U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603 USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis 20120601 Plots V3.0 vector digital data NPS Vegetation Inventory Program Buffalo National River Vegetation Mapping Project Fort Collins, Colorado NPS Natural Resource Inventory & Monitoring Program A detailed report on how this data set was created is available to download from the program's website. The report discusses methods and results, and includes descriptions and dichotomous keys to vegetation types, map classification and descriptions, and accuracy assessment (AA) contingency tables. It also provides information on the aerial photographs and how they were interpreted. Detailed background information for each map class and attribute code contained in this data set is provided in the project report, which is available at the program's websites (website locations provided in Online_Linkage). http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/buff/buffgeodata.zip doi:10.5066/F7251G4X The vegetation point data layer for the Buffalo National Scenic River (BUFF) vegetation mapping project was developed to show locations and provide field data from two efforts associated with the vegetation mapping project, of which both support the vegetation spatial polygon layer (vegetation map) produced of BUFF (based from interpreting aerial imagery that was collected in October 2006). These two efforts include 1) vegetation plot sampling data and 2) accuracy assessment (AA) site data. Vegetation plot sampling was conducted to describe vegetation types and to develop the map classification scheme. A total of 250 vegetation plots were sampled in the BUFF. A detailed vegetation analysis of these data along with information collected from previous classification projects were used to develop the map classification scheme, in accordance with the National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS) Version 2. The AA site sampling was conducted to measure the probability that a particular location has been assigned its correct vegetation class in the vegetation map layer. An AA estimates thematic errors in the data, giving users information needed to determine data suitability for a particular application. Two views of an AA are provided: 1) "producers' accuracy," which is the probability that an AA point has been mapped correctly (also referred to as an error of omission), and 2) "users' accuracy," which is the probability that the map actually represents what was found on the ground (also referred to as error of commission). The AA was performed on map classes representing floristic-level vegetation types in the NVCS (and one map class representing a group-level type in the NVCS). A total of 891 AA observation sites were collected, and 889 were used in the analysis. From the thematic AA study, results present an overall accuracy of 78.9% (kappa index of 77.3%). Most individual map-class themes exceed the NPS VIP standard of 80% with a 90% confidence interval. Results are shown via a contingency table. The project report for the BUFF vegetation mapping project provides details pertaining to the methods of the vegetation plot sampling and accuracy assessment studies, as well as results from the analyses of each study. The vegetation database used to populate the feature classes and relationship classes of the vegetation point data locations is available on the program's websites. The GIS data set contains point data features, projected to Universal Transverse Mercator zone 15 mapping coordinates, North American Datum 1983. The NPS VIP is an effort to classify, describe, and map existing vegetation of national park units. Managed by the NPS Biological Resources Management Division, the NPS VIP provides baseline vegetation information for the NPS Natural Resource I&M Program. The USGS Vegetation Characterization Program lends a cooperative role in the NPS VIP and serves the data sets on the Internet. Vegetation layers and associated information support a wide variety of resource assessment, park management, and planning needs. They also provide structure for framing and answering critical scientific questions about vegetation communities and their relation to environmental processes across the landscape. There were some sites where coordinates were either not provided or there placement was outside of the BUFF & we could not reconcile. There correct location. We did this to preserve the data in the actual feature class. Data were reformatted to match Plots V3.0 by the USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis. 2008 2009 ground condition Complete None planned Buffalo National River -93.428106 -92.409766 36.167348 35.910414 National Park Service Theme Category Thesaurus Remote Sensing Land Use / Cover Monitoring None Buffalo National River Accuracy Assessment Vegetation Plot NVC National Vegetation Classification Standard NVCS NPS Vegetation Inventory Program USNVC ISO 19115 Topic Category biota National Park System Unit Code Thesaurus BUFF None Arkansas United States of America National Park System Unit Name Thesaurus Buffalo National River None Standardized National Vegetation Classification System vegetation classification alliance community association Kingdom Plantae Restriction Code: other restrictions; Other Constraints: Access constraints: A computer software program capable of reading and displaying data stored as an ESRI format file geodatabase is required. 1) Those using the spatial database should understand the data and determine for themselves the fitness of the data prior to use. 2) Mention of trade names or commercial products in this metadata report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis; Vegetation Characterization Program Vegetation Characterization Program Manager Program Manager mailing and physical address

