Figure 6. Ternary classified map of Azorella distribution.

Predicted moderate (green) and sparse (orange) Azorella presence on northern Macquarie Island based on ternary classifications, showing the entire mapping region, as predicted by hypothesis-driven pixel-based classification (A). Panels B–D demonstrate the variation in maps in the central part of the mapped area, as predicted by pixel-based classification of a statistically-selected subset of input variables (B), object-based classification of a statistically-selected subset of input variables (C), pixel-based classification of a hypothesis-driven subset of input variables (D), and object-based classification of a hypothesis-driven subset of input variables (E). In general, the sparse class occurred on the highest and most exposed western-facing sites, and the moderate class occurred on east-facing flanks of the mountains, and in protected hollows, in line with current understanding of the species’ ecology, though the variation among the maps indicates that these classes could not be reliably distinguished from each other. In all classifications, both the moderate and sparse classes were clearly distinguished from the absent class.