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Changes in agricultural policy may have a rapid impact, even on landscapes which have taken millennia to form. Here we explore the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU as a catalyst for profound changes in the pastoral landscapes of Wales. Impending change of the trading regime governing agricultural produce, concurrent with public pressure to use agricultural subsidies for environmental goals, may lead to unforeseen consequences for the Welsh natural environment. We employ a combination of change demand modelling and a ‘story and simulation approach’ to project the effect of five hypothetical plausible scenarios on land use and land use change in Wales by 2030. We show that the most extreme trade scenario would result in a significant expansion of broadleaf woodland across much of Wales. By contrast, the ‘green futures’ scenario introduced to supersede the Common Agricultural Policy, results in significant expansion of woodland but not at the level seen with the more extreme trade scenarios.
Syed Amir Manzoor; Geoffrey Griffiths; David Christian Rose; Martin Lukac. The Return of Wooded Landscapes in Wales: An Exploration of Possible Post-Brexit Futures. Land 2021, 10, 59 .
AMA StyleSyed Amir Manzoor, Geoffrey Griffiths, David Christian Rose, Martin Lukac. The Return of Wooded Landscapes in Wales: An Exploration of Possible Post-Brexit Futures. Land. 2021; 10 (1):59.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSyed Amir Manzoor; Geoffrey Griffiths; David Christian Rose; Martin Lukac. 2021. "The Return of Wooded Landscapes in Wales: An Exploration of Possible Post-Brexit Futures." Land 10, no. 1: 59.
This paper presents the results of research designed to explore the challenges involved in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to support environmental management Brazil. While much has been written about the technology and applications of EO, the perspective of end-users of EO data and their needs has been under-explored in the literature. A total of 53 key informants in Brasilia and the cities of Rio Branco and Cuiaba were interviewed regarding their current use and experience of EO data and the expressed challenges that they face. The research builds upon a conceptual model which illustrates the main steps and limitations in the flow of EO data and information for use in the management of land use and land cover (LULC) in Brazil. The current paper analyzes and ranks, by relative importance, the factors that users identify as limiting their use of EO. The most important limiting factor for the end-user was the lack of personnel, followed by political and economic context, data management, innovation, infrastructure and IT, technical capacity to use and process EO data, bureaucracy, limitations associated with access to high-resolution data, and access to ready-to-use product. In general, users expect to access a ready-to-use product, transformed from the raw EO data into usable information. Related to this is the question of whether this processing is best done within an organization or sourced from outside. Our results suggest that, despite the potential of EO data for informing environmental management in Brazil, its use remains constrained by its lack of suitably trained personnel and financial resources, as well as the poor communication between institutions.
Mercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10411 .
AMA StyleMercio Cerbaro, Stephen Morse, Richard Murphy, Jim Lynch, Geoffrey Griffiths. Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10411.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2020. "Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10411.
The South East of England has an abundance of woodland, which offers a potential sustainable timber and fuel resource in parallel with being a much-loved part of rural life and rich ecological wildlife habitat. An ever-increasing quantity of mature broadleaved trees is available for harvest forms, with appropriate management and a sustainable yield potential, set against the backdrop of only 10% of UK timber demand currently supplied from UK-grown resource. There has been little systematic research into the factors that limit the sector and initiatives to address the challenge have not had a significant impact on the amount of woodland under management. Through semi-structured interviews across the wood supply chain, this research provides an integrated analysis of the factors limiting woodland management in the South East of England. The findings indicate the sector is complex, multifaceted, slow to respond to change and driven by a strong set of human, economic, environmental, and structural motivations away from use of local wood product. A novel insight from the research was that although there was a positive affinity for forestry and a strong culture of woodland management across the spectrum of stakeholders, there was little evidence of effective collaboration or sector integration. These factors have been summarised in a ‘rich picture’ providing a visual and intuitive way of engaging with stakeholders. This research fills a significant gap in understanding the dynamics of forestry in the South East of England and provides new underpinning evidence for policy makers to design interventions aimed at delivering better sustainable utilisation of woodland resources in parallel with offering support to rural communities and economies.
