Mapping Nature: Integration of Community Niche Modeling, Spatial Analysis, and Remote Sensing for Landscape Evaluation

Author: Massimo Dragan
Organization: University of Trieste

Via L. Giorgieri, 10
Trieste, 34127
Italy

Phone: +39 040 6763304
Fax: +39 040 6763316
dragan@univ.trieste.it

A GIS pilot system for a mountain area in northeastern Italy has been implemented in order to define new methodologies for describing and mapping the landscape ecological value. Integration of vegetation and wildlife data, GIS, spatial analysis, and remotely sensed data was performed.

Supervised classification techniques provided the ecosystem structural layer. A European Community-compliant Corine Biotopes habitat map was derived from the characterization of structural types using the niches of vegetation types. A multitemporal database of wildlife sightings allowed the definition of habitat suitability models based on linear and nonlinear multivariate statistical analyses.

The vegetation map, wildlife models, and influence of human activity were combined in landscape evaluation indices and vulnerability profiles for environmental quality assessment.