USGS:Biology Biological Informatics Program Vegetation Characterization Program Glacier National Park Field Plot Data FAQ Metadata

Field Plots Data FAQ Metadata

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Text] - [Adobe Acrobat pdf file]

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. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. 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?

Title:

Vegetation Classification Plots - Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project

Abstract:

The classification of vegetation project was conducted to support an international effort to produce the first park-wide vegetation map for the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (WGIPP). Photointerpreters, ecologists, and botanists from the U.S. and Canada collaborated to develop the map classification scheme. A detailed vegetation analysis of the Park along with information collected during previous classification projects were used to develop the map classification scheme, in accordance with the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) System plant associations (communities). A total of 682 vegetation plot samples were sampled for the map classification project, 628 within Glacier National Park and 54 from Waterton Lakes National Park. Vegetation samples from other previous sampling efforts were also used, to provide over 1,100 sampling plots of data for the vegetation analysis project. This project was conducted under the guidance of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-National park Service (NPS) Vegetation Mapping Program. Participants include; the USGS Center for Biological Informatics, NPS Biological Resources Management Division, USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC), NPS Glacier National Park (GNP), Parks Canada Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP), NatureServe, and the Montana Natural Heritage Program. The vegetation plots spatial database contains background information on the locations of the vegetation plots and plant associations. These data are distributed as shapefile format geographic information system (GIS) data, projected to Universal Transverse Mercator zone 12 mapping coordinates, North American Datum 1983.

Supplemental_Information:

A detailed report on the vegetation plot is available. This report also documents how these data were used to create the map classification scheme for Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, and how the vegetation map was created. The vegetation plots sampled for the mapping project were collected in Glacier National Park (GNP) from 1999 through 2002, and within Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP) in 1999. The GNP grassland ecology data were collected from 1999 through 2001. The WLNP ecological land classification data were collected during 1994 and 1995. These data were entered into the PLOTS Database System, for analysis and classification.

1. How should this data set be cited?

   U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences , 2007, Vegetation Classification Plots - Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project: USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project, U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, Denver, Colorado.

   Online Links:

   • <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/glac/index.html>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   A detailed report on how this data set was created is available to download from the Vegetation Mapping Program's Web site. The report discusses methods and results, and includes plant community descriptions and dichotomous keys, map classification and descriptions, and AA contingency tables.

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -114.404447

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -113.244166

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 49.214757

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 48.206314

   Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park

3. What does it look like?

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

   Beginning_Date: 07-Jun-1994

   Ending_Date: 05-Sep-2002

   Currentness_Reference: ground condition

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

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

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

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • Entity point (1113)

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

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator

      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

      UTM_Zone_Number: 12

      Transverse_Mercator:

      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600

      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -111.000000

      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 0.000001
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000001
      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.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   WGIPP_VegPlots

   The attribute table for the point file of the vegetation plot locations. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   FID

   Internal feature number. These numbers are automatically generated by the software program ArcInfo Workstation, and are used by the software to track individual polygon features stored in shapefiles. Most software program will not display these numbers when the data set's attribute table is displayed. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   PLOT_SITE

   Character codes used to link individual plot locations to the data sheets prepared for that site. Each sampling site has a unique ID number. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   Random IDs defining the features.

   ASSN_CEGL

   Association codes used to link individual records to one of the 190 different vegetation associations identified for the park. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   Association codes used to link individual records to one of the 190 different vegetation associations identified for the park.

   ASSN_NAME

   The scientific names of the major vegetation types associated with each vegetation association. A complete plant species list (linking common name to scientific names) is available in Appendix F of the project report. Detailed descriptions of the plant associations are available in Appendix G. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   The scientific names of the major vegetation types associated with each vegetation association. A complete plant species list (linking common name to scientific names) is available in Appendix F of the project report. Detailed descriptions of the plant associations are available in Appendix G.

   PROJECT

   The name of the project each vegetation plot was associated with. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   The name of the project each vegetation plot was associated with..

   LOCATION

   The abbreviation code of the park associated with each vegetation plot. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   Value	Definition
   GLAC	Glacier National Park
   WATE	Waterton Lakes National Park

   QUAD_24K

   The name of the 1:24,000-scale topographic quadrangle associated with each vegetation plot. (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   The name of the 1:24,000-scale topographic quadrangle associated with each vegetation plot.

   X_EASTING

   The east/west (e.g., longitude) mapping coordinate that marks the southeastern corner of each vegetation plot. (Source: GPS receiver or USGS topographic quadrangle)

   Coordinate defining features

   Y_NORTHING

   The north/south (e.g., latitude) mapping coordinate that marks the southeastern corner of each vegetation plot. (Source: GPS receiver or USGS topographic quadrangle)

   Coordinate defining features

   PLOT_DATE

   The calendar date each plot was sampled, recorded as YYYYMMDD (Y=year, M=month, and D=day). (Source: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project)

   Dates defining features

8. What biological taxa does this data set concern?

   Taxonomy:

   Keywords/Taxon:

   Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

   Taxonomic_Keywords: Standardized National Vegetation Classification System

   Taxonomic_Keywords: vegetation classification

   Taxonomic_Keywords: alliance

   Taxonomic_Keywords: community association

   Taxonomic_Classification:

   Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom

   Taxon_Rank_Value: Plantae

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

   USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
   U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, MS 302, Room 8000, Building 810, Denver Federal Center
   Denver, Colorado 80225
   United States of America
   

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

The USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program (VMP) is a cooperative effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) to classify, describe, and map existing vegetation of national park units for the Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring Program. The goals of the WGIPP vegetation mapping project were to (1) adequately describe and map plant communities of WGIPP and (2) provide the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program, resource managers, and biological researchers with useful baseline vegetation information.

