U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior 199808 Database USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Isle Royale National Park Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Created in part by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. Redlands, CA under contract from USGS/BRD/CBI. http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/isro/isroplot.zip doi:10.5066/F7TD9V8J Vegetation field plots at Isle Royale National Park were visited, described, and documented in a digital database. The database consists of 2 parts - (1) Physical Descriptive Data and (2) Species Listings. The vegetation plots were used to describe the vegetation in and around Wind Cave National Park and to assist in developing a final mapping classification system. Provide National Parks with the necessary tools to effectively manage their natural resources. Plot data are collected and analyzed to develop a classification (using the Standardized National Vegetation Classification System) and description of vegetation types in preparation for photointerpretation and mapping of the Park's vegetation types. Isle Royale National Park was authorized on March 3, 1931; it was formally established in 1940, and officially dedicated in 1946. Most of the park's land area (98%) was designated as a Wilderness area in October 1976, and later additions increased the total Wilderness to 99% of the park. The park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. 199706 199709 Ground Condition and as written in report: Plot sampling was conducted from June 4, 1997 to September 23, 1997. Complete None Planned Isle Royale National Park, Michigan and environs. Isle Royale National Park is an archipelago of islands located in the northwestern region of Lake Superior close to the United States-Canada border. The park is located about 60 miles northwest of Michigan?s Keweenaw Peninsula, about 22 miles east of Grand Portage, Minnesota, and about 35 miles southeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. -89.215952 -88.334334 48.235836 47.823991 None National Park Service U.S. Geological Service The Nature Conservancy Aerial Information Systems Environmental System Research Institute association vegetation classification sampling plots alliance land cover vegetation community land use vegetation plots None Michigan Lake Superior Isle Royale National Park None vegetation classification Standardized National Vegetation Classification System alliance community association plant communities United States Department of the Interior, National Biological Survey and National Park Service 19941101 Version 1 Document - Classification System NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Final Draft Redlands, California ESRI Created under contract to the USGS-BRD-CBI by The Nature Conservancy. Vegetation associations were identified; no specimens nor vouchers were collected as a part of this process. Conforms with FGDC standardized vegetation classification system. Kingdom Plantae s: Plants None Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation procedures, as described in these metadata, before beginning analysis. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. For purposes of publication or dissemination, citations should be given to the National Park Service. USGS BRD Center for Biological Informatics 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 http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/isro/isroplots.pdf Locations of vegetation plot samples; low resolution for web browsing. PDF U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior 19990909 Database USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Isle Royale National Park Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Created in large part by Environmental Research Institute, Inc. Redlands, CA under contract from USGS/BRD/CBI. http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/vip/parks/isro.html U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior 200009 Database USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Isle Royale National Park Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Created in large part by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., Redlands, CA under contract from USGS/BRD/CBI. http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/isro/isrorpt.pdf Physical description - Descriptive plot data were collected for 182 sites whose vegetation represents a full spectrum of alliance types present within Isle Royale National Park and its immediate surroundings. Attributes collected for each site include: a unique plot identification code, park name, quad name, UTM coordinates, UTM projection, plot survey date, surveyor's name, length, width, photo type, elevation, slope aspect, topographic position, landform, surface geology, Cowardin System category, hydrology, surface material description, soil texture, soil drainage, leaf phenology, leaf type, and physiognomy. Species - Descriptive plot data were collected for 182 sites whose vegetation represents a full spectrum of alliance types present within Isle Royale National Park. Species - this database, is the second of two databases containing plot field data, delineates species and stratum information. Individual species described at each of 182 plots is listed, one line per species, with the following information: Plot Identification Code, Numeric Species Code, Species Name, Species Cover Plantcode, and Strata Code, height, cover, and an alpha-numeric strata code. Physical description - Entries for each of the listed attributes are in the form