Communicating Information on the
Condition of Terrestrial Ecosystems
A Focused Investigation of Indicators of
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
Initial Draft
February 16, 1998
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction 1
2.0 Background and Scope 3
3.0 Approach .; 5
4.0 Data Sources 7
4.1 Overview 7
4.2 Data Sources Currently Available for Use 7
4.3 Promising New Data Sources 11
4.4 Other Data Sources 12
5.0 Indicators 19
5.1 Overview 19
5.2 Indicators Currently Available for Use 19
5.3 Promising New Indicators 22
5.4 Other Indicators 25
6.0 Matching Indicators to IWI Approach 37
6.1 Overall Condition of the Landscape 37
6.2 Abundance and Condition of Ecosystems 38
6.3 Abundance and Condition of Populations/Species 39
6.4 Abundance and Condition of Ecosystems or Species of Special Concern 39
6.5 Ecological Services 40
6.6 Pollution and Sedimentation 41
6.7 Human Population Pressure 41
6.8 Indirect/Other Stress 42
7.0 General Comments 47
7.1 Data Availability 47
7.2 Data Quality 47
7.3 Data Accessibility 47
7.4 Data Integration 48
7.5 Data Maintenance 48
Appendix A: Organizations Contacted A-1
Appendix B: Data Source Descriptions A-2
Appendix C: Indicator Descriptions A-3
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
1.0 Introduction
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with states, tribes, private
organizations, and other federal agencies, has begun several initiatives aimed at providing the
general public with a broad understanding of the nation's environmental conditions and trends.
The intent is to examine status and trends from a broad perspective that is not tied to regulatory
mandates and to gather and present the best available data from a variety of EPA and non-EPA
sources.
As part of these overall initiatives, EPA's
Office of Information Resources
Management asked the Office of Policy,
Planning and Evaluation to identify existing
indicators of ecosystem health, along with
associated data sources, that can be used
to examine the status and trends of the
nation's terrestrial ecosystems. In addition
to their inherent resource value, the
condition of terrestrial systems and
landscapes has direct impacts on human
health and welfare.
This report presents the results of a focused
investigation of promising indicators and
data sources rather than a comprehensive
inventory of past, present, and future data
gathering and reporting. Of particular
interest are indicators of landscape and
terrestrial ecosystem condition and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^m
supporting data sources that: (a) have been
used on a broad geographic scale (e.g., nationwide), and (b) could be integrated with the
framework established for EPA's Index of Watershed Integrity (IWI). Also of interest are
indicators that could be used to support the State of the Environment report and related EPA
initiatives and could be incorporated into existing EPA data systems for longitudinal tracking.
The remainder of this report is organized as follows:
• Chapter 2 provides a brief background for this report and discusses the scope of this
investigation.
• Chapter 3 presents the approach used to develop this report.
• Chapter 4 provides an overview of the data sources identified and identifies data sources
that are currently available to support indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health as well as
promising new data sources.
Examples of Recent EPA Efforts to Assess
Environmental Conditions and Trends
Environmental Goals for America. This draft
report, issued in December 1996, proposes long-
range goals and measures of progress that will
improve our personal health, economy, and quality
of life.
Indicators of Watershed Integrity. This report and
database, issued in September 1997, presents 18
national indicators of the "health" of water
resources and provides access to these data via
the Internet.
State of the Environment. This report, scheduled
to be issued in March 1998, is being developed by
EPA's Center for Environmental Information and
Statistics.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
« Chapter 5 provides an overview of the indicators identified and identifies indicators that
are currently available as well as promising new indicators.
• Chapter 6 provides suggestions for integrating indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health
with the IWI framework.
• Chapter 7 provides some general comments regarding data availability, quality,
accessibility, integration, and maintenance.
This report also includes three Appendices:
• Appendix A provides an overview of the organizations and individuals contacted during
this investigation.
• Appendix B provides a brief description of each data source identified in Chapter 4.
