Ministry of Natural Resources

Science and Information Resources DivisionScience and Information Branch

Ecological Land ClassificationCentral Ontario

SSI Tech. Note TN-11

Ecosystem classifications provide a means to organize vegetation and soil into standard ecological units across regions. These tools are particularly useful for forest and habitat managers, allowing them to make sound silvicultural and resource management decisions.

Over the last 15 years, four regional ecosystem classifications have been produced in Ontario. These classifications have been well received by users and applied to a broad range of research studies and management activities.

These ecosystem classifications include keys and charts that are easily navigated and implemented by collecting and describing several specific soil and vegetation attributes. Through the application of these four existing regional classifications, several shortcomings were recognized. This resulted in the development of a single comprehensive provincial ecosystem classification, including the Ecosites of Ontario (OMNR 2009). Ecosites of Ontario is nested within an Ecological Land Classification (ELC) system for Ontario that addresses increased interest in conservation of ecosystems previously not represented (i.e., non-treed landscapes such as meadows and rock barrens) and challenges facing resource managers, such as the identification of hydric conditions.

Substantial data has been collected over the last decade using the original Field Guide to Forest Ecosystems of Central Ontario (Chambers et al. 1997). Recognizing these past investments, and the fact that new and additional data has been collected since 2009 with the new Ecosites of Ontario, the ELC working group has developed an ecosite conversion chart as a support tool that will aid in the translation of existing information, models and reports to the new provincial ELC ecosite definitions.

ProcedureRegional experts, familiar with both the central Ontario and the new provincial ecosite classifications, compared ecosites represented by the two classifications. The criteria used for the comparison includes stand composition, vegetation structure (hardwood or conifer), moisture regime, soil depth and texture. Available ELC plot data were individually reclassified and assigned to new provincial ecosites to identify potential relationships as this conversion chart was produced.

The two classification systems differ by approach and scope in five areas. The central Ontario ecosite classification:

1) Identifies very shallow soils as having soil depths less than 30 cm. The new provincial classification recognized very shallow as less than 15 cm. Central Ontario Ecosites that contain very shallow soils are allocated to the very shallow provincial ecosites.

2) Amalgamates the texture families of clayey and fine loamy. Within the Ecosites of Ontario, clayey is separated from the texture families of silty and fine loamy.

3) Recognizes a texture family of medium loamy. The new provincial classification groups medium loamy textures recognized in the central Ontario system into the coarse loamy texture family.

4) Creates an ecological ‘placeholder’ for Ecosites 1 through 10, that are replaced by new ecosites in the provincial classification, specifically addressing bluffs, beaches, cliffs, talus slopes and rock barrens.

5) Does not address fields, shrublands, anthropogenic, coastal, tidal or non-treed wetland ecosites that are identified in the Ecosites of Ontario.

A guide to translate central Ontario ecosites into “Ecosites of Ontario”

October 2011

Monique Wester, Peter Uhlig, Erin Banton and Rachelle Lalonde

Ecological Land Classification, Central Ontario

ResultsThe central Ontario conversion chart (sample in Figure 1) allows users to compare and convert central Ontario ecosite concepts to the corresponding new provincial ecosites. To use this chart, start by selecting an ecosite in either classification, follow that column or row until shading is encountered and then read the correlated ecosite.

Three levels of correlation were identified: best fit, good fit and poor fit. In general they can be interpreted as follows:

Best Fit: The central Ontario ecosite core concept is well described by the criteria within a corresponding new provincial ecosite. There is close agreement in stand composition, vegetation structure, moisture regime, soil depth and texture. Variability in lead and associated species may occur. More than one best fit is possible.

Good Fit: The central Ontario ecosite core concept is partially described by the criteria within a corresponding new provincial ecosite. There is agreement on some but not all of the stand composition, vegetation structure, moisture regime, soil depth and texture. Variability in lead and associated species may occur. More than one good fit is possible.

Poor Fit: The central Ontario ecosite core concept is not well described by the criteria within a corresponding new provincial ecosite. There is little agreement on the stand composition, vegetation structure, moisture regime, soil depth and texture. Variability in lead and associated species are common. Typically poor fits represent ecosite conditions that were often lumped into broader classes of the central Ontario ecosite typology (i.e. ecosites were not well represented on finer textured soils).

In some cases the original central Ontario ecosites were quite broad in terms of the vegetation and soil conditions that were included, and they represented

several contrasting conditions that were placed in a generalized ecosite. These old concepts were reassigned to several different new provincial ecosites. In some cases a best fit was not possible and only good or poor fits could be established.

The ecosite conversion chart is one of a series of tools provided by the ELC Working Group to help practitioners incorporate and effectively use the Ecosites of Ontario. A quick reference guide (Table 1) translates the central Ontario ecosites to the new provincial system. When a level of precision is required in the conversion of old to new ecosites it is advisable to take actual plot data or information and to reallocate each plot to a new ecosite.

ES15.1 is a poorfit with G050

ES15.1 is a bestfit with G049

ES13.2 is a goodfit with G048

Figure 1: A portion of the conversion chart showing the best, good and poor fit relationships between the central Ontario and new provincial ecosites (adapted from Pokharel et al. 2011).

