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4.3.3 Final classification scheme
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CHaPTeR 4 Results
The final classification scheme was developed based on the feedback from the review workshop
and further analyses. A total of 4678 sites were allocated to 210 communities in the final
classification scheme. During the revision, changes were made to the allocation of 855 sites. Of
these 108 sites were removed from the final classification and the remaining were allocated to
different groups (including a small number of previously unallocated sites). Of the 258 groups
presented to the review panel 207 were retained in the final classification (in some cases with
changes and/or merging with other groups) and three new groups were created either by
splitting older groups or creating new groups from previously unallocated sites. In addition to
these, 16 groups that were not represented within the scheme but were considered appropriate
for conclusion were listed with the final classification. A number of these unrepresented
communities were identified through the grasslands workshop (see below), while others
were identified through the review process outlined above in section 3.4.7. Table 4.5 lists all
final communities and indicates whether they were represented within the final classification
scheme. A brief description of each community is given below in section 4.5.4. For convenience
the descriptions have been grouped by Keith formations / subformations and within that have
been retained in dendrogram order.
Table 4.5. Overview of outcomes of the expert review of the classification scheme
Statistics from vegetation classification review
Groups requiring site cleaning (e.g. remove outliers)
Number
45
Groups accepted by experts 161
Groups requiring action Remove 5
Merge 68
Merge / split 7
Split 3
Checking 14
Total requiring action 97
Groups under-sampled 32
Total number of groups classified 258
4.3.4 Expert review of grasslands communities
An expert review workshop was held to identify grassland communities known to exist
within the study area. It should be noted that a small number of grassland communities were
represented within the final classification scheme, however, given the general focus on woody
vegetation in the majority of surveys compiled it was considered unlikely that these groups
would provide a comprehensive list of grassland communities in the study area. The initial
task for the workshop was to develop a working definition of native grassland communities to
guide discussions. The following definition was developed during the workshop:
grasslands
➜ 50% of ground cover present is made up of grasses (i.e. members of Poaceae family)
➜ Ground cover dominated by native perennial grasses