EcoGen Site Unit Label Interpretation Tables for the Prince Rupert Forest Region (Updated March 26th, 2003)
(Compiled by A. Banner, C. Jones, R. Trowbridge, A Trowbridge, G. Cushon, D. Yole, B. Bance, L. McCulloch)
The following label interpretation tables are presented to aid in the development and interpretation of Predictive Ecosystem (PEM) maps for the Prince Rupert Region. They include the following four columns: 1) PEM label, 2) Label meaning, 3) Acceptable adjacent site units, and 4) Notes. Ecosystem variation and distribution is affected by the regional and local variation in climate, and biotic and abiotic factors. Evaluation and adjustment of these label interpretation tables may be necessary for specific PEM projects.
In most cases, PEM mapping is more limited in its ability to distinguish among closely related ecosystem units than is terrestrial ecosystem (TEM) mapping. Both developers and users of PEM maps need to have a good understanding of how site series must be lumped (or sometimes split), in order to develop a list of site units, for each biogeoclimatic subzone/variant, that can be predicted with acceptable reliability.
The number or letter code occurring in the PEM Label column is the site unit label that will be used in the PEM database, and in the PEM legend. The Label meaning column indicates what site series (number codes) or generalized site units (letter codes) should be expected to occur in a polygon having a specific PEM label. A forward slash between site series indicates that: 1) either site series is equally likely to dominate the polygon, 2) PEM cannot discriminate between these site series, or 3) the site series typically occur as a complex. Bracketed site series can be expected to occur as minor inclusions (<20%) with the dominant site series. The Notes column often provides a specific explanation or further clarification of the Label meaning column. In a field – based evaluation of PEM maps, scores of “1” are given to polygons that correctly identify units in this “label meaning” column.
The Acceptable adjacent site unit column is used for validation / quality assurance / reliability assessment of the PEM maps. In a field-based evaluation of PEM maps, scores of “0.5” are given (in a separate column for acceptable scores) for those polygon labels considered to be “acceptable adjacent” site units (based mainly on the site series distribution on the edatopic grid for each BEC subzone/variant). For each PEM label, we have developed a list of acceptable adjacent site units.
Polygon scores are summed for all field-assessed PEM Polygons in order to establish a percent reliability estimate for the PEM map. This reliability estimate specifies whether just the correct site units (from the “label meaning” column) were summed or both the correct units and the “acceptable adjacent” units were summed to establish a percent reliability estimate.
While the “a priori” lumping of site series (“label meaning” column) will reduce the number of complex labels (or “ties”) for PEM polygons, the limitations of the databases and knowledge bases used in PEM, combined with landscape complexity, will still result in ties being predicted for many polygons. For map display purposes, a manual tie resolution procedure may be used to provide a simple PEM label (containing only one site series or site unit) for each polygon. For most applications, however, digital analyses of PEM maps should be done using the original database containing the tied site series for each polygon. This may change as our tie resolution and predictive capabilities become more sophisticated but it is currently unrealistic to expect that a single prediction is possible (or desirable) for all PEM polygons.
Descriptions for classified forested site units are found in Land Management Handbook #26. Generalized non-forested site units have been developed for PEM purposes as follows:
Non-Forested Site Units
AW / Alder/WillowRS / Riparian Shrub
CP / Cow Parsnip
SA / Slide/ Avalanche
RO / Rock Outcrop
WL / Wetland
HG / Heath/Grassland
HM / Herbaceous (mesic) Meadow
ME / Wet Meadow
DL / Dry Lichen
PF\Kr / Parkland or Krummholz
DV / Development, Urban areas
ES / Exposed Soil
LA / Lake
RI / River
SB / Sand Bar
GL / Glacier
MU / Mudflat
ET / Estuary
OC / Ocean
RZ / Roads
Alpine and Parkland
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit (s) / Notes:HG / Heath /Grassland / HM, DL
HM / Herbaceous Meadow / HG, ME
ME / Wet Meadow / HM, WL
DL / Dry Lichen / HG, RO / RT and CJ are combining this unit with RO (not mapping it alone)
WL / Wetland / ME
PF|Kr / Parkland Forest / Krummholtz / HG, HM
SA / SA / RO
RO / RO/DL / SA, GL
DV / DV
LA / LA
RI / RI
GL / GL / RO
RZ / RZ
Note that AT, ESSF “w”, and parkland subzones will need to be revisited after the next generation of BIGBEC
BWBSdk1 (Incomplete)
BWBSdk2 (Incomplete)
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit(s) / Notes:
CWHvh2
01 / 01 (11) / 04, 03, 11, 06, 07 / 03 not adjacent but similar unit
03 / 03 (02) (01) / 01, 02, RO / 01 not adjacent but similar unit
04 / 04(06) / 03, 01, 05, 06
07 / 07/06 (05) / 01, 05, 08, 13
08 / 08/09 (10) / 05, 06, 07, 09, 10, 13 / Stream bench programming too course to distinguish these units adequately.
