Assessment of Rainforest TECS on NSW Crown Forest Estate

Operational map for Lowland Rainforest:\r\n\r\nThe operational map for Lowland Rainforest (LORF) was constructed to resolve long-standing issues surrounding its identification, location and extent within the NSW State Forest estate covered by the coastal Integrated Forestry Operation Agreements. \r\nThe project’s Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) Reference Panel (the Panel) preceded the assessment process by reviewing the determination for LORF. The Panel found that the determination for LORF relies almost exclusively on a rainforest classification system described by Floyd (1990) where several rainforest ‘suballiances’ make up the LORF assemblage. Floyd’s suballiance classifications presented a challenge to our project as they were largely subjective and were not compatible with quantitative analysis, meaning that it was difficult to distinguish between the LORF TEC and other rainforest vegetation using statistically sound methods. \r\nTo overcome some of these problems we revisited a set of reference sites that were assigned by Floyd to the suballiances cited in the LORF determination and in other rainforest TEC determinations, and collected new floristic data using standard flora survey methods. We also targeted a range of localities on State Forest that we considered likely to include LORF and other rainforest TECs based on the suballiance descriptions, cited localities in Floyd (1990), and preliminary distribution models. Over 300 new rainforest plots were combined with a large pool of existing data covering eastern NSW to construct a provisional revised rainforest classification. We used the rainforest groups derived from this analysis to compare the species composition of Floyd’s suballiances, determination assemblage lists and recent rainforest classifications included in regional classifications. Rainforest groups (and the plots that defined them) were assigned to the Floyd suballiance with the highest degree of floristic similarity. We conferred with the Panel to resolve any inconsistencies between the results of our analyses and statements relating to the distribution and composition of individual suballiances in Floyd (1990) and the determinations.\r\nWe then used plot data and a selection of environmental and remote-sensing variables to develop a Random Forest (RF) model of the probability of occurrence of LORF. We assessed the location of plots assigned to LORF against the distribution of the RF model on and adjoining State Forests. We then completed detailed aerial photograph interpretation (API) using a prescribed set of mapping classes to delineate rainforest areas for a range of canopy cover thresholds. We constructed an operational map of LORF by assigning our API polygons as being LORF based on the modelled probabilities and plot data underlying the polygon.\r\nOur mapping identified a total of approximately 14,036 hectares of LORF, the vast majority of which was located in the north coast region. We mapped 13,209 hectares of LORF on the north coast, with the largest areas found in Ewingar and Unumgar State Forests. Only 827 hectares of LORF were mapped on the south coast, with the largest areas found in Yadboro and Currowan State Forests.\r\n\r\nOperational map for Lowland Rainforest on Floodplains:\r\n\r\nThe operational map for Lowland Rainforest on Floodplains (LRFP) was constructed to resolve long-standing issues surrounding its identification, location and extent within the NSW State Forest estate covered by the coastal Integrated Forestry Operation Agreements. \r\nThe project’s Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) Reference Panel (the Panel) preceded the assessment process by reviewing the determination for LRFP. The Panel found that the determination for LRFP relies mainly on a rainforest classification system described by Floyd (1990) where several rainforest ‘suballiances’ make up the LRFP assemblage. The determination also identifies a range of floodplain and alluvial descriptors. Floyd’s suballiance classifications presented a challenge to our project as they were largely subjective and were not compatible with quantitative analysis, meaning that it was difficult to distinguish between the LRFP TEC and other rainforest vegetation using statistically sound methods. \r\nTo overcome some of these problems we revisited a set of reference sites that were assigned by Floyd to the suballiances cited in the LRFP determination and other rainforest TEC determinations, and collected new floristic data using standard flora survey methods. We also targeted a range of localities on State Forest that we considered likely to include LRFP and other rainforest TECs based on the suballiance descriptions, cited localities in Floyd (1990), and preliminary distribution models. Over 300 new rainforest plots were combined with a large pool of existing data covering eastern NSW to construct a provisional revised rainforest classification. We used the rainforest groups derived from this analysis to compare the species composition of Floyd suballiances, determination assemblage lists and recent rainforest classifications included in regional classifications. Rainforest groups, (and the plots that defined them), were assigned to the Floyd suballiance with the highest degree of floristic similarity. We conferred with the TEC Project Reference Panel (the Panel) to resolve inconsistencies between the results of our analyses and statements relating to the distribution and composition of individual suballiances in Floyd (1990), and the determinations.\r\nWe attempted to use plot data and a selection of environmental and remote-sensing variable to develop Random Forest models of the probability of occurrence of LRFP, but we were unable to assign any of our rainforest groups to the assemblage lists or the primary suballiances cited in the LRFP determination. We overcame this problem by constructing a fine scale digital elevation model (DEM) of landscape elements that we considered were likely to be associated with the range of floodplain and alluvial descriptors identified in the determination for LRFP. We then mapped our rainforest groups onto the DEM and assigned any rainforest assemblage that overlapped with our alluvial and floodplain DEM map as LRFP TEC. Using this method we constructed an operational map of LRFP in State Forests on the NSW coast. Our mapped identified a total of 680 hectares of LRFP, all of which was located in the north coast region. \r\n\r\nOperational TEC Mapping have been derived by API at a viewing scale between 1-4000 using ADS40 50 cm pixel imagery and 1 m derived LIDAR DEM grids for floodplain EECs.

