DOCSLIB.ORG

Mapping Biomes of Australia Based on the Holdridge Life Zone Model

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mapping Biomes of Australia Based on the Holdridge Life Zone Model 362 Mapping biomes of Australia based on the Holdridge Life Zone Model Mingming Jia Dianwei Liu, Kaishan Song, Zongming Wang, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chunying Ren Academy of Sciences Graduate School of Chinese Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Academy of Sciences; Changchun China; Beijing Changchun China [email protected] Abstract-In this paper a new biome map of Australia with one Southern Oscillation. These are correlated with periodic million scale was produced based on the Holdridge Life Zone drought and the seasonal tropical low pressure system, which (HLZ) model. Climate data over the whole Australia from 1983 produces cyclones in northern Australia. In recent years, to 2007 were disposed in order to processed HLZ model and get a climate change has become an increasing concern in Australia biome map. Australia is an extremely dry land, in this study we [4]; nevertheless, Australia is threatened by global warming. 2 obtained the area of arid biome was 3 561 674.31 km , occupy According to Annual Australian Climate Statement 2008 [5], 46.35 percent of the continent. When analyzing the effect of the mean annual temperatures increased significantly over the climatic variability, we found that in the period of 1983 to 2007, past decades. the mean annual temperature has an increasing trend, at the same time the annual precipitation was decreasing. This result B. Data Source reflected to the badly drought in these years. In this study, air temperature and precipitation data were Keywords- Holdridge Life Zone model; Biome map; Climatic selected from 724 weather stations scattered over mainland of variability; Australia Australia and Tasmania. These data were downloaded from the web set of National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The mean I. INTRODUCTION annual biotemperature in degrees centigrade and mean annual precipitation in millimeters of each weather station in the Biomes are defined as "the world's major commumtles, period 1983 to 2007 were calculated in terms of daily mean classified according to the predominant vegetation and biotemperature and daily precipitation, respectively. characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment" [1]. In this paper, the Holdridge Life Zone (HLZ) model was chosen to generate a primary biome map of C. The HLZ Model Australia. This model is globally accepted, it is a kind of The HLZ model relates the large-scale distribution of climatic classification, and based on the theory that the natural vegetation to three key climate variables, namely, mean annual vegetation in an area could be determined objectively by the biotemperature (BT) in degrees centigrade, mean annual local climate [2, 3]. Australia is unique among countries all precipitation (P), and potential evapotranspiration ratio (PER). over the world. About 70 percent of the country is dominated The mean annual biotemperature was originally defined as the by arid or semi-arid vegetation; it makes Australia a wonderful mean positive unit-period temperature. All of the unit-period region, in which to study the specific qualities of arid values below 0 °c were substituted with 0 °c and values environments. The biome mapping of Australia could help above 30°C were substituted with 30 °c, because an organism evaluate the performance of climate models. This paper aims to cannot maintain its normal active growth below O°C or above map biomes of Australia based on the Holdridge Life Zone ° Model. 30 C [2]. Evapotranspiration refers to the total amount of water directly returned to the atmosphere in the form of vapor through the combined processes of evaporation and 11. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES transpiration. Potential evapotranspiration is the amount of water that would be transpired under constant optimal A. Study Area conditions of soil moisture and plant cover. The potential The region studied in this paper comprises the whole area evapotranspiration ratio is the ratio of the mean annual of the Commonwealth of Australia. The landmass of Australia, potential evapotranspiration to the average total annual 2 measuring about 7,692,024 km , is on the Indo-Australian Plate. precipitation, which provides an index of biological humidity Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans, it is separated conditions. The formulas to calculate BT(x, y), P(x, y) and from Asia by the Arafura and Timor seas. Australia is the PER(x, y) are: flattest and oldest continental landmass on the earth. The characteristics of the terrain can be sunnned up as mountains in 1 365 BT(x,y) = - (x,y) the east, plains in the middle and plateau in the west. The �); (I) 365 ;=1 climate of Australia is significantly influenced by ocean currents, including the Indian Ocean Dipole and the El Nmo- The National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2012CB956103), and 2013C8430401 978-1-4673-1274-5/12/$31. 