A methodological approach to potential vegetation modeling using GIS techniques and phytosociological expert-knowledge: application to mainland Portugal

An attempt to obtain a consistent spatial model of natural potential vegetation (NPV) for the mainland Portuguese territory is reported. Spatial modeling procedures performed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, aimed to operationalize phytosociological expert-knowledge about the putative distribution of potential zona1 forest communities dominant in the Portuguese continental territories. The paradigm for NPV assumed was that of RIVAS-MARTINEZ (1976) and RIVAS-MARTINEZ et al. (1999), which presupposes, for a given territory, a univocal correspondence between a uniform combination of bioclimatic stage and lithology given a biogeographical context, and a unique successional sequence leading to a single climax community (i. e. a vegetation series (VS)).

Keywords

Vegetation Natural Potential Vegetation Portugal GIS

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10198/5379

Citation

Capelo, J.;Mesquita, S.; Costa, J.C.; Ribeiro, S.; Arsénio, P.; Neto, C.; Monteiro-Henriques, T.; Aguiar, C.; Honrado, J.; Espírito-Santo, D.; Lousã, M. (2007). A methodological approach to potential vegetation modeling using GIS techniques and phytosociological expert-knowledge: application to mainland Portugal. Phytocoenologia. ISSN 0340-269X. 37:3, p. 399-415