Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

How does the selection of landscape classification schemes affect the spatial pattern of natural landscapes? An assessment on a coastal wetland site in southern Italy

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It is widely known that thematic resolution affects spatial pattern and landscape metrics performances. In literature, data dealing with this issue usually refer to a specific class scheme with its thematic levels. In this paper, the effects of different land cover (LC) and habitat classification schemes on the spatial pattern of a coastal landscape were compared. One of the largest components of the Mediterranean wetland system was considered as the study site, and different schemes widely used in the EU were selected and harmonized with a common thematic resolution, suitable for habitat discrimination and monitoring. For each scheme, a thematic map was produced and, for each map, 28 landscape metrics were calculated. The landscape composition, already in terms of number of classes, class area, and number of patches, changes significantly among different classification schemes. Landscape complexity varies according to the class scheme considered and its underlying semantics, depending on how the different types aggregate or split when changing class scheme. Results confirm that the selection of a specific class scheme affects the spatial pattern of the derived landscapes and consequently the landscape metrics, especially at class level. Moreover, among the classification schemes considered, EUNIS seems to be the best choice for a comprehensive representation of both natural and anthropogenic classes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adamo, M., Tarantino, C., Tomaselli, V., Kosmidou, V., Petrou, Z., Manakos, I., Lucas, R. M., Mücher, C. A., Veronico, G., Marangi, C., De Pasquale, V., & Blonda, P. (2014). Expert knowledge for translating land cover/ use maps to General Habitat Categories (GHC). Landscape Ecology, 29, 1045–1067. doi:10.1007/s10980-014-0028-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adamo, M., Tarantino, C., Tomaselli, V., Veronico, G., Nagendra H., & Blonda P. (2016). Habitat mapping of coastal wetlands using expert knowledge and Earth Observation (EO) data. Journal of Applied Ecology. In press.

  • Bailey, D., Herzog, F., Augenstein, I., Aviron, S., Billeter, R., Szerencsits, E., & Baudry, J. (2007). Thematic resolution matters: indicators of landscape pattern for European agro-ecosystems. Ecological Indicators, 7, 692–709. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2006.08.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldwin, D. J. B., Weaver, K., Schnekenburger, F., & Perera, A. H. (2004). Sensitivity of landscape pattern indices to input data characteristics on real landscapes: implications for their use in natural disturbance emulation. Landscape Ecology, 19, 255–271. doi:10.1023/B:LAND.0000030442.96122.ef.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biondi, E., Blasi, C., Allegrezza, M., Anzellotti, I., Azzella, M. M., Carli, E., Casavecchia, S., Copiz, R., Del Vico, E., Facioni, L., Galdenzi, D., Gasparri, R., Lasen, C., Pesaresi, S., Poldini, L., Sburlino, G., Taffetani, F., Vagge, I., Zitti, S., & Zivkovic, L. (2014). Plant communities of Italy: the vegetation prodrome. Plant Biosystems, 148(4), 728–814. doi:10.1080/11263504.2014.948527.

  • Bossard, M., Feranec, J., & Otahel, J. (2000). CORINE land cover technical guide-addendum 2000. Technical Report, 40, EEA.

