Digitization of the Map \"Vegetation of the Soviet Union, 1990\"

by

Thomas A. Stone and Peter Schlesinger

The Woods Hole Research Center

Woods Hole, Mass. 02543

September 23, 1993

A Report to the

Northeastern Forest Experiment Station

USDA Forest Service, Global Change Research Program,

Radnor, Pennsylvania

A digital version of the map, a Dbase IV file with the polygon numbering
system, and a list of tree species in the Former Soviet Union from the
map [Vegetation of the Soviet Union]{.underline}, by the Institute of
Geography, Siberian Dept. of the USSR Academy of Sciences, scale
1:4,000,000, 1990, are provided as products from this work.

I. INTRODUCTION

The map is labelled as a \"Vegetation Map\" although others have
suggested that it is, rather, a potential vegetation map. We feel that
it is not a potential vegetation map. For instance, there are marks on
the maps for categories such as \"drained marshes with agriculture\" and
for \"previously irrigated \... lands\". To our knowledge there is no
accompanying text to go with the map.

Users are cautioned that maps at this scale and from the former Soviet
Union are open to many biases. First, these maps may well be more
\"Art\" than science and their pedigree is completely unknown to us. Our
experience with other Russian and Soviet maps lead us to be very
cautious in their use particularly when trying to develop numeric or
quantitative estimates of forest or other types of land cover. Second,
the map projection for the base maps are not well known. To our
knowledge the projection of this map is equidistant conic with two
standard parallels (42^o^ Lat. and 62^o^ Lat.) and is based on the
Krassovsky spheroid. Third, some Russian forestry experts feel that the
map may be of questionable use for examining potential vegetation
(Alexeyev pers. comm) and suggest that 1954 Potential Vegetation Map and
accompanying two volume text produced by the Komarov Botanical Institute
of St. Petersburg (Leningrad) is more useful. Lastly, the tradition of
Russian vegetation science is at the local scale and not at the state or
continental scale.

There are several reasons why this map is difficult to digitize. Map
polygon boundaries are not well defined; the color mix of polygons and
boundaries are difficult to separate. For instance, rivers and some
polygon boundaries are the same color. There are also islands that
appear to be unclassified as they do not take on any adjoining landcover
color or category. Also, some class label numbers are inconsistent and
do not exist in the legend. Similarly, there are categories in the
legend that do not appear to exist in the map. We know of no accuracy
assessment done on this map. Until recently only maps of 1:500,000 or
smaller scale were available, so field checking this map is highly
difficult and unlikely to have occurred. Maps available with larger
scales did not have latitude and longitude coordinates attached.

The polygons in this map are labeled according to a alpha-numeric system
that is replicated in English in the spreadsheet file and
cross-referenced to the vector file provided to the USFS with our own
sequential numbering system. However, there is a considerable amount of
symbolic annotation (dithering) in the map that we have not digitized as
the symbols cross the boundaries of polygons. Some of this symbolic
notation is related to various soil types and the presence of forest
\"glades\" of particular tree species. Without any accompanying map text
it is difficult to know if the map creators intended a separate class
for the numeric portion of classes (eg. \# 140) comprising several
alphanumeric subclasses (eg. \# 140a, \# 140b, \# 140c). In all
instances where polygons were labelled as strictly numeric classes on
the map and not in the translated legend, those polygons were labelled
as unclassified in the digitized map. There are about 370 different
landcover classes in the map and 11,824 distinct polygons.

Finally, in this map as in almost all cartographic products, the
polygons are discreet entities, land cover categories do not blend into
one another. In nature, vegetation types and forms tend to go through
gradual transitions from one group of plant species to another. This
gradual transition is lost in cartographic products when a line is drawn
that separates two units of land cover. Maps that are produced from
satellite data are generally raster products that do not define
well-bounded polygons and, in a sense, may be more representative of
nature.

II\. Methods for Digitizing the Vegetation Map

The original maps were loaned to us by Dmitri Varlyguin who was then a
Visiting Fellow at the George Perkins Marsh Institute of Clark
University, Worcester Massachusetts. The original maps, all well worn,
were digitized and later photographically reproduced so that we have
permanent copies. The map digitizing was done as a collaborative effort
by David Kicklighter, The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological
Laboratory, Woods Hole, and Peter Schlesinger of the WHRC. The equipment
used was a SUN SPARC I and UNIX-based ArcInfo^(c)^ 6.0 software for data
entry of all 4 map sheets. Each sheet is about 85 by 110 cm. As each map
sheet was digitized separately there are 4 separate vector files on the
accompanying floppy disks. It appears that each map sheet is based on
the same projection but each with a different map origin and were not
intended that the four sheets be merged into one map. Total map area is
3.7 m^2^. All editing and polygon labelling was done at the WHRC in the
DOS-environment using 386 and 486 computers and the ROOTSPRO^(c)^
digitizing system by Peter Schlesinger and Chris Ernst. The translation
of the majority of the legend was undertaken by Dmitri Varlyguin
(Kicklighter et al. in prep).