Caroline Greenslade; Richard Murphy; Stephen Morse; Geoffrey Griffiths. Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Factors Limiting Woodland Management and Sustainable Local Wood Product Use in the South East of England. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10071 .
AMA StyleCaroline Greenslade, Richard Murphy, Stephen Morse, Geoffrey Griffiths. Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Factors Limiting Woodland Management and Sustainable Local Wood Product Use in the South East of England. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (23):10071.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCaroline Greenslade; Richard Murphy; Stephen Morse; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2020. "Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Factors Limiting Woodland Management and Sustainable Local Wood Product Use in the South East of England." Sustainability 12, no. 23: 10071.
Cork oak (Quercus suber) is a declining woodland species across the island of Sardinia, despite its former economic importance for wine production and its significance for biodiversity. In particular, cork oak forests (COFs) on the island have seen a 29% decrease in the past 45 years. A spatial GIS model was developed to determine suitability for the expansion of cork oak forests on the island. The model uses a set of simple spatial decision rules based on principles of landscape ecology and expert opinion to assign a suitability score for pure cork oak forests to every land use parcel in Sardinia. These rules include the type of existing land parcel, its size, distance to existing cork oak forest, and the area of seminatural habitats in its neighborhood. This was coupled with a map of landscape types to assist with the development of policy for the protection of cork oak forests across Sardinia. The results show that there is an area of 116,785 ha potentially suitable for cork oak forest expansion in Sardinia, with the largest area of potential habitat on granitic mountains. There is a substantial overall agreement (Cohen’s kappa = 0.61) between the suitability map produced and the historical reference map. The model is flexible and can be rerun to reflect changes in policy relating to agri-environmental targets for habitats and species.
Ioannis N. Vogiatzakis; Geoffrey H. Griffiths; Maria Zomeni. Incorporating Landscape Character in Cork Oak Forest Expansion in Sardinia: Constraint or Opportunity? Forests 2020, 11, 593 .
AMA StyleIoannis N. Vogiatzakis, Geoffrey H. Griffiths, Maria Zomeni. Incorporating Landscape Character in Cork Oak Forest Expansion in Sardinia: Constraint or Opportunity? Forests. 2020; 11 (5):593.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIoannis N. Vogiatzakis; Geoffrey H. Griffiths; Maria Zomeni. 2020. "Incorporating Landscape Character in Cork Oak Forest Expansion in Sardinia: Constraint or Opportunity?" Forests 11, no. 5: 593.
Brazil has some of the world’s most important forest and natural ecosystem resources and their sustainability is of global importance. The expansion of agriculture for livestock, the extractive industries, illegal logging, land conflicts, fire and deforestation are pressures on land use and drivers of land use change in many regions of Brazil. While different institutions in Brazil have sought to use Earth Observation (EO) data to support better land use management and conservation projects, several problems remain at the national and state level in the implementation of EO to support environmental policies and services provided to Brazilian society. This paper presents the results of a systematic analysis of the key challenges in using EO data in land management in Brazil and summarises them in a conceptual model of the factors influencing EO data use for assessing sustainable land use and land cover in Brazil. The research was based on a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (43) and structured interviews (53) with key stakeholders who make use of EO data across different locations in Brazil. The major challenges identified in the complex and multifaceted aspects of using this information were associated with access to, and with the processing of, raw data into usable information. The analysis also revealed novel insights on a lack of inter-institutional communication, adequate office infrastructure and personnel, availability of the right type of EO data and funding restrictions, political instability and bureaucracy as factors that limit more effective use of EO data in Brazil at present. We close this analysis by considering how EO information for the sustainable management of land use and land cover can assist institutions as they respond to the varied political and economic instabilities affecting environmental governance and deforestation levels.
Mercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. Information from Earth Observation for the Management of Sustainable Land Use and Land Cover in Brazil: An Analysis of User Needs. Sustainability 2020, 12, 489 .
AMA StyleMercio Cerbaro, Stephen Morse, Richard Murphy, Jim Lynch, Geoffrey Griffiths. Information from Earth Observation for the Management of Sustainable Land Use and Land Cover in Brazil: An Analysis of User Needs. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (2):489.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2020. "Information from Earth Observation for the Management of Sustainable Land Use and Land Cover in Brazil: An Analysis of User Needs." Sustainability 12, no. 2: 489.