00 (cJ2012 IEEE 363 365 two hypotenuses represent to annual precipitation and potential P(X,y) = Ipi(x,y) (2) evaportranspiration ratio, respectively. The height of the i=l triangular reflects to mean annual temperature.In the present 58.93BT(x,y) research, ESRI ArcGIS 9.3 software was used to operate the PERf,;,y)= (3) P(X,y) Kriging interpolation method and form the [mal classification Ti(x,y) is the mean temperature of i-th day at the location (x, map of the HLZ model. The HLZ model and Kappa Statistic y), and Pi(x, y) is the precipitation on the i-th day in a year, were processed within the ENVI 4.3 and lDL 6.5 software. PER(x, y) is the evapotranspiration ratio at the location (x, y). Statistical analysis processes were done in SPSS 16.0. Fig.l shows the model of Holdridge Life Zone. The triangular 0.125 62.5 Altitudinal regions .J.9.y............. 00 Latitudiual regious Polar ·· · · ······· ° --------------------- �!::�!: I . 5 Alpine ..................... 30 �.�.�!!".?p.j.£�.! ...... Tropical Humidity provinces Figure.! The Holdrige Life Zone Model 300,722 km2, respectively; Subtropical desert distribute in the m. RESULTS Great Artesian Basin, it is the driest biome, mainly bare ground 2 The calculation results by operating the HLZ model during and salt lakes, the area is 87,865 km ; Subtropical desert scrub 1983 to 2007 on average gave a general biome map of and Subtropical thorn woodland dominated central and west Australia over 2007 (Fig.2). This map showed that Australia Australia landmass, they are the largest biomes, the area is 2 2 can be divided into 18 biomes. Tablel showed the area of each 1,379,533 km and 2,094,276 km ; Tropical very dry forest, biome. Alpine tundra is the coldest biome in Australia only tropical dry forest, tropical thorn woodland and subtropical dry located at the top of Great Dividing Range Kosciuszko forest are revolving around the driest biomes, the area are 2 2 2 2 Mountain, 2000 meters above sea level, occupies 1,189 km2 494,500 km , 1,062,608 km , 555,136 km and 933,918 km , Cool temperate wet forest distributed in Kosciuszko Mountain respectively; Subtropical moist forest, subtropical wet forest, and northwest Tasmania Island, area is 65,703 km2 ; Cool and tropical moist forest are humid biomes distributed at the 2 2 temperate moist forest and warm temperate moist forest are edge of east coast, occupied 73,446 km , 634 km and 76,863 2 distributed at the Great Dividing Range and southeast of km , respectively. The main characteristic of the biomes Tasmania Island, occupies 1,145,710 km2, 68,970 km2, distribution can be described as semi-orbicular, around the respectively; Warm temperate dry forest and warm temperate central arid region, humid biomes dominated the east coast and thorn steppe distributed northwest edge of Great Dividing Tasmania Island, and semiarid biomes occupied north and west. Range and south of Western Australia, 345,022 km2 and 361 N A . , Holdridge Life Zones _ Alpine Tundra _ Subtropical desert _ Cool temperate moist forest Subtropical desert scrub Cool temperate steppe Subtropical dry forest _ Cool temperate wet forest _ Subtropical moist forest _ Warm temperate desert sscrub Subtropical thorn woodland Warm temperate dry forest Subtropical wet forest _ Warm temperate moist forest _ Tropical dry forest Tropical thorn woodland O 250 500 1 , 000 Warm temperate thorn steppe _ Tropical moist forest _ Tropical very dry forest __-= ==::::JI____ Km Figure. 2 Biome map of Australia in 2007 TABLE 1. THE AREA OF EACH BlOME OBTAINED THROUGH THE HLZ MODEL Type Area(Km2) Type Area(Km2) Alpine tundra 1,189 Subtropical desert scrub 1,379,533 Cool temperate moist forest 145,710 Subtropical dry forest 555,136 Cool temperate steppe 2,074 Subtropical moist forest 73,446 Cool temperate wet forest 65,703 Subtropical wet forest 634 Warm temperate desert scrub 3,853 Subtropical thorn woodland 2,094,276 Warm temperate dry forest 345,022 Tropical dry forest 494,500 Warm temperate moist forest 68,970 Tropical moist forest 76,863 Warm temperate thorn steppe 300,722 Tropical thorn woodland 1,062,608 Subtropical desert 87,865 Tropical very dry forest 933,918 Total area: 7,692,024 km2 deserts combined is 1,467,398.19 km2, which occupy 19.10 IV. DISCUSSION percent of the continent. Australia government announced the Apart from Antarctica, Australia is the driest continent in total desert area equates to 18 percent of the total mainland area the world. Desert is the most typical land cover type of of Australia [6]. Our result is very close to the government Australia. According to USGS, desert is defined as areas with statistic result. These areas are dominated by mulga (Acacia an average annual precipitation of less than 250 millimeters. Tn aneura), gidgee (A. cambadgei) and mixed species our study, under the principle of HLZ model, in Australia three communities of the central Australian deserts, associated biomes can be classified as desert; they are subtropical desert, species include Grevillea spp., emu bushes (Eremophila spp.) subtropical desert scrub and warm temperate desert scrub.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Central and South America Report (1.8
