Spatial Vegetation FAQ Metadata

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
  8. What biological taxa does this data set concern?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. What methods were used to collect the data?
  2. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  3. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  4. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

What does this data set describe?

1. How should this data set be cited?

   Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, US Bureau of Reclamation, Mail Code D-8260, POB 25007, Denver CO 80225, 1999, Badlands National Park Vegetation Data: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Badlands National Park, USGS-CSS, Denver, CO.

   Online Links:

   • <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/ftp/vegmapping/badl/badl.zip>
   • <http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/rsgis/index.html>

   Other_Citation_Details: Created under contract to the USGS-CSS-CSAS

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -102.943

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -101.817

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 44

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 43.432

   Description_of_Geographic_Extent:

   Badlands National Park, SD including approx 5 mile buffer around park which includes private lands, portions of Buffalo Gap National Grassland, and Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

3. What does it look like?

   <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/badl/images/badlvegmap.pdf> (PDF)

   Graphic in map composition layout

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: Jun-1997

   Currentness_Reference: Source Photography Date

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Map

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Badlands National Park

      This is a Vector data set.

   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator

      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

      UTM_Zone_Number: 13

      Transverse_Mercator:

      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -105

      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0

      False_Easting: 500000

      False_Northing: 0

      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: .9996

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 1
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 1
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodedic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

   VEGETATION COVERAGES: Due to the large size of the database, vegetation coverages were named according to associated USGS 7.5m quads. Naming convention: <quadname>_veg# with # referring to the quarter quadrant as follows: 1 - Northwest quadrant; 2 - Northeast quadrant; 3 - Southeast quadrant; 4 - Southwest quadrant. Coding Information: Polygon coverage with labels in each polygon with the following custom items: (veg_code - 3 3 I) coded with vegetation classification number. See Supplemental Info under Id Info above for complete listing of attribute codes and their descriptions; (photo - 4 4 I) coded with associated CIR photo number; (location - 10 10 I) coded according to whether the polygon is in the park or environs area; (pdog - 2 2 I) coded with 0 (no pdog holes) or 1 (polygon has pdog holes). Used to show areas that were not classified as prairie dog colonies but had substantial pdog use; Also, each arc was coded as follows: (digtype - 2 2 I)) coded to identify how the arc was transferred into the database or type of arc as follows: 1 = heads-up, on screen digitizing; 2 = scanned mylar; 4 = arc associated with quarterquad border; 5 = arc associated with park border. (veg_code - 3 3 I) linear wetland features coded with vegetation classification number. Arcs coded class 14 were extracted and put into a separate (line) coverage named drainage. Some of the class 14 arcs remained in the _veg coverage if it also delineated a unique polygon. BOUNDARY COVERAGES: bndrypark - Park boundary coverage. This coverage was obtained from Badlands National Park Headquarters. bndryproj - GIS mapping project area. bndryquad - Boundaries of all the 7.5m quads. bndrygrds - Grad-sect boundaries. Coding Information: bndrypark - line coverage - no custom attributing. bndryproj - line coverage - no custom attributing. bndryquad - polygon coverage with labels in each quad polygon with the following items: (quadname - 8 8 c) - abbreviated name for each quad; (fullname - 20 20 c) - full quadname. DATA COVERAGES: dataobsv - Point coverage of observation data points. dataplot - Point coverage of plot data points. Coding Information: Label points with items as follows: (plot_code - 3 3 n) coded with plot number from plot data sheets; (veg_code - 14 14 c) coded with veg class text; (type - 10 10 c) coded with broad vegetation class (eg: woodland). Note1: x-coord and y-coord added with ARC/INFO "addxy" command. Note2: Field data points were collected with GPS units set to datum NAD27. All coverages were re-projected into Datum NAD83 so the x- y- coordinates will not match those shown on the data sheets. OTHER COVERAGES: sec_roads - Line coverage of secondary roads digitized from USGS DOQQ. railroads - Line coverage of railroads digitized from USGS DOQQ. spiritw - Line coverage of cultural features observed on the CIR and or DOQQ. The parks projects will be using DOQQ's as the basemap for transfer of information from the CIR photos to the GIS database. The DOQQ's are standard USGS product and are in datum of NAD83.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

