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USGS:Biology arrow icon Biological Informatics Program arrow icon Vegetation Characterization Program arrow icon Standardized National Vegetation Classification System arrow icon Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Objectives of the Report

1.1.1 Relationship to other reports in this series
1.2 Structure of the Report

1.3 Terms of the Vegetation Mapping Project

1.3.1 Project objectives
1.3.2 Contract requirements
1.3.2.1 Classification System
1.3.2.2 Map Scale
1.3.2.3 Map Accuracy
1.3.2.4 Digital Products

2.0 The Importance of a National Vegetation Classification Standard

2.1 Applications of a Standard National Vegetation Classification System

2.1.1 Facilitate regional and national resource assessments
2.1.2 Advance scientific knowledge
2.1.3 Support park planning and natural resources management
2.1.4 Support ecosystem management initiatives

2.2 Specifications/Requirement of a Candidate Standard

3.0 Vegetation Classification: Background

3.1 What is Classification?

3.1.1 Community units and continua

3.2 Review of Different Approaches to Classification

3.2.1 Vegetation classifications
3.2.1.1 Physiognomic Methods
3.2.1.2 Floristic Methods
3.2.1.3 Potential versus existing vegetation
3.2.2 Site classifications
3.2.2.1 Site classifications emphasizing vegetation
3.2.2.2 Site classifications emphasizing multiple factors
3.2.3 Land cover classifications
3.2.4 Combined classification approaches
3.2.4.1 Physiognomic-Floristic Approaches

4.0 The Nature Conservancy's Vegetation Classification System

4.1 Approach of the Vegetation Classification System

4.1.1 Background
4.1.2 Guiding principles
4.1.2.1 Appropriate for conservation planning and management
4.1.2.2 Efficient use of existing information
4.1.2.3 Flexible
4.1.2.4 Emphasis on Natural and Semi-natural Vegetation

4.2 Development of the Nature Conservancy Classification System

4.2.1 Identification of classification units
4.2.2 International Efforts
4.2.3 Support from Federal and Academic Partners
4.2.3.1 National Biological Survey
4.2.3.2 United States Fish and Wildlife Service
4.2.3.3 United States Forest Service
4.2.3.4 National Park Service
4.2.3.5 Environmental Protection Agency
4.2.3.6 Inter-agency Groups
4.2.3.7 Academic Partners

4.3 Tool and Methods that Support the Documentation and Development of the Classification

4.3.1 Field sampling
4.3.2 Community descriptions
4.3.2.1 Characterization variables and vegetation keys
4.3.2.2 Biological and Conservation Data System Community Records
4.3.3 Conservation Ranking

5.0 A Standard National Vegetation Classification System

5.1 Characteristics of the National Vegetation Classification System

5.1.1 Based on existing vegetation
5.1.2 Combined Physiognomic Floristic Classification Approach
5.1.3 Role of the environment

5.2 Description of the Levels of the Terrestrial Vegetation

5.2.1 System level
5.2.2 Physiognomic levels
5.2.2.1 Modifications to the UNESCO Hierarchy
5.2.2.2 Physiognomic class
5.2.2.3 Physiognomic subclass
5.2.2.4 Formation group
5.2.2.5 Formation
5.2.3 Floristic levels
5.2.3.1 Alliance
5.2.3.2 Community Element
5.2.4 Cultural landcover
5.2.4.1 Agricultural land cover
5.2.4.2 Urban land cover and water

5.3 Nomenclature Standards

5.4 Development of the National Vegetation Classification System

5.4.1 Development of the floristic classes (Alliances and Community Elements)
5.4.1.1 Qualitative Assessment
5.4.1.2 Quantitative Analysis
5.4.1.3 Confidence Levels
5.4.1.4 Example of development of the floristic classes pine barrens
5.4.2 Arranging the floristic units under the physiognomic levels of the hierarchy
5.4.3 Adding new vegetation types identified during the course of the NPS/NBS mapping project
5.4.3.1 Qualitative Assessment
5.4.3.2 Quantitative Assessment

5.5 Ecological Considerations and Variability

5.5.1 Homogeneity
5.5.1.1 Community complexes
5.5.1.2 Gradients . . . .
5.5.2 Disturbance
5.5.3 Succession

5.6 The Relationship Between the National Vegetation Classification System and Other Classification Systems

5.6.1 An Example of Crosswalking: The relationship between the Brown, Lowe and Pase classification and the National Vegetation Classification System

5.7 Current Status of the National Vegetation Classification System

5.7.1 State coverage
5.7.2 Regional coverage
5.7.3 National coverage
5.7.4 Gaps in the classification
5.7.4.1 Gaps in state-level information
5.7.4.2 Types still in need of basic work

6.0 Vegetation Mapping

6.1 Theoretical Background

6.1.1 Vegetation mapping standards
6.1.2 Imagery analysis and vegetation mapping
6.1.2.1 Diagnostic characteristics of the signatures
6.1.2.2 Challenges of using imagery analysis for vegetation mapping

6.2 Mapping the National Vegetation Classification System

6.2.1 Decision to map the alliance vs. the community element
6.2.2 Extension of the national vegetation classification system for application to vegetation maps
6.2.2.1 Mapping different expressions of the floristic units
6.2.2.2 Collecting and tracking additional attribute data on a park by park basis
6.2.3 Non-homogeneous mapping units
6.2.3.1 Landscapes with communities less than the minimum mapping unit
6.2.3.2 Community complexes
6.2.3.3 Map units containing more than one community element
6.2.3.4 Transition zones greater than the minimum mapping unit

6.3 Examples of Vegetation Mapping Projects

6.3.1 John Crow and Blue Mountains of Jamaica
6.3.2 Altamaha River Bioreserve, Georgia

7.0 Addressing NBS/NPS Objectives

7.1 Management Objectives

7.2 Inventory and Monitoring Objectives

7.3 System Wide Requirements

7.4 Information Transfer and Exchange

8.0 Conclusions

9.0 Authors and Contributors

10.0 Literature Cited

11.0 Appendices

11.1 List of Documented Alliances Organized Under the Hierarchy

11.2 Examples of Community Descriptions

11.3 List of Hydrological Modifiers

11.4 List of Element Occurrence Record Fields with Brief Descriptions

11.5 List of Community Characterization Abstract Fields with Brief Descriptions

11.6 The Conservation Ranking System of the Nature Conservancy



List of Tables and Figures

Table 1. The Nature Conservancy Heritage Program Support Regions
Table 2. Minimum Fields used for Community Descriptions
Table 3. Federal Geographic Data Committee Classification of Cultivated Lands
Table 4. Anderson's Land use and Land Cover Classification System
Table 5. Confidence Levels Assigned to Each Community
Table 6. Example of a Crosswalk between the Brown, Lowe and Pase Classification and the Proposed National Classification System
Table 7. Number of Floristic Units Identified in Each Region
Table 8. Number of Units Currently Identified for Each Level of the Hierarchy

Figure 1. Guide to the Physiognomic Classes


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