# Presentation: 320223

## Mid-scale Sagebrush Classification & Broad-scale Sagebrush Mapping 

- INTERAGENCY SAGEBRUSH MAPPING PROJECT

- Mid-scale Sagebrush Classification & Broad-scale Sagebrush Mapping

_**PARTNERS**_
- Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center/OSU
- NatureServe
- The Nature Conservancy
- BLM
- USGS*
- USFS
- *Funding

**Notes:**
Convey what have we done (Stitch Map), what are we aiming for in Columbian Plateau in reference to SW regap.

## Project Objectives

- Regional Classification using NVCS (Sage Classification Working Group 2002).
- Broad scale mapping of sage distribution (Sage Map 2002).
- Mid scale sage distribution map in cooperation/conjunction with SW ReGap (Dec 2004).

## Mapping Issues

-  Desired thematic and spatial resolution: *single* NVC *alliance or alliance group @ 30 m pixel or MMU*
-  “Stitched” maps; where do we stand?
-  Potential enhancements to existing maps using climate, soils, and/or landform-geology
-  New approaches w/ new spectral & GIS data?
-  Integrate field sampling for mapping and accuracy assessment

-  1) Develop classification, 2) design map units, 3) delineate map units

## National Vegetation Classification System

- NatureServe (former TNC Science) effort to develop **one classification** for the US and adjacent areas of Canada and Mexico for **conservation decision making**
- Based on state **Natural Heritage Programs**, **Agency classifications**, existing literature.
- It is a** Physiognomic/floristic **classification organized **hierarchically.  “**Upper” physiognomic levels are adopted as FGDC standard.
- It is in **common usage/development** among federal and state agencies nationwide (e.g. USFS, Gap, NPS, EPA)

## Structure of the NVC

- NatureServe (former TNC Science) effort to develop **one classification** for the US and adjacent areas of Canada and Mexico for **conservation decision making**
- Based on state **Natural Heritage Programs**, **Agency classifications**, existing literature.
- It is a** Physiognomic/floristic **classification organized **hierarchically.  “**Upper” physiognomic levels are adopted as FGDC standard.
- It is in **common usage/development** among federal and state agencies nationwide (e.g. USFS, Gap, NPS, EPA)

## Physiognomic/Floristic Hierarchy

**TERRESTRIAL**
- I. **Shrubland** {vs. Shrub/Herbaceous, Forest, Woodland, Herbaceous, Sparse...}
- A. **Evergreen** {vs. Deciduous}
- 04.** Microphyllous evergreen shrubland** {vs. extremely xeromorphic, needle-leaved evergreen, ....}
- N.**Natural/Semi-natural** {vs. Planted/cultivated}
- a. **Microphyllous evergreen shrubland** {vs. intermittently flooded, temporarily flooded, seasonally flooded}
***Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana***** ALLIANCE**
*Art. tri. vaseyana – Purshia tridentata / Pseudoroegneria spicata *Shrubland **ASSOCIATION**
*Art. tri. vaseyana – Symphorocarpus oreophilus / Bromus carinatus *Shrubland **ASSOCIATION**
*Art. tri. vaseyana / Festuca kingii *Shrubland **ASSOCIATION**

## Classification Units

**Alliance:**** **A physiognomically uniform group of plant associations sharing one or more dominant or diagnostic species, which as a rule are found in the upper-most stratum of the vegetation.
**Association:**  A plant community type of definite floristic composition, uniform habitat conditions, and uniform physiognomy.

**Notes:**
I would just describe these definitions in a more colloquial manner and give some examples. I might mention that these terms will be used throughout the talk and that group/complex refer specifically to some of the activities concerned with GAP and are not included in the hierarchy.

## A. rothrockii carbonate hardpans

- Shrubland Alliance
- (21)

- Shrub/herbaceous Alliance
- (9)

***A. rothrockii****** ***carbonate hardpans

***A. papposa***
- shallow soils,
- poor drainage

**Notes:**
Aggregation – Orange represents goals of targets likely to be mapped.

## Slide 9

## Wyoming & Basin big sagebrush:

- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. WYOMINGENSIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA (SSP. TRIDENTATA, XERICENSIS) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- PICROTHAMNUS DESERTORUM (= ARTEMISIA SPINESCENS) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGICAULIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Black sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA NOVA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Low sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. ARBUSCULA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGILOBA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. THERMOPOLA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA PAPPOSA  SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Low sagebrush-Mountain big sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. VASEYANA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. THERMOPOLA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Low sagebrush-Wyoming big sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. WYOMINGENSIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. ARBUSCULA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGILOBA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGICAULIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Mountain big sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. VASEYANA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. SPICIFORMIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Rigid sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA RIGIDA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Silver sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA CANA (SSP. VISCIDULA/BOLANDERI) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA CANA SSP. CANA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Threetip sagebrush:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIPARTITA SSP. TRIPARTITA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA TRIPARTITA SSP. RUPICOLA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Wyoming big sagebrush-squawapple:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. WYOMINGENSIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE

## A. rothrockii carbonate hardpans

***A. rothrockii****** ***carbonate hardpans

***A. papposa***
- shallow soils,
- poor drainage

**Notes:**
Existing data captured above categories

## Recommended Map units for Mid-scale Mapping (14)

- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. WYOMINGENSIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA (SSP. TRIDENTATA, XERICENSIS) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- PICROTHAMNUS DESERTORUM (= ARTEMISIA SPINESCENS) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGICAULIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Black sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA NOVA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Low sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. ARBUSCULA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGILOBA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. THERMOPOLA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA PAPPOSA  SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Low sagebrush-Mountain big sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. VASEYANA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. THERMOPOLA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Low sagebrush-Wyoming big sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. WYOMINGENSIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. ARBUSCULA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGILOBA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA ARBUSCULA SSP. LONGICAULIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Mountain big sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. VASEYANA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. SPICIFORMIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Rigid sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA RIGIDA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Silver sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA CANA (SSP. VISCIDULA/BOLANDERI) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA CANA SSP. CANA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Threetip sagebrush****:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIPARTITA SSP. TRIPARTITA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
- ARTEMISIA TRIPARTITA SSP. RUPICOLA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE
**Wyoming big sagebrush-squawapple****:**
- ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA SSP. WYOMINGENSIS SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE

- Recommended Map units for Mid-scale Mapping (14)

***Shrub Steppe: with Grass cover >20%**

***Shrub Steppe: with Grass cover >20%**

***Shrub Steppe: with Grass cover >20%**

***Shrub Steppe: with Grass cover >20%**

##  Recommended Map units for Mid-scale Mapping

**Sagebrush vegetation with cheatgrass and other exotic herbaceous species ****(9)**
**Wyoming & Basin big sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB****                         **
**Black sagebrush**** ****/ EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB**
**Low sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB **
**Low sagebrush-Mountain big sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB **
**Low sagebrush-Wyoming big sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB **
**Mountain big sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB **
**Rigid sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB   **
**Silver sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB  **
**Threetip sagebrush / EXOTIC GRASS AND/OR FORB **
-  **Sagebrush vegetation in specialized environments, or on margins of the Inter-Mountain region ****(5)**
** ****Fall out in Mid-scale project-SW ReGap may pick up some**
**ARTEMISIA BIGELOVII SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE**
**ARTEMISIA PYGMAEA (SPARSE) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE**
**ARTEMISIA PEDITIFIDA (SPARSE) SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE**
**ARTEMISIA FILIFOLIA SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE**
**ARTEMISIA ROTHROCKII SHRUBLAND ALLIANCE**

## Slide 14

## Ecological Land Units

***Requirments***
- 1. DEM (30-50m)
- 2. Surficial Geology
- and/or Soil factors
- 3. Field-based knowledge from existing classifications and additional field sampling

**Notes:**
ELU’s are a combination of these factors to map all unique combinations.

## Landform Model

## Slide 17

## Slide 18

## Applied Sample Design

- 127 Potential land form types.
- Sampling designed to capture 3 of each type using Marxan (Sites).
- Cost to sample set by access model based upon roads.

## Current BLM Sampling

- ~6800 plots
- Data to 1982
- Limited ability to track changes.
- Additional sampling during 2003 using SW ReGap protocols.

## Mapping

- Mapping individual NVC alliances and/or associations is desirable, but classification remains in development and detailed mapping is costly.
- Multi-Alliance units take advantage of available field knowledge to combine data sets (both remotely sensed and ground-based).
- They may be linked directly to the NVC (and therefore FGDC) through component associations and alliances.
- They may also be further subdivided as mapping techniques advance.

**Notes:**
I would just describe these definitions in a more colloquial manner and give some examples. I might mention that these terms will be used throughout the talk and that group/complex refer specifically to some of the activities concerned with GAP and are not included in the hierarchy.