Ecosystems:
 The current ecosystem classification
is taken from the Central American Ecosystems Map produced by BTFS members on
behalf of the World Bank, Programme for Belize, Government of the Netherlands and CCAD. This ecosystem classification schema differs from earlier
classifications in that the broader divisions in the hierarchy are based first on vegetation structure (e.g., forest, scrub, herbaceous), followed by seasonality,
altitudinal aspects, vegetation type (e.g., broadleaf, needle-leaf, palm), ground-water regime and ultimately underlying geology and soil.
A total of 85 terrestrial ecosystems have been identified for Belize. In addition, two marine ecosystems (sea grass beds and coral reefs)
have been identified. Agriculture has been identified as a land use and subdivided in 7 different subclasses including aqua/mariculture and forest plantations.
Areas of secondary growth with short rotation shifting cultivation were indiscriminately classified as either "agriculture" or "shifting cultivation".
The identified ecosystems all find their roots in the 1995 classification by Iremonger and Brokaw. Principally, this classification is adapted to the
UNESCO ecosystem classification schema. Also, an altitudinal component has been used, distinguishing between lowland vegetation types (< 500 m), submontane
(500 - 1000 m) and montane (> 1000 m) vegetation types.
BTFS undertook the ardous task of completing a major update to the classification in 2004/2005. The revised dataset is based on the following:
- Fieldwork data gathered by J. C. Meerman from 2001 through 2004
- Recent Landsat TM images: 1947_2004_02_28; 1948_2004_01_27 and 1949_2004_01_27
- Brokaw & Sabido, 1998. Vegetation of the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area
- Murray et al, 1999. Soil-plant relationships and revised vegetation classification of Turneffe Atoll - Belize
- Penn et al, 2004. Vegetation of the Greater Maya Mountains, Belize
- MET department: Climatological data
- Cornec, 2003. Geology map of Belize
- Maritime Areas Act, (GOB, 2000)
The dataset now includes 65 Terrestrial classes, 14 Marine classes, 7 Agriculture / silviculture / mariculture classes, 6 Mangrove classes, 3 Inland water classes and 1 Urban class.
The latest shapefile, released on 12 Feb 2005 is available to BERDS partners and researchers.
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