Australian Vegetation Attribute Manual: Appendix J: Worked Example

National Vegetation Information System, Version 6.0
Executive Steering Committee for Australian Vegetation Information (ESCAVI)
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2003
ISBN 0 642 54953 2

Appendix J: Worked Example

Here is an example of a vegetation description record altered to conform with version 6.0 of the Australian Vegetation Attributes.

The database keys are shown for illustrative purposes only. Their values should not be copied into the database.

The example uses a vegetation type with the SOURCE_CODE "51" supplied by the Queensland Herbarium to the NVIS (2000) database.

This type occurs in about 50 map units, of which 3 are shown, highlighted, below.

The example illustrates the resolution of mosaics into the preferred format. In this case, all of the relevant data was supplied in the field SOURCE_CODE, but in a sub-optimal format.

This has been split into the unique SOURCE_CODE_COMPONENT and the corresponding content in VEG_DESC_POSITION and VEG_DESC_PROPORTION.

The fields marked with asterisks will be deleted from the final NVIS database once the mosaics have been resolved into their component vegetation descriptions. These fields are described in Appendix I.

I.e. the mosaics are "resolved" when each SOURCE_CODE = Each SOURCE_CODE_COMPONENT.

MAP_UNIT TABLE
MAP_UNIT_ID	19135	19136	21077	21078	21079	21086	21087
VEG_ID	27	161	161	533	688	161	533
DATA_SET_ID	54	54	54	54	54	54	54
MAPUNT_ IDENTIFIER	40519235	40519235	40520224	40520224	40520224	40520228	40520228
SPATIAL_MIX	dominant mosaic	dominant mosaic	mosaic	mosaic	mosaic	dominant mosaic	dominant mosaic
NUMBER_OF_ VEG_ DESCRIPTIONS	2	2	3	3	3	2	2
VEG_DESC _POSITION	1	2	1	2	3	1	2
VEG_DESC_ PROPORTION	70	30	50	40	10	70	30
SOURCE_CODE*	146/51: 70/30	146/51: 70/30	51/116/196: 50/40/10	51/116/196: 50/40/10	51/116/196: 50/40/10	51/116: 70/30	51/116: 70/30
SOURCE_ DESCRIPTION*	(see below)	(see below)	(see below)	(see below)	(see below)	(see below)	(see below)
SOURCE_CODE _COMPONENT*	146	51	51	116	196	51	116
See the following page for each SOURCE_ DESCRIPTION.
MAP_UNIT_ID	SOURCE_DESCRIPTION
19135	Astrebla spp wooded with Acacia spp, Eucalyptus spp and other tall shrubs, Tussock Grassland
19136	Eucalyptus coolabah +/- Casuarina cristata +/- Alectryon oleifolius open-woodland
21077	Eucalyptus coolabah +/- Casuarina cristata +/- Alectryon oleifolius open-woodland
21078	Eucalyptus populnea, Casuarina cristata +/- Tall Shrubs woodland
21079	Acacia cambagei +/- Casuarina cristata open-forest
21086	Eucalyptus coolabah +/- Casuarina cristata +/- Alectryon oleifolius open-woodland
21087	Eucalyptus populnea, Casuarina cristata +/- Tall Shrubs woodland

The following table shows the description of source code 51 with the "+/-" terminology based on the attribute TAXON_DATA_ALWAYS_THERE.

The "+/-" terminology for GROWTH_FORM_ALWAYS_THERE has not been shown, since we anticipate that it would be used sparingly.

Where the mosaic is resolved, the VEG_DESCRIPTION AND MAP_UNIT tables become relatively simple and the number of records is dramatically reduced.

VEG_DESCRIPTION TABLE
VEG_ID	161
SOURCE_CODE	51
LEVEL_OF_DETAIL	level6_sub-association
NUMBER_OF_STRATA	4
L1_CLASS	Tree
L2_STRUCTURAL_FORMATION	Open woodland
L3_BROAD_FLORISTIC_FORMATION	Eucalyptus open woodland
L4_SUB_FORMATION	+Eucalyptus open woodland\Acacia tall sparse shrubland\Aristida open tussock grassland

L5_ASSOCIATION	U+ ^Eucalyptus coolabah+/-Casuarina cristata+/-Flindersia maculosa\^tree\7\r;M +/-Alectryon oleifolius+/-^Acacia salicina+/-Acacia stenophylla\^shrub\4\r;G ^+/-Aristida ramosa+/-Astrebla squarrosa+/-Bothriochloa decipiens\^tussock grass,forb,sedge\2\i
L6_SUB_ASSOCIATION	U1+ ^Eucalyptus coolabah+/-Casuarina cristata+/-Flindersia maculosa\^tree\7\r;M1 +/-Alectryon oleifolius+/-^Acacia salicina+/-Acacia stenophylla+/-Acacia victoriae subsp. victoriae+/-Eremophila bignoniiflora\^shrub\4\bi;M2 Eremophila longifolia+/-Muehlenbeckia florulenta\shrub\3\r;G1 +/-^Aristida ramosa+/-Astrebla squarrosa+/-Bothriochloa decipiens+/-Dichanthium sericeum+/-Enteropogon acicularis\^tussock grass,forb,sedge\2\i
SOURCE_DESCRIPTION	Eucalyptus coolabah +/- Casuarina cristata +/- Alectryon oleifolius open-woodland
ENVIRONMENTAL_DESCRIPTION	Plains, alluvials and floodplains on Cainozoic sediments.