The possible delivery data formats choices are: IDRISI vector, ERDAS
\[not recommended as it is tedious, cumbersome, and large\], ArcInfo
UNGEN, ARC, .E00 or DLG formats. The digital files are accompanied by a
database file in Dbase IV 1.1 format listing the various digital codes,
map identification values, and their corresponding descriptions as
translated from the map legend.

III\. TREE SPECIES LIST

This list below is from Vegetation of the USSR (1990) digitized by the
Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) and accompanies the digital map file
and spreadsheet file intended as input to a Dbase IV 1.1 file. In the
following section we have listed all tree species and their
physiographic region from the maps. Grasses and other non-tree plant
species are not included below although they are in the original map
legend. Several of the tree species listed here have different Latin
species names. Older and alternative names for the more important tree
species are found in Nikolov and Helmisaari (1992).

Tree species of the Former Soviet Union from the map [Vegetation of the
Soviet Union, 1990.]{.underline}

1\. Polar Desert

> no tree species

2\. Tundra

[Plains]{.underline}

Arctic

> North ?Betula nana, Betula exilis, Salix pulchra, Salix reptans, Salix
> glauca, Salix lanata
>
> South ?Betula nana, Betula exilis, Salix pulchra, Salix reptans, Salix
> glauca, Salix phylicifolia, Salix lapponum, Salix lanata
>
> [Mountain Tundra]{.underline}
>
> ?Betula nana, Betula rotundifola, Betula middendorffii, Pinus pumila

3\. Altitudinal Vegetation of Tundra etc.

> ?Betula litwinowii, Fagus orientalis, Acer trautvetteri, Pinus
> kochiana, Quercus macranthera, Juniperus hemisphaerica, Juniperus
> sabina

4\. Dark Conif., Light Conif., Small Leaved Forest and Open Woodlands

[Plains]{.underline}

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands- Pre-Tundra

> ?Betula czerepanovii, Pinus sylvestris, Picea obovata, Larix sibirica,
> Larix gmelinii, Larix cajanderi

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands- North Taiga

> ?Piacea abies, Betula nana, Picea obovata, Larix sibirica, Pinus
> sylvestris, Larix gmelinii, Larix cajanderi, Betula czerepanovii

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands- Middle Taiga

> ?Picea abies, Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Pinus
> sylvestris, Larix gmelinii, Larix cajanderi

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands- South Taiga

> ?Piceas abies, Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Tilia cordata, Abies
> nephrolepsis, Picea ajanensis, Pinus sibirica, Larix gmelinii, Larix
> sibirica, Pinus sylvestris

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands-Sub Taiga

> ?Picea abies, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsor, Picea obovata, Abies
> sibirica, Ulmus glabra, Picea ajanensis, Abies nephrolepsis, Tilia
> cordata, Betula pendula, Larix sibirica, Larix gmelinii, Quercus
> mongolica, Betula davurica, Populus tremula

Steppe Forests

> ?Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur, Betula pendula, Populus tremula,
> Betula davurica, Betula platyphylla

[Mountains]{.underline}

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands-Open Woodlands under Talus

> ?Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Picea ajanensis, Abies
> nephrolepsis, Pinus pumila, Betula lanata, Larix gmelinii, Larix
> cajanderi

Boreal Forest and Open Woodlands-Mtn. Taiga

> ?Picea obovata, Pinus sibirica, Larix sibirica, Abies sibirica, Picea
> ajanensis, Abies nephrolepsis, Tilia cordata, Quercus robur, Populus
> tremula, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sylvestris, Larix gmellini, Betula
> pendula, Pinus pumila, Betula exilis, Betula middendorffi, Abies
> nephrolepsis, Betula lanata

Dark Conif. Forests Outside of the Boreal Region

> ?Picea abies, Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Abies normanniana, Picea
> orientalis, Fagus orientalis, Picea schrenkiana, Abies semeovii,
> Populus tremula, Malus sieversii, Juniperus psuedosabina, Pinus
> pallasiana, Quercus pubescens, Pinus pityusa, Pinus kochiana, Carpinus
> orientalis \[hornbeam\]

