1. A solution to modelling vegetation condition for whole-of-landscape conservation planning Megan J McNellie 1,2 †; Ian Oliver 2 ; Simon Ferrier 3 ; Graeme Newell 4 ; Glenn Manion 2 ; Peter Griffioen 5 ; Matt White 4 and Philip Gibbons 1 Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

2. Vegetation condition is also referred to as quality, health, intactness or naturalness We need vegetation condition to help inform decisions about land management and biodiversity conservation Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

3. Vegetation condition Vegetation structure or composition ( = type) Vegetation configuration Vegetation extent Increasing complexity Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

4. Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

5. Image Credit: ESRI 1:5k base map for UK and Ireland Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

6. Image Credit: Elizabeth Broese Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

7. Overstorey cover STRUCTURE Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

8. Overstorey cover Midstorey cover Shrub cover STRUCTURE Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

9. Overstorey cover Midstorey cover Shrub cover Total groundcover Grassy groundcover Other groundcover STRUCTURE Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

10. Total exotic cover Native species richness Proportion exotic species COMPOSITION Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

11. Surrogate for fauna habitat mapping or species distribution modelling Image Credit: Ken Stepnell Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

12. Image Credit:: Tanya Doody CSIRO Restoration and regeneration Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

13. Image Credit: Michael Jarman / OEH Planning for fire management Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

14. Image Credit: J Doyle / OEH Ecological management of weeds and invasive species Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

15. Image Credit: Stuart Cohen / OEH Aesthetic and cultural values Image Credit: Kelly Nowak / OEH Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014 Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

16. Hidden layer Predictor variables Output layer Input matrix +14 000 site locations Artificial neural network architecture Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

17. Overstorey cover r 2 = 0.48 STRUCTURE Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

18. Overstorey cover r 2 = 0.48 Midstorey cover r 2 = 0.36 Shrub cover r 2 = 0.35 STRUCTURE Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

19. Overstorey cover r 2 = 0.48 Total groundcover r 2 = 0.43 Grassy groundcover r 2 = 0.31 Other groundcover r 2 = 0.44 Midstorey cover r 2 = 0.36 Shrub cover r 2 = 0.35 STRUCTURE Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

20. Total exotic cover r 2 = 0.81 Native species richness r 2 = 0.67 Proportion exotic species r 2 = 0.88 COMPOSITION Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

21. Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

22. Predicted native species richness r 2 = 0.69 Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

23. Coonanarabran Gunnedah Narrabri Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

24. Key Points transformed existing floristic records to describe the structure and composition of a site, delivered a spatially explicit representation of nine vegetation attributes, used to inform a range of ecological applications, including assessment of whole of landscape condition status Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014 Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014

25. Image Credit: J Spencer/OEH Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014 Spatial Ecology and Conservation University of Birmingham 17 th – 20 th June 2014