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G045

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G048 G049

G050 G051

G052

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G054 G055

Ecological Land Classification, Central Ontario

Table 1: Central ecosite reference guide illustrating the membership of new provincial ecosites to the central ecosites.

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Central Ecosite Code

Central Ecosite Name Corresponding New Provincial Ecosites

ES1 Beach/Beach Ridge/Bar G005, G170, G171, G172, G186, G187, G188, (G160, G161, G162, G169, G176, G177, G178, G185)

ES2 Dune G006

ES3 Bluff G002, G003, G004, (G001)

ES4 Cliff/Crevice/Cave-acidic/circumneutral G157, G158, G159

ES5 Cliff/Crevice/Cave-calcareous G173, G174, G175

ES6 Rock Slope/Talus-acidic/circumneutral G166, G167, G168

ES7 Rock Slope/Talus-calcareous G182, G183, G184

ES8 Rock Barren-acidic/circumneutral G163, G164, G165, G008, G009, G010, G011, G012, (G014)

ES9 Rock Barren-calcareous (including Alvars) G179, G180, G181, G008, G009, G010, G011, G012, G013, (G014)

ES10 Sand Barren/Prairie/Savannah G006, G007, G008, G009, G020, G021, G030, G031, G045, G046, G061, G062, G078, G079, G094, G095, G110, G111

ES11.1 White Pine-Red Pine dry to moderately fresh soils G033, G048, G011

ES11.2 White Pine-Red Pine fresh to moist soils G048, G064, (G023, G081, G097, G113, G223, G224)

ES12.1 Red Pine dry to moderately fresh soils G033, G048, (G011)

ES12.2 Red Pine fresh to moist soils G048, G097, (G064, G113)

ES13.1 Jack Pine-White Pine-Red Pine dry to moderately fresh soils G011, G033, G012, G035, G048, (G050)

ES13.2 Jack Pine-White Pine-Red Pine fresh to moist soils G048, G050, (G083, G097, G099)

ES14.1 White Pine-Largetooth Aspen-Red Oak dry to moderately fresh soils

G039, G054, G015, (G011, G033, G048)

ES14.2 White Pine-Largetooth Aspen-Red Oak fresh to moist soils G059, (G054, G055, G069, G070, G076, G087, G088, G092, G103, G104, G108, G118, G119, G125)

ES15.1 Jack Pine dry to moderately fresh soils G012, G034, G049, (G035, G050)

ES15.2 Jack Pine fresh to very moist soils G223, G049, G098, (G024, G065, G082, G114)

ES16.1 Black Spruce-Pine dry to moderately fresh soils G012, G050, (G011, G033, G035, G048)

ES16.2 Black Spruce-Pine fresh to very moist soils G065, G050, (G024, G083, G099, G114, G222, G223)

ES17.1 Poplar-White Birch dry to moderately fresh soils G040, G055, (G016)

ES17.2 Poplar-White Birch fresh to moist soils G055, (G070, G088, G104, G119, G133)

ES18.1 Poplar-White Birch-White Spruce-Balsam Fir dry to moder-ately fresh soils

G040, G055, (G016, G037)

ES18.2 Poplar-White Birch-White Spruce-Balsam Fir fresh to moist soils

G055, G070, (G085, G086, G088, G104, G119, G130)

ES19.1 Poplar-Jack Pine-White Spruce-Black Spruce dry to moder-ately fresh soils

G040, G055, (G016)

ES19.2 Poplar-Jack Pine-White Spruce-Black Spruce fresh to moist soils

G059, G076, (G052, G053, G055, G067, G068, G070, G101, G102, G104, G108, G116, G117, G119, G125, G224, G133)

ES20.1 White Pine-Red Pine-White Spruce-White Birch-Trembling Aspen dry to moderately fresh soils

G033, G048, (G011)

ES20.2 White Pine-Red Pine-White Spruce-White Birch-Trembling Aspen fresh to moist soils

G048, G064, (G097, G113, G224)

ES21.1 Whtie Cedar-White Pine-White Birch-White Spruce dry to moderately fresh soils

G014, G038, G053, (G011, G013, G033, G036, G048, G051)

ES21.2 White Cedar-White Pine-White Birch-White Spruce fresh to moist soils

G053, (G048, G064, G068, G097, G102, G113, G117)

ES22 White Cedar-Other Conifer dry to moist soils G038, G053, G068, (G013, G014, G025, G026, G036, G051, G066, G100, G102, G115, G117)

ES23.1 Red Oak-Hardwood dry to moderately fresh soils G057, G059, G017, G041, G043, (G019)

Coding Structure: Ecosite is a best fit - G#; Ecosite is a good fit - G#; Ecosite is a poor fit - (G#)

Ecological Land Classification, Central Ontario

Central Ecosite Code

Central Ecosite Name Corresponding Provincial Ecosites

ES23.2 Red Oak-Hardwood fresh to moist soils G059, (G028, G058, G075, G076, G090, G091, G092, G106, G107, G108, G121, G124, G125, G131, G133)