   Badlands National Park, USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Technical Memorandum No. 8260-99-___, USBR

8. What biological taxa does this data set concern?

   Taxonomy:

   Keywords/Taxon:

   Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

   Taxonomic_Keywords: Plants

   Taxonomic_Keywords: Vegetation

   Taxonomic_Keywords: National Vegetation Classification System

   Taxonomic_System:

   Classification_System/Authority:

   Classification_System_Citation:

   Citation_Information:

   Originator: The Nature Conservancy

   Publication_Date: 199411

   Title: National Vegetation Classification System

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document

   Online_Linkage: <http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/vegetation/NVCS_V2_FINAL_2008-02.pdf/>

   Classification_System/Authority:

   Classification_System_Citation:

   Citation_Information:

   Originator: Anderson, et al

   Publication_Date: 1976

   Title:

   A Land Use and Land Cover Classification System for Use with Remote Sensor Data.

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document

   Series_Information:

   Series_Name: Geological Survey Professional Paper

   Issue_Identification: No. 964

   Publication_Information:

   Publication_Place: Washington, DC

   Publisher: US GPO

   Other_Citation_Details:

   This project used the Anderson Level II Land Use Classification from this publication.

   Identification_Reference:

   Citation_Information:

   Originator: None

   Publication_Date: Unknown

   Title: None

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: none

   Identifier:

   Contact_Information:

   Contact_Organization_Primary:

   Contact_Organization:

   Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, US Bureau of Reclamation

   Contact_Address:

   Address_Type: Mailing Address

   Address: POB 25007

   City: Denver

   State_or_Province: CO

   Postal_Code: 80225

   Country: USA

   Contact_Voice_Telephone: 303-446-2283

   Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 303-445-6337

   Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jvonloh@do.usbr.gov

   Hours_of_Service: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Thru Friday, MST

   Taxonomic_Procedures:

   Sequence of field test data plots, observation plots, and CIR photo signature field observations.

   General_Taxonomic_Coverage:

   Refer to complete listing of mapped plant alliances/associations under Supplemental Information above.

   Taxonomic_Classification:

   Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom

   Taxon_Rank_Value: Plantae

   Applicable_Common_Name: Plant

   Taxonomic_Classification:

   Taxon_Rank_Name: Division-Phylum

   Taxon_Rank_Value: Tracheophyta

   Taxonomic_Classification:

   Taxon_Rank_Name: Class

   Taxon_Rank_Value: Angiospermai

   Taxonomic_Classification:

   Taxon_Rank_Name: Class

   Taxon_Rank_Value: Gymnospermae

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, US Bureau of Reclamation, Mail Code D-8260, POB 25007, Denver CO 80225

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   Dan Cogan, Doug Crawford, Trudy Meyer, Jean Pennell & Jim Von Loh with RSGIS Group of USBR; Jim Drake of TNC; Bruce Bessken and Glenn Plumb of Badlands NP, NPS

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis
   c/o USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
   Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Room 8000, MS 302
   Denver, Colorado 80225
   

   (303) 202-4220 (voice)
   303-202-4219 (FAX)
   gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov
   

Why was the data set created?

The purposes of the mapping effort are varied and include the following: Provides support for NPS Resources Management; Promotes vegetation-related research for both NPS and USGS/CSS; Provides support for NPS Planning and Compliance; Adds to the information base for NPS Interpretation; and Assists in NPS Operations. The NPS I&M goals are, among others, to map the vegetation of all national parks and monuments and provide a baseline inventory of vegetation.

How was the data set created?

