Conversion of European habitat data sources into common standards

Abstract

It is important to develop protocols for harmonisation in order to convert habitat categories recorded in monitoring projects in Europe into a format that enables datasets to be integrated. This deliverable demonstrates the success of the procedures for most available projects. The present document delivers conversion tables and summarises the conclusions, which can be drawn from them, including comments on their integration with satellite imagery. In Austria, Sweden and Great Britain the protocols are now being used to produce data which can be integrated at the environmental stratum level. In Spain the work in EBONE has shown that additional survey at the right level of detail will be required. The national protocols for habitat monitoring in Great Britain, Sweden and Austria have been converted into a common format based on General Habitat Categories (GHCs). The conversion tables enable full integration. This makes it possible to use national data in estimates for European comparisons and the production European habitat extent. Without common protocols it would be impossible to carry out comparisons between environmental zones and biogeographical regions. Although conversion at a high level will be possible with the Spanish SISPARES the scale of the Minimum Mappable Units does not fit the detail of the other projects. Further data therefore needs to be collected in the Spanish SISPARES sites to provide detailed mapping for integration. An additional conclusion reached during the preparation of protocols for the Countryside Survey of Great Britain, was that further divisions of the GHCs will be required to improve the relationship with Remote Sensing. These divisions are being made using ancillary data that are available in all existing projects as well as from the EBONE field records. The divisions will also provide more ecological details in rassland habitats. Other national and regional projects are expected to fit this approach. For example the categories of the Northern Ireland Countryside Survey are included as an example how additional datasets can be converted into CHG’s. The conclusion to be drawn from the results presented in this Deliverable is that for projects at the national or regional level within Europe, except SISPARES, the Minimum Mappable Units are comparable with the EBONE approach. Minimum standards for data collection have been achieved in order to make European harmonisation possible. In addition, previous work in SINUS has shown that GHCs can be used to detect habitat change over a period of years.