• Appendix C provides a brief description of each indicator identified in Chapter 5.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
2.0 Background and Scope
In the early 1970s, the United States inaugurated a sustained commitment to reclaim and protect
the environment to ensure that future generations of Americans will enjoy opportunities for
healthy, economically secure lives. These efforts have been immensely successful in regulating
and otherwise controlling the use and release of harmful substances; protecting and revitalizing
rare, vulnerable, and important species^and natural resources; and restoring the health of
polluted or degraded environments.
Over the past quarter century, environmental protection efforts have evolved from a backward-
looking emphasis on correcting past mistakes (e.g., banning the use of DDT, cleaning up
polluted areas) to a more forward-looking emphasis on good stewardship practices (e.g., energy
efficiency, pollution prevention). As our knowledge and understanding has progressed, we have
begun to realize the benefits of replacing prescriptive regulation and control measures with an
approach that couples clear, measurable environmental goals with the flexibility to develop
innovative approaches for meeting those goals. This approach should promote solutions that
achieve the same or better results in a cheaper, smarter manner.
The shift in emphasis from "command and control" to goal-oriented solutions requires a
corresponding shift in the type of information required to demonstrate progress. In the past,
progress was measured in terms such as permits issued, emissions reduced, or criteria met. A
goal-oriented approach requires a clear articulation of the tangible results toward which programs
are aimed and a set of objective criteria by which environmental progress will be measured. It
thus is necessary to begin to develop indicators and other related criteria for assessing terrestrial
ecosystem health and to monitor the status and trends in these indicators.
The federal government currently spends about $650 million per year collecting data on our
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These resources are divided among a variety of federal
agencies, and data are being collected for a variety of purposes. With some exceptions, these
data are not synthesized within a common framework, compiled or referenced in a single source,
or even readily accessible by government agencies or private citizens. This, in turn, makes it
difficult for citizens to understand the current condition of terrestrial ecosystems, engage in a
discussion of what environmental results we intend to achieve and the best means of achieving
these results, and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental protection efforts.
This report takes a small step toward compiling and evaluating existing data sources and
indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health
within a common conceptual framework. It
builds upon the results of several recent
reports, including A Guide to Selected
National Environmental Statistics in the U.S.
Government (EPA 230-R-93-003, August
1993) and four reports produced by the State
Environmental Goals and Indicators Project, a
cooperative agreement between EPA and
Florida State University: Catalogue of
February 16, 1998 Draft
This report is a focused examination of
indicators of terrestrial landscape and
ecosystem condition or health and supporting
data sources that (1) have been used on a
broad geographic scale and (2) could be
incorporated into the Index of Watershed Integrity
(IWI) framework. It is not a comprehensive
inventory of all indicators and data sources.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Environmental Indicators, Catalog of Data Sources, State Indicators of National Scope, and
Directory of Environmental Practitioners (all published in October 1996).
Unlike previous efforts, this investigation is focused on identifying indicators that are appropriate
to terrestrial landscapes and ecosystems, are currently available on a broad geographic scale
(preferably nationally), are supported by existing databases, and can be incorporated into a
framework of indicators established by the IWI approach. Although the primary focus is on
existing, "ready-to-go" indicators, this report also attempts to identify promising new indicators
and data sets that offer additional measures of terrestrial landscape/ecosystem health but require
additional development. However, the no attempt is made to provide a comprehensive catalog
of all indicators that have been developed or proposed for terrestrial systems. Other efforts,
such as the ongoing effort to develop a National Report Card on the Nation's Ecosystems, are
attempting a more comprehensive cataloging of indicators.
The evaluations and conclusions included in this draft report are based primarily on telephone
conversations with persons responsible for developing or using the data sources and indicators
referenced in this report and a limited review of available materials about these sources. The
project staff did not obtain copies of databases or otherwise undertake a detailed review of the
feasibility of implementing any indicators in the IWI framework. In addition, the evaluations and
conclusions included in this draft report represent the professional judgment of the project team
and are not intended to be interpreted as EPA policy or guidance.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
3.0 Approach
The project team used several search strategies to identify appropriate data sources and
indicators. A key starting point was a review of background materials and reports provided by
the EPA Workgroup responsible for this project. A second important source of information was
keyword and other directed searches of Internet home pages. Although the background
materials and home pages provided general descriptions, in most cases it was necessary to
identify one or more key contacts for each data source and indicator and to conduct telephone
interviews with these individuals to obtain more detailed information. In addition, the project
team met individually with a few key contacts (e.g., representatives from the U.S. Geological
Service) Appendix A provides an overview of 143 programs, projects, and data sources
identified during this investigation. From these sources, the project team identified approximately
89 data sources and 49 indicators that merited additional information gathering.
