1. Federal Geographic Data Committee Vegetation Subcommittee Update USGS GIS 2008 Workshop M.P. Mulligan FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee USGS representative 303-202-4242 email:mpmull@usgs.gov Ralph H. Crawford, Chairperson

10. Hierarchy Revision Species mostly in the dominant layer Alliance Species in the dominant layer Alliance Biogeographic species groups similar in response to continental climate Division Biogeographic species groups similar in response to regional climate Macrogroup Biogeographic species groups similar in response to regional climate & soils Group Species in all layers Association Species in all layers Association Specific morphology of dominant growth forms / abiotic factors Formation Natural vs. Cultural vegetation Subgroup Growth form response to continental climate, topography, soils. Formation Growth form  Global climate Subclass Leaf morphology / Global climate Group Leaf morphology / herb periodicity Subclass Canopy cover of growth forms Class Growth form  Moisture-Temperature Class Dominant growth form Order Natural vs. Cultural vegetation -------- Vegetated vs. Non-vegetated -------- Vegetated vs. Non-vegetated Division Criteria Level Criteria Level Proposed Hierarchy 1997 Hierarchy

11. Hierarchy Revision Species mostly in the dominant layer Alliance Species in the dominant layer Alliance Biogeographic species groups similar in response to continental climate Division Biogeographic species groups similar in response to regional climate Macrogroup Biogeographic species groups similar in response to regional climate & soils Group Species in all layers Association Species in all layers Association Specific morphology of dominant growth forms / abiotic factors Formation Natural vs. Cultural vegetation Subgroup Growth form response to continental climate, topography, soils. Formation Growth form  Global climate Subclass Leaf morphology / Global climate Group Leaf morphology / herb periodicity Subclass Canopy cover of growth forms Class Growth form  Moisture-Temperature Class Dominant growth form Order Natural vs. Cultural vegetation -------- Vegetated vs. Non-vegetated -------- Vegetated vs. Non-vegetated Division Criteria Level Criteria Level Proposed Hierarchy 1997 Hierarchy

12. Hierarchy Revision Species mostly in the dominant layer Alliance Species in the dominant layer Alliance Biogeographic species groups similar in response to continental climate Division Biogeographic species groups similar in response to regional climate Macrogroup Biogeographic species groups similar in response to regional climate & soils Group Species in all layers Association Species in all layers Association Specific morphology of dominant growth forms / abiotic factors Formation Natural vs. Cultural vegetation Subgroup Growth form response to continental climate, topography, soils. Formation Growth form  Global climate Subclass Leaf morphology / Global climate Group Leaf morphology / herb periodicity Subclass Canopy cover of growth forms Class Growth form  Moisture-Temperature Class Dominant growth form Order Natural vs. Cultural vegetation -------- Vegetated vs. Non-vegetated -------- Vegetated vs. Non-vegetated Division Criteria Level Criteria Level Proposed Hierarchy 1997 Hierarchy

13. Hierarchy Revision Pinus taeda - Pinus echinata Alliance Alliance Southeastern North American Evergreen Broadleaf and Conifer Forest Division Southern Pine Forest Macrogroup Shortleaf Pine - Loblolly Pine - Oak Forest Group Pinus taeda/Symplocos tinctoria-Morella cerifera-Vaccinium elliotii Association Association Rounded-crowned Natural/Semi-natural Temperate or Subpolar… Formation Natural/Semi-natural Temperate or Subpolar Needle-leaved… Subgroup Temperate Evergreen Broadleaf and Conifer Forest Formation Temperate Forest and Woodland Subclass Temperate or Subpolar Needle-leaved Evergreen Closed… Group Evergreen Closed Tree Canopy Subclass Closed Tree Canopy Class Forest and Woodland Class Tree Dominated Order Natural/Semi-natural Vegetation -------- Vegetated -------- Vegetated Division Criteria Level Criteria Level Proposed Hierarchy 1997 Hierarchy

14. Implementation Partnership Implementation National Science Foundation Gap Analysis Program

19. NVC Database Classification Mgt. US-NVC Panel Proposal Review System Analysis & Synthesis Plot Archive Database(s) US-NVC Proposed data flow NVC Website Peer Review NVC Proceedings Legend External Action Internal Action Software Entity Implementation

20. Association and Alliance Descriptions Implementation

21. Prototype Plot Database for the NVC Implementation

22. Prototype Plot Database for the NVC Implementation

24. Prototype NVC Peer Review System Implementation

25. Prototype NVC Peer Review System Implementation

26. Prototype Electronic NVC Proceedings Implementation