Vegetation classification and mapping of Assateague Island National Seashore
Sneddon L, Menke J, Berdine A, Largay E, Gawler S. 2017. Vegetation classification and mapping of Assateague Island National Seashore. NPS/ASIS/NRR-2017/1422. National Park Service, Natural Resource Program Center. Fort Collins, Colorado
Twenty-four National Vegetation Classification alliances occurring within the park were identified and described in detail. A polygon map of alliances or groups of alliances in the park was created, following the NPS Vegetation Mapping InventoryProgram protocols (The Nature Conservancy and Environmental Systems Research Institute 1994a,b,c). A dichotomous field key was developed for alliances to assist with field recognition and classification. As the project progressed, research on related vegetation allowed for the development of association-level information. A final report of the vegetation classification of ASIS was first delivered to the National Park Service in 1995 (The Nature Conservancy 1995), and the vegetation map and report was submitted to the National Park Service the following year (AIS 1996). Field work to conduct an accuracy assessment of the original map was carried out in 1998. Not surprisingly, accuracy of the map of this pilot project was low, an estimated 44%. The results led to a discussion of the reasons for the low accuracy of the original map. There were many contributing factors to low accuracy, but one main issue was that the vegetation classification was developed concurrently with mapping, as opposed to prior to mapping. As a result, the evolving nature of the classification resulted in a varying understanding of the types by photointerpreters. A great deal has been learned from this pilot project and from many other projects over the life of the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, now known as the NPS Vegetation Mapping Inventory Program. In addition, there have been technological advances in GPS, GIS, development of metadata, PLOTS database, and other areas. The VMI has matured markedly during this time, bringing a far more robust vegetation classification to ASIS.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Sneddon, Lesley; Menke, John; Berdine, Ashton; Largay, Ery; Gawler, Sue
- Date of Issue
- 2017-04
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Natural Resource Program Center
- Units
- ASIS , NCBN , VMI
- Keywords
- Assateague Island National Seashore, Association, National Vegetation Classification, Vegetation Classification, Vegetation Mapping