Spatial Vegetation Data FAQ Metadata
Frequently-anticipated questions:
- Title:
-
Fire Island National Seashore Vegetation Mapping Project - Spatial Vegetation Data
- Abstract:
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This dataset is the finished product of the NPS Vegetation Mapping Project at Fire Island National Seashore. This dataset depicts the association-level vegetation map for the entire length of Fire Island and the William Floyd Estate. The park islands in the Great South Bay can be found in a separate file included on the disk. These vegetation polygons were interpreted and delineated from 1:1200-scale true-color aerial photographs taken in April 1997. They are attributed with NVCS associations as well as height, pattern, and density information.
- How should this data set be cited?
Institute, Conservation Management , NatureServe, and New York Natural Heritage Program, 200204, NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Vegetation of Fire Island National Seashore.
Online Links:
- What geographic area does the data set cover?
- West_Bounding_Coordinate: -73.315058
- East_Bounding_Coordinate: -72.751087
- North_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.785117
- South_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.607277
- Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Fire Island National Seashore and environs
- What does it look like?
- <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/fiis/images/fiisvegmap.pdf> (PDF)
-
Graphic in map composition layout
- Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
- Calendar_Date: Apr-1997
- Currentness_Reference: ground condition as of 1997
- What is the general form of this data set?
- Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
- How does the data set represent geographic features?
- How are geographic features stored in the data set?
This is a Vector data set.
It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
- Complete chain (15733)
- Label point (7738)
- GT-polygon composed of chains (7738)
- Point (4)
- What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
- Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
- Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
-
- UTM_Zone_Number: 18
- Transverse_Mercator:
-
- Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600
- Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -75.000000
- Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.000000
- False_Easting: 500000.000000
- False_Northing: 0.000000
Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000336
Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000336
Planar coordinates are specified in meters
The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
- How does the data set describe geographic features?
- Vegetation / Land Cover (fiis_veg.pat)
- Association-level vegetation / landcover information for the entire length of Fire Island and the William Floyd Estate. The park islands in the Great South Bay can be found in a separate file included on the disk. These vegetation polygons were interpreted and delineated from 1:1200-scale true-color aerial photographs taken in April 1997. They are attributed with NVCS associations as well as height, pattern, and density information.
(Source: Fire Island National Seashore and the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program.)
- FID
- Internal feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- Shape
- Feature geometry.
(Source: ESRI)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| Polygon | A two-dimensional feature representing an area such as a state or county.
|
- AREA
- Area of feature in internal units squared.
(Source: ESRI)
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
- PERIMETER
- Perimeter of feature in internal units.
(Source: ESRI)
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
- FIIS_VEG#
- Internal feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- FIIS_VEG-ID
- User-defined feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers
- MAP_CODE
- numeric code corresponding to map class
(Source: National Vegetation Classification Standard)
| Formal codeset |
|---|
| Codeset Name: | Fire Island Vegetation Map Codeset |
|---|
| Codeset Source: | Conservation Management Institute |
|---|
| Formal codeset |
|---|
| Codeset Name: | National Vegetation Classification Standard |
|---|
| Codeset Source: | Federal Geographic Data Commission |
|---|
- MAP_CODE_DESC
- English (not latin names) textual description of the map class name
(Source: Fire Island National Seashore)
textual class name
- HEIGHT_CODE
- numeric code corresponding to height categories
(Source: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| 1 | 0 - 0.5 m
|
| 2 | 0.5 - 1m
|
| 3 | 1- 5 m
|
| 4 | 5 - 15 m
|
| 5 | 15 - 30 m
|
| 0 | Not Applicable
|
- HEIGHT_CODE_DESC
- textual description of the height class name
(Source: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| "Not Applicable" | Vegetation height is not applicable to this map unit class
|
| "0 m - 0.5 m" | Vegetation is between 0 meters and 0.5 meters in height
|
| "0.5 m - 1 m" | Vegetation is between 0.5 meters and 1 meter in height
|
| "1 m - 5 m" | Vegetation is between 1 meter and 5 meters in height
|
| "5 m - 15 m" | Vegetation is between 5 meters and 15 meters in height
|
| "15 m - 30 m" | Vegetation is between 15 meter and 30 meters in height
|
- DENSITY_CODE
- code corresponding to the percent coverage of vegetative material covering the plot
(Source: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| 1 |
60% Vegetation Coverage
|
| 2 | 40%-60% Vegetation Coverage
|
| 3 | 10%-40% Vegetation Coverage
|
| 4 | <10% Vegetation Coverage
|
| 0 | Not Applicable
|
- DENSITY_CODE_DES
- textual description of Density Code
(Source: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| ">60% Vegetation Coverage" | Vegetation has a crown closure that is greater than 60%
|
| "40%-60% Vegetation Coverage" | Vegetation has a crown closure that is between 40% and 60%
|
| "10%-40% Vegetation Coverage" | Vegetation has a crown closure that is between 10% and 40%
|
| "<10% Vegetation Coverage" | Vegetation has a crown closure that is less than 10%
|
| "Not Applicable" | Vegetation density is not applicable to this map class
|
- LANDUSE_CODE
- project standard field not used for vegetation mapping at Fire Island National Seashore
(Source: Fire Island National Seashore)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| "0" | Attribute not used for vegetation mapping at Fire Island National Seashore
|
- LANDUSE_CODE_DES
- project standard field not used for vegetation mapping at Fire Island National Seashore
(Source: Fire Island National Seashore)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| blank | Attribute not used for vegetation mapping at Fire Island National Seashore
|
- PATTERN_CODE
- numeric code corresponding to the vegetation pattern observed in the polygon
(Source: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| 1 | Evenly dispersed
|
| 2 | Clumped/Bunched
|
| 3 | Gradational/Transitional
|
| 4 | Alternating
|
| 0 | Not Applicable
|
- PATTERN_CODE_DES
- textual description of the pattern code
(Source: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| "Evenly dispersed" | Vegetation is evenly dispersed across the map unit
|
| "Clumped/Bunched" | Vegetation has a clumped or bunched pattern across the map unit
|
| "Gradational/Transitional" | Vegetation has a gradational or transitional pattern across the map unit
|
| "Alternating" | Vegetation has an alternating pattern across the map unit
|
| "Not Applicable" | The pattern of the vegetation is not applicable to this map unit
|
- Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
- Conservation Management Institute
- NatureServe
- New York Natural Heritage Program
- Who also contributed to the data set?