ES24.1 Sugar Maple-Red Oak-Basswood dry to moderately fresh soils

G041, G043, G057, G059, G017, G042, G058, (G018, G019)

ES24.2 Sugar Maple-Red Oak-Basswood fresh to moist soils G059, G058, (G073, G076, G090, G091, G092, G106, G107, G108, G121, G122, G125, G131, G133)

ES25.1 Sugar Maple-Beech-Red Oak dry to moderately fresh soils G042, G058, G018, (G019, G043, G056, G059)

ES25.2 Sugar Maple-Beech-Red Oak fresh to moist soils G058, (G056, G073, G089, G091, G105, G107, G122)

ES26.1 Sugar Maple-Basswood dry to moderately fresh soils G042, G058, (G018)

ES26.2 Sugar Maple-Basswood fresh to moist soils G059, G058, G076, G108, G125, (G073, G091, G092, G101, G122)

ES27.1 Sugar Maple-White Birch-Poplar-White Pine dry to moder-ately fresh soils

G043, G059, (G015, G019, G039, G054)

ES27.2 Sugar Maple-White Birch-Poplar-White Pine fresh to moist soils

G059, G076, (G027, G028, G055, G058, G070, G074, G075, G088, G091, G092, G104, G107, G108, G119, G124, G125, G131, G133)

ES28.1 Sugar Maple-Hemlock-Yellow Birch dry to moderately fresh soils

G051, G058, (G013, G018, G036, G042)

ES28.2 Sugar Maple-Hemlock-Yellow Birch fresh to moist soils G058, (G073, G107, G122, G123)

ES29.1 Sugar Maple-Yellow Birch dry to moderately fresh soils G042, G058, (G040, G043, G055, G059)

ES29.2 Sugar Maple-Yellow Birch fresh to moist soils G058, (G055, G059, G070, G073, G076, G088, G091, G092, G104, G107, G108, G119, G122, G125)

ES30.1 Hemlock-Yellow Birch dry to moderately fresh soils G051, G013, (G036)

ES30.2 Hemlock-Yellow Birch fresh to moist soils G051, G066, (G084, G100, G115, G123, G224)

ES31 Black Spruce-Tamarack very moist mineral and wet organic soils

G127, G222, G128, G223, (G231)

ES32 Whtie Cedar-Black Spruce-Tamarack very moist mineral and wet organic soils

G128, G129, (G223, G224)

ES33 White Cedar-Other Conifer very moist to wet soils G129, G224

ES34 White Cedar-Lowland Hardwoods very moist to wet soils G130, (G066, G076, G115, G125, G224, G133)

ES35 Lowland Hardwoods fresh to very moist soils G130, (G071, G072, G075, G076, G120, G124, G125, G131, G132, G133)

For more information or to request a digital copy of the complete central Ontario ecosite conversion chart, please contact:

Peter UhligOntario Ministry of Natural ResourcesOntario Forest Research Institute(705) 946-7478peter.uhlig@ontario.ca

Northwestern OntarioErin Banton (erin.banton@ontario.ca)A guide to translate northwestern Ontario ecosites into “Ecosites of Ontario”

Northeastern OntarioRachelle Lalonde (rachelle.lalonde@ontario.ca)A guide to translate northeastern Ontario ecosites into “Ecosite of Ontario” Red maple hardwood swamp (G131) near Parry Sound. Photo:

Monique Wester, Ministry of Natural Resources.

Table 1 continued.

Coding Structure: Ecosite is a best fit - G#; Ecosite is a good fit - G#; Ecosite is a poor fit - (G#)

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Ecological Land Classification, Central Ontario

OMNR. 2009. Ecological Land Classification field manual – operational draft, April 20th, 2009. Ecological Land Classification Working Group. Ont. Min. Natur. Resour. Unpublished manual.

Pokharel, B., J.P. Dech and P. Uhlig. In press. A tool for converting forest ecosystem classifications for permanent or temporary growth plots into the new provincial Ecological Land Classification (ELC) system in the Boreal Regions of Ontario. Forestry Chronicle.

AcknowledgmentsBharat Pokharel and Jeffery Dech (Nipissing University: Department of Biology and Chemistry) shared their thoughts during the development of their tool which converts plot data to the new provincial ecosites, which led to the ecosite conversion template displayed within Figure 1.

Citation: Wester, M., P. Uhlig, E. Banton and R. Lalonde. 2011. A guide to translate central Ontario ecosites into “Ecosites of Ontario”. Ont. Min. Natur. Resour. SSI Tech. Note TN-11. 5 pp.

ReferencesChambers, B.A., B.J. Naylor, J. Nieppola, B. Merchant and P. Uhlig. 1997. Field Guide to Forest Ecosystems of Central Ontario. Ont. Min. Natur. Resour., SCSS Field Guide FG-01. 200 pp.

Fireweed and common tansy are the dominant species in this meadow (G110) in Echo Bay. Photo: Monique Wester, Ministry of Natural Resources.

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ISBN 978-1-4435-7152-4 (Print) ISBN 978-1-4435-7153-1 (PDF)