Spatial Vegetation Data FAQ Metadata
Frequently-anticipated questions:
- Title: Walnut Canyon National Monument Vegetation Mapping Project - Spatial Vegetation Data
- Abstract:
-
This metadata is for the vegetation and land-use geo-spatial database for Walnut Canyon National Monument and surrounding areas. The project is authorized as part of the USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. The program is being administered by the Core Science Systems (CSS), United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS/CSS is responsible for overall management and oversight of all ongoing mapping efforts. This mapping effort was performed by the US Bureau of Reclamation's (USBR) Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Technical Service Center, Denver, CO and the USGS Colorado Plateau Research Station, Flagstaff, AZ. The vegetation mapping program is part of a larger Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program started by the National Park Service (NPS).
- How should this data set be cited?
USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Denver, Colorado, 2004, Vegetation Map: Walnut Canyon National Monument.
Online Links:
This is part of the following larger work.
M. Hansen, J. Coles, K.A. Thomas, D. Cogan, M. Reid, J. Von Loh, K. Schultz, 2004, USGS-NPS National Vegetation Mapping Program: Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona, Vegetation Classification and Distribution, Final Project Report.
- What geographic area does the data set cover?
- West_Bounding_Coordinate: -111.562937
- East_Bounding_Coordinate: -111.435931
- North_Bounding_Coordinate: 35.218446
- South_Bounding_Coordinate: 35.136858
- Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Walnut Canyon National Monument and the environs.
- What does it look like?
- <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/waca/images/wacavegmap.pdf> (PDF)
-
Graphic showing vegetation associations
- Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
- Calendar_Date: 08-Oct-1996
- Currentness_Reference: Date of Aerial Photography
- 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 (3008)
- Label point (922)
- GT-polygon composed of chains (922)
- Point (15)
- 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 0.000007
Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000007
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?
- waca_veg.aat
- Walnut Canyon National Monument Vegetation Mapping Project: Vegetation Coverage Arc Attribute Table
(Source: User defined)
- FID
- Internal feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- Shape
- Feature geometry.
(Source: ESRI)
Coordinates defining the features.
- FNODE#
- Internal node number for the beginning of an arc (from-node).
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- TNODE#
- Internal node number for the end of an arc (to-node).
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- LPOLY#
- Internal node number for the left polygon.
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- RPOLY#
- Internal node number for the right polygon.
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- LENGTH
- Length of feature in internal units.
(Source: ESRI)
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
- WACA_VEG#
- Internal feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- WACA_VEG-ID
- User-defined feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- DIGTYPE
- User-defined feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| 1 | Represents a line that was digitally transferred using on-screen or heads-up methods.
|
| 2 | Represents lines that were digitally transferred from scanned mylar overlays.
|
| 3 | Represents the boundary arcs of the project area.
|
- waca_veg.pat
- Walnut Canyon National Monument Vegetation Mapping Project: Vegetation Coverage Polygon Attribute Table
(Source: User defined)
- FID
- Internal feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- Shape
- Feature geometry.
(Source: ESRI)
Coordinates defining the features.
- 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.
- WACA_VEG#
- Internal feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- WACA_VEG-ID
- User-defined feature number.
(Source: ESRI)
Whole numbers that are automatically generated.
- PHOTO
- Aerial photo number (flightline-number) from which the polygon was interpreted.
(Source: 1:12,000 scale, color infra-red photography flown in October 1996.)
Positive real numbers representing the flightline and aerial photo numbers
- DENSITY
- Density classes as interperted by BOR.
(Source: Interperted vegetation density classes.)
Density classes.