Context The 25th anniversary of the founding of the UK chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology (ialeUK) was marked in 2017. Objectives To assess trends in UK landscape ecology research over ialeUK’s first 25 years, to compare these trends to changes elsewhere in the world, and to consider how ialeUK can continue to support landscape ecology research and practice. Methods A database of conference abstracts was compiled and examined in combination with a questionnaire that surveyed existing and former active members of ialeUK. Results Across 1992–2017 we observe noticeable trends including the declining roles of statutory bodies, the development of the ecosystem services concept, and a decrease in use of empirical methods. Analysis of questionnaire results highlighted four key areas: Developing new researchers; Facilitating conferences for networking, learning and discussion; Linking policy with practice; and Driving the continued growth of landscape ecology as a discipline. Challenges were also noted, especially regarding the adoption of a wider understanding of landscape ecological principles in management. Conclusions Increases in qualitative research, decreases in studies explicitly examining connectivity/fragmentation and an absence of landscape genetics studies in the UK are seemingly distinct from US landscape ecology and elsewhere around the world, based on published accounts. ialeUK has had success in increasing the role of landscape ecology in policy and practice, but needs to continue to aim for improved collaboration with other landscape-related professional bodies and contributions to wider sustainability agendas.
Christopher Young; Chloe Bellamy; Vanessa Burton; Geoff Griffiths; Marc J. Metzger; Jessica Neumann; Jonathan Porter; James D. A. Millington. UK landscape ecology: trends and perspectives from the first 25 years of ialeUK. Landscape Ecology 2019, 35, 11 -22.
AMA StyleChristopher Young, Chloe Bellamy, Vanessa Burton, Geoff Griffiths, Marc J. Metzger, Jessica Neumann, Jonathan Porter, James D. A. Millington. UK landscape ecology: trends and perspectives from the first 25 years of ialeUK. Landscape Ecology. 2019; 35 (1):11-22.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristopher Young; Chloe Bellamy; Vanessa Burton; Geoff Griffiths; Marc J. Metzger; Jessica Neumann; Jonathan Porter; James D. A. Millington. 2019. "UK landscape ecology: trends and perspectives from the first 25 years of ialeUK." Landscape Ecology 35, no. 1: 11-22.
Urban sprawl causes changes in land use and a decline in many ecosystem services. Understanding the spatial patterns of sprawl and exploration of citizens’ perception towards the sporadic urban expansion and its impacts on an ecosystem to deliver services can help to guide land use planning and the conservation of the urban ecosystem. Here, we spatially examined land use changes in Multan, Pakistan, and investigated public perception about urban sprawl and its impacts on the quality and provision of ecosystem services, using a survey instrument. The spatial analysis of the historical land cover of Multan indicated an exponential expansion of the city in the last decade. Large areas of natural vegetation and agricultural land were converted to urban settlements in the past two decades. The citizens of Multan believe that the quality and provision of ecosystem services have declined in the recent past and strongly correlate the deteriorating ecosystem services with urban sprawl. Education and income levels of the respondents are the strongest predictors of urban ecosystem health literacy. Citizens associated with laborious outdoor jobs are more sensitive to the changes in ecosystem services. We concluded that the rapidly expanding cities, especially in the tropical arid zones, need to be prioritized for an increase in vegetation cover, and economically vulnerable settlements in these cities should be emphasized in climate change mitigation campaigns.
Syed Amir Manzoor; Aisha Malik; Muhammad Zubair; Geoffrey Griffiths; Martin Lukac. Linking Social Perception and Provision of Ecosystem Services in a Sprawling Urban Landscape: A Case Study of Multan, Pakistan. Sustainability 2019, 11, 654 .
AMA StyleSyed Amir Manzoor, Aisha Malik, Muhammad Zubair, Geoffrey Griffiths, Martin Lukac. Linking Social Perception and Provision of Ecosystem Services in a Sprawling Urban Landscape: A Case Study of Multan, Pakistan. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (3):654.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSyed Amir Manzoor; Aisha Malik; Muhammad Zubair; Geoffrey Griffiths; Martin Lukac. 2019. "Linking Social Perception and Provision of Ecosystem Services in a Sprawling Urban Landscape: A Case Study of Multan, Pakistan." Sustainability 11, no. 3: 654.
