Introduction to the U.S. National Vegetation Standard

2014 National Military Fish and Wildlife AssociationNatural Resources Monitoring and Vegetation and Classification

Denver, ColoradoMarch 12, 2014

Alexa McKerrow, Biologists

Implementation Manager USNVC

USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, & Libraries

USNVC

Describe the US NVC Standard. Provides examples of the use of the USNVC in

applications in support of Natural Resource Management.

Provide a brief overview of the accomplishments, and vision of the FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee in implementing the USNVC Standard..

Objectives

USNVC

The Partnership Federal Geographic Data Committee Vegetation Subcommittee

members* U.S. Forest Service (Lead Agency) U.S. Geological Survey, Core Science Analytics, Synthesis & Libraries

(Implementation Management) Ecological Society of America (Panel on Vegetation Classification) NatureServe

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Subcommittee Members

Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. National Park Service U.S. Bureau of Land ManagementU. S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNational Aeronautics and Space Administration Department of DefenseEnvironmental Protection Agency

USNVC

Objectives of the Vegetation Standard

Because vegetation represents a synthetic surrogate for landscape level processes our objectives include:

1. Providing mechanisms for developing uniform federal statistics for vegetation in the U.S.

2. Encouraging partners to use a common system when working with federal agencies

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Guiding Principles of the FGDC Vegetation Classification Standard 2008

The classification standard will be dynamic, allowing for refinement as additional information becomes available.

The NVCS is of existing, not potential, vegetation.

The NVCS is hierarchical.

Upper levels of the NVCS are based primarily on physiognomy (life form, cover, structure, leaf type) of the vegetation (not individual species).

Lower levels of the NVCS are based on actual floristic (vegetation) composition and supported by field data.

The classification is applicable over extensive areas.

USNVC Hierarchy Vegetated Areas Natural Vegetation Cultural Vegetation

Upper

1 - Formation Class 1 - Cultural Class

2 - Formation Subclass 2 - Cultural Subclass

3 - Formation 3 - Cultural Formation

4 - Cultural Subformation

Middle

4 - Division 5 - Cultural Group

5 - Macrogroup 6 - Cultural Subgroup

6 - Group

Lower

7 - Alliance 7- Cultural type

8 - Association 8 - Cultural subtype

How does the USNVC Classify Natural Vegetation?• The NVC vegetation classification is

based on a combination of: • growth forms, as these respond to

climate, elevation, substrates, etc, and

• species, both dominant and diagnostic, as these reflect biogeographic and ecologic relations.

• The classification is hierarchical and incorporates the physiognomic (top 3 levels), general floristic-biogeographic (mid 3 levels), and detailed floristic (lowest 2 levels) criteria, guiding all criteria by ecological considerations.

Level Concept ExampleUpper - Physiognomic

L1 – Formation Class Broad combinations of general dominant growth forms that are adapted to basic temperature (energy budget), moisture, and substrate/aquatic conditions.

Shrubland& Grassland [mesomorphic]

L2 – Formation Subclass Combinations of general dominant and diagnostic growth forms that reflect global macroclimatic factors driven primarily by latitude and continental position, or that reflect overriding substrate/aquatic conditions.

Temperate & Boreal Shrubland

& GrasslandL3 – Formation Combinations of dominant and diagnostic growth forms that

reflect global macroclimatic factors as modified by altitude, seasonality of precipitation, substrates, and hydrologic conditions.

Temperate Grassland &Shrubland

Middle – Physiognomic, Biogeographic and FloristicL4 – Division Combinations of dominant and diagnostic growth forms and a

broad set of diagnostic plant species that reflect biogeographic differences in composition and continental differences in mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

Great Plains Grassland &Shrubland

L5 – Macrogroup Combinations of moderate sets of diagnostic plant species and diagnostic growth forms, that reflect biogeographic differences in composition and subcontinental to regional differences in mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

Tallgrass Prairie Grassland &Shrubland

L6 – Group Combinations of relatively narrow sets of diagnostic plant species (including dominants and co-dominants), broadly similar composition, and diagnostic growth forms that reflect regional mesoclimate, geology, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

Tallgrass Mesic Prairie Grassland

Lower – FloristicL7 – Alliance Diagnostic species, including some from the dominant growth

form or layer, and moderately similar composition that reflect regional to subregional climate, substrates, hydrology, moisture/nutrient factors, and disturbance regimes.

