← Back to catalogue
TODO

Habitat

vr.wm-liv-010 · wm-liv-010-habitat

Places and conditions in which species and communities live, with extent and condition.

World Models Physical world and living systems PHY.LIV.HAB
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

3 bundles · 3 layers · 6 findings · 12 questions

Classification and extent What kind of habitat it is and where.

Habitat type and mapping

The classification and mapped area of a habitat patch.

Habitat type

The class assigned under a named classification scheme.

  1. Which classification scheme and code describe this habitat?
  2. On what evidence was the class assigned, field survey or remote sensing?

Mapped extent

The boundary and area of the patch.

  1. What area does the patch cover, and when was it mapped?
  2. With what positional accuracy was the boundary drawn?
Condition How healthy the habitat is.

Structure and function

The state of the habitat against its reference condition.

Condition assessment

The rated condition with its indicators.

  1. Which indicators were used to rate the condition, and what are their values?
  2. Is the condition improving, stable or declining compared with the previous assessment?

Pressures

Pressures and threats acting on the habitat.

  1. Which pressures, such as drainage, invasive species or fragmentation, act on the habitat?
  2. Which pressures are expected to increase?
Species and protection What lives there and how it is protected.

Associated species and status

Species supported and legal protection.

Characteristic species

Species recorded as typical or dependent on the habitat.

  1. Which characteristic species were recorded in the patch, and when?
  2. Which protected or threatened species depend on it?

Protection status

Protected area designations and legal listing.

  1. Is the patch within a protected area or listed as a protected habitat type?
  2. Which management plan or measures apply to it?

Classifiers Filled

Family
World Models
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
standalone-mm
Navigation path
NAV.PHY.LIV.HAB
Domain
PHY.LIV.HAB
Industry
Cross-industry
Tags
habitatphy.liv.hab

What it is Filled

A habitat is the place and set of environmental conditions in which a species, population or community lives, described by its physical features, vegetation and the species it supports. A habitat type is a classified kind of habitat, and a habitat patch is a mapped instance of it. It is narrower than an ecosystem or biome and differs from land cover, which describes the surface without reference to the species living there.

Why it exists Filled

Places and conditions in which species and communities live, with extent and condition.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Defined by the species it supports and its environmental conditions, not only by surface cover.
  • Smaller and more specific than an ecosystem or biome, and can be mapped as patches.
  • Distinguishes a classified habitat type from a mapped instance with its own condition.
  • Distinct from a land parcel, whose boundaries are legal rather than ecological.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Disclose precise locations of sensitive species in a habitat to the public.
  • Downgrade a habitat's class or condition to ease approval of a project.
  • Enter or disturb a protected habitat, including with drones or vehicles, without authorisation.
  • Present a modelled habitat map as a field-verified survey.
  • Ignore seasonal or breeding restrictions when planning field work.

Only with a human decision

  • Designating or de-designating protected habitats.
  • Approving interventions such as clearing, drainage or restoration works.

May

  • Map and classify habitat patches from survey and remote sensing data with stated confidence.
  • Report condition indicators and pressures against reference values.
  • Link species occurrence records to the habitats where they were observed.
  • Flag planned activities that overlap protected habitats.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Habitat loss is the main driver of species decline, so records feed decisions with lasting effect.
  • Location data can expose rare species to collectors or poachers.
  • Landowners and communities using the land have interests that need a fair hearing.

Who is affected

  • Species dependent on the habitat
  • Landowners and land users
  • Conservation authorities and researchers

Owners Filled

Steward

The nature conservation authority or survey body that classifies, maps and reports on habitats in its territory.

Master systems

  • National habitat inventory
  • Protected area register
  • Biodiversity information system

Links to other meta-models Filled

part-of

  • world-p8-ecosystem-and-biome - Habitats are finer units within ecosystems and biomes.

references

  • wm-liv-003-population - Populations live in and depend on habitats.

related

  • wm-ear-011-land-cover-land-use - Land cover is a surface description often used to map habitats.

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • A habitat type is identified by its code in a classification scheme such as EUNIS or the IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme.
  • A habitat patch is identified by the surveying body's polygon identifier, with geometry and survey date.
  • Protected habitat sites are identified by their protected area codes.

Direct properties required Filled

  • Area in hectares or square metres, with the mapping date and method.
  • Vegetation cover and height as percent cover and metres per sampling plot.
  • Soil or substrate type, moisture and pH, and for aquatic habitats water depth in metres, salinity and temperature in degrees Celsius.
  • Species richness and abundance per sampling unit, with the survey method stated.
  • Elevation in metres and slope in degrees.

Recognition required Filled

  • Recognised by its vegetation structure, characteristic species, substrate and water regime.
  • Often confused with land cover classes, ecosystem types or protected area boundaries.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • Supports species populations and ecological functions within its extent.
  • Changes condition over time through succession, pressures and management.

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Fragmentation and degradation that go unnoticed between surveys.
  • Disturbance to wildlife during field surveys.
  • Misclassification leading to loss of legal protection.

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • EUNIS habitat classification and the IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme.
  • OGC and INSPIRE spatial data services for habitat maps.
  • Darwin Core for linking species occurrences to habitats.

Context of use required Filled

  • Used in nature conservation, impact assessment, spatial planning and restoration.
  • Protected habitat types are listed in law in many jurisdictions.

Sources Filled

  1. EUNIS habitat classification, European Environment Agency
  2. IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme, International Union for Conservation of Nature
  3. Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, European Union

Open questions

  • Planned model: boundary questions, research and every section remain to be written.

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification AGENTS.md Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

planned (registry candidate) · todo

Built from: models/runtime-index.json, ver-cy/world-models/card-supplements/wm-liv-010-habitat.json

Planned entry, hidden from the catalogue until researched.