The cornerstone of EU nature conservation, the Natura 2000 (N2K) network is far from complete in many EU countries, including Cyprus, particularly where new datasets have become available. Thus, an important question in conservation biology is how new data can be incorporated in an effort to redesign N2K where appropriate. We analyse the efficacy of the N2K network in Cyprus, a global biodiversity hotspot, for protecting threatened vascular plants. We used 252 species for which detailed distributional data were available and added new records for 168 species. Overlaying a 1 km2 grid map for Cyprus we identified distributional hotspots of threatened species (sensu IUCN) and assessed their representation level within the N2K network. Based on new recorded data we propose IUCN status changes for 15 species. There were 60 hotspots identified (cells with more than 5 threatened species) in the central-west, south, southeast and north parts of the island. GIS analysis demonstrated that 145 out of 252 species (57.5%) occur within the N2K network, ranging from 4 to 100% of their occurrences. Τhe conservation gaps identified are related to 107 threatened species (42.5% of Red Data Book plants) which are either completely outside the N2K network or in those areas where EU legislation is not applicable due to the complex political situation on the island. The most important conservation opportunities are found in the northern part of the island, where the acquis communautaire is suspended and the UK Sovereign Base Areas, which are excluded from the Accession Treaty of Cyprus. In the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (CYGCA) there are only two important hotspots found outside the N2K network.
C. S. Christodoulou; G. H. Griffiths; Ioannis Vogiatzakis. Using threatened plant species to identify conservation gaps and opportunities on the island of Cyprus. Biodiversity and Conservation 2018, 27, 2837 -2858.
AMA StyleC. S. Christodoulou, G. H. Griffiths, Ioannis Vogiatzakis. Using threatened plant species to identify conservation gaps and opportunities on the island of Cyprus. Biodiversity and Conservation. 2018; 27 (11):2837-2858.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC. S. Christodoulou; G. H. Griffiths; Ioannis Vogiatzakis. 2018. "Using threatened plant species to identify conservation gaps and opportunities on the island of Cyprus." Biodiversity and Conservation 27, no. 11: 2837-2858.
Landscape character assessment (LCA) has a significant contribution to make as a spatial framework for the emerging concept of ‘multi-functional landscapes’, a landscape providing a range of functions, services, and human-derived benefits. The paper reviews the development of LCA in Northwest Europe with a brief description of more recent LCA projects in a Mediterranean context. This is followed by a comparative description of the Living Landscapes approach developed in the UK as applied to Cyprus. The focus is upon the challenges, and limitations, of transferring a method developed in one context to the different physical and cultural setting of the island of Cyprus examining differences in the definition of landscapes, the availability of information on the cultural landscape, the importance of incorporating a strong element of ‘time-depth’, and the potential of LCA for enhancing land use policy at a time of increased land pressures in the Mediterranean.
Geoffrey Griffiths. Transferring Landscape Character Assessment from the UK to the Eastern Mediterranean: Challenges and Perspectives. Land 2018, 7, 36 .
AMA StyleGeoffrey Griffiths. Transferring Landscape Character Assessment from the UK to the Eastern Mediterranean: Challenges and Perspectives. Land. 2018; 7 (1):36.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGeoffrey Griffiths. 2018. "Transferring Landscape Character Assessment from the UK to the Eastern Mediterranean: Challenges and Perspectives." Land 7, no. 1: 36.
