EcoGen - Predictive Ecosystem Mapping

A predictive ecosystem mapping tool that uses available geographic and inventory data to map BC's biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification units.

EcoPrep

Prepare GIS Layers

Prepare inventory data layers (BEC subzone/variant, TRIM, forest cover, and, where available, terrain, soils, bedrock geology).
Select primary polygons (forest cover or terrain).
Split polygons using slope and aspect classes.
Create additional GIS layers with auxiliary information (e.g., TRIM features such as ridges, gullies, buffers from ridges, and stream density). This will be used to assess site series within the polygons.

Create Knowledge Base

Create ecological knowledge base to assess the attributes in each polygon. Expert ecologists build the knowledge base by assigning relative rankings to a matrix of site series and attributes based on their knowledge of the occurrence of site series on the landscape. This process captures existing ecological knowledge and applies it to the data in a consistent manner.

Chart of EcoPrep process

Relative Ranking

Attributes are assigned a value of 0 to 3, with 0 representing no chance of occurrence, 1 a slight chance, 2 an average chance, and 3 a high chance of occurrence. For example, a ridge has a 0 percent chance of producing a swamp forest ecosystem type, but a high chance (3) of producing a dry pine ecosystem type.

Examples

EcoPrep Images from Telkwa Pilot