- MAP_CODE
- Map Unit Code
(Source: USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group)
| Value | Definition |
|---|
| 1 | Sparsely Vegetated Coconino Sandstone
|
| 2 | Sparsely Vegetated Kaibab Limestone
|
| 3 | Sparsely Vegetated Intermittent Drainage Channel
|
| 4 | Blue Grama - Mt. Muhly Grassland Group
|
| 5 | Introduced Western Wheatgrass Grassland
|
| 6 | Common Horehound - Prairie Dog Town
|
| 7 | Snakeweed/Modified Grassland Complex
|
| 8 | Rabbitbrush/Blue Grama Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation
|
| 9 | Limestone Rim Complex
|
| 10 | Canyon Floor Complex
|
| 11 | Pinyon Pine - Utah Juniper/Blue Grama Woodland
|
| 12 | Ponderosa Pine - Pinyon Pine-Juniper/Blue Grama Woodland
|
| 13 | Ponderosa Pine - Pinyon Pine - Juniper/Gambel Oak Woodland
|
| 14 | Ponderosa Pine / Gambel Oak Woodland
|
| 15 | Ponderosa Pine / Mixed Graminoid Woodland Complex
|
| 16 | Douglas-fir / Gambel Oak Forest
|
| 17 | Rural Residential
|
| 18 | Ranch Developments
|
| 19 | NPS Facilities
|
| 20 | Utility Corridors
|
| 21 | Transportation Routes
|
| 22 | Pastures
|
| 23 | Reservoirs
|
| 24 | Stock Tanks and Dams
|
- VEG_NAME
- Map Unit Common Name
(Source: USGS and USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group)
Text
- ECO
- Ecological description of the polygon.
(Source: USGS Colorado Plateau Research Station)
- PHYS
- Physiographic description of the polygon.
(Source: USGS Colorado Plateau Research Station and USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group)
- ASSN_NAME
- NVCS Association Scientific Name(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ASSN_NAME2
- NVCS Association Scientific Name(s) (Continued)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ASSN_CNAME
- NVCS Association Common Name(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ASSN_CNAM2
- NVCS Association Common Name(s) (Continued)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ELCODE
- NVCS Association code - Community Element Global Code
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ALL_NAME
- NVCS Alliance Scientific Name(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ALL_NAME2
- NVCS Alliance Scientific Name(s) (Continued)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ALL_CNAME
- NVCS Alliance Common Name(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- ALL_CNAME2
- NVCS Alliance Common Name(s) (Continued)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- NVCS_CODE
- NVCS Code(s) to the formation level
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- CLASS
- NVCS Class Name(s) and Code(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- SUBCLASS
- NVCS Sublass Name(s) and Codes(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- GROUP
- NVCS Group Name(s) and Code(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- SUBGROUP
- NVCS Subgroup Name(s) and Code(s)
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- FORMATION
- NVCS Formation Name
(Source: National Vegetation Classification System)
- LUC_II
- Land use and land cover (Level II) classification system code and name for the polygon.
(Source: Anderson, J.R., E.E. Hardy, J.T. Roach, R.E. Witmer. 1976. Land use and land cover classification system for use with remote sensor data.)
Level II Code and Text
- COMMENT_1
- General description of the map unit.
(Source: USGS Colorado Plateau Research Station)
Text
- COMMENT_2
- General comment describing how the map unit relates to other map units.
(Source: USGS Colorado Plateau Research Station)
Text
- Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
-
Attributes were either generated by ArcInfo or assigned by the USBR Remote Sensing GIS Group.
- Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
-
Walnut Canyon Vegetation Mapping Project Final Report (DOI - USGS/USBR)
- What biological taxa does this data set concern?
- Taxonomy:
-
- Keywords/Taxon:
-
- Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Taxonomic_Keywords: plant communities
- Taxonomic_Classification:
-
- Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Plantae
- Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
- USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group, Denver, Colorado
- Who also contributed to the data set?
USBR: Janet Coles, Jim Von Loh, Dan Cogan, Doug Crawford, Trudy Meyer, Jean Pennel. USGS: Kathryn Thomas, Monica Hansen
- To whom should users address questions about the data?
Dan Cogan and Kathryn Thomas
USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group and USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Research Station
Cogan: Physical Scientist; Thomas: PhD Ecologist
Cogan: POB 25007 Bldg 56 D-8260 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225; Thomas: USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Research Station P.O. Box 5614 Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Denver, CO 80225
USA
Cogan: 303-445-2291 Thomas: 928-556-7327 (voice)
303-445-6337 (FAX)
dcogan@do.usbr.gov; kathryn_a_thomas@usgs.gov
- Hours_of_Service: 8:00 - 5:00 MST
- Contact_Instructions:
-
For GIS questions contact Cogan, for ecological questions contact Thomas.
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.
- From what previous works were the data drawn?
- National Forest Service Photos (source 1 of 1)
-
USDA - National Forest Service (BY: Merrick & Company 2450 S. Peoria St Aurora, CO 80014 Phone: 303-751-0741), 19961008, USDA - USFS Photos (Merrick & Company).