    United States NHEERL Environmental Protection Western Ecology Division May 1998 Agency Corvallis OR 97333 ` Research and Development EPA ECOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE ECOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE Glenn E. Griffith1, James M. Omernik2, and Sandra H. Azevedo3 May 29, 1998 1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 200 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333 phone: 541-754-4465; email: [email protected] 2 Project Officer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 200 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333 phone: 541-754-4458; email: [email protected] 3 OAO Corporation 200 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333 phone: 541-754-4361; email: [email protected] A Report to Thomas R. Loveland, Project Manager EROS Data Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Sioux Falls, SD WESTERN ECOLOGY DIVISION NATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS RESEARCH LABORATORY OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97333 1 ABSTRACT Many geographical classifications of the world’s continents can be found that depict their climate, landforms, soils, vegetation, and other ecological phenomena. Using some or many of these mapped phenomena, classifications of natural regions, biomes, biotic provinces, biogeographical regions, life zones, or ecological regions have been developed by various researchers. Some ecological frameworks do not appear to address “the whole ecosystem”, but instead are based on specific aspects of ecosystems or particular processes that affect ecosystems. Many regional ecological frameworks rely primarily on climatic and “natural” vegetative input elements, with little acknowledgement of other biotic, abiotic, or human geographic patterns that comprise and influence ecosystems.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to Theecological Systemsof Puerto Rico
    United States Department of Agriculture Guide to the Forest Service Ecological Systems International Institute of Tropical Forestry of Puerto Rico General Technical Report IITF-GTR-35 June 2009 Gary L. Miller and Ariel E. Lugo The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the Nation’s forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the National Forests and national grasslands, it strives—as directed by Congress—to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Authors Gary L. Miller is a professor, University of North Carolina, Environmental Studies, One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804-3299.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment of the Vulnerability of Forest Ecosystems to Climate Change in Mexico
    CLIMATE RESEARCH Vol. 9: 87-93, 1997 Published December 29 Clim Res Assessment of the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to climate change in Mexico Lourdes Villers-Ruiz*, Irma Trejo-Vazquez Instituto de Geografia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 20850, 04510 Mexico. D.F. Mexico ABSTRACT. An assessment of the vulnerability of forest ecosystems in Mexico to climate change is car- ried out on the basis of the scenarios projected by 3 climate models. A vegetation classification was per- formed according to 2 models, the Holdridge Life Zone Classification and the so-called Mexican Clas- sification (a climate-vegetation classification based on typologies developed for Mexico). Projections of climate models were based on a doubled CO2 concentration condition. The models used were: the CCCM, which estimates an average increase in temperature for the country of 2.8"C and a decrease in annual precipitation of 7 %; the GFDL-R30, which estimates an increase in both parameters by 3.2"C and 20% respectively; and a sensitivity model in which a homogeneous increase of 2°C in temperature and a 10% decrease in precipitation are applied throughout the country. In general, the cool temperate and warm temperate ecosystems were the most affected and tended to disappear under the conditions of the 3 scenarios In contrast, the dry and very dry tropical forests and the warm thorn woodlands tended to occupy larger areas than at present, particularly under the conditions projected by the CCCM model. However, under the GFDL-derived scenario an increase in the distribution of moist and wet forests, which would be favoured by an increase in precipitation, was predicted.
    [Show full text]
  • Changes of Major Terrestrial Ecosystems in China Since 1960
    Global and Planetary Change 48 (2005) 287–302 www.elsevier.com/locate/gloplacha Changes of major terrestrial ecosystems in China since 1960 Tian Xiang YueT, Ze Meng Fan, Ji Yuan Liu Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jia No. 11, Datun, Anwai, 100101 Beijing, China Abstract Daily temperature and precipitation data since 1960 are selected from 735 weather stations that are scattered over China. After comparatively analyzing relative interpolation methods, gradient-plus-inverse distance squared (GIDS) is selected to create temperature surfaces and Kriging interpolation method is selected to create precipitation surfaces. Digital elevation model of China is combined into Holdridge Life Zone (HLZ) model on the basis of simulating relationships between temperature and elevation in different regions of China. HLZ model is operated on the created temperature and precipitation surfaces in ARC/ INFO environment. Spatial pattern of major terrestrial ecosystems in China and its change in the four decades of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are analyzed in terms of results from operating HLZ model. The results show that HLZ spatial pattern in China has had a great change since 1960. For instance, nival area and subtropical thorn woodland had a rapid decrease on an average and they might disappear in 159 years and 96 years, respectively, if their areas would decrease at present rate. Alpine dry tundra and cool temperate scrub continuously increased in the four decades and the decadal increase rates are, respectively, 13.1% and 3.4%. HLZ patch connectivity has a continuous increase trend and HLZ diversity has a continuous decrease trend on the average.