  • Braun-Blanquet, J. (1964). Pflanzensoziologie. Grundzüge der Vegetationskunde (Vol. 3, p. 330). Wien: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunce, R. G. H., Metzger, M. J., Jongman, R. H. G., Brandt, J., de Blust, G., Elena-Rossello, R., Groom, G. B., Halada, L., Hofer, G., Howard, D. C., Kovář, P., Mücher, C. A., Padoa Schioppa, E., Paelinx, D., Palo, A., Perez Soba, M., Ramos, I. L., Roche, P., Skånes, H., & Wrbka, T. (2008). A standardized procedure for surveillance and monitoring European habitats and provision of spatial data. Landscape Ecology, 23, 11–25. doi:10.1007/s10980-007-9173-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buyantuyev, A., & Wu, J. (2007). Effects of thematic resolution on landscape pattern analysis. Landscape Ecology, 22, 7–13. doi:10.1007/s10980-006-9010-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buyantuyev, A., Wu, J., & Gries, C. (2010). Multiscale analysis of the urbanization pattern of the Phoenix metropolitan landscape of USA: time, space and thematic resolution. Landscape and Urban Planning, 94, 206–217. doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2009.10.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castilla, G., Larkin, K., Linke, J., & Hay, G. J. (2009). The impact of thematic resolution on the patch-mosaic model of natural landscapes. Landscape Ecology, 24, 15–23. doi:10.1007/s10980-008-9310-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cushman, A. S., McGarigal, K., & Neel, M. C. (2008). Parsimony in landscape metrics: strength, universality, and consistency. Ecological Indicators, 8, 691–703. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2007.12.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies, C. E., & Moss, D. (2002). EUNIS habitat classification. Final report to the European topic centre of nature protection and biodiversity. Swindon: European Environment Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Gregorio, A., & Jansen, L. J. M. (2005). Land cover classification system (LCCS): classification concepts and user manual. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargis, C. D., Bissonette, J. A., & David, J. L. (1998). The behaviour of landscape metrics commonly used in the study of habitat fragmentation. Landscape Ecology, 13, 167–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ichter, J., Evans, D., & Richard, D. (2014). Terrestrial habitat mapping in Europe: an overview. Luxembourg: European Environmental Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiao, J., Liu, Y., & Li, H. (2012). Characterizing land-use classes in remote sensing imagery by shape metrics. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 72, 46–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kallimanis, A. S., & Koutzias, N. (2012). Geographical patterns of Corine land cover diversity across Europe: the effect of grain size and thematic resolution. Progress in Physical Geography, 37(2), 161–177. doi:10.1177/0309133312465303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kosmidou, V., Petrou, Z., Bunce, R. G. H., Mücher, C. A., Jongman, R. G. H., Bogers, M. M. B., Lucas, R. M., Tomaselli, V., Blonda, P., Padoa-Schioppa, E., Manakos, I., & Petrou, M. (2014). Harmonization of the Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) with the General Habitat Categories (GHC) classification system: linkage between remote sensing and ecology. Ecological Indicators, 36, 290–300. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.07.025.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lausch, A., & Herzog, F. (2002). Applicability of landscape metrics for the monitoring of landscape change: issues of scale, resolution and interpretability. Ecological Indicators, 2(1–2), 3–15. doi:10.1016/S1470-160X(02)00053-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, H., & Wu, J. (2004). Use and misuse of landscape indices. Landscape Ecology, 19, 389–399. doi:10.1023/B:LAND.0000030441.15628.d6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, Y., He, H. S., Fraser, J. S., & Wu, Z. (2013). Thematic and spatial resolutions affect model-based predictions of tree species distribution. PLoS One, 8(7), e67889. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0067889.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maes, J., Liquete, C., Teller, A., Erhard, M., Paracchini, M. L., Barredo, J. I., Grizzetti, B., Cardoso, A., Somma, F., Petersen, J. E., Meiner, A., Royo Gelabert, E., Zal, N., Kristensen, P., Bastrup-Birk, A., Biala, K., Piroddi, C., Egoh, B., Degeorges, P., Fiorina, C., Santos-Martín, F., Naruševičius, V., Verboven, J., Pereira, H. M., Bengtsson, J., Gocheva, K., Marta-Pedroso, C., Snäll, T., Estreguil, C., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Pérez-Soba, M., Grêt-Regamey, A., Lillebø, A. I., Abdul Malak, A., Condé, S., Moen, J., Czúcz, B., Drakou, E. G., Zulian, G., & Lavalle, C. (2016). An indicator framework for assessing ecosystem services in support of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. Ecosystem services, 17, 14–23. doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.10.023.

  • McGarigal, K., & Marks, B. J. (1995). FRAGSTATS: spatial pattern analysis program for quantifying landscape structure. Corvallis: Forest Science Department, Oregon State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGarigal, K., Cushman, S.A., & Ene, E. (2012). FRAGSTATS v4: spatial pattern analysis program for categorical and continuous maps. Computer software program produced by the authors at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Available at the following web site: http://www.umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/fragstats.html.

