Accuracy Assessment FAQ Metadata
Frequently-anticipated questions:
- Title:
-
Congaree National Park Vegetation Mapping Project - Accuracy Assessment Points
- Abstract:
-
An assessment of the accuracy of a provisional vegetation map of
Congaree National Park.
- How should this data set be cited?
L. L. Gaddy, Ph. D. terra incognita 2333 Terrace Way Columbia, South Carolina 29205 and Kerry Brooks, Ph. D. Department of Planning School of Landscape Architechure and Planning Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 29631, 200005, Congaree National Park Accuracy Assessment of the Vegetation Mapping Products: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Congaree National Park, USGS, Core Science Systems, Core Science Analytics and Synthesis, Denver, CO.
Online Links:
- Other_Citation_Details: Created under contract to the USGS-BRD-CBI.
- What geographic area does the data set cover?
- West_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.85
- East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.67083
- North_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.84167
- South_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.75
- Description_of_Geographic_Extent:
-
Congaree National Park is located approximately 15 miles southeast
of Columbia, the state capitol of South Carolina. Old Bluff Highway
(old Highway 48) lies just north of the Park boundary. The eastern
boundary is located just northwest of the confluence of the Congaree and
Wateree Rivers. The Park extends west to where Cedar Creek and Myers
Creek join.
- What does it look like?
- <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/cong/images/congaa.pdf> (PDF)
-
376 Kbyte, locations of accuracy assessment sites; low resolution for web browsing.
- Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
- Beginning_Date: Oct-1999
- Ending_Date: May-2000
- Currentness_Reference: Dates of field sampling
- What is the general form of this data set?
- Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database and report
- How does the data set represent geographic features?
- How are geographic features stored in the data set?
This is a Vector data set.
- What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
- Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
- Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
-
- UTM_Zone_Number: 17
- Transverse_Mercator:
-
- Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -81
- Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0
- False_Easting: 500000
- False_Northing: 0
- Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.9996
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.
- How does the data set describe geographic features?
- Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
-
At each point, dominant vegetation types were recorded and a
field key was used to determine the plant community / cover
type present.
- Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
-
Grossman, D. Et al. 1994. National Park Service
Vegetation Mapping Project,
Standardized National Vegetation Classification System 209 pp.
- What biological taxa does this data set concern?
- Taxonomy:
-
- Keywords/Taxon:
-
- Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Taxonomic_Keywords: Plant Communities
- Taxonomic_Keywords: National Vegetation Classification System
- Taxonomic_System:
-
- Classification_System/Authority:
-
- Classification_System_Citation:
-
- Citation_Information:
-
- Originator:
-
United States Department of the Interior National
Biological Survey and National Park Service
- Publication_Date: 19941101
- Title:
-
Standardized National Vegetation Classification
System
- Edition: Version 1
- Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Document - Classification System
- Series_Information:
-
- Series_Name: NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
- Issue_Identification: Final Draft
- Publication_Information:
-
- Publication_Place: Redlands, California
- Publisher: ESRI
- Other_Citation_Details: Prepared by the Nature Conservancy
- Classification_System_Modifications:
-
The criteria differs primarily in that the height
and density variables were not mapped at Congaree.
Instead, two additional variables were
addressed:
pre-hurricane Hugo community types and areas of
pine that have been logged since the time of the
1976 aerial photography.
- Identification_Reference:
-
- Citation_Information:
-
- Originator:
-
United States Department of the Interior National
Biological Survey and National Park Service
- Publication_Date: 19941101
- Title:
-
Standardized National Vegetation Classification
System
- Edition: Version 1
- Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Classification System
- Series_Information:
-
- Series_Name: NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
- Issue_Identification: Final Draft
- Publication_Information:
-
- Publication_Place: Redlands, California
- Publisher: ESRI
- Other_Citation_Details: Prepared by the Nature Conservancy
- Taxonomic_Procedures:
-
See "Photo Interpretation Report, BRD/NPS Vegetation and Inventory and Mapping Program,
Congaree National Park," October 12, 1998 <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/cong/congpirpt.pdf>
- General_Taxonomic_Coverage:
-
Vegetation Alliances of the National Vegetation
Classification System (October 1995)
- Taxonomic_Classification:
-
- Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Plantae
- Applicable_Common_Name: s: Plants
- Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
- L. L. Gaddy, Ph. D. terra incognita 2333 Terrace Way Columbia, South Carolina 29205 and Kerry Brooks, Ph. D. Department of Planning School of Landscape Architechure and Planning Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 29631
- Who also contributed to the data set?
