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Habitats are areas of similar type, usually in vegetation stands although it also encompasses underlying soil structure and geology which influence the overlaying vegetation, in which specific, as well as generalist, fauna live.

For example a particular habitat may be Coniferous Woodland. This habitat will support a vastly different range of plant and animal species from a broad-leaved woodland or an unimproved meadow. However, there will be a few generalist and pioneer species which can survive in all three habitats.

To aid understanding of the ecology of species and their life processes it is useful to understand the habitats in which they are found and, indeed, even to understand the underlying geological formations and the soil structures upon which the habitats which make up the landscape sit. It is the very underlying structure which influences the plants growing above by chemical and other aspects which then determines the fauna to be found within those habitats.

Within any macro habitat (e.g. a broad-leaved woodland), there are micro-habitats where extra warmth due to availability of sunshine, or increased moisture/nutrient levels (amongst other variables) can alter the micro-environment such that different, or other, species can survive and prosper.

Habitat Classification:

There are many differing systems for classifying or codifying habitats, each of them very different and developed either for a particular type or group of habitats or for varying degrees of complexity. All habitat systems code against aggregates of botanical species. Examples of habitat codification systems include:

• BAP Broad Habitat Types
• BAP Priority Habitat Types
• Birks & Ratcliffe Upland Survey Habitats
• Botanical Classification of Standing Waters
• BTO Bird Habitat Coding System
• Corine Biotopes
• EU Habitats Directive Annex 1
• EUNIS Habitat Classification
• GLA Habitat Classification
• National Vegetation Classification (NVC)
• NCC Phase-1 Habitat Classification
• Peterken Woodland Stand Types
• Seabird 200 Habitats
• Shimwell Urban Habitats
• Vegetation Communities of British Rivers

All of the above habitat classification systems, and more, can be found in the Biotope Dictionary of the Recorder-2000/2002/6 biological recording software.

N.B.: the habitat codification system used when describing habitats withon the Habitat Checklist pages on this website is the Phase-1 Habitat Survey classification.

Habitat Classification Usage Within the Cheshire region:

Within the Cheshire Region, three main habitat codification systems are currently used. These are:

• Phase-1 Habitat Survey Classification - The Phase-1 system was devised by the NCC (now English Nature (EN) and soon to join with the Rural Development Service (RDS, a part of DEFRA) to become Natural England (NE)) and is a relatively simplistic method of identifying habitats based upon their overall botanical aspects. This is the major habitat survey methodology used within Cheshire at the present time.
• BTO Habitat Classification - A cut-down version of the Phase-1 survey methodology which uses a simplified habitat structure (i.e. less levels of differentiation). This methodology is currently being used by birders within the county of Cheshire to obtain habitat information whilst undertaking the new Breeding Bird Atlas survey work.
• National Vegetation Classification (NVC) - A more complex system which, whilst more accurate in separating and defining habitats, is difficult to use on the ground as the vegetation communities upon which it is based are rarely, at least in Cheshire, as cut-and-dried as they are described in the supporting text books. Usage of this methodology in Cheshire is currently limited by the low number of surveyors who are competent enough to undertake it and to analyse the resulting survey data.

The Phase-1 Habitat Survey Classification is the most commonly used methodology in the area and Handbooks on the methodology are provided for sale by English Nature/JNCC through their publication sales - Handbook for Phase 1 habitat survey - A technique for environmental audit - reprinted in 1993 - ISBN 0-86139-636-7. A field manual for Phase-1 survey is also produced by JNCC - ISBN 0-86139-637-5. The methodology results in coloured habitat maps (originally paper maps coloured using Berol pencils by hand - these are now being transferred into electronic GIS systems), as well as target notes defining specific species (unusual and/or defining of the habitat type), and on occasion more complete species lists with abundance ratings (DAFOR).