[Sdi-northamerica] First detailed national map of land-cover vegetation released

[Kate Lance]

http://www.physorg.com/news195733155.html   
First detailed national map of land-cover vegetation released
The most detailed national vegetation U.S. land-cover map to date was released 
by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The map will enable conservation 
professionals to identify places in the country with sufficient habitat to 
support wildlife. 


http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2509 
Online map viewer shows data at multiple scales
The online map viewing interface has been designed to allow users to explore 
land cover data at three levels of complexity. Level 1 contains eight classes: 
grassland, shrubland, forest, aquatic, sparse and barren, recently disturbed, 
riparian, and human land use. Level 2 contains 43 classes, and incorporates 
information on elevation and climate. Level 3 contains the full 583 classes. 
This online tool facilitates exploration of ecological system distribution 
patterns at multiple scales and allows users to calculate statistics on the 
types of vegetation occurring within a mapping zone, a state, or a county.
As part of the USGS National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) — a 
collaborative program coordinated by the USGS to provide increased access to 
data and information on the nation's biological resources — GAP data and 
associated analytical tools have been used in hundreds of applications, from 
basic research to comprehensive state wildlife plans, and from education 
projects in schools to ecoregional assessments of biodiversity.
GAP has developed land cover data since the 1980s — initially on a 
state-by-state basis and more recently on a regional basis. The national land 
cover map provides seamless coverage across political boundaries, facilitating 
its use by governmental agencies, researchers, conservation organizations and 
others.



      
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