    [Show full text]
  • Climatic Traits on Daily Clearness and Cloudiness Indices
    Climatic traits on daily clearness and cloudiness indices Estefanía Muñoz1 and Andrés Ochoa1 1Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín Correspondence: Estefanía Muñoz ([email protected]) Abstract. Solar radiation has a crucial role in photosynthesis, evapotranspiration and other biogeochemical processes. The amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface is a function of astronomical geometry and atmospheric optics. While the first is deterministic, the latter has a random behaviour caused by highly variable atmospheric components as water and aerosols. In this study, we use daily radiation data (1978-2014) from 37 FLUXNET sites distributed across the globe to inspect 5 for climatic traits in the shape of the probability density function (PDF) of the clear-day (c) and the clearness (k) indices. The analysis was made for shortwave radiation (SW) at all sites and for photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at 28 sites. We identified three types of PDF, unimodal with low dispersion (ULD), unimodal with high dispersion (UHD) and bimodal (B), with no difference in the PDF type between c and k at each site. Looking for regional patterns in the PDF type we found that latitude, global climate zone and Köppen climate type have a weak and the Holdridge life a stronger relation with c and k 10 PDF types. The existence and relevance of a second mode in the PDF can be explained by the frequency and meteorological mechanisms of rainy days. These results are a frame to develop solar radiation stochastic models for biogeochemical and ecohydrological modeling. 1 Introduction Solar radiation drives most physical, chemical and biological processes at the earth’s surface.
    [Show full text]
  • Holdridge Life Zone Map: Republic of Argentina María R
    United States Department of Agriculture Holdridge Life Zone Map: Republic of Argentina María R. Derguy, Jorge L. Frangi, Andrea A. Drozd, Marcelo F. Arturi, and Sebastián Martinuzzi Forest International Institute General Technical November Service of Tropical Forestry Report IITF-GTR-51 2019 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.
    [Show full text]
  • Potential Vegetation and Holdridge Life Zones Across the Northern Sierra Nevada
    University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1976 Potential vegetation and Holdridge life zones across the northern Sierra Nevada Bruce Allen Sanford The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Sanford, Bruce Allen, "Potential vegetation and Holdridge life zones across the northern Sierra Nevada" (1976). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 6835. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/6835 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. POTENTIAL VEGETATION AND HOLDRIDGE LIFE ZONES ACROSS THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA By Bruce A. Sanford B.S., University of Minnesota, 1967 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1976 Approved by: iainnan. Board of Exa^ners Dea^, Graduate School S Ç JŸ.7C. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP37636 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.
    [Show full text]
  • Working Paper
    WORKING PAPER ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL SHIFTS IN EUROPE'S NATURAL VEGETATION DUE TO CLIMATIC CHANGE AND SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR NATURE CONSERVATION Rudolf S. de Groot November 1988 WP-88-105 International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL SHIFTS IN EUROPE'S NATURAL VEGETATION DUE TO CLIMATIC CHANGE AND SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR NATURE CONSERVATION Rudolf S. de Groot November 1988 WP-88-105 Nature Conservation Department, Agricultural University, Ritzema Bosweg 32a, 6703 AZ Wageningen, The Netherlands. Working Papers are interim reports on work of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and have received only limited review. Views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the Institute or of its National Member Organizations. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria FOREWORD One of the objectives of IIASA's Study The Future Environments for Europe: Some Impli- cations of Alternative Development Paths is to characterize the large-scale and long-term environmental transformations that could be associated with plausible scenarios of Europe's soci~economicdevelopment over the next century. An important environmen- tal transformation is the expected climatic change which will place additional stresses on the natural ecosystems in Europe. This Working Paper describes an assessment of the potential shifts in natural vegetation due to a change in climate and addresses some of the major implications for nature conservation. The paper was prepared by the author during his participation in IIASA's Young Scientist's Summer Program of 1987. B.R.Doos Leader Environment Program TABLE OF CONTENTS Page . Introduction and summary ..............................................................................................1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Puerto Rico's Forests, 2009