- 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
Part of a USGS-National Park Service effot to produce vegetation
maps of all the nation's national parks.
- What methods were used to collect the data?
- Method 0 of 1
-
Type: Field
Following National Park Service Accuracy Assessment guidelines for
Protocols A-D, Dr. Brooks generated a stratified random sample of 596
points through the Park. Following National Park Service Protocol E,
Dr. Brooks also generated a non-random sample of 32 points which were
termed "unique signatures" by AIS personnel (SEE LITTLESAM for
Protocol E data). Maps of both sets of points, UTM coordinates, and
other pertinent data were given to Dr. L. L. Gaddy, who was in charge of
the field portion of the accuracy assessment. (Dr. Gaddy did not know
which class the photointerpreters had assigned to a given polygon when
he conducted his field work; he could, however, see the polygon
boundaries on the map.)
As USGS-NPS protocol dictated, Gaddy visited 585 points from October,
1999 through May 2000. Points were located through the use of a PLGR
GPS unit and false-color infrared photographs. At each point dominant
vegetation types were recorded and a field key was used to determine the
plant community/cover type present. Over 85 percent of the points were
reached on foot, the remainder were located by boat.
When all of the points had been visited, Dr. Gaddy complete the two
tables comparing his field interpretation of the polygon with that of
the photointerpreters. Dr. Brooks then performed the final accuracy
assessment through a statistical analysis of the data using contingency
tables and statistical tests (see CROSS 1, CROSS 2, AND CROSS 3).
Reference:
- From what previous works were the data drawn?
- How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
- Date: 1999 (process 1 of 1)
-
See Methodology Description above
- What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
- How well have the observations been checked?
For accuracy assessment, a field visit was made
to 585 points between October, 1999 and May 2000.
Points were located through the use of a PLGR GPS
unit and false-color infrared photographs. At
each point dominant vegetation types were recorded
and a field key was used to determine the plant
community / cover type present. Over 85 percent
of the points were reached on foot, the remainder
were located by boat. When all of the points were
visited, two tables were generated comparing the
field interpretation of the polygons with that of
the photointerpreters. The final accuracy assessment
was performed through a statistical analysis of the
data using contingency tables and statistical tests.
Most of the problems noted were related to map class
definition and terminology and did not involve map
accuracy per se. Through the use of contingency
tables and other statistics, the overall accuracy of
the provisional map was calculated as 87 percent.
The statistics from only one class, the "Celtis
laevigata - Liquidambar styraciflua - Quercus
laurifolia / Carpinus caroliniana / Arundinaria
gigantea / Carex lupulina Forest-Sweetgum component"
failed to meet the NPS 80 percent accuracy standards.
Data indicates that this class may be undermapped,
being more widespread than was actually mapped. See
"Summary Report on the Results of an Accuracy
Assessment of the National Park Service's Provisional
Vegetation Map of Congaree National Park"
at <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/cong/aa_rpt.pdf>
for further details.
- How accurate are the geographic locations?
Accuracy assessment points were located through the use
of a PLGR GPS unit and false-color infrared photographs.
It is estimated that the locations were accurate to
within plus or minus 10 meters.
- How accurate are the heights or depths?
- Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
A field visit was made to 585 points between October,
1999 and May 2000. Points were located through the use
of a PLGR GPS unit and false-color infrared photographs.
At each point dominant vegetation types were recorded
and a field key was used to determine the plant
community / cover type present. Over 85 percent
of the points were reached on foot, the remainder
were located by boat.
- How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
All polygon features are checked for topology
using the ARC/INFO software.
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
- Access_Constraints: None
- Use_Constraints:
-
Any person using the information presented here
should fully understand the data collection and
compilation procedures, as described in these
metadata, before beginning analysis. The burden
for determining fitness for use lies entirely with
the user. For purposes of publication or
dissemination, citations should be given to the
U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park
Service
- 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
- What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
cong Veg Map
- 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.
- How can I download or order the data?
- Availability in digital form:
- Cost to order the data: None
- Dates:
- Last modified: Oct-2001
Last Reviewed: 18-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:
-
Generated by mp version 2.9.12 on Tue May 18 13:34:55 2010
Return to USGS Vegetation Characterization Program at Congaree National Park
|
Biological Informatics Program 
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