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   Achuff 2002a (source 1 of 5)

   Achuff, P.L., R.L. McNeil, M.L. Coleman, C. W, 2002, Ecological land classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. Vol. I: integrated resource description.: Parks Canada,, Waterton Park, Alberta.

   Type_of_Source_Media: report

   Source_Contribution:

   Provided additional information about the vegetation types and communities within Waterton Lakes National Park.

   Damm 2001 (source 2 of 5)

   Damm, C., 2001, A phytosociological study of Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A., with notes on the syntaxonomy of alpine vegetation in western North America.: University of Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany.

   Online Links:

   • <http://webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/diss/2001/damm/index.html>

   Type_of_Source_Media: report

   Source_Contribution:

   Provided additional information about the vegetation types and communities within Glacier National Park.

   Shea et. al., 2004 (source 3 of 5)

   Shea, D., S. Olin, and J. Asebrook., Unknown, Glacier National Park Eastside Grasslands Ecology Project Draft Final Report.: Glacier National Park,, West Glacier, MT.

   Type_of_Source_Media: unpublished report

   Source_Contribution: Unknown

   USGS/NPS Veg. Classification (source 4 of 5)

   USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Conservancy, The Nature , and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Unknown, Standardized National Vegetation Classification System, USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, Denver, Colorado.

   Online Links:

   • <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/classification/index.html>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   This document has two fundamental purposes. First, it is to describe the structure, content, and origins of the Standard National Vegetation Classification System proposed for adoption by the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. Second, it is to describe the process by which the system is to be applied to changing requirements.

   Type_of_Source_Media: report

   Source_Contribution:

   Contains the standard operating procedures used by individuals classifying vegetation for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program.

   USGS-NPS Field Procedures (source 5 of 5)

   USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, Conservancy, The Nature , and Environmental Systems Research , Inc., 199412, Field Methods for Vegetation Mapping, USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, Denver, Colorado.

   Online Links:

   • <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/fieldmethods/index.html>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   This report proposes a standardized planning and field methods process that will meet the objectives of the NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Project.

   Type_of_Source_Media: report

   Source_Contribution:

   Contains the standard field procedures used by individuals classifying vegetation for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program.

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 1999 (process 1 of 3)

   Key environmental variables thought to be driving vegetation pattern were identified, including elevation, aspect, fire history, and soils. These data were analyzed, to locate areas with unique combinations (i.e., biophysical units (BPUs)). Areas containing clusters of different BPUs were identified, especially those within close proximity to roads and hiking trails.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • USGS-NPS Veg. Classification
   • USGS-NPS Field Procedures

   Date: Unknown (process 2 of 3)

   Field crews visited and established vegetation plots within the BPUs. Using procedures and methods outlined in the Plot Sampling Form and Field Manual (Appendix C, U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park project report), the field crews filled out detailed sampling forms for each sampling site. Note: If the field crews noticed a unique vegetation community as they were navigating to their appointed sampling site, this information was relayed to their field supervisor. In some incidences, additional vegetation plots were collected to record this information.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • USGS-NPS Veg. Classification
   • USGS-NPS Field Procedures

   Date: 2004 (process 3 of 3)

   A database was compiled that contained the geographic coordinates of each vegetation plot, the park location that was sampled (Glacier or Waterton), the vegetation association classification for the plot, along with additional coding and locational information. These data were then converted to a geographic information system (GIS) point file.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • USGS-NPS Veg. Classification
   • USGS-NPS Field Procedures

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

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   Several accuracy checks were made against the automated data and the original reports or data sheets, during and after data entry.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   The locations of the vegetation plots were recorded using global positioning system (GPS) receivers. If a GPS reading wasn't possible, the location of the vegetation plot was estimated using a topographic map.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

   Data forms were filled out for each vegetation plot sampled. Each set of data sheets had a data record recorded for that site in the GIS data set.

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

   The southeastern corner/edge of each vegetation plot was estimated using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver or topographic map. The mapping coordinates were recorded on data sheets, which was later entered into a digital database. The database was converted into a geographic information system (GIS) data set, containing point features.

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

Access_Constraints: none

Use_Constraints: none

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

   USGS Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics
   c/o USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
   USGS
   Denver, Colorado 80225-0046
   USA
   

   (303) 202-4220 (voice)
   (303) 202-4229 (FAX)
   gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov
   

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

   Downloadable Data

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/glac/index.html>

   • Cost to order the data: None

Dates:

Last modified: 18-Jul-2007
Last Reviewed: 30-Jan-2008

Metadata author:

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, MS 302,
Room 8000, Building 810, Denver Federal Center
Denver, Colorado 80225
USA

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

Metadata standard:

FGDC-STD-001.1-1999 Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata, 1998 Part 1: Biological Data Profile, 1999 (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Metadata extensions used:

• <http://metadata.nbii.gov/portal/community/Communities/Toolkit/Metadata/FGDC_Metadata/>