11 / 11 (01) / 01, 12, 13
12 / 12/31/32 (02) / 11, 13, 02 / Blanket Bog complex often includes 02
13 / 13 (07) / 11, 07, 08, 12
14 / 14/15/16 (17) / 04, 05, 06
RS / RS / WL, 10 / Need to put this back in KT
SA / SA / RO
RO / RO / 02, SA, 31
WL / 31, 32 (02) / RS, 12, 02 / Blanket bog often includes 02 on rock outcrops.
DV
ES
LA
RI
SB
MU / ET
ET / MU
OC
GL
RZ
CWH vm1
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit(s) / Notes:01 / 01/06 (05) / 03,04,05,06, 08 / 06 difficult to distinguish from 01
03 / 03(01) (02) / 01, 02, RO / More commonly mixed with 01 rather than 02
05 / 05/08 (04) / 01, 04 / Lumped 04 with 05; 05 and 08 often complexed
09 / 09/10 (11) / 04, 05, 08, 10, 11, 14 / Stream bench programming too course to distinguish these units adequately.
12 / 12(13) (31) / 13, 14
13 / 13/31(02) (12) / 12, 31, 32, 14 / Blanket bog often includes 02 on rock outcrops.
14 / 14 (08) / 12, 08, 13
RS / 11, 31, 32 / Add in to KT
SA / SA / RO
RO / RO / 02, SA
WL / 31, 32 (02) / RS, 13 / Blanket bog often includes 02 on rock outcrops.
DV
ES
LA
MU / ET
ET / MU
OC
RI
SB
GL
RZ
CWH vm2
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit(s) / Notes:01 / 01/06 (05) / 03,04,05,06, 08 / 06 difficult to distinguish from 01
03 / 03(01) (02) / 01, 02 / More commonly mixed with 01 rather than 02
05 / 05/08 (04) / 01, 04 / 05 and 08 often complexed; 04 very rare in vm2
09 / 09, (10) / 10, 11
10 / 10 (31) (09) / 09, 11,31, 32
11 / 11 (08) / 09, 08, 10
RS / RS / WL
SA / 51 / RO
RO / RO / 02, SA
WL / 31, 32 (02) / RS, 10 / Blanket bog often includes 02 on rock outcrops.
DV
ES
LA
RI
SB
GL
RZ
CWHwm
01 / 01 (02) (03) / 02, 03, 08
02 / 02/01b / 01, RO
03 / 03/04 / 01, 04, 05
05 / 05/06 (07) / 03, 04, 06, 07, 09 / Stream bench programming too course to distinguish these units adequately.
09 / 09 (04) / 08, 04
10 / 10/08 (31) / 09, 31 / Often complexed with open bogs
RS / RS / WL, 07 / Needs to be added to KT
MU / ET
ET / MU
OC
SA / SA / RO
RO / RO / SA, 02
WL / 31, 32 / RS, 10
DV
ES
LA
RI
SB
GL
RZ
CWHws1 and 2
01 / 01/05 / 04, 03 / occurs mainly in the Kitimat Valley
02 / 02(03) / 03, RO
03 / 03(02) / 01, 02
04 / 04/06 / 01, 05, 07, 11 / 04 and 06 often complexed
07 / 07/08 (09) / 04, 06, 09, 11 / Stream bench programming too course to distinguish these units adequately.
10 / 10(31) (32) / 11, 31, 32
11 / 11(06) / 06, 07, 08, 09,
AW / AW / SA / Occurs in Bulkley Knowledge tables only
RS / RS/09 / WL, 09 / Add in to KT
MU / ET
ET / MU
OC
SA / SA / RO
RO / RO / 02, SA
WL / 31/32 / RS, 10
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
ESSFmc
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit (s) / Notes:01 / 01/04 / 03, 05, 06
02 / 02/03 / 04
07 / 05/06/07 / 01, 10* / Not found above 1320 m.
08 / 08(01) / 06, 09, 10, 01* / Most common above 1320m. Typically complexed with 01 at higher elevations; not a homogenous unit.
