EUNIS heathland, scrub and tundra habitat types probability maps - version 1, Dec. 2021

This metadata describes the EUNIS heathland, scrub and tundra 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.

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 verified heathland, scrub and tundra habitat samples used are derived from the Braun-Blanquet database (http://www.sci.muni.cz/botany/vegsci/braun_blanquet.php?lang=en) which is a centralised database of vegetation plots and comprises copies of national and regional databases using a unified taxonomic reference database. The geographic extent of the distribution data are all European countries except Armenia and Azerbaijan.