Big Bluestem – Indian grass Grassland

L8 – Association Diagnostic species, usually from multiple growth forms or layers, and more narrowly similar composition that reflect topo-edaphic climate, substrates, hydrology, and disturbance regimes.

Big Bluestem – Indian grass / Gayfeather

Grassland

Table 1. Summary of USNVC hierarchy levels for natural vegetation

Polar and High Mountain Vegetation (Cryomorphic Vegetation)

Semi-Desert Vegetation (Xeromorphic Vegetation)

Forest & Woodland (Mesomorphic) Shrubland & Grassland

Aquatic Vegetation(Hydromorphic Vegetation)

Nonvascular Vegetation (Lithomorphic Vegetation)

Loiseleuria procumbens

Agricultural Vegetation; Developed Vegetation

Cultural Vegetation Semi-natural, Plantation and Native Vegetation

Plantation Forests Natural Forests

Orchards and Treed Lawns

Northern cherry orchard

Apple orchard (Empire)

Lawn with trees (Thomas Jefferson home)

Poplar plantation

Douglas fir plantation (40 yr)

Red pine plantation

Beech - maple northern hardwood forest,

- mature & partially logged

Red pine forest

USNVC

The hierarchical structure of the USNVC allows agencies to apply the classification in synoptic planning.

Characterizing the vegetation at the appropriate scale to address their management questions.

Regional – changes in state (formations, divisions, macrogroups)

Watersheds or landscapes – changes in pattern(groups, alliances)

Individual stands – changes in composition (alliance, associations)

Extent and Mapping Resolution

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USNVC

Federally-funded vegetation classification projects must collect, record, and classify data and information in a manner that allows others to “crosswalk” the project vegetation classes to some level of the USNVC.

In one sense, this means that descriptions from a given project classification should be relatable to descriptions within the USNVC.

At the most fundamental level, field data collected to support a federal agency project should meet the minimum standards for vegetation data collection set forth in the standard (http://usnvc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/NVCS_V2_FINAL_2008-02.pdf; FGDC 2008 for more information).

Is the use of the USNVC Mandatory?

All-Lands ApproachUSFS 2012 Planning Rule•Land management planning in FS is done in the context of the larger landscape •Planners consider conditions beyond the plan area and how resources within and outside boundaries affect each other

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All-Lands Approach

. Proposed Planning Directives •Ecological Integrity

– Sustainability– Diversity

•Listed Species– Threatened &Endangered– Proposed, Candidate

•Social and Economic Sustainability

– Cultural – Economy of communities

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USNVCLinking Forest Service Data to the USNVC

• FIA Objectives: Crosswalk plot data to USNVC Groups. Key to all USNVC types down to Group for the eastern U.S. All FIA plots linked to USNVC types across the U.S.

Benefits: New possibilities for partnership among FIA clients. National trends in forest data will be displayed with USNVC types.

• Region 8 Objectives: Characterize National Forest vegetation using the USNVC. List of USNVC Types for each National Forest.

Benefits: Regionally consistent classification and map products allowing for cross-forest and cross boundary analyses.

• Revised Vegetation Technical Guide Objectives: update and revise previous Technical Guide to make it consistent with FGDC standards Benefits: Agency vegetation classification will be aligned with OMB Circular A-16 direction. All-lands approach can be used in land management planning. 18

USNVC

Objectives: Develop vegetation classifications for national park units; support consistent & accurate mapping of the vegetation using a stable / evolving standard.

Major Deliverableso Association or Alliance-level

classifications; descriptions (local & global);

field keyso Ecologically meaningful

mapping legends Benefits: High quality vegetation

maps to support natural resource management, ability to efficiently and effectively share data, information, and approach across agencies.

National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring

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USNVC

Objectives: Encourage the application of the NVC Standard in all field offices throughout the bureau. Land Use Plans required to report at Macrogroup level.