1. What methods were used to collect the data?

   Method 0 of 1

   Type: Field

   All vegetation and land use classes were interpreted and mapped from 1:12,000 scale, color infrared photography flown in June 1997. Color prints were developed from the CIR negatives and have an approximate 20% overlap east-to-west and 60% north-to-south. Data from the photos was interpreted on mlyar overlays. Vegetation was delineated and classified on the mylars using a combination of field and remote sensing techniques. Field techniques followed the standards described in Field Methods for Vegetation Mapping (The Nature Conservancy, 1994). These included preliminary reconnaissance, environmental stratification of the study area using a gradsect approach (Austin and Heyligers, 1989), and observation point and detailed plot data collection. Multiple plot and observation data were collected for each unique vegetation association found within the study area. Biological, environmental, locational, and biological interactions/historical/disturbance data were collected at each sample point using the standard plot survey or observation point form developed by The Nature Conservancy (1994). Remote sensing techniques included ground verification of unique photo signatures, stereoscopic magnification, and photo interpretation of the vegetation and land-use practices using standard photo interpretation characteristics such as tone, texture, color, pattern, topographic position, and shadow. Soil maps were also used to aid in proper interpretation. Photographs were examined using a stereoscope as needed and light tables. A detailed photo-interpretation key is provided in the USBR Technical Memorandum cited elsewhere in this document.

   From what previous works were the data drawn?

   USGS (source 1 of 2)

   USGS, 1997, Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangles (DOQQ). See other info below for list..

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/rsgis/index.html>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Refer to USGS web site for metadata information. List of quads used for this database are (text in parenthesis indicates name used in Arc/Info): Bouquet Table (buqettbl); Brennan Flat (brnanflt); Conata (conata); Conata NE (conatane); Cottonwood SE (ctnwd_se); Cottonwood SW (ctnwd_sw); Cuny Table East (cnytbl_e); Cuny Table West (cnytbl_w); Evergreen NE (evrgrnne); Heutmacher Table (htmkrtbl); Imlay (imlay); Imlay SE (imlay_se); Imlay SW (imlay_sw); Interior (interior); Quinn Table (quin_tbl); Quinn Table NE (qtbl_ne); Quinn Table SE (qtbl_se); Quinn Table SW (qtbl_sw); Red Shirt (redshirt); Red Shirt NE (rdsrt_ne); Red Shirt SW (rdsrt_sw); Rockyford (rckyfd); Rockyford NW (rckyfdnw); Scenic (scenic); Scenic SW (scnic_sw); School Section Butte (schlsctb); Sharpes Corner (shrpscrn); Sheep Mtn Table (shpmttbl); Stirk Table (strk_tbl); Wall (wall); Wall SE (wall_se); Wall SW (wall_sw); Willow Creek NE (wlcrk_ne); Willow Creek NW (wlcrk_nw).

   Type_of_Source_Media: Digital

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 12000

   Source_Contribution: None

   CIR (source 2 of 2)

   Horizons, Inc., POB 3134, Rapid City, SD 57709, Voice: 605-343-0280; Fax: 605-343-0305, and eng@horizonsinc.com, EMail:, 199706, Aerial CIR Photos.

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.horizonsinc.com>

   Type_of_Source_Media: CIR prints

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 12000

   Source_Contribution: None

   How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 1999 (process 1 of 2)

   PHOTO INTERPRETATION: All map classes were interpreted from 1:12,000 scale, color infrared photography flown in June 1997. The photographs were produced by Horizons Inc., Rapid City, SD. Photointerpretation used the standard identification features such as tone, texture, color, pattern, topographic position, and shadow. In addition, field sample locations and their vegetation descriptions aided in assigning map class to each polygon. Photographs were examined using a stereoscope as needed. GIS PROCEDURES: Transfer work for the Badlands project will consist of two methods, either heads-up digitizing or scanning. METHOD I: Heads-up digitizing will be used whenever the CIR photo does not include many complicated grassland polygons as these are the most difficult to transfer using heads-up digitizing. This will usually mean photos with mostly badlands topography or agricultural lands (i.e., have boundaries that are easy to see on the digital ortho image) will be transferred using the heads-up method. Briefly, heads-up digitizing is a procedure whereby the operator digitizes by hand and eye on a computer terminal screen showing a digital image of an ortho-rectified photo. By looking at similar features on both the aerial photograph from which the classification was made and on the orthophoto, the line drawn on the aerial photo overlay is transferred to the digital image, which is registered to coordinates on the earth. This technique should produce good results except where there is little feature contrast on the ortho, in which case the operator must estimate the shape and location of the linework. Using this technique, a curve on the photo may appear to be a series of short, differently-angled straight line segments, since it is easier to make a curve with a pencil or pen than it is with digitized discrete points. Depending on the density of digitized points, this may or may not be a problem. The analyst may set the digitizing software to calculate a pseudo-curve of many points by inputting as few as three points to define a curve. METHOD II: Photos that are too difficult to accurately transfer via heads-up will be scanned, ie, the mylar overlays will be scanned, not the actual CIR photo. Before the mylar is scanned, it will be marked with control points that correspond to visible points on the DOQQ. Six control points should be located for best results though a minimum of 4 are required for a projective transform. The GIS software was used to convert the scanned mylar into a geo-referenced coverage which was then attributed and combined with the larger vegetation coverage associated with the quarter quad area. The entire transfer and editing sequence was automated via an in-house ARC/INFO AML. The final vegetation coverages consist of (1) Quarter-quad border, (2) Park boundary arcs, if applicable, and (3) vegetation polygons and linear features. Another step involved heads-up digitizing of roads and railroads visible on the CIR/DOQQ in accordance with the criteria discussed under the Completness Report above.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, US Bureau of Reclamation
   POB 25007
   Denver, CO 80225
   USA
   

