1
T6 Polar/alpine T6.5 Tropical alpine meadows and shrublands x 1
T7 Intensive anthropogenic
terrestrial systems
T7.1 Croplands
x 1
T7 Intensive anthropogenic
terrestrial systems
T7.2 Sown pastures and old fields
x 1
T7 Intensive anthropogenic
terrestrial systems
T7.3 Plantations
x 1
T7 Intensive anthropogenic
terrestrial systems
T7.4 Urban and infrastructure lands
x 1
S1 Lithic subterranean
systems
S1.1 Aerobic caves
x 2
S1 Lithic subterranean
systems
S1.2 Endolithic systems
x 2
S2 Subterranean freshwaters S2.1 Underground streams and pools x 2
S2 Subterranean freshwaters S2.2 Groundwater aquifers x 2
S3 Tidal subterranean
systems
S3.1 Anchialine caves
x 2
S4 Anthropogenic
subterranean systems
S4.1 Subterranean excavations
x 2
S4 Anthropogenic
subterranean systems
S4.2 Water pipes and subterranean canals
4
Terrestrial & SubterraneanRealm Biome Functional group (ecotype) x
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT 1.1 Tropical flooded forests and peat forests x 1
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT 1.2 Seasonal floodplain marshes x 1
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT 1.3 Subtropical/temperate forested wetlands x 1
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT 1.4 Episodic arid floodplains x 1
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT1.5 Boreal, temperate and montane peat bogs x 1
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT1.6 Boreal and temperate fens x 1
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT 1.7 Artesian springs and oases x 2
Freshwater/Terrestrial FT 1 Palustrine wetlands FT 1.8 Geothermal wetlands x 2
Freshwater & saline wetlands F1 Rivers and streams F 1.1 Permanent upland streams x 2
Freshwater & saline wetlands F1 Rivers and streams F 1.2 Permanent lowland rivers x 2
Freshwater & saline wetlands F1 Rivers and streams F1.3 Freeze-thaw rivers and streams x 2
Freshwater & saline wetlands F1 Rivers and streams F 1.4 Monsoonal upland stream x 2
Freshwater & saline wetlands F1 Rivers and streams F 1.5 Monsoonal lowland rivers x 2
Freshwater & saline wetlands F1 Rivers and streams F 1.6 Arid episodic lowland rivers x 2
New technologies: cloud computing, artificial intelligence, global environmental spatial data, deep time archives of satellite images
Pixel-based “ecosystem distribution models” • Published proof of concept (Murray et al. 2018, Nature)• Integrated spectral, topographic and climate covariates
Murray et al. (2019) Methods in Ecology and Evolution | Murray et al. (2018) Science of the Total Environment | Murray et al. (2019) Nature
QAClassifiedCovariatesTraining set
Spatial data: maps of Ecosystem Functional Groups
Ecosystem mapping: ongoing upgrade
Indicative (low-res) global maps
• M1.2 Kelp forests
High-resolution global maps
• M3.4 Sea mounts& ridges
The way forward
• Global Ecosystem Typology Web site • user support to identify & explore Ecosystem Functional Groups
• High-resolution maps
• Defining links (cross-walks) with established national classifications
• Global ecosystem risk assessment (terrestrial)
• Linking ecosystem risk assessments with supply of ecosystem services & natural capital accounts
UN SEE-EEA Natural capital accounting
• A United Nations (Stats Division) initiative to account for extent & condition of ecosystem assets and the supply & use of ecosystem services
• Forum of Experts, Working Groups, project countries
• IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology provisionally adopted as the SEEA EEA reference classification
• Testing phase underway –correspondence between established national classifications & global units
IUCN global ecosystem typology website
In development:
- Identification guide
- photographic content
- Links to references
- supported by UNSW
(RLE partnership)
● Myanmar National Ecosystem Assessment
● National ecosystem typology structured by IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology