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The standard data collection protocol for TRCA since 2001 has been based on parts of the Ecological Land Classification System, or ELC, for Southern Ontario, developed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Lee et al., 1998). The ELC method classifies the landscape using an organizational framework of a nested hierarchy of scale. The broadest scale is the ELC Community Class (e.g. Forest), and the most detailed is Vegetation Type (e.g. dry-fresh sugar maple forest). A full ELC survey to the level of vegetation type is a very detailed and time-consuming process. The TRCA protocol for surveying vegetation communities strikes a balance between giving enough detail to provide meaningful descriptions of vegetation communities and the constraints of time and funding. For example, resources are unlikely to be available to pursue detailed soil analysis (as outlined in the ELC field guide) in every patch surveyed in the TRCA jurisdiction, especially in the baseline phase. A code from the ELC system is assigned to each polygon. For reference, a list of communities with their codes, scores, and descriptions is carried into the field by the surveyor. Additional vegetation types described by the TRCA since 2000 that are not found in the ELC field guide are included in this reference list.
ELC Attribute Table - Summary | |
Field Name | Description |
CPYDENSITY | Canopy Density – A measure of how closed or open the canopy cover (tree crown) is within the community. Estimate based on following cover ranges (<10%, 10-25%, 25-35%, 35-60%, >60%) |
CANOPYSP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the canopy. |
CPYDOM1 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in CANOPSP1 within the canopy |
CANOPYSP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the canopy. |
CPYDOM2 | Ranking of prevalence the species identified in CANOPYSP2 within the canopy. |
CANOPYSP3 | Seven character flora code of the third most prevalent species within the canopy. |
CPYDOM3 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in CANOPYSP3 within the canopy. |
CANOPYSP4 | Seven character flora code of the fourth most prevalent species within the canopy. |
CPYDOM4 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in CANOPYSP4 within the canopy. |
MDLDENSITY | Midstory Density – A measure of how closed or open the canopy cover (midstory) is within the community. Estimate based on following cover ranges (<10%, 10-25%, 25-35%, 35-60%, >60%) |
MIDDLESP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the middle canopy. |
MDLDOM1 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in MIDDLESP1 within the midstory. |
MIDDLESP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the midstory. |
MDLDOM2 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in MIDDLESP2 within the midstory. |
MIDDLESP3 | Seven character flora code of the third most prevalent species within the midstory. |
MDLDOM3 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in MIDDLESP3 within the midstory. |
MIDDLESP4 | Seven character flora code of the fourth most prevalent species within the middle canopy. |
MDLDOM4 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in MIDDLESP4 within the middle canopy. |
LWRDENSITY | Lower (Understory) Density - A measure of how closed or open the canopy cover (understory) is within the community. Estimate based on following cover ranges (<10%, 10-25%, 25-35%, 35- 60%, >60%) |
LOWERSP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the understory. |
LWRDOM1 | Ranking of prevalence the species identified in LOWERSP1 within the understory. |
LOWERSP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the understory. |
LWRDOM2 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in LOWERSP2 within the understory. |
LOWERSP3 | Seven character flora code of the third most prevalent species within the understory. |
LWRDOM3 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in LOWERSP3 within the understory. |
LOWERSP4 | Seven character flora code of the fourth most prevalent species within the understory. |
LWRDOM4 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in LOWERSP3 within the understory. |
GNDDENSITY | Ground Layer Density – A measure of how closed or open the canopy cover (forest floor) is within the community. Estimate based on following cover ranges (<10%, 10-25%, 25-35%, 35- 60%, >60%) |
GROUNDSP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the ground level. |
GNDDOM1 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in GROUNDSP1 within the ground level. |
GROUNDSP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the ground level. |
GNDDOM2 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in GROUNDSP2 within the ground level. |
GROUNDSP3 | Seven character flora code of the third most prevalent species within the ground level. |
