U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior 199810 database and report USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Scotts Bluff National Monument Denver, CO USGS Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/scbl/scblaa.zip doi:10.5066/F7FB50X3 The accuracy assessment field work was performed in August, 1997 to verify the accuracy of the vegetation communities spatial data developed by the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program for Scotts Bluff National Monument. The data points were randomly distributed stratified according to vegetation association over the project area according to protocols developed by the Program. Points were located by GPS navigation and the community information was collected at the point, without knowledge of the attributes of the vegetation spatial data. To verify the accuracy of the mapped vegetation communities at Scotts Bluff National Monument 199810 Source of data collection Complete None planned Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska and environs. -103.741252 -103.681488 41.865742 41.812739 None accuracy assessment accuracy assessment vegetation vegetation mapping vegetation communities vegetation classification None Nebraska NE Scottsbluff Gering Mitchell Mitchell Bottom North Platte River Roubadeau Scottsbluff County Scotts Bluff National Monument None vegetation classification Standardized National Vegetation Classification System alliance community association U.S. Government; Federal Geographic Data Committee 19971022 document Washington D.C. Federal Geographic Data Committee http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/vegetation/index_html 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 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, citation or credit should be given to the U.S. Geological Survey and 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/scbl/scblaa.pdf 429 kbyte file showing vegetation associations and location of accuracy assessment points PDF text file The attributes for the accuracy assessment were recorded in the field in August, 1997. Vegetation associations were identified based on the field key and plant identification. If additional communities were found within a 50 meter radius of the plot center, they were recorded as well. During the analysis, it was concluded that some attributes were in error and changed to match the mapped attributes. This was done by examination of the aerial photographs under stereoscopic view. The attributes were in error due to 1) spatial error in the GPS derived coordinates (4-8 meters), 2) change of vegetation community due to temporal changes, or differences between observation team identifications. All attributes are codes that correspond to vegetation communities and have been checked for typographical and logical errors. All points were collected and analyzed. Several points fell outside the mapping area, so were discarded. The points were located using a military-style GPS receiver (PLGR), which has a published accuracy of 4-8 meters. Not applicable Field None Accuracy Assessment Data points were located by use of a PLGR GPS receiver. Vegetation communities were identified on the basis of a dichotomous field key and plant Species: present Lab None Accuracy Assessment Accuracy assessment points were compiled into an ARCINFO point coverage and intersected with the vegetation community coverage. The resulting INFO file was exported into a text file, imported into a spreadsheet, and the attributes from the accuracy assessment and the spatial data were compared. If the attributes did not compare, an analysis of the mismatch was made and either the AA attribute or the map attribute was changed based on identification of the community on the aerial photo. U.S. National Biological Survey U.S. National Park Service Department of the Interior 199411 procedures document Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Prepared by: Environmental Systems Research Institute; Redlands, CA and National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA anbd The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA under contract from U.S. Department of the Interior National Biological Survey and National Park Service. electronic document 199411 Present publication date Accuracy Assessment Procedures Document This document established the procedures and protocols for the accuracy assessment at Scotts Bluff National Monument. U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior 199809 report USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Scotts Bluff National Monument Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Created in large part by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. Redlands, CA under contract rom USGS/BRD/CBI. Disc 19950725 ground condition Spatial data of vegetation communities for Scotts Bluff National Monument. The vegetation spatial data were tested for accuracy with the AA data. The accuracy assessment field work was performed in August, 1997 to verify the accuracy of the vegetation communities spatial data developed by the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program for Scotts Bluff National Monument. The data points were randomly distributed stratified according to vegetation association over the project area according to protocols developed by the Program. Points were located by GPS navigation and the community information was collected at the point, without knowledge of the attributes of the vegetation spatial data. Spatial data of vegetation communities for Scotts Bluff National Monument. Accuracy Assessment Procedure Document 199810 Point Entity point 512 Universal Transverse Mercator 13 0.999600 -105.000000 0.000000 500000.000000 0.000000 coordinate pair 1 1 meters North American Datum of 1983 Geodetic Reference System 80 6378137.000000 298.257222 acadaa 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. AA_ Internal feature number. ESRI. Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. AA_ID User-defined feature number. ESRI. Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. X_COORD Easting coordinate of site location. USGS Easting coordinate. Y_COORD Northing coordinate of site location. USGS Northing coordinate. AA_PRIM Map class polygon code of primary accuracy assessment. USGS Map class code. AA_DESCRIP Primary Classified Plant Associaiton Name NatureServe Textual class name. AA_SEC Map class polygon code of secondary accuracy assessment. USGS Map class code. AA_DESCR_1 Secondary Classified Plant Associaiton Name NatureServe Textual class name. 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. The National Vegetation Classification Standard is organized hierarchically to support conservation and resource stewardship applications across multiple scales. The upper levels of the hierarchy are based on the physical form or structure of the vegetation (physiognomy) and have been refined from the international standards developed by the United nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The two most detailed levels of the hierarchy are based on the species composition of existing vegetation (floristics) and reflect the phyto-sociological standards that were originally developed by European ecologists. The vegetation classification is continually advanced through the collection and analysis of new field data and will be greatly strengthened during the course of the USGS-NPS mapping efforts. Data file attributes include species, alliance, community element, and land cover. 0=no data 1=Juniperus scopularum/Orysopsis micrantha Woodland 2=Pinus ponderosa/Juniperus scopularum Woodland 3=Populus deltoides - (Salix amygdaloides)/Salix exigua Fldpln 4=Salix exigua Shrubland 5=Andropogon halii --Calamovilfa longifolia Herbaceous Veg. 6=Cercocarpus montanus/Bouteloua curtipendula Shrubland 7=Symphoricarpus occidentalis Shrubland 8=Typha spp. -Equisetum hyemale/Carex spp. Seep Herbaceous 9=Kochia scoparia/Bromus spp. Early Seral Community 10=Mixed Grass Prairie (reseeded) 11=Pascopyrum smithii Herbaceous Vegetation 12=Stipa comata -Bouteloua gracilis/Carex filfoliaHerb. Veg. 13=Riverine Sand Flats/Bars 14=Rock Outcrop/Prairie Mosaic 15=Siltstone - Clay Butte Sparse Vegetation 16=Open Bluff/Cliff & Eroding Great Plains Badlands Sparse Veg. 17=Andropogon gerardii -Calamagrostis canadensis - Helianthus g. 18=Cliff/Rock Outcrop/Prairie Mosaic 19=Eroding Great Plains Slopes Sparse Vegetation 20=Water 21=Unvegetated landuse / disturbance 22=Pinus ponderosa/Juniperus scopularum Woodland Grossman, D. Et al. 1994. National Park Service/National Biological Service Vegetation Mapping Project, Standardized National Vegetation Classification System 209 pp. 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 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/scbl.html Internet Access None 20011022 20100615 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