Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

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Appendix E Plant community and map class key The plant community and map class key, developed to identify plant communities (NVC associations, alliances and park specials) and map classes (base, group, management, and macrogroup) was used in the field during accuracy assessment of the Petrified Forest National Park vegetation mapping project. It can be used at Petrified Forest NP in areas of at least 0.5 ha in size (e.g. a circle within a 40-m radius). Most base map classes key to one plant community, but some are aggregations of more than one plant community and may appear in several places in the dichotomous key. Because the group, management, and macrogroup map classes are aggregations of base map classes, they also appear multiple times in the key. The group class may represent aggregations of the base map classes to the group level of the National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS), version 2 (2008). Terrestrial ecological systems, as described by NatureServe, were used as a first approximation of the group level. The macrogroup map classes represent aggregations of base map classes to the macrogroup level of the NVCS Version 2, as approximated by the project team. The management map classes were developed in consultation with park staff, with the intent of preserving high map accuracy while maintaining base map classes that are of importance to park managers. The key begins with a lifeform key that separates the observed vegetation or land cover into one of four lifeform types, each with a subkey. The subkeys consist of decision couplets that describe the vegetation characteristics and typical geomorphic setting. Communities containing the same species may be separated into different associations, or even lifeforms, due to differences in cover and/or habitat. Because of this, both parts of the couplet should be considered before proceeding through the key. As is the case with a botanical key, often it is important to follow the key a few couplets beyond the point where you believe you may have correctly identified a map label or association because you may find a better fit in subsequent steps, or you may gain increased confidence that your initial choice was correct. At Petrified Forest National Park, fluctuations in precipitation between drought and wet years affects the cover of vegetation. Herbaceous perennial plants may be driven into dormancy and show lower cover than expected. during droughts. Alternatively, a flush of annual forb growth may follow a wet period. This fluctuations in cover needs to be considered when using a key developed for average conditions. Some map labels are based on landforms, such as “Barren Badlands”, where existing vegetation is very sparse. However, it is important to remember that the vegetation at Petrified Forest National Park can be very sparse (
Vegetation Classification and Distribution Mapping Report: Petrified Forest National Park Lifeform Key 1a.. 1b.. .Site.is.either.barren.(non-vegetated),.sparsely.vegetated.(≤2%.vegetation),.or.characterized. by.a.geomorphic.feature.or.an.anthropogenic.land.use.with.up.to.10%.vegetation.cover.. The.site.may.be.characterized.by.a.barren.geomorphic.feature,.i.e..sand.or.barren.wash,.or. a.sparsely.vegetated.to.vegetated.anthropogenic.land.use,.i.e..park.facilities.and.railroad.. SPARSE.VEGETATION.AND.BARREN.(Key.A,.go.to.4a) .Site.with.>2%.vegetation.or.not.characterized.by.a.geomorphic.feature.or.an.anthropogenic. land.use.with.up.to.10%.vegetation..(2a) 2a.. 2b.. 3a.. 3b.. .Site.characterized.by.tree.and/or.shrub.cover..If.tree.or.shrub.cover.is.>15%.cover,.grasses. and.forbs.may.have.higher.cover.than.trees.or.shrubs..If.tree.or.shrub.cover.is.
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National Park Service U.S. Departme
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Vegetation Classification and Distr
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The National Park Service, Natural
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Acronyms and Abbreviations AA ac AP
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Executive Summary The classificatio
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Acknowledgments Behind the authors
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Axis 3 Axis 2 Vegetation Classifica
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20 Table 5. continued Plant communi
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40 Table 13. Base map class summary
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46 Table 16. Summary statistics for
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56 Table 22. Summary statistics for
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Literature Cited ties: Terrestrial
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B2 Appendix B Plant Community 2003
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B4 Appendix B .continued Plant Comm
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Appendix C: Global and local plant
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Page 208 and 209: Appendix D Plant species list The s
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Page 230 and 231: Appendix F Plant community and map
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Page 239 and 240: G4 B1 Cottonwood / Rubber Rabbitbru
Page 241 and 242: G6 B3 Blue Sage Dwarf-Shrubland Fig
Page 243 and 244: G8 B5 Copperweed - Alkali Sacaton S
Page 245 and 246: G10 B7 Drummond Goldenweed - Gallet
Page 247 and 248: G12 B9 Greasewood / New Mexico Salt
Page 249 and 250: G14 B11 Iodine Bush Shrubland Figur
Page 251 and 252: G16 B13 Sandsage Colorado Plateau S
Page 253 and 254: G18 B15 Tamarisk Shrubland Figure.G
Page 255 and 256: G20 B17 Winter-fat / Blue Grama Dwa
Page 257 and 258: G22 B19 Alkali Sacaton - Blue Grama
Page 259 and 260: G24 B21 Blue Grama Herbaceous Veget
Page 261 and 262: G26 B23 Galleta - Alkali Sacaton He
Page 263 and 264: G28 B25 New Mexico Saltbush / Alkal
Page 265 and 266: G30 B27 Russian Thistle Sand Dune V
Page 267 and 268: G32 B29 Arizona Siltbush Sparse Veg
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G34 B31 Slender Buckwheat Sparse Ve
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G36 B33 Airstrip Figure.G65..Photos
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G38 B35 Barren Wash Figure.G68..Gro
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G40 B37 Park Sites Figure.G71..Phot
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G42 B39 Residences Figure.G73..Phot
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G44 B41 Run-off Control Feature Fig
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G46 B43 Stock Ponds Figure.G77..Pho
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G48 B45 Vegetated Wash Complex Figu
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Appendix H: Accuracy Assessment Dat
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Table H-4. Contingency table: Manag
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The Department of the Interior prot
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