- To whom should users address questions about the data?
Conservation Management Institute
c/o Scott Klopfer
GIS & Remote Sensning Division Coordinator
203 West Roanoke Street
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
USA
540 231 7348 (voice)
540 231 7019 (FAX)
sklopfer@vt.edu
- Hours_of_Service: 8-5 Monday through Friday EST
- Contact_Instructions: email preferred
The purpose of this data is to provide the managers and researchers on Fire Island with an accurate spatially referenced dataset to assist in their efforts.
- From what previous works were the data drawn?
- FIIS 1997 CIR Aerial Photographs (source 1 of 2)
-
Aerographics, Inc., 199704, Aerial Photography.
- Type_of_Source_Media: hard copy stereo pair photographs
- Source_Contribution:
-
This dataset was used for photointerpretation (with steroscopes).
- FIIS 1997 CIR Aerial Photographs (source 2 of 2)
-
Aerographics, Inc., 199704, Aerial Photography.
- Type_of_Source_Media: digital image
- Source_Contribution:
-
These are the scanned and georeferenced versions of the true color photography. These were used to delineate polygon boundaries with on-screen digitizing.
- How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
- Date: Apr-1997 (process 1 of 1)
-
This vegetation map was created from aerial photographs. The photos were scanned at 600 dpi and georeferenced using control points gathered from georeferenced digital orthophoto quads from the USGS. ONce the digital photos were georeferenced, they were used to delineate map polygons interpreted from the stero-paired aerial photographs. Once the delineation of polygons was complete, each polygon was attributed with it's appropriate map class (or vegetation association), height class, pattern class, and density value. The final layer was converted to an ARCINFO coverage and topology was built.
- What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
- How well have the observations been checked?
The accuracy of classification to association was completed with both a traditional and a fuzzy-set assessment. This assessment only determined accuracy for polygons at or above the MMU. The overall accuracy of the map was determined to be .58 (Kappa). The subsequent Level 5,4, and 3 level fuzzy accuracy assessment produced valuesof .64, .77 and .87 respectively. The Level 4 accuracy assessment value from the fuzzy assessment is provided for each class.
Accuracy assessments were also performed for polygons below the MMU. These can be found in the final report.
- How accurate are the geographic locations?
We collected a total 89 map points on Fire Island and the William Floyd Estate. Of these, 21 points were removed because the standard deviation of the differentially corrected location was higher than 10 m. The resulting 68 points were then overlaid onto the vegetation map and georeferenced aerial photography to assess spatial accuracy of the map. Each point was examined, and the difference (in meters) between the GPS location and map location was measured using the masuring tool in Arc View. This value was entered into the appropriate field in the database. If the exact location of the map point could not be determined or discerned from the aerial photograph, the point was eliminated from consideration.
A total of 21 points were removed because they could not be accurately measured. This left 47 points for assessing the spatial accuracy of the vegetation map. The mean error distance was found to be 4.42 m (± 4.94 m). Errors distances ranged from 0.00 m - 30.0 m. When the single 30 m error point was removed (assumed to be an outlier), the mean error distance was 3.86 m ((± 3.18 m) with a range of 0.00 m - 14.09 m.
- How accurate are the heights or depths?
- Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
The minimum mapping unit for this project is 0.25-ha. There are, however, several polygons in the map that are smaller than this mapping area. We decided to include these small polygons for several reasons. The most important of these is that many of the recognizable vegetation and man-made features on Fire Island are smaller than the 0.25 MMU planned in the contract. Inclusion of smaller mapping units allowed us to capture these features and improve the utility of the vegetation map. It also allowed us to avoid conglomerating obviously homogeneous blocks of vegetation into "mosaics" or "complexes" at the 0.25-ha unit level.
- How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
All linework was cleaned before building topology. All reulting polygons are attributed with the appropriate information.
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
- Access_Constraints: None
- Use_Constraints:
-
These data were designed to identify and map vegetation polygons only. They are not appropriate for other uses such as legal property boundary identification, tax assessment, etc.
- 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?
NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Vegetation Map of Fire Island National Seashore
- 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: 25-Apr-2002
Last Reviewed: 20-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 Thu May 20 14:32:47 2010
Return to USGS Vegetation Characterization Program at Fire Island National Seashore
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
