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Practical training – Alps, Gran Paradiso, 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vegetation mapping in

Gran-Paradiso National Park

Author - Adrian Muntean

Co-author – Fabian Spaich

Study programme - Global Change Ecology (M. Sc.)

Lecture - Vegetation Science

Supervisor - Prof. Dr. Carl Beierkuhnlein

- Dr. Andreas Schweiger

25 August, 2015

ContentsINTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................2

METHODS....................................................................................................................................................3

DISCUSSIONS...............................................................................................................................................5

CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION

Vegetation maps are used to present information on the composition and structure (height, canopy cover, and life form classes) of plant communities in a two-dimensional format. Such maps provide a regional framework upon which ecological investigation of individual species or biological communities (for either wilderness or other land use) can be based. Generally, the vegetation of an area is mapped on aerial photographs with the mapped units verified during field surveys. In some cases, however, the mapping is done completely from ground reconnaissance.

According to H. Leith (1988), the basis of the successful advances in the field of vegetation mapping is fourfold as:

1. Vegetation maps present an inventory of existing plant communities, their location, extent and geographical distribution in the landscape at the time of mapping;

2. Vegetation maps are scientific tools for analyzing the environment and the relationship between vegetation and the site on which it occurs;

3. Vegetation maps are valuable standards of reference for observing and measuring changes in the vegetation, their direction and their spread;

4. Vegetation maps can serve as a scientific basis for planning future land-use.

This four observations suffice to explain the development of the field of vegetation science and its vegetation mapping importance. But in order to acquire all the qualitative and quantitative information of the environment and plant communities, field work is required. Such features records have been conducted in Grand Paradisso National park during practical training within Vegetation Science module.

Gran Paradiso National Park (Italian: Parco nazionale del Gran Paradiso, French: Parc national du Grand-Paradis) is an Italian national park in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions (s. Appendix, Figure). The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park.

METHODS

The simulation was conducted on 31.07.2015, in Valnontey Valley 45°35'28.28"N, 7°20'33.91"E, on a western slope (s. Figure 1).

Figure 1: Mapped area. Valnontey Valley, western slope. (Photo – Adrian Muntean)

The study area was chosen considering the multitude of plants communities and lands structure. The center of the area was represented by a parallel path with the direction of the valley. Eastern and western borders of the area were chosen at 50 meters uphill and downhill of the path. Southern border was represented by a small creek and the northern border was selected at 100 meters away of that creek. The aim was an area of 100 square meter. After we determined the extend of the area, we took a GPS point in each corner.

Second step in field work was to determine how many units should we represent on the map. This was determined after agreeing about the resolution of the map. The unites we agreed to represent on the map are:

- Trees- Shrubs- Grassland- Dry Grassland

Other representative units for the map:

- Stones patches- Buildings- Main path

Next step was the main part of the simulation which consisted in sketching the units on a piece of paper (s. Figure 2). In order to accomplish this and to represent a more accurate location of the units, we used a compass and a GPS for calculating the distances between representative tee marks.

Figure 2: The sketch. Left- Upper (western) part of the area; Right- Down (eastern) part of the study area.

After we acquired the information from the field, we scanned the papers and imported the pictures in ArcGIS. We then georeferenciated the data using this program (s. Figure 3).

Figure 3: Georeferenciated picture in ArcGIS

Afterwards, we represented the units on a downloaded base map using polygons for all the units except the path which was represented as a line (s. Figure 3).

Figure 3: Representation of the units (Digitalized units) – ArcGIS program.

DISCUSSIONS

Regarding the field mapping (sketching) it has to be said that it was harder than expected. We have faced many problems in choosing the scale for observation which according to (P. Brocklehurst et. Al. 2007) is of great importance in vegetation mapping. However, after we established map resolution, we were able to sketch the units easier. Another important aspect especially if we consider trees or shrubs was to determine whether to represent all the individuals or communities or not. This showed up as being a challenge when to digitalize the units on the base map in ArcGIS. According to a report released by (USGS/NPS, 1994), polygons are preferred when mapping few plant associations. Points can be created in a separate map for special features (e.g., a small wetland or spring) or for vegetation stands that are bellow map resolution. If polygons are chosen, it’s easier afterwards to walk through the stand (from one

boundary to the opposite boundary if possible) in order to make another characterize of the vegetation.

Several studies (Allen and Starr 1982, Weir and Wilson 1988, Reed et al. 1993) indicated that multiple scales of observation in ecological investigations can be critical for understanding vegetation patterns and processes. However, due to the objectives of the field inventory for the vegetation mapping programs, it is recommended that observation scales vary only among vegetation types and not within vegetation types. True, our map has a large variation of scale within the vegetation types , but this is a result of a limitation which can occure in many cases and that is Cost- Effectiveness of the project and work management.

CONCLUSION

One of the biggest problems with vegetation maps is probably accuracy. In other words, how real are the units that have been mapped. Another point is the mechanical problem of accurately drawing a unit boundary onto the base map. Map accuracy is a crucial point, as it determines the actual use potential of the map. After all the usefulness of vegetation maps is no longer questioned. It is, however, quite different matter to produce a vegetation map. This requires a considerable professional expertise because vegetation has so many features and the maps are applied to so many different purposes that proper data selection manipulation and interpretation is an imperative.

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS – This study has been done together with Fabi Spike, GCE M.Sc. student.

REFERENCES

H. Lieth (1988) “Vegetation Mapping“, Kluver Academic Publishers;

James D. Jacobi, 2002, “VEGETATION MAPPING”, Hpciescu,

USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, 1994, “Field Methods for Vegetation Mapping”, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. 380 New York Street Redlands, California 92373

Brocklehurst, P., Lewis, D., Napier, D., Lynch, D. (2007) Northern Territory Guidelines and Field Methodology for Vegetation Survey and Mapping. Technical Report No. 02/2007D. Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts, Palmerston, Northern Territory.

Eddy van der Maarel and Janet Franklin, 2013, “Vegetation Ecology”, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford,

CNPS, January 2011, “Guidelines for Mapping Rare Vegetation”,

APPENDIX

Figure 1: Pictures of the Grand Paradise National Park