A hierarchical approach to vegetation classification in Kenya

Abstract

Summary The goal of this vegetation classification is to facilitate consistent field description of Kenyan vegetation communities and to convey in simple terms an impression of the site. It employs clearly defined rules of usage and easily measured vegetation characteristics. A hierarchical approach to classification was chosen to reflect the varying detail of information available from both remote sensing and ground survey methods. Four levels of classification are proposed. Level 1 names are descriptive of the primary vegetation lifeform found at the site. A modifier is included to indicate the canopy cover of that primary lifeform. Level 2 names provide a description of lifeforms of secondary importance. Level 3 names are descriptive of the height of the primary lifeform while Level 4 names indicate characteristic plant species found in the vegetation community Résumé Le but de cette classification végétale est de faciliter une description de terrain logique des communautés végétales au Kenya et de donner, en termes simples, une premiere description du site. Elle met en oeuvre des règies claires d'utilisation et des caractéristiques végétales facilement relevées. On a choisi une approche de classification hiérarchique pour illustrer la variation de détails disponible aussi bien pour une évaluation à distance que pour des méthodes d'investigation au sol. On propoe quatre niveaux de classification. Le niveau 1: des noms décrivent les formes de végétation primaire de l'endroirt. Un modificateur indique ce qui compose la canop ée de cette végétation primaire. Les noms du niveau 2 décrivent les formes d'importance secondaire. Au niveau 3, les noms indiquent la hauteur des formes d'importance primaire, tandis que le niveau 4 donne les especès végétales caractéristiques de la communauté considérée.

The spatial distribution of vegetation types in the Serengeti ecosystem: the influence of rainfall and topographic relief on vegetation patch characteristics

“…The land‐cover classes portrayed in the final map are based on the system developed by Grunblatt et al. (1989).…”

“…To illustrate: if a plot has T5%, S15%, G70%, B30% it would be a dense treed grassland (dTG). Further examples and details about the system are available in Grunblatt et al. (1989).…”

“…The land-cover classes portrayed in the final map are based on the system developed by Grunblatt et al (1989). This system is hierarchical in that different levels of precision can be applied depending on the data available, and more specific classes can be telescoped inside broader classes and (Table 1).…”

“…Both the density adjective and the secondary life-form are descriptors of the primary life-form. The system of Grunblatt et al (1989) gives emphasis to wooded and shrubbed categories, allowing them to be included as secondary descriptors if they are present at levels between 2% and 19% when no other life-form is present as a true secondary candidate (i.e. > 20%).…”

Influence of the landscape matrix on the abundance of arboreal primates in fragmented landscapes

“…All types of plant cover not meeting these criteria were considered matrix elements. There were 14 different types of matrix elements (Table 1), and their classification was based on previous studies (Grunblatt et al 1989;Anderson et al 2007). …”