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Australian National Aquatic Ecosystem (ANAE) Classification Scheme

Australian National Aquatic Ecosystem (ANAE) Classification Scheme. Overview and Status. Estuarine-Marine Workshop, Canberra 14 th May 2013. Christopher Auricht and Sarah Imgraben. Why do we need a national Classification?.

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Australian National Aquatic Ecosystem (ANAE) Classification Scheme

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  1. Australian National Aquatic Ecosystem (ANAE) Classification Scheme Overview and Status Estuarine-Marine Workshop, Canberra 14th May 2013 Christopher Auricht and Sarah Imgraben

  2. Why do we need a national Classification? • Not possible to manage aquatic systems if you don’t know where they are, what theyare, and how they function. (Plus information on values, threatening processes & changes over time) • Need to represent the broad range of systems in simple meaningful, discrete and ecologically relevant groups

  3. Aquatic Systems Riverine (+ fringing vegetation) Lake – Lacustrine Estuarine & Marine Vegetated swamp – Palustrine

  4. Riv Lac Est Pal (GDE) Pal Riv (GDE) SUB (GDE) Lac (GDE) Mar Integrated System

  5. Mapping HEVAE NRS Mgmt Threatened Sp EWR’s Climate Change CfoC Overall AE Adaptive Mgmt Framework - Where Classification Fits (Current Understanding) What they are Applications for classification How they function Values, services, threats & pressures Where they are How are they changing - monitoring

  6. Requirements for Generic National System • Applicable at multiple scales (spatial and temporal) • Integrate between different aquatic habitats (functional aspects and connectivity) • Utilise and integrate existing national datasets (remote sensing) • Translation with jurisdictional databases / systems • Workable with different levels of data availability (data rich, data poor) • Transparent, comprehensive, inclusive, easy to use • Scientifically rigorous

  7. Classification Approaches • Unstructured – list e.g. Ramsar, DIWA • Abiotic - driver based e.g. River Styles, estuarine, hydrogeomorphic • Biological - bottom-up, species e.g. State-based bioregionalisations • Holistic – combination of abiotic and biotic e.g. Cowardin, IBRA, IMCRA, ANAE

  8. ANAE: Key Features • Based on clearly defined and described attributes at three levels (two regionalisations) • Attributes are key drivers of ecological functioning at different levels • Attributes link to each other in different systems • Allows for a combination of attributes (system) used to determine habitat ‘type’ but types are not specified within the system • Structured but non-hierarchical at system and habitat level • Not all attributes are needed or available all the time

  9. Spatial Scales Level 3 Site / Asset Delineation Classification

  10. ANAE Structure

  11. Structure - unpacked

  12. Level 1 A broad driver based AE Regionalisation: • Landform – broad scale physiographic units from existing national regionalisation datasets provide the bio-geographic and evolutionary context for aquatic ecosystems and habitats • Climate – existing broad scale climate regionalisations e.g. Köppen, capture the broad differences in climate (temperature, rainfall and seasons) which are considered contemporary modifiers of the bio-geographic distribution and evolutionary traits of aquatic habitats • Hydrology – broad scale drainage divisions which capture the catchments within which aquatic habitats occur

  13. Level 2 A number of datasets and regionalisations exist that are appropriate to the landscape covering the thematic areas of: • Topography • Landform (inc floodplain / non-floodplain) • Water influence

  14. Level 3 and attributes

  15. Attributes: Inland & Coastal Surface Aquatics (lacustrine / palustrine / riverine) • Water Source • surface (flood/non-floodplain), groundwater, both • Water Type • saline, fresh • pH • Water Regime • permanent, intermittent, ephemeral • Substrate / Soil • peat, mineral, rock • Vegetation / Fringing Veg • forested, shrub, sedge/grass/forb or no emergent vegetation • Confinement (rivers only)

  16. Case Study - Lake Eyre Basin

  17. Pros of the process Transparent system Practical - efficient and effective No gaps Inclusive - can be widely applied throughout Australia – range of spatial and vertical scales Attributes are used as necessary – not hierarchical Attributes can be retrospectively applied to existing spatial datasets

  18. ANAE Status • AETG Classification Workshop October 2008, plus updates / discussion at AETG meetings 2009 and 2010 • Concept to develop ANAE Classification Scheme (based on attributes and regionalisations) endorsed by NRPPC Meeting No 21, May 2009 • Continued development process  Number of workshops and trials - Utility and application + ability to map existing systems into national system. (Throughout 2009 – 2010 period)

  19. ANAE Status - continued • Briefing to Australian Government, Canberra (also QLD) (June 2010) • Formal approval AETG, Min Council (2010 – 2012) • Aquatic Ecosystems Toolkit Module 2 Interim ANAE Classification a • Development of attributes – • Lacustrine and Palustrine – (reworked / updated  Connectivity. Trialled in LEB, Sth East and WA). Input to GDE Atlas • Riverine (workshop Adelaide, April 2010 – draft attributes  Current trial in MDBA). • Subterranean (workshop Adelaide, April 2010)  Input to GDE Atlas • Estuarine / Marine – need to split level 3 attributes (NEN & ICAG)

  20. Estuarine/Marine Attributes • Where/how do Estuarine and Marine systems fit within the scheme (Level 2 and 3) • What are the type/s of systems? • What attributes are required to ensure that the range of systems is integrated within the existing ANAE classification and/or reflected in the Asset identification process? • Are such measures consistent with the intent of the ANAE and can they be used to inform representativeness of assets? • Linkage with other systems e.g. OzCoasts & Catami

  21. Issues • Practical application • Spatial Scale • Where does and estuary start and stop • Periodicity • Mixing • Water column and floor

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