5\. Broadleaf Forest

[Plains]{.underline}

> **?**Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus, Acer
> pseudoplantanus, Quercus robur, Picea Abies, Tilia tomentosa, Continus
> coggygria \[smoke tree\], Prunus spinosa, Quercus mongolica, Pinus
> sylvestris, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia taquetii, Pinus koraiensis

[Foothills and Mtns.]{.underline}

> ?Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus, Acer
> pseudoplantanus, Quercus robur, Picea Abies, Abies alba, Tilia
> tomentosa, Tilia cordata, Continus coggygria \[smoke tree\], Prunus
> spinosa, Quercus mongolica, Pinus sylvestris, Fraxinus excelsior,
> Tilia taquetii, Pinus koraiensis, Fagus orientalis, Carpinus caucasia,
> Acer laetum, Quercus pubescens, Acer hycanum, Acer mono, Betula
> davurica, Quercus macranthera, Ulmus glabra, Quercus imertia, Quercus
> hartwissiana, Tilia begonifolia, Quercus castaneifola, Betula costata,
> Juglans regia, Malus sieversii, Acer turkestanica, Acer semenovii

[Meadow and Steppe meadows]{.underline}

> ?Quercus robur, Quercus pubescens, Betula pendula, Populus tremula,
> Larix sibirica, Pinus sylvestris, Larix gmelinii, Betula platyphylla

[Typical Steppes]{.underline}

6\. Steppes and Secondary Communities

[Plains]{.underline}

> Typical Steppes
>
> Desertified

[Foothills and Mountains]{.underline}

> ?Juniperus pseudosabina, Betula pendula

[Altitudinal]{.underline}

7\. Deserts

[Plains]{.underline}

North

Middle

South

[Foothills and Mountains]{.underline}

**[Altitudinal]{.underline}**

8\. Open Wood, Shrub, Dwarf Shrub Communities with Ephemeral covers
(Savanoids)

[Foothills and Mountains]{.underline}

> ?Acer turkestanicum, Juniperus seravschanica, Pistacia vera, Acer
> semenovii, Acer pubescens, Malus sieversii

9\. Open Wood and Mountain Xerophytic- Steppe veg. (Phryganoid)

[Mountain]{.underline}

> ?Juniperus turkestanica, Juniperus semiglobosa, Juniperus
> joestidissima, Juniperus polycarpos, Juniperus turcomanica, Juniperus
> schugnanica

10\. Bogs

> ?Betula nana, Pinus sibirica, Betula exilis, Larix gmelinii, Pinus
> sylvestris, Larix sibirica, Betula pubescens, Larix cajanderi, Picea
> abies, Picea obovata, Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior

11\. Shrub Vegetation

> ?Betula humilis, Betula exilis, Betula ovaliifolia, Betula fructicosa,
> Salix brachypoda, Salix abscondita

12\. Halophytic Vegetation

13\. Floodplain Communities, Anthropic Meadows, Agriculture

> ?Salix phylicifolia, Salix lapponum, Salix viminalis, Salix lanata,
> Salix reptans, Betula pendula, Larix sibirica, Picea obovata, Picea
> sibirica, Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Abies sibirica, Larix
> gmelinii, Populus sauveolens, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Alnus
> glutinosa, Populus nigra, Populus alba, Ulmus laevis, Ulmus
> carpinofolia, Quercus pendunculifolia, Ulmus carpinifolia, Quercus
> mongolica, Ulmus japonica, Fraxinus mandshurica, Populus pruinosa,
> Salix alba

14\. Other

[Ice and Glaciers]{.underline}

[Agric. lands replacing dried-up bogs]{.underline}

[Ancient irrigated agricultural lands]{.underline}

[Solonchak lakes w/o vegetation (salt mud flats)]{.underline}

IV\. TREE SPECIES SORTING BY REGION

Below we have broken down all tree species from the map legend by genus
and numbers of regions in which they occur.