The project team used several criteria to identify data sources and indicators for additional
research. These criteria were not applied in an all-or-none manner, but rather were used in a
qualitative manner to identify the relative applicability of each data source and indicator to the IWI
framework. The criteria used in this project are similar to those used by the IWI framework,
except that the IWI includes a more rigorous evaluation of the scientific validity of indicators and
technical quality of data sources (see box).
• The data source or indicator is currently or could reasonably be expanded to be national
in scope. Measures specific to a particular region or state would have limited utility to the
IWI, which has a national focus.
• Data are readily available and are already
being collected for reasons unrelated to the
IWI. Use of available data makes efficient
use of federal and other resources already
directed toward gathering environmental data
and makes it more likely that a sufficient set
of time series data will be available for trends
analysis.
The data source or indicator is currently used
as an environmental management tool.
Measures already used for decision-making
are likely to meet reasonable data quality
objectives and are likely to be meaningfully
related to some environmental goal.
Criteria Used by the IWI Framework:
Indicator Criteria:
• Scientifically valid
• Cost effective
• Practical to implement
• Relevant to goal
• Suitable to programs
• Understandable
Data Source Criteria:
• Availability of data
• Appropriate temporal coverage
• Appropriate spatial coverage
• Documented quality
• Technical credibility
• Acceptable estimation error
• Acceptable cost
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
• The indicator and the information it provides are relatively transparent to the public. A
key goal of the IWI framework is providing the public with information they can use and
understand.
• The data source or indicator can be referenced geospatially. The IWI focuses at a
watershed level; watershed boundaries rarely, if ever, coincide with political boundaries.
In addition, remote sensing technologies (e.g., satellites, aerial surveys) are likely to be
used more intensely in future environmental data gathering efforts.
The project team gathered information on several types of attributes for each data source and
indicator. This information is provided in hard copy in Appendix B (data sources) and Appendix C
(indicators). In addition, all information has been included in a relational database (Microsoft
Access).
Type of indicator (e.g., screening, diagnostic, integrity/health measure).
Entity or entities currently/formerly responsible for data collection.
Measures or metrics used.
Type and category of ecological/biological response represented.
How the indicator is currently used by responsible entity.
Readiness for use (e.g., currently available, expected soon, early stages of development).
Data availability (e.g., time span covered, collection/reporting frequency).
Geographic scale (e.g., regional, local, national).
Completeness (e.g., time, space, ecosystem categories).
Specificity (e.g., ecosystem type only, broad landscape level).
Accessibility of data (e.g., hard copy reports, web page).
How to access data (e.g., name of primary contact, phone/fax/email/URL address).
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4.0 Data Sources
The focus of this part of the investigation was to identify available and emerging data sources
that could support terrestrial ecosystem indicators. Table 4-2 (presented at the end of this
chapter) provides an overview of 78 of the 89 individual data sources that merited further
investigation by this project (the others are less relevant but included in Appendix A). This table
includes a qualitative assessment of the overall quality of the data source (where we could
ascertain this), the geographic extent of information included in the data set, and an indication of
the types of state or pressure indicators that could be supported by the data source. Appendix B
presents a more detailed description of each data source. Section 4.1 provides an overview of
the data sources included in the database. Section 4.2 provides a brief description of data
sources that appear to be currently available for use to support nationwide indicators of terrestrial
ecosystem health. Section 4.3 provides a brief description of data sources that currently are
under development but show promise as future sources of data for these indicators. Section 4.4
provides a listing of other data sources that are available but are limited in value based on
geographical coverage, temporal coverage, or information content.
