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3.2 - Habitat Analysis

Habitat analysis ensures your habitat classifications are scientifically robust and audit-ready. This is achieved by verifying and editing the "Features" from the sampling plan against actual field evidence (ground truth data & satellite data) then completing a survey form per habitat feature to accurately assess its type and condition

3.2.1: Reviewing Ground-Truth Data​

Review the evidence collected at each checkpoint before you complete anything else.

  • Select a polygon: Select a parcel from the survey list or directly on the habitat map. Each feature has a unique Mozaic ID for tracking and auditing.

  • View Checkpoints: Ground-truth images appear on the map exactly where they were collected. Each checkpoint shows an icon for the task type collected there, sometimes more than one will be at each location. Click a checkpoint to view the images as thumbnails or expand for a closer look.

  • AI Summary: Each checkpoint includes a short AI-generated description of whats in the images, click the AI summary button on the top of the image pop up to view it.

  • Weather report: Each checkpoint also shows the weather for the two weeks before it was collected, click the weather button on the top of the image pop up to view it.

  • Reporting an issue: If an image has a problem thats stopping you from analysing it properly, for example its blurry, obstructed or unclear. Click the hazard icon on the top right of the image and select a reason to report it.

Labelling ​

Use the toolbar beneath each image to label key features as you go:

  • Species: Label any species you can identify, the common and scientific name are both shown in the pre-defined labels, plus you can add a confidence rating to your identification.

  • Tags: Add custom tags for anything specific you want to record, for example, deadwood. Once you've created a tag, its available across the whole plan, so labelling stays consistent.

  • Notes: Add a note to any observation or checkpoint. You can dictate notes too, to make it quicker!

  • Crop search: Not sure on a species ID? Crop around it in the image and the AI will suggest one. Treat this as a starting point, cross reference it rather than taking the suggestion as final.

    💡 Pro Tip: Labelling tools work at checkpoint level, so once you've labelled one image, you dont need to repeat it across the rest of that checkpoints images.

3.2.2: Refining Habitat Boundaries​

Once you have reviewed all the ground truth data for a parcel, use the mapping tools to make sure the habitat boundary matches what you're seeing. You might need to extend or reduce a boundary, or split or merge polygons if the evidence supports it.

Editing features:

  • Locate the toolbar at the bottom of the map 

  • Click the pencil icon and click the polygon you want to edit

  • Move the boundary by dragging the points on the map to the new location

  • Delete points as needed to ensure you have a clean boundary

  • Once you are happy with the edited boundary, click the edit button again to finalise

  • Precision Tools: Utilise the Snapping Tool to ensure no gaps exist between adjacent polygons

  • Split and Merge tools can also be used to refine multiple features based on field evidence.

💡 Pro Tip: To learn more in-depth about the mapping tools available on the dashboard, click this link 👉  \

3.2.3: Condition Forms​

After the geometry is correct, fill in the condition forms.

Frameworks:​

Every plan uses a framework and metric, set when the site was created in the Setup. We support a range of frameworks, including BNG, GBM, ABM and EBM. If you need to change the framework you've got two options:

  • Go to the Setup page and use the edit plan button to update to a different framework

  • On the Survey page, click the + icon in the list menu next to your habitat polygon and choose a different framework from the drop down menu.

Run the AI​

Click Analyse with AI to help complete the condition form. Once the AI has run against the data for the polygon, it recommends answers for the form. Next either:

  • Aceept as they are, to use the AI answers to complete the condition form for the parcel.

  • I've checked these to confirm the answers have been checked by an expert in the loop

    • You can change the AI answers at any time by selecting a different option from the drop down menu for each question if you disagree with the AI output.

      💡 Pro Tip: its worth adding a note (or dictating one) to justify your answer for the questions, espcially if you disagree with the AI output , this backs up your judegment as the expert, and is important for audit purposes.

Flagging and Escalating:​

Not sure about a specific question? Flag it using the flag icon next to that question. You can then set the parcel's status to Needs review, if you do, add a comment explaining why. This lets you hand a parcel to another ecologist for a second opinion.

If a second ecologist still can't resolve it, mark the parcel as Blocked, this flags it to your project manager for further action.

Finalising the condition form

Once the form's complete, you'll get your results and condition score for each parcel.

Rate the data: You'll be asked to rate the data for that parcel, was there not enough, just the right amount, or too much? This feedback is valuable for shaping future sampling plans, so it's worth filling in.

Once the condition form's complete, the polygon is marked as complete and turns green on the map. Move on to the next parcel and continue until every parcel has a completed condition form.

3.2.4: Other Useful Tools​

Once you're moving through a site, a handful of extra tools make it faster to work at scale:

  • Style the map to suit how you're working.

  • Filter by property, or by task type, useful if you want to review all your quadrat photos first, for example.

  • Search by plot key, and sort by plot key or completion status.

  • Search for a specific observation or checkpoint.

  • Browse the layer catalogue for extra context, satellite imagery, EUNIS habitat layers, SSSI sites, or OS terrain, for example.

💡 Pro tip: Want a layer that's not in the catalogue? Email johanna@mozaic.earth and we'll see if we can add it.