Kusbach, A.

Long, James N.

Shaw, J. D.

Aims
Critical assessment of the connection between units of the habitat type system and physiographic, climatic and soil factors in interior western United States land classifications.  Location
Interior western United States including Utah, SE Idaho, W Wyoming and Colorado, N Arizona, NW New Mexico and E Nevada, representing 11 Bailey\u27s ecoregion sections and covering 389 519 km2.  Methods
We analysed 2754 plots from the extensive FIA database, representing 185 different habitat types. We used two techniques: discriminant analysis represented by Random Forests and ordination represented by principal components analysis to discriminate among habitat type classification units, and assessed their relationships with the physical environment.  Results
Neither habitat types nor series correspond well to environmental (climatic, physiographic, edaphic) differences. Plant indicator species (sensu Daubenmire) representing the habitat types generally failed in differentiating between important factors of the physical environment.  Conclusions
The failure of the habitat type classifications in discriminating between key environmental factors calls into question the basic premise that habitat types, as used in much of the western United States, are representative of basic ecological units of land. Given its broad acceptance and importance in land management, a fundamental reexamination of the habitat type concept is warranted

Land classification in the interior western United States: a critical assessment of the habitat type concept

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