A discriminant function was then developed that described the correlation of these forest types to topographic gradients in the landscape. Co-Chair Dr. Gerald H. Cross . By studying the land formations and land cover of a site, much information about the tree and animal species inhabiting a site can be estimated. The map was derived by synthesizing information on the geographic distribution of environmental factors such as climate terrain, geology, soils, hydrology, and vegetation. Geographical Information Systems, Remote Sensing Techniques, and GPS-based Field Verification Methodologies for Mapping Vegetation Change at Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona.
Professional management requires accurate and comprehensive information of park resources.
Perhaps the most basic information for managing natural-resource areas is a thorough knowledge of vegetation, an undisputed resource of scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, and overall ecosystem function. To assess vegetation change at Chiricahua National Monument, an ArcInfo-based GIS has been developed as well as a revised Brown, Lowe, and Pase vegetation classification system. The new vegetation map coupled with GIS analysis provides a means for making informed management decisions about the relative extent and nature of vegetation changes between 1939 and the present. Ecosystems function across many scales. However, resource managers must often use data at whatever scale is available.