EUNIS heathland, scrub and tundra habitat type, predicted distribution of habitat suitability - version 1, Nov. 2021

This metadata corresponds to the EUNIS heathland, scrub and tundra habitat types, predicted distribution of habitat suitability dataset.

These habitat types correspond to non-coastal land which is dry or only seasonally inundated (with the water table at or above ground level for less than half of the year) with greater than 30% vegetation cover. Tundra is characterised by the presence of permafrost. Heathland and scrub are defined as vegetation dominated by shrubs or dwarf shrubs of species that typically do not exceed 5 m maximum height. Includes shrub orchards, vineyards, hedges (which may have occasional tall trees). Also includes stands of climatically-limited dwarf trees (krummholz) < 3 m high, such as occur in extreme alpine conditions. Includes Salix and Frangula carrs. Excludes coppice (T47) and Alnus and Populus swamp forest (T15).

The modelled suitability for EUNIS heathland, scrub and tundra habitat types is an indication of where conditions are favourable for the habitat type based on sample plot data (Braun-Blanquet database) and the Maxent software package. The modelled suitability map may be used as a proxy for the geographical distribution of the habitat type. Note however that it is not representing the actual distribution of the habitat type. As predictors for the suitabilty modelling not only Climate and Soil parameters have been taken into account, but also so-called RS-EVB's, Remote Sensing-enabled Essential Biodiversity Variables like Landuse, Vegetation height, Phenology, and LAI (Leave Area Index). Because the EBV's are restricted by the extent of the Remote Sensing data (EEA38 countries and the United Kingdom) the modelling result does also not go beyond this boundary. The dataset is provided both in Geodatabase and Geopackage formats.