Indicative distribution maps for Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3 of IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology

This dataset includes the current version of the indicative distribution maps and profiles for Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3 of IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (v2.1). Please refer to Keith et al. (2020) and Keith et al. (2022).

The descriptive profiles provide brief summaries of key ecological traits and processes for each functional group of ecosystems to enable any ecosystem type to be assigned to a group.

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns and are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (value of 1, coloured red) or minor occurrences (value of 2, coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. Minor occurrences are areas where an ecosystem functional group is scattered in patches within matrices of other ecosystem functional groups or where they occur in substantial areas, but only within a segment of a larger region. Most maps were prepared using a coarse-scale template (e.g. ecoregions), but some were compiled from higher resolution spatial data where available (see details in profiles). Higher resolution mapping is planned in future publications.

We emphasise that spatial representation of Ecosystem Functional Groups does not follow higher-order groupings described in respective ecoregion classifications. Consequently, when Ecosystem Functional Groups are aggregated into functional biomes (Level 2 of the Global Ecosystem Typology), spatial patterns may differ from those of biogeographic biomes. Differences reflect the distinctions between functional and biogeographic interpretations of the term, “biome”.

本数据集包含国际自然保护联盟（IUCN）全球生态系统分类法（v2.1）第三级生态系统功能群（Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3）的指示性分布地图与特征概要的当前版本。请参考Keith等人（2020）与Keith等人（2022）的研究成果。

该描述性概要为各生态系统功能群提供了关键生态特征与核心生态过程的简要总结，以支持将任意生态系统类型归类至对应功能群。

本系列地图仅用于展示全球分布格局，并非用于呈现精细尺度的分布模式。图中以红色（赋值为1）标注各生态系统功能群的主要分布区，以黄色（赋值为2）标注其次要分布区。次要分布区指生态系统功能群以斑块状散布于其他生态系统功能群的基质中，或仅在大区域的局部范围内呈大面积分布的区域。多数地图基于粗尺度模板（如生态区）绘制，部分则由可获取的高分辨率空间数据整合而成（详见特征概要）。未来相关出版物中将计划发布更高分辨率的制图成果。

需特别强调的是，生态系统功能群的空间表征并未遵循对应生态区分类中的高阶分组规则。因此，当生态系统功能群被聚合为功能生物群系（全球生态系统分类法二级）时，其空间格局可能与生物地理学生物群系的分布格局存在差异。此类差异反映了“生物群系”一词在功能学与生物地理学两种诠释视角下的本质区别。