低地雨林操作地图：

低地雨林（LORF）操作地图的构建旨在解决其在新南威尔士州（NSW）沿海综合林业经营协议覆盖的州森林地范围内的识别、定位及分布范围等长期存在的问题。
该项目的受威胁生态群落（TEC）参考小组（以下简称“小组”）在评估流程前先对低地雨林的界定进行了审查。小组发现，低地雨林的界定几乎完全依赖于Floyd（1990）所述的雨林分类体系，其中若干雨林“亚联盟（suballiance）”构成了低地雨林组合。Floyd的亚联盟分类体系给本项目带来了挑战，因其具有较强主观性且无法与定量分析兼容，这意味着难以通过统计可靠的方法区分低地雨林受威胁生态群落与其他雨林植被。
为解决部分此类问题，我们重新考察了Floyd指定给低地雨林界定及其他雨林受威胁生态群落界定中提及的亚联盟的一组参考站点，并采用标准植物调查方法收集了新的植物区系数据。此外，基于亚联盟描述、Floyd（1990）中引用的地点及初步分布模型，我们还针对州森林中可能包含低地雨林及其他雨林受威胁生态群落的若干区域开展了调查。我们将300余个新雨林样地与覆盖新南威尔士州东部的大量现有数据相结合，构建了临时修订的雨林分类体系。我们利用该分析得出的雨林群组，对比了Floyd亚联盟、界定组合列表及区域分类中包含的近期雨林分类的物种组成。雨林群组（及其定义的样地）被分配至与植物区系相似性最高的Floyd亚联盟。我们与小组协商，解决了分析结果与Floyd（1990）及界定中关于单个亚联盟分布和组成的陈述之间的任何不一致问题。
随后，我们利用样地数据及选定的环境与遥感变量，开发了低地雨林出现概率的随机森林（RF）模型。我们将分配给低地雨林的样地位置与州森林及其毗邻区域的随机森林模型分布进行了对比评估。之后，我们采用一套规定的制图类别完成了详细的航空照片解译（API），以针对一系列冠层覆盖阈值划定雨林区域。我们基于模型预测概率及多边形底层的样地数据，将API多边形指定为低地雨林，从而构建了低地雨林操作地图。
我们的制图结果显示，低地雨林总面积约为14036公顷，其中绝大部分位于北海岸地区。北海岸的低地雨林制图面积为13209公顷，最大区域位于Ewingar和Unumgar州森林。南海岸仅制图出827公顷低地雨林，最大区域位于Yadboro和Currowan州森林。

洪泛区低地雨林操作地图：

洪泛区低地雨林（LRFP）操作地图的构建旨在解决其在新南威尔士州沿海综合林业经营协议覆盖的州森林地范围内的识别、定位及分布范围等长期存在的问题。
该项目的受威胁生态群落（TEC）参考小组在评估流程前先对洪泛区低地雨林的界定进行了审查。小组发现，洪泛区低地雨林的界定主要依赖于Floyd（1990）所述的雨林分类体系，其中若干雨林“亚联盟”构成了洪泛区低地雨林组合。该界定还明确了一系列洪泛区及冲积描述符。Floyd的亚联盟分类体系给本项目带来了挑战，因其具有较强主观性且无法与定量分析兼容，这意味着难以通过统计可靠的方法区分洪泛区低地雨林受威胁生态群落与其他雨林植被。
为解决部分此类问题，我们重新考察了Floyd指定给洪泛区低地雨林界定及其他雨林受威胁生态群落界定中提及的亚联盟的一组参考站点，并采用标准植物调查方法收集了新的植物区系数据。此外，基于亚联盟描述、Floyd（1990）中引用的地点及初步分布模型，我们还针对州森林中可能包含洪泛区低地雨林及其他雨林受威胁生态群落的若干区域开展了调查。我们将300余个新雨林样地与覆盖新南威尔士州东部的大量现有数据相结合，构建了临时修订的雨林分类体系。我们利用该分析得出的雨林群组，对比了Floyd亚联盟、界定组合列表及区域分类中包含的近期雨林分类的物种组成。雨林群组（及其定义的样地）被分配至与植物区系相似性最高的Floyd亚联盟。我们与TEC项目参考小组协商，解决了分析结果与Floyd（1990）及界定中关于单个亚联盟分布和组成的陈述之间的不一致问题。
我们尝试利用样地数据及选定的环境与遥感变量开发洪泛区低地雨林出现概率的随机森林模型，但未能将任何雨林群组分配至洪泛区低地雨林界定中提及的组合列表或主要亚联盟。我们通过构建精细尺度数字高程模型（DEM）来解决这一问题，该模型涵盖了我们认为可能与洪泛区低地雨林界定中明确的洪泛区及冲积描述符范围相关的景观要素。随后，我们将雨林群组映射至该DEM，并将与冲积及洪泛区DEM地图重叠的任何雨林组合指定为洪泛区低地雨林受威胁生态群落。采用该方法，我们构建了新南威尔士州沿海州森林中洪泛区低地雨林的操作地图。我们的制图结果显示，洪泛区低地雨林总面积为680公顷，全部位于北海岸地区。

受威胁生态群落（TEC）操作制图通过航空照片解译（API）生成，观测比例尺介于1:4000之间，采用ADS40 50厘米像素影像及1米分辨率激光雷达（LIDAR）数字高程模型（DEM）网格用于洪泛区受威胁生态群落（EEC）制图。