GNDDOM3 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in GROUNDSP3 within the ground level. |
GROUNDSP4 | Seven character flora code of the fourth most prevalent species within the ground level. |
GNDDOM4 | Ranking of prevalence for the species identified in GROUNDSP4 within the ground level. |
AGECLASS | Age classification of the ELC community. Derived from successional and chronological age. |
SOILS | Soil depth of Organic Horizon (ORG_HOR) if present. |
ELCCODE1 | 4-7 character code describing the ELC community. Complete list of codes and descriptions can be found in “Ecological Land Classification for Southern Ontario” MNR circa 1998. |
COMPLEX1 | 4-7 character ELC code describing distinct ELC subunit forming interspersed secondary network within the larger ELC community. If present. |
COMP1SP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the complex (COMPLEX1) |
COMP1SP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the complex (COMPLEX1) |
COMPLEX2 | 4-7 character ELC code describing distinct ELC subunit existing within the larger ELC community. If present. |
COMP2SP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the complex (COMPLEX2) |
COMP2SP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the complex (COMPLEX2) |
INCLUSION1 | 4-7 character ELC code describing distinct ELC subunit too small to map within the larger ELC community. If present. |
INCL1SP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the complex (INCLUSION1) |
INCL1SP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the complex (INCLUSION1) |
INCLUSION2 | 4-7 character ELC code describing distinct ELC subunit too small to map within the larger ELC community. If present. |
INCL2SP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the complex (INCLUSION2) |
INCL2SP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the complex (INCLUSION2) |
LOG_CUT | Mechanical clearing of the canopy, including opening of the forest for landscaping purposes. Light – occasional stumps Moderate – fairly open canopy Severe – original community still recognizable buy barely so. |
TRAIL_TRMP | This can result from pedestrians, mountain bikes, and/or off-leash dogs. Urban forest patches with heavy trampling have virtually no ground layer, except scattered exotics such as garlic mustard. |
GRAZING | Presence of herbivory from cattle or other livestock. |
BROWSING | Presence of herbivory from deer, geese or other non-domesticated fauna. |
FLOODING | Presence of periodic or permanent flooding conditions, storm-water flooding including scouring, flattened and muddy vegetation and silt deposits. |
BEAVER_ACT | Presence of beaver activity |
TRASH_DMP | Presence of litter, illegal dumping, fire-pits, yard-waste dumped over ravine edges and crude construction. |
FILL_SDMT | Presence of soil removal, dumping of fill or excavation within the community. |
EXOTICS | Subjective assessment of the exotic species present in a community, including all layers. |
DATE | Date the ELC community was collected/observed. |
OBSERVER | Name of biologist who recorded the observation. |
COMMENTS | Additional comments |
ORG_HOR | Organic horizon depth of organic material present along soil profile (cm) |
AHOR_DEPTH | Depth of A Horizon (cm) n |
AHOR_TEX | Soil texture of the A Horizon |
BHOR_DEPTH | Depth of B Horizon |
BHOR_TEX | Soil texture of the B Horizon |
DEPTH_MOTT | Depth to mottles |
DEPTH_GLEY | Depth to gley |
EFFECT_TEX | Effective texture |
MOIST_REG | Moisture regime |
POLY_NO | Number of the ELC community polygon. Used for reference and internal purposes. |
VERNAL_PL | Vernal pool – documents the presence or absence of ephemeral ponds. |
QAQC_NAME | Name of technician or biologist who conducted the QA/QC process |
QAQC_DATE | Date QA/QC is completed |
COMPLEX3 | 4-7 character ELC code describing distinct ELC subunit forming interspersed secondary network within the larger ELC community. |
INCLUSION3 | 4-7 character ELC code describing distinct ELC subunit too small to map within the larger ELC community. |
NOTES | General comments |
INVASIVES | List of invasive species within the community |
DISTURBANC | List of disturbances within the community |
PICTURE | |
COMP3SP1 | Seven character flora code of the most prevalent species within the complex (COMPLEX3) |
COMP3SP2 | Seven character flora code of the second most prevalent species within the complex (COMPLEX3) |
ELC_NAME | Common name of the Ecological Land Classification community |
SCORE_DATE | Date the LRank was calculated |
ELC_LOCAL | ELC Local Concern Score |
LOCAL_OCCU | Local Occurrence score. Average of Local Distribution and Area Score |
LOCAL_DIST | Local Distribution Score |
AREA_SCORE | Area Score |
GEO_PHYSIC | Geophysical Score |
LRANK | Local Concern Score |
SHAPE_LENG | Length of the ELC community perimeter |
SHAPE_AREA | Area of the ELC community |