The intersection of diversity metrics and spatial mapping: a case study of regional vegetation patterns for a complex community D. A. Tierney . G. M. Wardle . P. D. Erskine Received: 7 March 2018 / Accepted: 11 August 2018 / Published online: 30 August 2018 Ó Springer Nature B.V. 2018 Abstract We evaluate the contribution of small- scale floristic diversity to regional vegetation patterns, if current vegetation classification methods adequately account for small-scale floristic diversity and the potential role of diversity metrics in contributing to improved classification and mapping of plant com- munity patterns. Upland swamps in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia, were used as a case study for this evaluation. Eight hundred and eleven survey plots using two contrasting survey designs were used to generate diversity metrics (a; b; !; f; multivariate dispersion) and these were intersected with spatial mapping across 69 swamps. A novel classification informed by small-scale floristic diversity was also implemented. Diversity patterns at the regional scale were significantly affected by survey design (both b and f overestimated by a survey design using large plots, but a, ! and multivariate dispersion not significantly different among plot designs). Secondly, the novel classification revealed that the majority of assemblages present were previ- ously unreported. Thirdly, floristic assemblages pre- viously mapped only in discrete parts of the region were found to be widespread. A poor correlation exists between current standard classification approaches and a classification informed by small-scale floristic diversity. Thus, recommended and implemented stan- dards for survey and classification in many jurisdic- tions globally are inadequate for revealing diversity patterns and mapping communities with complex small-scale diversity patterns. Communities of this type are widespread globally. Our study demonstrates that the intersection of advanced diversity metrics and spatial mapping, using small-scale survey data, pro- vides critical insights into regional vegetation patterns that may otherwise remain obscure. Keywords Alpha (a) diversity Á Beta (b) diversity Á Gamma (!) diversity Á Zeta (f) diversity Á Vegetation classification Á Scale Communicated by Carissa Lyn Wonkka. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-018-0870-y) con- tains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. D. A. Tierney (&) Office of Environment and Heritage, PO Box 1967, Hurstville, NSW 2220, Australia e-mail: David.Tierney@environment.nsw.gov.au D. A. Tierney Á G. M. Wardle School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia e-mail: glenda.wardle@sydney.edu.au D. A. Tierney Á P. D. Erskine Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia e-mail: p.erskine@uq.edu.au 123 Plant Ecol (2018) 219:1169–1183 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-018-0870-y