4.1 Overview
Information on 89 data sources is included in the project database (see Appendix B) [note that
the database includes 10 entries that are not discussed in this chapter]. The majority of these
data sources are maintained by federal agencies (Table 4-1). These data sources span a range
of geographic scales; however, the vast majority provide data at the international and/or national
levels. The focus of this investigation was on available data bases; nearly all are available at
present and can be obtained by the public. The majority of data sources can be accessed
electronically either via a disk/CD or via the Internet, although portions of some data sets are still
in hard copy. In addition, some data sources are only available in hard copy.
4.2 Data Sources Currently Available for Use
Twenty four databases developed and maintained by a variety of organizations provide data in a
format that can be readily incorporated into the IWI approach. In some cases, a single data
source includes data to support several different types of indicators (e.g., land use, status of bird
populations). Subsequent analysis will be required to determine precisely how each data set
could be used to support specific indicators, particularly with regard to integrating these
indicators with the IWI approach. Most of these data sources cover all 48 conterminous states;
some also include data fore Alaska and Hawaii.
• Forest Inventory and Analysis Database. This is a comprehensive inventory and
analysis of forest and rangeland resources maintained by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA). Data include land use, extent and condition of stands and trees,
harvest information, soil texture and structure, vegetation growth rate, biomass,
recruitment, disease intensity, species cover, range, and fire. Data have been collected
continuously for more than 50 years are available at the county, sample plot, and tree
level.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 4-1. Summary Statistics for Data Sources Investigated (n = 89)
Collecting Organization
Geographic Scale
Readiness
Format
Accessibility
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Park Service
Nature Conservancy
National Resource Conservation Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Geological Survey
other federal
other non-federal
International
National
Regional
State/local
Currently available
Expected soon
Early development
Disk/CD
Hard copy
System
Web page
Publicly available
Not publicly available
8
11
2
3
5
9
5
6
10
12
6
25
54
17
6
74
4
9
32
32
13
28
78
5
National Resources Inventory. This
is a comprehensive inventory of soil,
land cover, land use, erosion, land
treatment, conservation treatment
needs, vegetative conditions, and
potential for conversion to cropland.
Data collected by USDA for more than
50 years are available at the state,
county, and 8-, 6-, 4-, and 2-digit
hydrologic units. Data collection ^^^^^
follows a statistical protocol of census ^^^^^
area and point methods. The USDA
also uses the NRI data set to report statistical trends.
Statistics from the National Resources Inventory
(1982 vs. 1992):
Federal land increased by 3.3 million acres
Cropland decreased by 39 million acres
Developed land increased by 14 million acres
Rangeland decreased by 10 million acres
Soil erosion rates declined by 1.4 tons/year
Prime farmland decreased by 6 million acres
8
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Natural Resource Protection Act (RPA) Updates and RPA Database. The RPA
Updates are periodic reports developed from the Forest Inventory Analysis effort. The
RPA Database is a web page prototype for these data.
Major Uses of Land in the United States. In this database, data from the Census
Bureau, USDA, public land management and conservation organizations, and other
sources are synthesized to estimate acreages of 15 land use categories at the state,
regional, and national levels. Although data collected since 1945 are broadly
comparable, some data are not strictly comparable due to changes in sources,
definitions, and methodology over time.
Natural Heritage Network. This series of databases identify species, natural
communities, and ecosystems in need of protection at the local, regional, national, and
global levels. Data for species include distribution, population trends, habitat
requirements, and ecological relationships. Data for communities include vegetation
structure and composition, succession patterns, and natural disturbances.
Breeding Bird Census. This database, maintained by the Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology, provides information on the total number of breeding territories occupied by
each species in a series of study plots monitored nationwide. Data have been collected
for more than 60 years by experienced observers using standardized methods.
North American Breeding Bird Survey. This database, maintained by the USGS,
provides data on the presence/absence of bird species along nearly 4,000 permanent
survey routes during the breeding season. Data have been collected since 1966 by
experienced observers using a roadside survey technique.
Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. This database, developed and maintained by the
National Audubon Society, represents early winter census data for North American bird
species. Data have been collected by experienced observers since 1913 in standard
census areas. No standardized survey routes are followed, but observations are limited
to a 24-hour period.
