Australian advances in vegetation classification and the need for a national, science-based approach

Abstract

This editorial introduces the Australian Journal of Botany special issue ‘Vegetation science for decision-making’. Vegetation science and classification are crucial to understanding Australian landscapes. From the mulga shrublands of the arid interior to the monsoon rain forests of northern Australia, we have culturally and scientifically built upon the delineation of vegetation into recognisable and repeatable patterns. As remote sensing and database capacities increase, this improved capability to measure vegetation and share data also prompts collaboration and synthesis of complex, specialised datasets. Although the task faces significant challenges, the growing body of literature demonstrates a strong discipline. In Australia, purpose-driven products describe vegetation at broad scales (e.g. the National Vegetation Information System, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network). At fine scales however (i.e. that of the vegetation community), no uniform framework or agreed protocols exist. Climate and landform dictate vegetation patterns at broad scales, but microtopography, microclimate and biotic processes act as filters at finer scales. This is the scale where climate-change impacts are most likely to be detected and effected; this is the scale at which a deeper understanding of evolutionary ecology will be achieved, and it is the scale at which species need to be protected. A common language and system for understanding Australian communities and impetus for collecting data at this scale is needed. In the face of ongoing climate and development pressures and an increasingly complex set of tools to manage these threats (e.g. offset policies, cumulative impact assessments), a nationally collaborative approach is needed. It is our hope that this special issue will help to achieve this.

From vegetation ecology to vegetation science: current trends and perspectives

“…Ever since the beginning of conservation actions in NPA, the identification of target or flagship species (mostly vertebrates) has been a major driver of conservation policy and practice to attract public attention on national and international scales, with special actions on conservation of vegetation more diffusively defined (Meffe & Carroll 1994). Yet national and regional biodiversity conservation management plans rely on vegetation and habitat maps (Mucina & Rutherford 2006, Keeler-Wolf 2007, Luxton et al 2021, and the description and monitoring of vegetation units are now regarded as key elements to link conservation actions and impacts at four relevant levels of biodiversity: regional or landscape, community or ecosystem, population or species, and genetic (Noss 1990).…”

A plot-based analysis of the vegetation of the Northern Territory, Australia: a first assessment within the International Vegetation Classification framework

“…A unified terminology and procedure for classifying vegetation types across jurisdictions and continents is required for clear understandings of their distribution, evolutionary biology, and threats, along with guiding their restoration and rehabilitation (De Cáceres et al 2015;Gellie et al 2018;Luxton et al 2021). The lack of conformity in vegetation survey, classification and description severely limits local, regional, continental, and global understandings.…”

“…The lack of conformity in vegetation survey, classification and description severely limits local, regional, continental, and global understandings. This is a common problem worldwide but has been particularly identified as problematic within Australia (Faber-Langendoen et al 2014;De Cáceres et al 2018;Luxton et al 2021;Muldavin et al 2021). Many early attempts of vegetation classification within Australia were continental in focus but not plot based (e.g., Beadle 1981;Carnahan 1986;Walker and Hopkins 1990;Specht et al 1995;Sun et al 1997).…”

“…Many early attempts of vegetation classification within Australia were continental in focus but not plot based (e.g., Beadle 1981;Carnahan 1986;Walker and Hopkins 1990;Specht et al 1995;Sun et al 1997). In recent decades Australian vegetation classification has become strongly jurisdictional, with typologies often derived from plotless qualitative methods with no or very limited hierarchical structure (Gellie et al 2018;Luxton et al 2021). However, this fragmentation into classifications that are highly dissimilar is an impediment to co-operation at a time when climate change, habitat loss and extinctions are increasing, and cross jurisdictional (national and international) collaboration is a fundamental need (De Cáceres et al 2018).…”

“…The mid and lower levels have been used widely by various classification systems worldwide (Faber-Langendoen et al 2014) for multiple uses, including vegetation mapping (Franklin et al 2016;Muldavin et al 2021). Both approaches shine a light on ways forward for Australian vegetation classification (Luxton et al 2021). For example, recently, a continental floristic plot-based analysis using IVC protocols was performed within two major vegetation types, Eucalyptus tetrodonta Woodland and Triodia Hummock Grasslands, both of which have extensive distributions within the NT and across Australian jurisdictions (Muldavin et al 2021).…”