   303-446-2283 (voice)
   303-445-6337 (FAX)
   jvonloh@do.usbr.gov
   

   Hours_of_Service: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Thru Friday, MST

   Date: 1999 (process 2 of 2)

   Coverages for the plot and observation data points were created from the plot and observation data sheets. The coordinates on the data sheets were in datum NAD27. Once the coverages were finalized they were reprojected into datum NAD83.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, US Bureau of Reclamation
   POB 25007
   Denver, CO 80225
   USA
   

   303-446-2283 (voice)
   303-445-6337 (FAX)
   jvonloh@do.usbr.gov
   

   Hours_of_Service: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Thru Friday, MST

   What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   The database has an overall vegetation classification accuracy of 80.6% (78.2% Kappa index) within a 90% confidence interval of 78.8% to 82.4%.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   USGS DOQQ's were used as basemap to acquire geospatial horizontal locations.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

   All data that can be photo-interpreted is digitized in accordance with the minimum mapping unit of .5 hectares. This includes features that fall into the NVCS vegetation classification and the Anderson Level II land use classification. Minimum mapping unit is ostensibly .5 hectares but some classes below the MMU are included such as wetlands and grasslands in badlands areas and polygons cut off by other features and borders. Roads (out to visible disturbed ground right-of-way or fence line) and streams/drainages wider than approx 10 meters were digitized as polygons and attributed accordingly. Roads visible on the DOQQ's but thinner than 10 meters were digitized as lines. Wet drainages thinner than 10 meters were digitized as lines and attributed with code #14. Dry drainages thinner than 10 meters were not digitized.

5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

   All polygon features are checked for topology and existance of label points using the ARC/INFO software. Each polygon begins and ends at the same point with the node feature. All nodes are checked for error so that there are no dangling features except for linear features such as streams and roads. There are no duplicate lines or polygons. All nodes will snap together and close polygons based on a specified tolerance. If the node is not with the tolerance it is adjusted manually. The tests for logical consistency are performed in ARC/INFO using certain commands.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

Acknowledgment of the USGS/CSS and the USBR/RSGIS Group would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation procedures, as described in the metadata, before beginning analysis. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis
   c/o USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
   Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Room 8000, MS 302
   Denver, Colorado 80225
   

   (303) 202-4220 (voice)
   303-202-4219 (FAX)
   gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov
   

2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

   Badlands National Park Vegetation Map

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (if available) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such.

   The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. Any related graphics (if available) are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not approriate to use the related graphics as data.

   The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service servers and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on another system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this metadata report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U. S. Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey and National Park Service.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	HTML
     Network links:	<http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/badl/index.html>

   • Cost to order the data: none

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: Aug-1999
Last Reviewed: 17-May-2010

Metadata author:

USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis
c/o USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Room 8000, MS 302
Denver, Colorado 80225

(303) 202-4220 (voice)
303-202-4219 (FAX)
gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001.1-1999)

Metadata extensions used:

• <http://www.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt/community/fgdc_metadata/255>