Naming BEC Units
Biogeoclimatic Zones are usually named after one or more of the dominant climax species in zonal ecosystems (the Alpine Tundra Zone is a self-explanatory exception), and a geographic (e.g., coastal, interior) or climatic modifier (e.g., boreal, montane). Biogeoclimatic zone names are often referred to by a two- to four-letter acronym. For example, the Interior Cedar - Hemlock Zone is referred to as the ICH Zone and the Montane Spruce Zone is referred to as the MS Zone.
Subzone names are derived from classes of relative precipitation and temperature or continentality. The first part of the subzone name describes the relative precipitation and the second part describes either the relative temperature (Interior zones) or relative continentality (Coastal zones). For example, the ICHmc stands for the Moist Cold subzone of the Interior Cedar - Hemlock Zone. Subzone names are abbreviated as letter codes (Table 1).
TABLE 1 Subzone names and codes.
| Name |
Code |
|
| FIRST PART: | Very dry | x |
| Relative Precipitation | dry | d |
| moist | m | |
| wet | w | |
| very wet | v | |
| SECOND PART: | hot | h |
| Relative Temperature | warm | w |
| or Continentality* | mild | m |
| cool | k | |
| cold | c | |
| very cold | v | |
| hypermaritime* | h | |
| maritime* | m | |
| submaritime* | s |
Biogeoclimatic variants are given geographic names reflecting their relative location or distribution within the subzone. For example, the Interior Douglas-fir Dry Cool Subzone (IDFdk) has four variants: Thompson Variant, Cascade Variant, Fraser Variant, and Chilcotin Variant. Variant names are given number codes (e.g., ICHdk1), which in most cases reflect their geographic distribution within the subzone from south to north.
Forested site associations are named using one or two tree species, followed by one or two understory plant species present in the climax or late seral vegetation unit (plant association) on which they are based. While the species chosen for naming the site association are often abundant in the climax vegetation, less common but characteristic species are sometimes used to ensure that the site unit has a unique name within the provincial classification.
Site series names use the same names as the site associations to which they belong, preceded by the appropriate biogeoclimatic subzone or variant name (or code). Zonal site units are always numbered 01. Non-zonal forested site series are numbered from 02 to 29 sequentially in order of driest to wettest moisture regime and secondarily in order of poorest to richest nutrient regime.
Site types are named with a single edaphic modifier and are given a two-digit numeric code.
Site phases and variations are named according to their differentiating criteria and given a single, non-connotative code after the site series number. Phases are given a single lower-case letter code, while variations are indicated by a number in parentheses.