Mitigation of climate change (CC) is a regulating ecosystem service provided by priority habitats that is often co-delivered alongside their conservation of biodiversity. Carefully planned conservation management is thought necessary to support biodiversity adaptation to CC, but could also contribute to CC mitigation. This paper presents a methodology for assessing direct emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG: CO2, CH4 and N2O) from 12 UK priority habitats in 26 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) using readily available data. Background emissions are estimated on the basis of published field research. The contribution of conservation management to GHG emission reduction is estimated using the IPCC GHG accounting methodology and other methods. Management Data Acquisition surveys carried out at selected SACs provided data on management practises for Scotland and Wales. Climate change mitigation actions identified in this study for priority habitats included livestock removal or change in stocking density, with GHG reduction potential of up to 3 tCO2e/animal/year, afforestation of acid grasslands—up to 19.4 tCO2e/ha/year, wetland restoration—0.3–0.8 tCO2e/ha/year and cessation of moorland burning—6.9 tCO2e/ha/year. Estimated GHG emissions from priority habitats can be used to identify win:win management options that co-deliver GHG mitigation, climate adaptation and conservation benefits for consideration by policy makers and conservation managers.
M. Sozanska-Stanton; P.D. Carey; G.H. Griffiths; Ioannis Vogiatzakis; J. Treweek; B. Butcher; M.B. Charlton; C. Keenleyside; N.W. Arnell; G. Tucker; P. Smith. Balancing conservation and climate change – a methodology using existing data demonstrated for twelve UK priority habitats. Journal for Nature Conservation 2016, 30, 76 -89.
AMA StyleM. Sozanska-Stanton, P.D. Carey, G.H. Griffiths, Ioannis Vogiatzakis, J. Treweek, B. Butcher, M.B. Charlton, C. Keenleyside, N.W. Arnell, G. Tucker, P. Smith. Balancing conservation and climate change – a methodology using existing data demonstrated for twelve UK priority habitats. Journal for Nature Conservation. 2016; 30 ():76-89.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Sozanska-Stanton; P.D. Carey; G.H. Griffiths; Ioannis Vogiatzakis; J. Treweek; B. Butcher; M.B. Charlton; C. Keenleyside; N.W. Arnell; G. Tucker; P. Smith. 2016. "Balancing conservation and climate change – a methodology using existing data demonstrated for twelve UK priority habitats." Journal for Nature Conservation 30, no. : 76-89.
There is increasing recognition that agricultural landscapes meet multiple societal needs and demands beyond provision of economic and environmental goods and services. Accordingly, there have been significant calls for the inclusion of societal, amenity and cultural values in agri-environmental landscape indicators to assist policy makers in monitoring the wider impacts of land-based policies. However, capturing the amenity and cultural values that rural agrarian areas provide, by use of such indicators, presents significant challenges. The EU social awareness of landscape indicator represents a new class of generalized social indicator using a top–down methodology to capture the social dimensions of landscape without reference to the specific structural and cultural characteristics of individual landscapes. This paper reviews this indicator in the context of existing agri-environmental indicators and their differing design concepts. Using a stakeholder consultation approach in five case study regions, the potential and limitations of the indicator are evaluated, with a particular focus on its perceived meaning, utility and performance in the context of different user groups and at different geographical scales. This analysis supplements previous EU-wide assessments, through regional scale assessment of the limitations and potentialities of the indicator and the need for further data collection. The evaluation finds that the perceived meaning of the indicator does not vary with scale, but in common with all mapped indicators, the usefulness of the indicator, to different user groups, does change with scale of presentation. This indicator is viewed as most useful when presented at the scale of governance at which end users operate. The relevance of the different sub-components of the indicator are also found to vary across regions.
P.J. Jones; E. Andersen; C. Capitani; S. Carvalho Ribeiro; G.H. Griffiths; I. Loupa-Ramos; L. Madeira; S.R. Mortimer; M.L. Paracchini; T. Pinto Correia; A.M. Schmidt; R. Simoncini; D.M. Wascher. The EU societal awareness of landscape indicator: A review of its meaning, utility and performance across different scales. Land Use Policy 2016, 53, 112 -122.
AMA StyleP.J. Jones, E. Andersen, C. Capitani, S. Carvalho Ribeiro, G.H. Griffiths, I. Loupa-Ramos, L. Madeira, S.R. Mortimer, M.L. Paracchini, T. Pinto Correia, A.M. Schmidt, R. Simoncini, D.M. Wascher. The EU societal awareness of landscape indicator: A review of its meaning, utility and performance across different scales. Land Use Policy. 2016; 53 ():112-122.