- Type_of_Source_Media: Color Infra-red aerial photos
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 12000
- Source_Contribution: Photos used for vegetation interpretation.
- How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
- Date: 2000 (process 1 of 1)
-
PHOTO INTERPRETATION: All map classes were interpreted from 1:12,000 scale, color infra-red photography flown in October 1996. The photographs were acquired from the USGS/NPS mapping program. Photo-interpretation 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 classes to each polygon. Photographs were examined using a stereoscope as needed. Linework was created on semi-clear mylars placed over the photos.
GIS PROCEDURES: The linework on the mylar overlays was transferred into the GIS database by one of two methods, either heads-up digitizing or scanning. METHOD I: Heads-up digitizing is a procedure whereby the operator digitizes by hand on a computer terminal screen showing a digital image of a DOQQ. By looking at similar features on both the aerial photograph and on the DOQQ, the line drawn on the aerial photo overlay is manually transferred to the digital image. METHOD II: Most of WACA was transferred by digitally scanning the mylar overlays, vectorizing the scanned images, and fitting the resulting linework to corresponding DOQQs using known control points. Extensive cleaning, edge matching, and general editing of the digital vectors was completed before polygon topology was created. Labels were created for each polygon and they were attributed with the necessary vegetation information. The entire transfer and editing sequence was automated via in-house ArcInfo AML programs. The final vegetation coverage consists of vegetation polygons.
OTHER DATA: Quadrangle and DOQQ border coverages (bndryquad, bndrydoqq) were created by producing tics every 2?30"" and 3' 45"" respectively and connecting arcs at the tics. The mapping project border coverage (bndryproj) was created by creating a 1-mile buffer around the Monument border and modifying it per the client's request to include additional areas of interest that fell further than 1 mile beyond the border. The Monument border coverage (bndrypark) was acquired from the client. A flightline coverage (bndryfline) was made by digitizing arcs with a DRG on screen and following lines as they appeared on the flightline index map.
Person who carried out this activity:
Dan Cogan and Kathryn Thomas
USBR Remote Sensing and GIS Group and USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Research Station
Cogan: Physical Scientist; Thomas: PhD Ecologist
Cogan: POB 25007 Bldg 56 D-8260 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225; Thomas: USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Research Station P.O. Box 5614 Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Denver, CO 80225
USA
Cogan: 303-445-2291 Thomas: 928-556-7327 (voice)
303-445-6337 (FAX)
dcogan@do.usbr.gov; kathryn_a_thomas@usgs.gov
- Hours_of_Service: 8:00 - 5:00 MST
- Contact_Instructions:
-
For GIS questions contact Cogan, for ecological questions contact Thomas.
- What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
- How well have the observations been checked?
These data have overall accuracy using the acceptable criteria of 69.2% (66.7 % Kappa Index) within a 90% confidence interval of 64.1 to 71.8%.
- How accurate are the geographic locations?
Data were transferred to the GIS database using 1:12,000-scale USGS Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangles (DOQQs) as basemaps. As such, the positional accuracy is no better than these products.
- How accurate are the heights or depths?
Data were transferred to the GIS database using 1:12,000-scale USGS Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangles (DOQQs) as basemaps. As such, the positional accuracy is no better than these products.
- Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
All data that could be interpreted from the aerial photos were digitized in accordance with the minimum mapping unit (MMU) of 1/2 hectare. This included selected features that fell into the National Vegetation Classification and the Anderson Level II land use classification. Some classes below the MMU were included, especially water and wetland features and those at the edge of the study area (i.e. cut off by other features and borders). Roads (to visible right-of-way or fence line) and streams/drainages wider than 10 meters were digitized as polygons and attributed accordingly.
- How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
All polygon features were checked for topology, existence of label points, and label point uniqueness. The labels were checked for correct and complete attributing. All nodes where checked for unintentional lines and to ensure that the polygons were closed. All steps preformed using ESRI ArcInfo commands.
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
- Access_Constraints: None
- Use_Constraints:
-
Acknowledgment of the USGS and USBR/RSGIG would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation before beginning analysis. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user.
- 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?
Downloadable Data
- 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: 15-Nov-2004
Last Reviewed: 20-Jun-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 Sun Jun 20 21:05:01 2010
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