    Puerto Rico's Forests, 2009 Thomas J. Brandeis and Jeffery A. Turner United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service D E E P R A U R T TMENT OF AGRICU L Southern Research Station Resource Bulletin SRS–191 About the Authors Thomas J. Brandeis is a Research Forester with the Forest Inventory and Analysis Research Work Unit, Southern Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Knoxville, TN 37919. Jeffery A. Turner is a Forester with the Forest Inventory and Analysis Research Work Unit, Southern Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Knoxville, TN 37919. All photos by Thomas J. Brandeis, Southern Research Station, unless otherwise noted. Front cover: top left, forest tree roots bind the soil to steep slopes, protecting them from erosion.; top right, the view from El Yunque National Forest towards the town of Luquillo on the northeast coast of Puerto Rico.; bottom, Playa Escondida in the Northeast Ecological Corridor, Puerto Rico. Back cover: top left, El Yunque National Forest.; top right, a freshwater seep in the El Yunque National Forest.; bottom, lower montane forest understory. The native island peacock orchid (Psychilis macconnelliae). (photo by Dr. Humfredo Marcano, Southern Research Station) www.srs.fs.usda.gov Puerto Rico's Forests, 2009 Thomas J. Brandeis and Jeffery A. Turner Subtropical wet forest in northeastern Puerto Rico. Welcome... We are pleased to announce the publication of the 2009 forest inventory for Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s Forests, 2009, published by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Forest Service, is a valuable resource for managers of the island’s forests.
    [Show full text]
  • GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL ZONES for FAO FOREST REPORTING: 2010 Update
    Forest Resources Assessment Working Paper 179 GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL ZONES FOR FAO FOREST REPORTING: 2010 UPDate NOVEMBER, 2012 Forest Resources Assessment Working Paper 179 Global ecological zones for FAO forest reporting: 2010 Update FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2012 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. All rights reserved. FAO encourages the reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Non-commercial uses will be authorized free of charge, upon request. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes, including educational purposes, may incur fees. Applications for permission to reproduce or disseminate FAO copyright materials, and all queries concerning rights and licences, should be addressed by e-mail to [email protected] or to the Chief, Publishing Policy and Support Branch, Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy. Contents Acknowledgements v Executive Summary vi Acronyms vii 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 The GEZ 2000 map 1 2. Methods 6 2.1 The GEZ 2010 map update.
    [Show full text]
  • An Application Op the Holdridge Life Zone Model
    An application of the Holdridge life zone model to the Arizona landscape Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Ballard, Donna Jean, 1948- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 29/09/2021 18:30:57 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/566364 AN APPLICATION OP THE HOLDRIDGE LIFE ZONE MODEL TO THE ARIZONA LANDSCAPE Donna Jean Ballard A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND AREA DEVELOPMENT In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS WITH A MAJOR IN GEOGRAPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 7 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of re­ quirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judg­ ment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholar­ ship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author.
    [Show full text]
  • Application of Holdridge Life Zones (Hlz) in Pakistan
    Pak. J. Bot., 47(SI): 359-366, 2015. APPLICATION OF HOLDRIDGE LIFE ZONES (HLZ) IN PAKISTAN SYED MAHMOOD NASIR1*, MUHAMMAD AFRASIYAB1 AND MOHAMMAD ATHAR2 1Office of the Inspector General of Forests, Climate Change Division, LG and RD Complex, G-5/2 Islamabad, Pakistan 2Adjunct Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology University of Karachi, Karachi-75270 *Corresponding author: [email protected]; Tel: +92-51-9245589; Fax: +92-51-9245590. Abstract Classification of an ecosystem is important in understanding climate change. This paper examines and juxtaposes the existing systems used in Pakistan with the contemporary global systems and tessellates that the two are not congruent. We propose application of Holdridge life zone (HLZ) classification system in Pakistan which has not yet been determined. This opens a new outlook and helps understanding climate change in Pakistan while aligning it with the globally accepted uniform system. There is no single classification system in Pakistan that could be regarded as universally accepted. Previous classifications have done to fulfill specific objectives. It is accepted that three key factors of HLZ have to be taken into account to reach a meaningful interpretation of climate viz a viz vegetation i.e. TBio, PAnn and PET ratio. In this paper a new biome map of Pakistan at 0.5° Spatial resolution has been extracted based on HLZ model. We investigated 38 worldwide classes and acknowledge the existence of 26 in Pakistan including 5 classes from the Tropical Zones. We find that the extracted map is in line with the ground reality as well as the previous studies done on the subject.
    [Show full text]