National Climate Data. This database, maintained by NOAA, contains data on
temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, storms, wind, and floods that have been
collected since the mid-19th century. These data may be important adjunct information
for use in normalizing indicator data.
National (NATSCO) and State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) Database. These
databases, maintained by the USDA, provide GIS maps of soil characteristics linked to
major land use resource area and boundaries (NATSCO) and 1:250,000 USGS
topographic quadrangles (STATSGO). The GIS maps are linked to the Soil
Interpretations Record attribute database, which provides proportionate data on
component soils and more than 25 physical and chemical properties.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Annual Public Finances Survey. This database, maintained by the Census Bureau,
provides data on current expenditures and capital outlay for health, sanitation,
environmental services (e.g., natural resources, parks, sewers, solid waste), housing and
community development, and water utilities. Time series data are available in national
summary form from the early 1900s and at a more detailed level for approximately 30
years.
Highways Statistics. This database, maintained by the Department of Transportation,
includes a variety of data on highways, including traffic volumes, miles traveled, fuel
consumption rates, financing, highway mileage, pavement condition, and accidents. Data
for many characteristics date to the early 1900s.
U.S. Postal Service Delivery Statistics. This database provides information on the
number of mail addresses by state, city, and zip code. Data are updated monthly.
Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments. This is an interagency
monitoring program to assess present visibility levels, identity sources of man-made
impairment, and document time trends for visibility in Federal Class I areas (e.g., national
parks, wildlife refuges) and the surrounding areas. Data are available for some sites
since 1987; 70 sites are currently monitored.
National Atmospheric Deposition Program and National Trends Network
(NADP/NTN) and Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet). These are
interagency, national networks of precipitation chemistry monitoring sites. Wet deposition
data have been collected at some sites since 1978, and dry deposition data have been
collected at some sites since 1988. More than 200 NADP and 50 CASTNet sites are
currently monitored. CASTNet includes data on the chemical content of haze and aerosol
composition.
National (NAMS) and State/Local Air Monitoring Stations (SLAMS). These are
networks of monitoring stations for criteria air pollutants, air toxics, and visibility/fine
particulates. Data have been collected at some sites since 1980.
UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets. This database, established in 1992 by
USDA, will collect UV-B data at 6-10 research and 30-40 monitoring stations.
National Agricultural Pest Information System. This database, maintained by USDA,
provides survey data for plant pests in the U.S. since 1900.
Noxious/Invasive Database. This database, established in 1983 by DOI, is a
geospatially referenced dataset on inventory, biological control, and pesticide data.
Ecological Incident Information System. This database, maintained by EPA, is the
largest database of pesticide incident data. Reporting is on an incident-by-incident bases
as far back as the early 1960s.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
• Wildlife Health Epizootiological Database. This database, maintained by the National
Wildlife Health Center, contains records of wildlife mortality and morbidity events,
primarily in migratory birds. Data have been collected since 1975 and include dates,
species, population numbers, total sick/dead, and mortality/morbidity information. The
data system includes software to assist in data analysis.
• Forest Insect and Disease Conditions. This database, maintained by USDA, contains
information for federal, state, arid private forest lands based on aerial and ground
surveys. Data include type of insect/disease, size of area affected, and dollars lost by
region. Data have been collected since 1952, although archival data may be available
only for about the past 20 years. Data are tabular by geographic area.
4.3 Promising New Data Sources
Several databases under development should provide data that are readily incorporated into the
IWI approach. Many of these are GIS-based. However, most of these include only a limited,
often pilot-level set of data, and it may be several years before enough information is available to
support usable indicators. These databases include.
• North American Landscape Characterization Data. This database represents a
cooperative effort between EPA, USGS, and NASA to use Landsat data to support
pollution monitoring and a variety of analyses including changes in range cover, forage
production, land use, and vegetation. Only two sample data sets are currently available.
• Land Use History of North America. These data, currently being compiled by USGS,
will provide a history of patterns of land use over the past millennium. The database is in
the early development stage and is scheduled to be completed by the year 2000.