09 / 09/10(WL) / 08, 07
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WL / 31 / RS
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
NOTE: All ESSF subzones will need to be revisited once the ESSF “w” (upper elevation) subzones are presented in the next generation of BIGBEC.
*Note: we have deleted 08 acceptable adjacency from O7, and deleted 07 from 08, as, for the most part, they should negate each other at an assigned elevation, and similar for site units 06 and 07 in the ESSFwv.
ESSFmk
01 / 01 / 04, 03
02 / 02/03 / 01
05 / 04/05 / 06, 07, 01 / Not found above 1320m.
06 / 06/07(WE) / 05
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WL / 31 / RS
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
ESSFmv1
01 / 01/03 / 02, 04
02 / 02 (03) / 03
04 / 04 / 05, 01
05 / 05 / 04
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WL / 31/32 / RS
DV
ES
LA
RI
SB
GL
RZ
ESSFmv3
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit(s) / Notes:01 / 01 (04) / 02, 04
02 / 02 / 01
03 / 03 (01) / 01, 02
05 / 04/05/06 / 01 / 06 is relatively uncommon
07 / 07 (06) / 06
PF|Kr / PF\Kr / 07
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WL / 31/32 / RS
DV
ES
LA
RI
SB
GL
RZ
ESSFwv
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit (s) / Notes:PEM label / Meaning: / Letter codes: / Notes:
01 / 01/04 / 03, 05
02 / 02/03 / 04
06 / 05/06 / 01,09 / Not found above 1320 m.
07 / 07(01) / 01, 05, 08, 09 / Most common above 1320m. Typically complexed with 01 at higher elevations; not a homogenous unit.
08 / 08/09(WE) / 07, 06
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WE
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WE / 31 / RS
DEV / DEV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
ICHmc1
01 / 01 / 01b, 04
01b / 01b(01) / 01, 02
02 / 02(01b) / 01b
04 / 03/04 / 01, 06
05 / 05(04) / 04, 06
06 / 06 (04) / 03, 05
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WL / 31/32 / RS
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
ICHmc2
01 / 01 / 01b, 03, 51, 52, 53
01b / 01b/51(01) / 01, 02, 52
02 / 02(01b) / 01b, 51
53 / 52/53 / 01, 04
04 / 03/04/05/54 / 01, 06, 07, 53
06 / 06 / 04, 05, 07
07 / 07(05) / 04, 05, 06, 08
08 / 08(WE) / 07, WE
81 / 81 / 02 / Not on ICHmc2 grid; same unit as SBSdk/81
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO (81) / 02, 81
WL / 31/32(08) / 08, RS
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
ICHvc (incomplete)
01 / 01(1), 01 (2), (02) / 02, 03 / Variations not mapped
02 / 02(1), 02(2), (01) / 01 / Variations not mapped
03 / 03 / 01, 04, 06
04 / 04/05 (06) / 03, 06
51 / 51/52 / SA, WL
AW / AW / SA
RS / RS / WL
SA / SA / AW
RO / RO / 02
WL / 31/32 / RS, 51, 52
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
ICHwc (Incomplete)
MHmm1 and 2
PEM label / Label meaning: / Acceptable Adjacent site unit(s) / Notes:01 / ¼ (02) / 02, 03, 04
02 / 02(01) / 01, RO / Some 01 mixed in
03 / 03/05 / 01, 04 / Typically mixed
06 / 06/08 07/09 (31) / 04, 05,HM, PF|Kr / These are typically intermixed and difficult to distinguish
HM / HM / WL, 06, 07, 08, 09, PF|Kr / Label used in North Coast PEM
PF|Kr / PF|Kr / 06,07, 08, 09 SA / Label used in North Coast PEM
SA / SA / RO, PF|Kr
RO / RO / 02, SA
WL / 31 / 06, 07, 08, 09, HM / RS acceptable in Bulkley
RS / RS / WL / Used in Bulkley Tables only - revisit
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
SB / SB
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
MHwh
01 / 01/04 (02) / 02, 03, 04
02 / 02 (01) / 01, RO
03 / 03/05 / 01, 04 / QCI only
05 / 05/03 (07) / 01, 03, 04, 07
06 / 06, 07, 08, 09 (31) / 04, 05, PF/Kr, HM / These are typically intermixed and difficult to distinguish
PF|Kr / SA, 06, 07, 08, 09
HM / 06, 07, 08, 09, PF|Kr, WL
SA / RO, PK|Kr
RO / 02, SA
WL / 31 / 06, 07, 08, 09, HM
DV / DV
ES / ES
LA / LA
RI / RI
GL / GL
RZ / RZ
SBPSmc