A flexible, multi-scale lotic habitat classification system for the Great Lakes

Classification is a valuable tool for simplifying and organizing the complexity of nature. However, classifications of aquatic habitat have typically been too general for specific applications or too specific to address wide ranging problems or geographic areas. Also, few deal effectively with the range of scales that have significant influences on ecological problems. We describe development and application of a multiscale hierarchical classification system for lotic habitats, based on landscape characteristics. The system provides 1) a standardized, nested set of generic spatial units encompassing all lotic habitats and 2) methods for populating those spatial units to generate specific classifications, comparable at any given spatial scale. We illustrate application of the framework to develop a fish-based classification for New York. The framework is flexible and may be used to generate virtually any habitat classification for selected aquatic communities or habitat issues provided the necessary georeferenced data are available to populate the standard spatial units. Results apply to spatial scales ranging from the steam segment to the region and will be available (via the National Gap Analysis Program) throughout the Great Lakes states for use by natural resource scientists and managers for planning, decision-making and a variety of other applications.