Timeframe Ongoing Benefits: Standardized map

legends for use in land use management planning at a variety of scales. Facilitate the all lands approach to inventory and monitoring.

Bureau of Land Management – Guidance to Field Offices

NVCS classification categories related to planning use scales. These are only general examples; assessment and planning needs and purposes should dictate the degree of vegetation description needed.

Scale ExamplesNVCS Classification

Categories

Broad-Scale Global Climate Change

AssessmentsClass

  Continental / National National Trend Assessments

Sub-class

 National /Regional Trend Assessments Formation

  Regional Regional Plans & Tread

AssessmentsDivision

Mid-Scale

Sub-regional, State & Sub-basins

State-level Conservation Assessments & Plans,

RMP's, Sub-basin Assessments

Macrogroup

Activity Plans / Project Plans

Watershed Assessments, County Plans/ BLM Activity

Plans / Project PlansGroup

Fine Scale

Project PlansProject Assessments &

Plans / Special Area Plans (e.g. ACEC's)

Alliance

Site Plans Site Descriptions and Plans Association

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USNVC

As of August 2013, 1/3 of non-urban and non-agricultural portions of the state- covered (tan and blue bordered portions are in progress)

represents not only data collection and analysis, but areas are mapped using results of the classification

Most map units are Alliance level, but some to Group level, and some Association level

California classification and mapping projects that meet national standards

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NVC DatabaseNVC Database

Classification Mgt.Classification Mgt.

US-NVC PanelUS-NVC Panel

Proposal submissionProposal submission

Analysis & SynthesisAnalysis & Synthesis

VegBank & other plot archivesVegBank & other plot archives

ExtractionExtraction

NVC Web ViewerNVC Web Viewer

Peer ReviewPeer Review

NVC ProceedingsNVC Proceedings

Legacy NVC classificationLegacy NVC classification

ScreeningScreening

USNVC Proposed Data Flow

Key

External ActionExternal Action

Internal ActionInternal Action

Software EntitySoftware Entity25

Status of the USNVC Natural Vegetation Hierarchy , March 2014

Upper Levels

Formation ClassConcepts & descriptions by HRWG, reviewed by ESA Panel. Ready for Induction

Formation SubclassFormation Conterminous U.S. Alaska Hawai’i CaribbeanMiddle Levels Division Concepts drafted, descriptions needed by HRWG to be completed in FY 2014.

Macrogroup

Concepts drafted by NVC partners*; Reviewed by ESA panel; FY2014

Concepts drafted; by NVC partners; Reviewed by ESA Panel; FY 2014

Concepts drafted by NVC partners;Descriptions needed

Concepts drafted by NatureServe; Descriptions needed

Group

Concepts and Descriptions Drafted by NVC partners; Reviewed by ESA Panel; Final Revisions to be complete in FY2015; QA/QC needed.

Concepts drafted by NVC partners; Reviewed by ESA Panel; Descriptions needed.

Concepts drafted by NVC partners; Descriptions needed.

Concepts incomplete; descriptions needed.

Status of the USNVC Natural Vegetation Hierarchy (cont.), March 2014

Conterminous U.S. Alaska Hawai’i CaribbeanLower Levels

Alliance

Draft concepts completed by NatureServe; Reviewed by ESA Panel;Full descriptions FY2014; Screening and QAQC needed.

Concepts drafted by Alaska Heritage Program; Review and integration with USNVC needed.

Concepts incomplete; Review and integration work needed.

Concepts incomplete; integration work needed

AssociationScreening completed by NatureServe;Ready for Induction.

Concepts drafted by Alaska HP;Review and integration with USNVC needed.

Concepts and Descriptions drafted by state partners;Review and integration with USNVC needed.

Concepts incomplete; integration work needed

USNVCResources for accessing USNVC content

Detailed association level descriptions

NatureServe.org

http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?init=Ecol

USNVCResources for accessing USNVC content

USNVC.org

Currently - Hierarchy Browser provides an overview of the classification. Soon a searchable database of all levels of the hierarchy

www.usnvc.org