  • Moss, D., & Wyatt, B. K. (1994). The CORINE biotopes project: a database for conservation of nature and wildlife in the European community. Applied Geography, 14, 327–349. doi:10.1016/0143-6228(94)90026-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagendra, H. (2002). Opposite trends in response for the Shannon and Simpson indices of landscape diversity. Applied Geography, 22, 175–186. doi:10.1016/S0143-6228(02)00002-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neel, M. C., McGarigal, K., & Cushman, S. A. (2004). Behavior of class-level landscape metrics across gradients of class aggregation and area. Landscape Ecology, 19, 435–455. doi:10.1023/B:LAND.0000030521.19856.cb.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedrotti, F. (2013). Plant and vegetation mapping. Springer.

  • Peng, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., Wu, J., Li, W., & Li, Y. (2010). Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape metrics in quantifying spatial patterns. Ecological Indicators, 10, 217–223. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.04.017.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raunkiaer, C. (1934). The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography, being the collected papers of C. Raunkiaer. Oxford: Clarendon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodwell, J., Janssen, J., Gubbay, S., & Shaminée, J. (2013). Red list assessment of European habitat types—a feasibility study. Report for the EU Commission, DG Environment https://circabc.europa.eu/d/a/workspace/SpacesStore/cafecf35-58c4-4e28-818d-876614ba4477/RDB%20Final%20Report%20Version%20DEF%20160413.pdf.

  • Saura, S., & Carballal, P. (2004). Discrimination of native and exotic forest patterns through shape irregularity indices: an analysis in the landscapes of Galicia, Spain. Landscape Ecology, 19, 647–662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen, W. G., Jenerette, D., Wu, J., & Gardner, R. H. (2004). Evaluating empirical scaling relations of pattern metrics with simulated landscapes. Ecography, 27, 459–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomaselli, V., Tenerelli, P., & Sciandrello, S. (2012). Mapping and quantifying habitat fragmentation in small coastal areas: a case study of three protected wetlands in Apulia (Italy). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184(2), 693–713. doi:10.1007/s10661-011-1995-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomaselli, V., Dimopoulos, P., Marangi, C., Kallimanis, A. S., Adamo, M., Tarantino, C., Panitsa, M., Terzi, M., Veronico, G., Lovergine, F., Nagendra, H., Lucas, R., Mairota, P., Mücher, C. A., & Blonda, P. (2013). Translating land cover/land use classifications to habitat taxonomies for landscape monitoring: a Mediterranean assessment. Landscape Ecology, 28(5), 905–930. doi:10.1007/s10980-013-9863-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, M. G., Gardner, R. H., & O’Neill, R. V. (2001). Landscape ecology in theory and practice: pattern and process. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Maarel, E., & Franklin, J. (2012). Vegetation Ecology. Oxford: Wiley.

  • Westhoff, V., & Van der Maarel, E. (1978). The Braun-Blanquet approach. In R. H. Whittaker (Ed.), Classification of plant communities (2nd ed., pp. 287–399). The Netherlands: Dr Junk, The Hague.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, J. G. (2004). Effects of changing scale on landscape pattern analysis: scaling relations. Landscape Ecology, 19, 125–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zurlini, G., Armadio, V., & Rossi, O. (1999). A landscape approach to biodiversity and biological health planning: the map of Italian nature. Ecosystem Health, 5(4), 294–311. doi:10.1046/j.1526-0992.1999.09948.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), Via Amendola 165/A, 70126, Bari, Italy

    V. Tomaselli & G. Veronico

  2. Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via A. Longo 18, 95125, Catania, Italy

    S. Sciandrello

  3. National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Intelligent Systems for Automation (ISSIA), Via Amendola 122/D-O, 70126, Bari, Italy

    P. Blonda

Authors
  1. V. Tomaselli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Veronico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Sciandrello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. Blonda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Tomaselli.

Additional information

This research was conducted within the 3-year BIO_SOS (www.biosos.eu) project, funded within the European Union FP7-SPACE third call.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tomaselli, V., Veronico, G., Sciandrello, S. et al. How does the selection of landscape classification schemes affect the spatial pattern of natural landscapes? An assessment on a coastal wetland site in southern Italy. Environ Monit Assess 188, 356 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5352-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5352-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation