Ecological Classification of Quebec Terrestrial Ecosystems

Quebec's terrestrial ecosystems are mapped and described across nine hierarchical levels, from continental vegetation zones to landscape-scale ecological districts. The system integrates vegetation characteristics like physiognomy and structure with physical environment factors such as relief and geology. The classification framework is provided in multiple formats including XLS, GPKG, and FGDB/GDB.

Use Cases

• Map ecological regions and subregions using the hierarchical classification levels for regional planning.
• Analyze the correlation between vegetation physiognomy and physical environment factors like geology and hydrography.
• Model biodiversity patterns by integrating data from continental-scale vegetation zones to landscape-scale ecological districts.
• Classify land areas into bioclimatic domains and sub-domains for climate impact studies.

Strengths

• Classification spans nine distinct hierarchical levels of ecological perception.
• Integrates multiple data dimensions including vegetation characteristics and physical environment.
• Data is provided in multiple interoperable formats like GPKG and FGDB/GDB for GIS analysis.

Limitations

• The specific row count, column structure, and sample data are unavailable for review.
• Data may require GIS expertise and specific software to utilize the spatial file formats effectively.
• Reliance on an automated translation for the metadata description could introduce terminology inconsistencies.

Provenance

Source

Government and Municipalities of Québec

Collection Method

Ecological mapping and description of terrestrial ecosystem units.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Quebec, Canada