• Global Vegetation Index. This database is an experimental normalized difference
vegetation index based on advanced very high resolution radiometer satellite data. The
data are an indication of vegetation processes such as chlorophyll production.
• Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship. This is a cooperative effort among
public agencies, private organizations, and private citizens to develop a longitudinal
database on age, sex, and breeding status of North American birds using a standardized
capture and release protocol. Data have been collected since 1989, and sampling
stations have grown from 17 in 1989 to nearly 300 in 1994. Data are being used to
assess population dynamics (e.g., age structure, recruitment) in relation to climate
variables.
• Project Feeder Watch. This effort, managed by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, is
aimed at establishing a more systematic survey of winter bird populations than the
Christmas Bird Count data. Data have been collected since 1987.
• North American Amphibian Monitoring Program. This program, established in 1996 by
USGS, will establish a network of sampling sites to monitor the distribution and
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abundance of salamanders and calling frogs in relation to geographic location, land
management, air quality, vegetation, and other species. Salamander populations may be
an overall indicator of terrestrial ecosystem health.
• Butterfly Monitoring Project. This program, established in 1995 by USGS, is in the
process of developing a standardized sampling protocol that will provide statistically
defensible longitudinal estimates of butterfly populations.
• North American Raptor Monitoring Program. This program plans to develop a strategy
for monitoring the population status of diurnal raptors in North America.
• Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations. EPA monitoring network for criteria
air pollutants, air toxics, and meteorology designed to study the causes of ozone
pollution, to devise effective remedies, and to measure environmental improvement.
Data collection began in 1992.
• Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends. This program, currently under
development by USGS, will employ a national network of sites for monitoring
contaminants in and effects on organisms. At the regional level, the program will
determine the overall impacts contaminants are having on selected high-priority
ecosystems.
• Mercury Deposition Network. This is a regional database, established in 1994, to
monitor mercury precipitation to surface waters, forested watersheds, and other sensitive
receptors. 30 sites are anticipated by 1997.
• Exotic Species Database. This database, established by The Nature Conservancy,
assesses weed problems on preserves under Conservancy stewardship. Data were
collected in 1992 and 1995.
4.4 Other Data Sources
Several other databases are currently available but are more limited in geographic, temporal,
and/or relevant coverage. While some data may be useful, considerable data analysis or
additional data collection would be required to integrate these data sources into the IWI approach
on a national basis. These databases were developed by a variety of organizations, including
EPA, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Service (USGS), the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).
These databases include:
• Ecological Site Inventory Data (BLM lands authorized for livestock grazing).
• Land Cover Classification (NOAA data for the Chesapeake Bay watershed).
• GIRAS Landuse/Landcover Spatial Data (USGS data collected once for the entire U.S.).
• Northern Hemisphere Biome Forest Data (EPA data for modeling global carbon cycles).
• Olson's Major World Ecosystem Complexes (EPA global vegetation map).
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Multi-resolution Land Characteristic Grid (mosaic of Landsat data for EPA Region III).
Land Cover Characteristics Data (USGS data on land surface attributes).
Major Land Resource Areas (USDA data on areas delineated by common patterns of soil,
climate, water resources, and land use characteristics).
Land Use Data for Agroecosystems (EMAP data for the Mid-Atlantic Region).
Man and the Biospheres Reserves data (UNESCO data collected at specified reserves)
Forest service experimental forest and rangeland sites (USDA experimental sites)
North American Conservation Assessment (one-time WWF compilation of ecoregion
value and vulnerability)
Long-term Resource Monitoring Program(USGS data for the Upper Mississippi River
system)
Bird Banding Program (USGS mark-recapture records for birds)
July Duck Production Survey (DOI survey of breeding duck populations)
Hawk Migration Monitoring (Autumn hawk migration counts at Hawk Mountain)
Tree planting in the U.S. (USDA data on number of trees planted)
Forest Service Range Management Information System (USDA data on grazing pressure
in National Forests and Grasslands)
Remote Automatic Weather Stations (USDA monitoring network on Federal lands)
Global population distribution (Data for 1990 prepared by the Carbon Dioxide Information
Analysis Center)
Data from global climate change monitoring programs, including Atmospheric
Halocarbons and Nitrous Oxide, Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios, and Atmospheric
Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios.