STRATUM TABLE
STRATUM_ID	365465	365466	365467	365468
VEG_ID	161	161	161	161
STRATUM_CODE	U1	M1	G1	M2
SUB_STRATUM_RANK	1	1	1	2
NUMBER_OF_GROWTH_FORMS	1	1	3	1
NUMBER_OF_TAXA	3	5	5	2
COVER_TYPE	4C	4C	4C	4C
COVER_TYPE_DERIV_METHOD	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_MINIMUM_VALUE	5	0	15	1
COVER_MAXIMUM_VALUE	10	1	40	5
COVER_MEDIAN_VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEAN_VALUE	7	0	25	3
COVER_CODE	r	bi	i	r
HEIGHT_TYPE	NV	NV	NV	NV
HEIGHT_TYPE_DERIV_METHOD	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
HEIGHT_MINIMUM_VALUE	9	2	0	1
HEIGHT_MAXIMUM_VALUE	15	6	1	2
HEIGHT_MEAN_VALUE	12	4	0.5	1.5
HEIGHT_MEDIAN_VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
HEIGHT_CLASS	7	4	2	3
DOMINANT_STRATUM_FLAG	Y	N	N	N

The following table provide the detailed components of vegetation SOURCE_CODE 51.

GROWTH_FORM TABLE
GROWTH_FORM_ID	4547229	4547230	4547231	4547232	4547233	4547234
STRATUM_ID	365465	365466	365467	365467	365467	365468
GROWTH_FORM_RANK	1	1	1	2	3	1
GROWTH_FORM_CODE	T	S	G	F	V	S
COVER_TYPE	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_TYPE_DERIV_METHOD	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_MINIMUM_VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MAXIMUM_VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEDIAN_VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEAN_VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
GR_FORM_DOMINANCE_QUALIFIER	D	D	D	SD	SD	D
GROWTH_FORM_FREQUENCY	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
GROWTH_FORM_ALWAYS_THERE
GROWTH_FORM_SUMMARY_FLAG	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N

TAXON_DATA TABLE
TAXON_DATA_ID	1238981	1238982	1238983	1238984	1238985	1238986	1238987	1238988
STRATUM_ID	365465	365465	365465	365466	365466	365466	365466	365466
TAXON_LISTS_ID	131472	121171	121739	123974	123131	123137	130703	121565
TAXON_DATA_RANK	1	2	3	1	2	3	4	5
TAXON_DATA_ DESCRIPTION	Eucalyptus coolabah	Casuarina cristata	Flindersia maculosa	Alectryon oleifolius	Acacia salicina	Acacia stenophylla	Acacia victoriae	Eremophila bignoniiflora
TAXON_DATA_ SOURCE_CODE
COVER_TYPE	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_TYPE_ DERIV_METHOD	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_MINIMUM _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MAXIMUM _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEDIAN _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEAN _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
TAXON_DATA_ DOMINANCE_ QUALIFIER	D	SD	SD	CD	CD	CD	CD	CD
TAXON_DATA_ FREQUENCY	A	C	O	C	C	C	C	C
TAXON_DATA_ ALWAYS_THERE	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
TAXON_DATA_ SUMMARY_FLAG	Y	N	N	N	Y	N	N	N
TAXON_DATA_ID	1238989	1238990	1238991	1238992	1238993	1238994	1238995
STRATUM_ID	365467	365467	365467	365467	365467	365468	365468
TAXON_LISTS_ID	130969	123207	132245	130986	130032	121569	132263
TAXON_DATA_RANK	1	2	3	4	5	1	2
TAXON_DATA_ DESCRIPTION	Aristida ramosa	Astrebla squarrosa	Bothriochloa decipiens	Dichanthium sericeum	Enteropogon acicularis	Eremophila longifolia	Muehlenbeckia florulenta
TAXON_DATA_ SOURCE_CODE
COVER_TYPE	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_TYPE_ DERIV_METHOD	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
COVER_MINIMUM _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MAXIMUM _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEDIAN _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
COVER_MEAN _VALUE	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999	-9999
TAXON_DATA_ DOMINANCE_ QUALIFIER	CD	CD	CD	CD	CD	D	SD
TAXON_DATA _FREQUENCY	C	C	C	C	C	A	O
TAXON_DATA _ALWAYS_THERE	N	N	N	N	N	Y	N
TAXON_DATA_ SUMMARY_FLAG	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N