Next Generation Ecosystem Classification
Aerial view of fiver flats being cleared for farming. Image - John Hunt
A new generation of quantitative ecosystem classifications, providing improvements and increased functionality to Land Environments of New Zealand (LENZ).
As with LENZ, these new classifications are designed to capture potential (or natural) ecosystem characteristics, and can define the natural extent of these ecosystems, even in areas which have been converted to agricultural or other anthropogenic landscapes. These new classifications use a relatively new analytical approach, generalised dissimilarity modelling (GDM), to solve several shortcomings of the LENZ classification. These new classifications can be used in the same manner as LENZ for a wide range of conservation and land management issue, and also provides additional uses not available from LENZ.
A detailed explanation of these classifications and their uses and underlying data is available.
These classifications and underlying information are available for viewing or downloading from the LRIS portal and searching for the term "GDM". Links to selected layers are given below.
General Ecosystem Classification
A general ecosystem classification, based on the distributions of all forest plants is available at a number of different groups. This can be viewed as a next generation of LENZ classification.
Two specific classifications are also available:
Trees and shrubs
This classification uses only the (non-fern) tree and shrub species to define the classification. As such, the classification is designed to best capture the community composition of trees and shrubs across New Zealand.
Ferns
This classification uses only the fern species to define the classification. As such, the classification is designed to best capture the community composition of ferns across New Zealand.