Chicago/Turabian StyleP.J. Jones; E. Andersen; C. Capitani; S. Carvalho Ribeiro; G.H. Griffiths; I. Loupa-Ramos; L. Madeira; S.R. Mortimer; M.L. Paracchini; T. Pinto Correia; A.M. Schmidt; R. Simoncini; D.M. Wascher. 2016. "The EU societal awareness of landscape indicator: A review of its meaning, utility and performance across different scales." Land Use Policy 53, no. : 112-122.
This paper describes refinements to the process of landscape characterisation that have been developed by the Living Landscapes Project (LLP) within the context of the now widely adopted approach to Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) in England. The Living Landscapes project was developed in an attempt to improve the consistency of LCA at different spatial scales within the UK. This was achieved by the introduction of the Land Description Unit (LDU) into the process of LCA, enabling users to develop a consistent spatial framework based upon relatively homogeneous landscape units that reflect differences in the natural and cultural dimensions of landscapes at different scales. The paper describes the method and demonstrates its potential for improved mapping within the Peak District National Park, in the UK.
Steven Warnock; Geoffrey Griffiths. Landscape Characterisation: The Living Landscapes Approach in the UK. Landscape Research 2014, 40, 261 -278.
AMA StyleSteven Warnock, Geoffrey Griffiths. Landscape Characterisation: The Living Landscapes Approach in the UK. Landscape Research. 2014; 40 (3):261-278.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSteven Warnock; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2014. "Landscape Characterisation: The Living Landscapes Approach in the UK." Landscape Research 40, no. 3: 261-278.
To ensure the long-term future of NATURA 2000 sites across Europe, effective techniques are required for evaluating and monitoring their conservation significance. This paper describes a GIS-based method that uses multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) to determine the conservation significance of vegetation communities and habitats for a case study of a proposed NATURA 2000 site on the northwest coast of Crete, Greece. The method uses the most frequently used criteria for the selection of priority areas for nature conservation—species and habitat diversity, rarity of species and habitats, naturalness, threat of human disturbance and replaceability. For each community and corresponding habitat type, each criterion was scored according to field data and expert knowledge using a numerical scale. The final conservation score for each community was derived using MCE within a GIS and mapped. The results demonstrated that the method is an effective tool for evaluating and comparing conservation significance and could be applied to other sites across Europe and to monitor change.
Dimitrina Boteva; Geoffrey Griffiths; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Evaluation and mapping of the conservation significance of habitats using GIS: an example from Crete, Greece. Journal for Nature Conservation 2004, 12, 237 -250.
AMA StyleDimitrina Boteva, Geoffrey Griffiths, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Evaluation and mapping of the conservation significance of habitats using GIS: an example from Crete, Greece. Journal for Nature Conservation. 2004; 12 (4):237-250.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDimitrina Boteva; Geoffrey Griffiths; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2004. "Evaluation and mapping of the conservation significance of habitats using GIS: an example from Crete, Greece." Journal for Nature Conservation 12, no. 4: 237-250.
Aim The aim of this study was to explore the environmental factors that determine the spatial distribution of oro‐mediterranean and alti‐mediterranean plant communities in Crete. Location The paper provides a quantitative analysis of vegetation–environment relationships for two study areas within the Lefka Ori massif Crete, a proposed Natura 2000 site. Methods Eleven environmental variables were recorded: altitude, slope, aspect, percentage of bare rock, percentage of unvegetated ground, soil depth, pH, organic matter content and percentages of sand, silt and clay content. Classification of the vegetation was based on twinspan, while detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to identify environmental gradients linked to community distribution. Results One hundred and twenty‐five species were recorded from 120 plots located within the two study areas. Forty‐seven of the recorded species are endemic, belonging to 35 families. Hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes were the most frequent, suggesting a typical oro‐mediterranean life form spectrum. The samples were classified into five main community types and one transitional. The main gradients, identified by CCA, were altitude and surface cover type in the North‐west site, while in the Central site the gradients were soil formation‐development and surface cover type. Main conclusions The use of classification in combination with ordination techniques resulted in a good discrimination between plant communities and a greater understanding of controlling environmental factors. The methodology adopted can be employed for improving baseline information on plant community ecology and distribution in Mediterranean mountain zones.
