EUNIS forest and other wooded land habitat types probability maps - version 1, Dec. 2021

This metadata describes the EUNIS forest and other wooded land habitat types probability maps distribution datasets created from habitat probability mapping. Probability maps are refined versions of habitat suitability maps. Suitability maps model areas where the environment is suitable for a certain habitat type. Probability maps include information on existing land cover and narrow the modelled suitable distribution to areas where the habitat type is probable to occur.

The forest and other wooded land habitat type is the land where the dominant vegetation is, or was until very recently, trees with a canopy cover of at least 10%. It includes temporarily unstocked areas due to clear-cutting as part of a forest management practice or natural disasters which are expected to be regenerated within 5 years but does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use. Trees are defined as woody plants, typically single-stemmed, that can reach a height of at least 5 m at maturity unless stunted by poor climate or soil. Includes Alnus and Populus swamp forest and riverine Salix forest. Excludes Corylus avellana scrub and Salix and Frangula carrs. Excludes lines of trees, coppices, regularly tilled tree nurseries. Excludes stands of climatically-limited dwarf trees (krummholz) < 3m high, such as occur at the arctic or alpine tree limit which are considered scrub (section S) . Excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems, such as fruit tree plantations, olive orchards and agroforestry systems (dehesa and montado) where crops are grown under tree cover - canopy less than 10%, which are listed under sparsely wooded grasslands. Old plantations which have many of the characteristics of natural or semi-natural forests are included, more intensively managed, and less natural, forests are included in vegetated man-made habitats.

The modelled probability for EUNIS forest and other wooded land 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 probability 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 probability 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 land use, vegetation height, phenology, and LAI (Leaf 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.