Ensemble Habitat Distribution Maps for EUNIS Habitat Type S22

This dataset contains the outputs of Use Case 5 (FAIRiCUBE), representing ensemble habitat distribution maps for the EUNIS habitat type S22 (Alpine and subalpine ericoid heath). The maps were generated within a machine learning (ML) modelling framework and are designed to be compared with the official European Nature Information System (EUNIS) habitat mapping method.

The modelling approach integrates species occurrence records from vegetation surveys, citizen science initiatives, and museum collections, all retrieved from GBIF, for the eight diagnostic species (including taxonomic synonyms) associated with habitat S22. These records were combined with environmental predictor variables derived from Earth Observation and climatic data sources to produce harmonised, spatially aligned habitat maps individually for each species. Individual maps were then aggregated to final maps representing the Habitat S22 at 1km and 100 m resolutions. 

Area of Interest: Europe (1 km resolution) and the Alps region (100 m resolution).

Diagnostic species (S22) involved: 

•  Dryas octopetala (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.pcb2f5)
•  Helictochloa versicolor (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.fjpt7s)
• Hieracium alpinum (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.et8s3p)
•  Homogyne alpina (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.77nej7)
•  Loiseleuria procumbens (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.f2uzb6)
•  Rhododendron ferrugineum (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.4xqbxx)
•  Scorzoneroides helvetica (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.9f2jeu)
•  Vaccinium uliginosum (GBIF DOI doi.org/10.15468/dl.4cdnm2)

Environmental variables: 

• Aridity Index
• Elevation
• Slope
• HLI
• TRI
• TWI
• Temperature
• Seasonal temperature
• Precipitation
• Seasonal precipitation

All can be found at the UC5 GitHub repository