I. N. Vogiatzakis; G. H. Griffiths; A. M. Mannion. Environmental factors and vegetation composition, Lefka Ori massif, Crete, S. Aegean. Global Ecology and Biogeography 2003, 12, 131 -146.
AMA StyleI. N. Vogiatzakis, G. H. Griffiths, A. M. Mannion. Environmental factors and vegetation composition, Lefka Ori massif, Crete, S. Aegean. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 2003; 12 (2):131-146.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI. N. Vogiatzakis; G. H. Griffiths; A. M. Mannion. 2003. "Environmental factors and vegetation composition, Lefka Ori massif, Crete, S. Aegean." Global Ecology and Biogeography 12, no. 2: 131-146.
The need to map vegetation communities over large areas for nature conservation and to predict the impact of environmental change on vegetation distributions, has stimulated the development of techniques for predictive vegetation mapping. Predictive vegetation studies start with the development of a model relating vegetation units and mapped physical data, followed by the application of that model to a geographic database and over a wide range of spatial scales. This field is particularly important for identifying sites for rare and endangered species and locations of high biodiversity such as many areas of the Mediterranean Basin. The potential of the approach is illustrated with a mapping exercise in the alti-meditterranean zone of Lefka Ori in Crete. The study established the nature of the relationship between vegetation communities and physical data including altitude, slope and geomorphology. In this way the knowledge of community distribution was improved enabling a GIS-based model capable of predicting community distribution to be constructed. The paper describes the development of the spatial model and the methodological problems of predictive mapping for monitoring Mediterranean ecosystems. The paper concludes with a discussion of the role of predictive vegetation mapping and other spatial techniques, such as fuzzy mapping and geostatistics, for improving our understanding of the dynamics of Mediterranean ecosystems and for practical management in a region that is under increasing pressure from human impact.
Ioannis N Vogiatzakis; A. Malounis; G. H. Griffiths. Predictive Vegetation Mapping in the Mediterranean Context: Considerations and Methodological Issues. Biosafety of Forest Transgenic Trees 2003, 361 -374.
AMA StyleIoannis N Vogiatzakis, A. Malounis, G. H. Griffiths. Predictive Vegetation Mapping in the Mediterranean Context: Considerations and Methodological Issues. Biosafety of Forest Transgenic Trees. 2003; ():361-374.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIoannis N Vogiatzakis; A. Malounis; G. H. Griffiths. 2003. "Predictive Vegetation Mapping in the Mediterranean Context: Considerations and Methodological Issues." Biosafety of Forest Transgenic Trees , no. : 361-374.
1.Britain is unusual in the quantity and quality of species and habitat data available, at both national and regional scales. This paper reviews the sources, coverage and quality of these data. 2.Habitat and species data are used by conservation agencies in England, Scotland and Wales for site selection and for monitoring habitat quality. The paper argues, however, that neither habitat data nor species distribution data on their own are sufficient to locate and monitor habitats for nature conservation purposes effectively. 3.Differences in sampling methodologies between habitat and species surveys present methodological difficulties for the development of an integrated monitoring system that uses both types of data. These problems need to be overcome if habitat and species data are to be used more effectively for nature conservation in the wider countryside. 4.A more integrated system based on the concept of biotope occupancy is proposed and discussed. The implementation of the system would assist with understanding those factors that explain observed patterns in species distribution and diversity, thereby helping to improve the effectiveness of policies for nature conservation.
G. H. Griffiths; B. C. Eversham; David Roy. Integrating species and habitat data for nature conservation in Great Britain: data sources and methods. Global Ecology and Biogeography 1999, 8, 329 -345.
AMA StyleG. H. Griffiths, B. C. Eversham, David Roy. Integrating species and habitat data for nature conservation in Great Britain: data sources and methods. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 1999; 8 (5):329-345.
Chicago/Turabian StyleG. H. Griffiths; B. C. Eversham; David Roy. 1999. "Integrating species and habitat data for nature conservation in Great Britain: data sources and methods." Global Ecology and Biogeography 8, no. 5: 329-345.