Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

G28
B25 New Mexico Saltbush / Alkali Sacaton – Galleta Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation
Figure.G49..Ground.photo.for.map.class.B25,.
New.Mexico.Saltbush./.Alkali.Sacaton.–.Galleta.
Shrub.Herbaceous.Vegetation.
Figure.G50..Photosignature.for.map.class.B25,.
New.Mexico.Saltbush./.Alkali.Sacaton.–.Galleta.
Shrub.Herbaceous.Vegetation.
Location: New Mexico Saltbush / Galleta - Alkali Sacaton Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation had the largest
area mapped of any of the map classes and occurred throughout the park and the environs. This map class
tended to favor clay and sandy clay soils; however, it also appeared less commonly in sand dunes or in
heavy sandy soils.
Photosignature: This photosignature appeared to have a light tan to brownish gray color. The texture
appeared smooth and individual shrubs and grasses were not easily identifiable. This map class was typically
used in badlands areas where the vegetation was more than sparse (2-15% cover), where the area
appeared to have a shrub component, and where the soils do not mask the vegetation.
Plant communities
Atriplex obovata / Sporobolus airoides - Pleuraphis
jamesii Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation
Group map class
Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe (1 of
5)
Management map class Alkali Sacaton Steppe and Mixed Grasslands (1 of 8)
Macrogroup map class
Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland and
Steppe (1 of 17)
Number of map units in park 607
Number of map units in park & environs 712
Number of map units less than 0.5 ha 117 (0.3% of total map class area)
Area of map class in park
9218.0 ha / 22778.2 ac
Total area of map class
11046.0 ha / 27295.3 ac
Proportion of land cover in park 24.2%
Proportion of map class in project environs 16.5%
Base map class accuracy user 40.0 (27.7 - 54.9), producer 19.4 (12.5 - 28.8)
Group map class accuracy user 41.8 (34.7 - 49.2), producer 38.1 (31.5 - 45.1)
Management map class accuracy user 73.0 (66.9 - 78.3), producer 64.0 (58.0 - 69.5)
Macrogroup map class accuracy user 93.0 (90.1 - 95.0), producer 77.2 (73.3 - 80.6)
Documentation for base map class
12 2003 relevés, 17 1996 relevés, 62 AA observation
sites
Vegetation Classification and Distribution Mapping Report: Petrified Forest National Park