USGS

PO BOX 25046, DFC, MS302

Core Science Systems

Building 810, Room 8000

Denver Colorado 80225-0046 United States of America (303) 202-4220 303-202-4229 gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, NatureServe, Heartland Network of the NPS Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring Program, NPS Vegetation Inventory Program, and USGS Vegetation Characterization Program Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; ESRI ArcGIS 10.0.2.3200 Several accuracy checks were made against the automated data and the original reports or data sheets, during and after data entry. Each vegetation plot and accuracy assessment site was estimated using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The mapping coordinates were recorded on data sheets, which were later entered into a digital database. The database was converted into a geographic information system (GIS) data set, containing point features. Data forms were filled out for each vegetation plot and accuracy assessment site. Each set of data sheets had a data record recorded for that site in the GIS data set. The locations of the vegetation plots and accuracy assessment sites were recorded using GPS receivers. National Parks Service Unknown maps None Unknown Unknown National Park Service Maps Existing park maps were obtained from the parks and used by the field crews as needed. National Park Service Vegetation Inventory Program Unknown imagery None Unknown Unknown CIR Aerial photographs The field crew used hard-copy aerial photographs for location and other information. Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center Unknown map None Unknown Unknown Color Infrared Aerial Photo Mosaic Mosaic used by field crews as backdrop for AA points Accuracy Assessment: Field crews were provided with listings of GPS coordinates of AA sites along with field maps. During the summer and fall of 2010, field crews navigated to their sampling sites, then established AA observation plots within the minimum mapping unit (MMU) area. A number of physical characteristics were recorded for each site (e.g., location, slope, aspect, elevation) along with land cover information (e.g., dominant and subdominant vegetation, percent cover). Detailed descriptions on how these plots were established and sampled are available in the report for the vegetation mapping project, available online. A total of 891 AA sites were collected. 20101101 Accuracy Assessment: All field data were entered into PLOTS2, an MS Access database designed for this vegetation mapping program. 20101201 Vegetation Plots: Field sampling methodology was adapted from the NPS Vegetation Inventory Program standards. Field crews sampled 250 vegetation plots during the summers of 2006 and 2007. 20070901 Accuracy Assessment: The field data were then automated and brought into ArcGIS. An analysis was conducted, comparing the field classification of sites to their corresponding locations on the vegetation map layer. A total of 889 of the 891 AA sites were used in the analysis. Results of this analysis, including a contingency table showing thematic errors of omission and commission, are available in the project for the vegetation mapping project and is available on the program's websites. 20110101 Vegetation Plots: Field data collected during the 2006 and 2007 field seasons were entered into PLOTS2, an MS Access database designed for this vegetation mapping program. The vegetation plots were analyzed using ordination (non-metric multidimensional scaling or NMS) and clustering techniques (Flexible Beta) with PC-Ord 5.0. Point shapefile sets were produced in ArcGIS 9.3 of both the vegetation plots and the quick plots. Results of the vegetation plot analyses are in the project report, available on the program's websites. 20080101 Vegetation Points: In ArcGIS, shapefiles were produced of the vegetation plots and AA sites and then imported into the project geodatabase as a feature class. Several relationship tables produced populated with information from the PLOTS2 vegetation database to support each feature class with the field data that was collected. 20120201 Data was reformatted to Plots V3.0 by the USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis. 20121003 Vector Entity point 1141 Universal Transverse Mercator 13 0.999600 -93.000000 0.000000 500000.000000 0.000000 coordinate pair 0.000100 0.000100 meters North American Datum of 1983 Geodetic Reference System 80 6378137.000000 298.257222 buff_vegpt Feature class attribute table Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center OBJECTID Internal feature number. ESRI Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Shape Feature geometry. ESRI Coordinates defining the features. Veg_Point Unique identifier for this Accuracy Assessment, Observation or Plot point Plots V3.0 Unique plot number. Point_Type Point type (accuracy assessment point, observation point or plot point) Plots V3.0 Accuracy Assessment Point AA Point Plots V3.0 Observation Point Observation Point Plots V3.0 Plot Point Plot Point Plots V3.0 X_Easting X Easting (UTM Easting) Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center Easting coordinate. Y_Northing Y Northing (UTM Northing) Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center Northing coordinate. For feature class and relationship table field information, see scheme_buff_vegpt within the geodatabase. Within the scheme_buff_vegpt table, items listed in parenthesis are the original item names within the PLOTS2 vegetation database (mdb) for the vegetation mapping project. Detailed descriptions of these items are provided within the vegetation database. Also, for data that is listed as <blob> (Binary Large Object) in the relationship tables, refer to the source vegetation database (mdb) file for the vegetation mapping project. Unknown USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator mailing and physical address

Denver Federal Center, Building 810, MS 302

Denver Colorado 80225 (303) 202-4220 303-202-4219 gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov Downloadable Data The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (if available) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. Any related graphics (if available) are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not approriate to use the related graphics as data. The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service servers and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on another system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this metadata report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U. S. Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey and National Park Service. HTML http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/vip/parks/buff.html Internet Access None 20120220 20121003 USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator mailing and physical address

Denver Federal Center, Building 810, MS 302

Denver Colorado 80225 (303) 202-4220 303-202-4219 gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001.1-1999 http://www.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt/community/fgdc_metadata/255