BiogeoclimaticEcosystem Classification

Vegetation, soil, climate

Assigned Reading:Chapter 2: Concepts in Ecosystems of British Columbia

The Two Components of BEC

Site Level

Climate Level

The Third Component: Time

Shrub-herb(Pioneer)

Pole-sapling(Young Seral)

Young Forest (Mature Seral)

Mature forest (Y. Climax)

Old growth(M. Climax)

Fireweed -Red raspberry

Pl -Thimbleberry

Pl -Westernhemlock

CwHw -Oak fern

CwHw - Oak fern

SeralStage

Seral plantassociation(common name)

Siteassociation

Climatic Climax

Subhygric site in CWH zone

Ecoregion and Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classifications

REGIONALCLASSIFICATION

ZONALCLASSIFICATION

SITECLASSIFICATION

Ecodomain

Ecodivision

Ecoprovince

Ecoregion

Ecosection

Biogeoclimatic Zone

Biogeoclimatic Subzone

Biogeoclimatic Variant

Site Association

Site Series

Site Type

4 Koppen climate

3 Ecozones

9 Ecoprovinces

30 Ecoregions

Many Ecosections

Climate level Ecodomain uses Koppen’s classification of climate (4

climatic regions based on temperature and precipitation) Ecodivisions uses Canadian ecozones (3 divisions based

on climate and physiography) Ecoprovince (10 provinces based on physiography) Ecoregion (approx. 43, equivalent to BEC zones, but

more physiographically located) Biogeoclimatic zones (13 zones based on climate and

vegetation)

Ecodomain: Köppen Climate Classification(Temperature, Precipitation)

E=PolarT=TropicalD=Humid microthermal (rainy, snowy, cold interior)BS=Dry semi-arid microthermal (dry interior)C=humid mesothermal (coast)

Ecodivisions: Canada’s Ecozones (biomes)Based on climate and physiography

Ecoprovinces and Ecoregions: Regional Physiography

Coast Mountains and IslandsFraser DeltaSouthern Interior PlateauCentral PlateauNorth-Central PlateauNorthern PlateauNorthern PlainsCentral PlainsColumbia Mountains

Columbia Highlands Ecoregion

Ecoprovinces in BC

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/

Ecoregion and Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classifications

REGIONALCLASSIFICATION

ZONALCLASSIFICATION

SITECLASSIFICATION

Ecodomain

Ecodivision

Ecoprovince

Ecoregion

Ecosection

Biogeoclimatic Zone

Biogeoclimatic Subzone

Biogeoclimatic Variant

Site Association

Site Series

Site Type

4 Koppen climate

3 Ecozones

9 Ecoprovinces

43 Ecoregions

114 Ecosections

Biogeoclimatic Zone Definition

A large geographic area with a broadly homogenous macroclimate

Characterized by one or more climax tree species

Named after major climax tree species

7.7

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/becweb/

Coastal Western Hemlock

Mountain Hemlock

Coastal Douglas-fir

Alpine Tundra

Bunchgrass

Ponderosa Pine

Montane Spruce

Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir

Interior Douglas-fir

Interior Cedar-Hemlock

Sub-boreal pine-spruce

Sub-boreal Spruce

Spruce-Willow-Birch

Boreal White &Black Spruce

Climate Level Hierarchy

Climate Classification

Biogeoclimatic zone

Biogeoclimatic subzone

Biogeoclimatic variant

Biogeoclimatic phase

7.6

Biogeoclimatic Subzone Definition

A geographic area with a uniform regional climate

Characterized by the same distinct climax vegetation on midslope (zonal) sites

Relatively uniform mean temperature and precipitation

Working level of climatic classification

7.8

Biogeoclimatic Variant

Areas that are slightly drier, wetter, snowier, warmer or colder within a subzone

Variants are assigned numbers Also named based on geographic area

7.9

Regional Level

Climate Level ‘Relief’ Diagram

ICHx

ESSFx ICHx

AT

ESSFx

Biogeoclimatic Phase

Accounts for variation in regional climate from local relief

Helpful for management interpretations

E.g., cold air ponding, calcareous soils, grasslands

7.9

Naming of Biogeoclimatic Units

7.11

ZONE yz SUBZONE

Precipitation regime

x = very dry (xeric)

d = dry

m = moist

w = wet

v = very wet

Interior Zones

Temperature regime

h = hot

w = warm

m = mild

k = cool

c = cold

v = very cold

Coastal Zones

Continentality

h = hypermaritime

m = maritime

s = submaritime

y z

Landscape Profile

6.1

Zonal Site The site that best reflects the regional climate Characteristics

– flat to moderate slopes

– middle slope positions that neither shed nor receive an excess of water and nutrients (inputs balance outputs)

– medium soil texture (loam)

– medium nutrient regime

– moderately well-drained soils

– no root restricting layers

5.2

Relationship Between a Zonal Site and the Climate Level of BEC

Climate Classification

Biogeoclimatic zone

Biogeoclimatic subzone

Biogeoclimatic variant

Biogeoclimatic phase

ZonalSite

The effect of regional climate & relief on BEC variantsKamloops Forest Region

S N aspect

Identifying BEC variants using key

Kamloops Forest Region

Differentiated table for lower elevation coastal subzones and variants

Coniferous forestCoastal coniferous forest

Coastal Western Hemlock forestDry Maritime CWH forest

HwHw-flat mossCWHdm/01 (medium, zonal)

Site Level Hierarchy

Site Classification

Site association

Site series

Site phase

7.15

Site Series Definition All sites capable of producing the same mature or

climax plant communities within a biogeoclimatic subzone or variant

Most commonly used category for field use

7.16

6.8

Edatopic Grid

6.8

Edatopic Grid

Relative soil moisture regime classes

Edatopic Grid

Relationship between site properties and soil nutrient regime classes

Site Series

CWHdm=subzone=plant associationCHHdm/01=site series=plant subassociation

/01

Naming of Site Units

Biogeoclimatic unit Site series

ICHmw2 HwCw - Falsebox - Feathermoss

Site Level Hierarchy

Site Classification

Site association

Site series

Site phase

Site Association Definition

All sites capable of producing similar near climax vegetation in one or more biogeoclimatic units

More variable that site series; therefore less predictable for management application

eg. HwCw - Falsebox - Feathermoss

Site Association, example

CHWdm CWHmm CHWwh

Xeric Fd, Pl Hw, Fd Hw, Cw

Mesic Hw, Fd Hw, Cw Ss, Hw, Cw

Hygric Hw, Cw Ss, Hw, Cw Cw, Yc

Subzone: annual precipitation

Sit

e: a

bsol

ute

soil

moi

stur

e re

gim

ePl=lodgepole pineFd=Douglas-firHw=western hemlockCw=western redcedarSs=Sitka spruceYc=Alaska yellow cedar

Site Phase Definition

Subdivides site series based on criteria which might be important for management interpretations, such as coarse and fine textured soils, etc.