of consistent groupings of either textual or numerical descriptors. Species - Entries for each of the listed attributes are in the form of consistent groupings of either textual or numerical descriptors, as defined above under "Attribute Accuracy Report". Physical description - Descriptive entries for each of the 182 plots are complete for each of the applicable attributes listed in the database. Species - One species is entered per line, by plot code, with multiple species listed for each plot, one per row. Plot codes and species names are complete for each row, but some species codes, cover and strata information is missing (because it was not present on the original field forms). X,Y UTM coordinates representing each of the 71 plots were collected via GPS under selective availability with post processing for differential correction. The differentially correted GPS coordinates have accuracies in the X and Y direction of +/- 2 to 5 meters. Elevations for plots were obtained from the USGS 24,000 quad maps for Isle Royale, and are estimated to be +/- 15 m. Field None releve plot sampling Field sampling using releve plots National Biological Survey (Now USGS/Biological Resources Division) and National Park Service 199411 Final Draft protocol document USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Protocol documents Denver, CO USGS/BRD, Center for Biological Informatics Report prepared under contract by The Nature Conservancy, 1815 N. Lynn Street, Arlington, Virginia 22209 and Environmental Systems Research Institute, 380 New York Street, Redlands, California 92373 http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/vegetation/NVCS_V2_FINAL_2008-02.pdf Online 199411 2010 Publication Date and indefinitely SNVCS protocol document This document describes and defines the vegetation classification system which is to be used for describing and mapping the vegetation at Isle Royale National Park USGSBRD, Center for Biological Informatics 20000909 isro classification document USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Isle Royale National Park Denver, CO USGS/BRD, Center for Biological Informatics This report was generated by The Nature Conservancy under contract to the USGS/BRD, Center for Biological Informatics http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/isro/isrorpt.pdf Online 199706 199709 Ground Condition, summer 1997 isro sample and classification Report summarizing plot data collection effort United States Dept. of the Interior, National Biological Survey (now USGS Biological Resources Division) and the National Park Service 199412 report Denver, CO USGS/Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics This report was generated by The Nature Conservancy under contract to the USGS/BRD, CBI http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/standards/fieldmethodsrpt.pdf Online 199412 2010 Publication Date and indefinitely field methods protocol document This document defines the methods and protocols for field data collection to be used as part of the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program The following describes the tasks performed by The Nature Conservancy to produce descriptive data for 182 vegetation sampling plots in two separate database files. The second of the three contains listings of individual species found in each plot, along with height and cover estimates, and strata delineations. The SPECIES LISTING database contains line entries for each species including the Plot Code, Numeric species code, full scientific species name, cover estimate, a unique alphnumeric species identifier (plant code), listings of individual strata found in each plot, along with cover estimates and height (strata) delineations. The STRATA LISTING database contains line entries for each strata including the Plot Code, full species name, height, cover, and Strata delineation. Plot sites were selected subjectively because of the heterogeneity of the vegetation and the small number of samples per type. Since aerial photos were not available at the time of plot selection, visual reconnaissance was conducted at the summit of the bluff to examine vegetation patterns for the purpose of plot placement. Plot data were manually recorded on field forms on-site, and subsequently keyed into the database files described herein. Information in the plot database was then used to develop the classification system and plant identification keys contained in the ISLE ROYALE SAMPLING AND CLASSIFICATION REPORT. SNVCS protocol document Field Methods for Vegetation Mapping 19990909 isro sample and classification isro Vegetation Descriptions Jim Drake The Association for Biodiversity Information Vegetation Program Manager Physical Address

1313 5th Street SE

Suite 314

Minneapolis MN 55414 USA (612)331-0729 jdrake@tnc.org 0 vector Entity point 187 Universal Transverse Mercator 16 0.999600 -87.000000 0.000000 500000.000000 0.000000 Coordinate pair 100 100 Meters North American Datum of 1983 Geodedic Reference System 80 6378137.000000 298.257222 isroplot Shapefile attribute table USGS FID Internal feature number. ESRI Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Shape Feature geometry. ESRI. Coordinates defining the features. AREA Area of feature in internal units squared. ESRI. Area is always zero for point coverages. Values are automatically generated. PERIMETER Perimeter of feature in internal units. ESRI. Perimeter is always zero for point coverages. Values are automatically generated. PLOTS_ Internal feature number. ESRI. Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. PLOTS_ID User-defined feature number. ESRI. Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. ISRO_PLOT Vegetation plot number USGS Plot number. PROV_NAME Provisional Community Name. USGS Textual Provisional community name. CLASS_NAME Classified community name (NVCS association) NatureServe Textual classified community name. ELCODE Community Element Global code. USGS Textual and numerical code. LOC_CODE Name of Park Location. USGS Park Location Name. SUBLOCATIO Location in reference to ISRO units. USGS Project-derived location descriptions providing general location in and around ISRO. QUAD_NAME USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle (1:24,000-scale) of the field site location. USGS Quad name. QUAD_CODE USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle (1:24,000-scale) code. USGS Numerical Quad code. GPS_TECH Error Value of the GPS Point USGS Numerical GPS error value. X_EASTING Easting coordinate of site location. USGS Easting coordinate. Y_NORTHING Northing coordinate of site location. USGS Northing coordinate. UTM_ZONE UTM Zone USGS UTM Zone 16. DATE Date of Data Collection USGS Numerical of the date the plot was observed. SURVEYORS Names of the Surveyors Who Collected the Data USGS Textual surveyors initials. X_DIM X Dimension of Field Plot USGS Numerical of X dimension (whole numbers). Y_DIM Y Dimension of Field Plot USGS Numerical of Y dimension (whole numbers). PLOT_SHAPE Shape of vegetation plots. USGS Textual plot shape. REPRESENT Description of How Representative the Point is of the Surrounding Vegetation or Polygon USGS Textual of representiveness description. ELEVATION Elevation of the Point as Recorded by the GPS Unit USGS Numerical code. SLOPE Degree of Slope in the Plot USGS Textual of slope in degrees. ASPECT General Aspect of the Point in Degrees USGS Textual of aspect type. TOPO_POS General Position of the Plot on the Landscape USGS Textual of topology position type description. LANDFORM General Landform that the Plot Occurs On USGS Textual of landform description. GEOLOGY Presence of any Geological Features USGS Textual description of the geology surface. COWARDIN General Wetland Description USGS Textual cowadrin classification description. HYDRO Comments on the Hydrology of the Soils in the Plot USGS Textual hydrology type description. ENVIRO General Environmental Comments about the Point USGS Textual of environment description. LANDSCAPE General Landscape Comments about the Plot USGS Textual of landform description. SOIL_TAXON Field used for either identifying soils keyed, or to describe if large rocks or outcrops are present on the surface USGS Textual of soil taxonomy. SOIL_TEXT Soil Texture in the Plot USGS Textual of soil texture description. SOIL_DEPTH Soil Depth in the Plot USGS Numerical of soil depth. SOIL_DRAIN Comments on the Soil Drainage within the Plot USGS Soil drainage description type. PHENOLOGY Phenology of the Dominant Stratum in the Plot USGS Textual of leaf phenology type description. LEAF_TYPE General Leaf Type of the Dominant Stratum USGS Textual of leaf type description. PHYSIO Physiognomic Description of the Dominant Stratum USGS Textual of physiology class type description. UPDATE Date of any revisions to the record. USGS Numerical of the date. USER Names of the User's Who Revised the Data USGS Textual user's initials. POLYGONID Unknown field created by originator but not documented USGS Numerical. SCALE Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS Numerical. ANGLE Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS Numerical. Each of 182 vegetation plots has attributes for physical description, species and strata. Physical description - (Plot number, plot code, common name, scientific name, state, park name, quad name, utm zone, map project, gps file, raw utm x, raw utm y, corrected utm x, corrected utm y, surveyors date, surveyors, length, width, photos, permenant, elevation, slope, aspect, topographical position, landform, surficial geology, cowardin system type, hydrography, bedrock, large rock, small rock, sand, litter duff, wood, bare soil, other soil, soil texture, soil drainage, leaf phenology, leaf type, and physiololgy). Species - (sp_code is a project specific code for each species found, species is the scientific name for that species, spcover is the species present and the percent cover for each species, plant code is the first two letters of the genus and first two letters of the species. If the code are not unique a number is added to make the code unique). Strata - (height and cover are average percent cover of that particular species, 1 = 0-10%, 2 = 10-25%, 3 = 25-60% and 4 = 60-100%, pstrata is the type of vegetation, T1 = emergent, T2 = canopy, T3 = sub-canopy, S1 = tall shrub, S2 = short shrub, H = herbaceous, N = non-vascular, V = vine/liana, and E = epiphyte). Field Methods for Vegetation mapping, December 1994. Prepared for: the United States Department of the Interior, National Biological Survey (now the USGS Biological Resources Division) and the National Park Service. Prepared by: The Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Systems Research Institute. http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/standards/fieldmethodsrpt.pdf. USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis USGS-NPS Vegetation Characterization 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/isro.html Internet Access None 20010222 20100601 USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis USGS-NPS Vegetation Characterization 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.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/metadata/index.html