Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 11.1
Classification Scheme of the Term Habitat
Biota
Land
Species
and Communities
Species
Cartesian space
Begon et al. (1990)
Zonneveld (1995)
Krebs (1985)
Odum (1971)
Merriam-Webster
(1981)
Cartesian
space and
Morrison et al.
(1992)
Encyclopaedia
Britannica (1994)
Stelfox and
Ironside (1982)
environment
Mayhew and
Penny (1992)
Yapp (1922)
Kerr (1986)
USFWS
(1980a, 1980b)
Herr and Queen
(1993)
Environment
Collin (1988)
Merriam-Webster
(1981)
Whittaker et al.
(1973)
Moore (1967)
The various meanings of habitat are grouped according to whether the term relates to biota (species or
species and communities) or land and whether it relates to Cartesian space, environmental space, or
both.
Riparian habitat, for instance, is a specific environment, with no relation to
biota. Use of habitat in this sense is widespread in the ecological literature (e.g.,
old-forest habitat, Lehmkuhl and Raphael [1993], or woodland habitat,
Begon et al. [1990]). The concept predominates in ecology applied to land
management such as habitat mapping (Stelfox and Ironside 1982; Kerr 1986),
habitat evaluation (USFWS 1980a, 1980b; Herr and Queen 1993), and habi-
tat suitability modeling (USFWS 1981). A similar meaning of habitat is used
in a review of habitat-based methods for biological impact assessment (Atkin-
son 1985). Although it has been used very often in this sense, we were unable
to find a single definition. A closely related concept, the habitat type, which is
used in habitat mapping, has been defined as “an area, delineated by a biolo-
gist, that has consistent abiotic and biotic attributes such as dominant or sub-
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