Abies 5 species over 15 ecoregions

Abies alba in 2 ecoregions

Abies nephrolepsis 5 ecoregions

Abies normanniana

Abies semeovii

Abies sibirica 6 ecoregions

Acer 8 species over 11 ecoregions

Acer hycanum

Acer laetum

Acer mono

Acer pseudoplantanus 2 ecoregions

Acer pubescens

Acer semenovii 2 ecoregions

Acer trautvetteri

Acer turkestanica 2 ecoregions

Alnus 1 species over 2 ecoregions

Alnus glutinosa 2 ecoregions

Betula 15 species over 34 ecoregions

Betula costata

Betula czerepanovii

Betula davurica 3 ecoregions

Betula exilis 5 ecoregions

Betula fruticosa 2 ecoregions

Betula humilis

Betula lanata 2 ecoregions

Betula litwinowii

Betula middendorffii 2 ecoregions

Betula nana 5 ecoregions

Betula ovaliifolia

Betula pendula 6 ecoregions

Betula platyphylla 2 ecoregions

Betula pubescens

Betula rotundifola

Carpinus 3 species over 4 ecoregions

Carpinus betulus 2 ecoregions

Carpinus caucasia

Carpinus orientalis

Continus 1 species over 2 ecoregions

Continus coggygria 2 ecoregions

Fagus 2 species over 6 ecoregions

Fagus orientalis 3 ecoregions

Fagus sylvatica 3 ecoregions

Fraxinus 2 species over 5 ecoregions

Fraxinus excelsior 4 ecoregions

Fraxinus mandshurica

Juglans 1 species over 1 ecoregion

Juglans regia

Juniperus 10 species over 11 ecoregions

Juniperus hemisphaerica

Juniperus joestidissima

Juniperus polycarpos

Juniperus pseudosabina 2 ecoregions

Juniperus sabina

Juniperus schugnanica

Juniperus semiglobosa

Juniperus seravschanica

Juniperus turcomanica

Juniperus turkestanica

Larix 3 species over 23 ecoregions

Larix cajanderi 5 ecoregions

Larix gmelinii 10 ecoregions

Larix sibirica 8 ecoregions

Malus 1 species over 3 ecoregions

Malus sieversii 3 ecoregions

Picea 6 species over 23 ecoregions

Picea abies 8 ecoregions

Picea ajanensis 4 ecoregions

Picea obovata 8 ecoregions

Picea orientalis

Picea schrenkiana

Picea sibirica

Pinus 8 species over 26 ecoregions

Pinus kochiana 2 ecoregions

Pinus koraiensis 3 ecoregions

Pinus pallasiana

Pinus pityusa

Pinus pumila 3 ecoregions

Pinus sibirica 5 ecoregions

Pinus sylvestris 10 ecoregions

Pistacia 1 species in 1 ecoregion

Pistacia vera

Populus 5 species in 9 ecoregions

Populus alba

Populus nigra

Populus pruinosa

Populus sauveolens

Populus tremula 5 ecoregions

Prunus 1 species in 2 ecoregions

Prunus spinosa 2 ecoregions

Quercus 9 species in 22 ecoregions

Quercus castaneifola

Quercus hartwissiana

Quercus imertia

Quercus macranthera 2 ecoregions

Quercus mongolica 4 ecoregions

Quercus pendunculifolia

Quercus petraea 2 ecoregions

Quercus pubescens 3 ecoregions

Quercus robur 7 ecoregions

Salix 10 species in 18 ecoregions

Salix abscondita

Salix alba

Salix brachypoda

Salix glauca 2 ecoregions

Salix lanata 3 ecoregions

Salix lapponum 2 ecoregions

Salix phylicifolia 2 ecoregions

Salix pulchra 2 ecoregions

Salix reptans 3 ecoregions

Salix viminalis

Tilia 4 species in 10 ecoregions

Tilia begonifolia

Tilia cordata 5 ecoregions

Tilia taquetii 2 ecoregions

Tilia tomentosa 2 ecoregions

Ulmus 4 species in 6 ecoregions

Ulmus carpinifolia 2 ecoregions

Ulmus glabra 2 ecoregions

Ulmus japonica

Ulmus laevis

V. REFERENCES

Nikolov, N. and H. Helmisaari, 1992. Silvics of circumpolar boreal
forest tree species, Chapt. 2. in H. Shugart, R. Leemans and G. Bonan,
\[eds.\], [A Systems Analysis of the Global Boreal Forest]{.underline},
Cambridge University Press, New York, 565 pp.

Kicklighter, D.W. et. al., in prep. A data set of Global Equilibrium
Vegetation for Contemporary Climate Organized at a Spatial Resolution of
Half-degree Latitude by Half-degree Longitude.

VI\. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was supported in part by funds provided by the
Northeastern Forest Experiment Station of the USDA Forest Service,
Global Change Research Program, Radnor, Pennsylvania. Additional support
has been through the John D. and Catharine T. MacArthur Foundation.