Atmospheric Integrated monitoring Network (NOAA network of monitoring stations
designed to provide a research-based foundation for interpreting wet and dry precipitation
data from NADP and CASTNet stations)
Air Quality Monitoring Network (DOI gaseous pollutant data for national parks)
UV-B Monitoring Data (EPA monitoring network in 14 national parks and 8 urban areas)
Exotic Plants and Species Database (DOI data for national parks)
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Table 4-2. Overview of Data Sources Identified to Support Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem Health
Data Source
Forest Inventory and Analysis
National Resources Inventory
Global Ecosystem Data
RPA Updates/RPA Database
Land Use Data for Agroecosystems in the U.S.
Ecological Site Inventory
Olson's Major World Ecosystem Complexes
Land Use History of North America
Major Uses of Land In the United States
Major Land Resource Areas
North American Landscape Characterization
Conterminous U.S. Land Cover Characteristics
Land Cover Classification
Northern Hemisphere Biome Forest Data
Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Qrid
QIRAS Landuse/Landcover Spatial Data
Overall
Quality
High
Variable
High
High
Unit
Unk
High
Unk
High
High
High
High
Unk
Unk
High
High
Geographic
Extant
1
•
•
•
•
•
•
N
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
R
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1: International
N; national
R regional
Potential Ability to Support State Indicator!
Landscape/
Land Use
LU
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CS
•
•
•
•
•
•
LU: land use
CS: condition/
status
Blotlc
Components
CM
•
•
•
•
OR
•
CM: communities
OR: organisms
Abiotic
Components
CL
•
SS
•
•
•
NR
•
•
•
WR
•
•
CL: climate
SS: soil/substrate condition
NR: nutrient regimes
WR: water regimes
Ecological
Services
NC
t
ES
•
•
•
NC: nutrient/element
cycles
ES: economic
services
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicators
Human Population
Pressure
HA
•
'
•
•
•
•
RD
•
•
HA: habitat alteration/
urban sprawl
RD: resource
degradation
Chemical/Other
Pollution
CU
•
AP
OR
•
CU: chemical use
AP: air pollution/
air deposition
OR: other releases
Indirect/
Unknown
DP
•
OT
•
DP: disease
parasites
exotics
OT: other
February 16, 1998 Draft
14
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
National Environmental Research Parks
Natural Heritage Network
Experimental Forest and Rangeland Sites
Global Vegetation Index
Man and the Biosphere Reserves
North American Conservation Assessment
Long-term Resource Monitoring Program
Breeding Bird Census
North American Breeding Bird Survey
Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship
Bird Banding Program
Audubon Christmas Bird Counts
Butterfly Monitoring Project
Migration Monitoring Program
Project Feeder Watch
July Duck Production Survey
North American Raptor Monitoring Strategy
Hawk Migration Monitoring
Overall
Quality
Variable
High
Varied
Unk
Varied
Unk
Unk
Med
High
Unk
Med
Med
High
Unk
Low
Unk
Unk
Unk
Geographic
Extent
1
•
•
•
•
N
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
R
•
•
•
1: international
M national
R: regiona
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Landscape/
Land Use
LU
CS
•
•
•
LU: land use
CS: condition/
status
Blotlc
Components
CM
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
OR
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CM: communities
OR: organisms
Abiotic
Components
CL
SS
NR
•
WR
•
•
CL: climate
SS soil/substrate condition
NR: nutrient regimes
WR: water regimes
Ecological
Services
NC
ES
NC: nutrient/element
cycles
GS: economic
services
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicators
Human Population
Pressure
HA
RD
HA: habitat alteration/
urban sprawl
RD: resource
degradation
Chemical/Other
Pollution
CU
AP
OR
•
•
CU: chemical use
AP: ail pollution)
air deposition
OR: other releases
Indirect/
Unknown
DP
•
OT
•
OP: disease
parasites
exotics
OT: other
February 16, 1998 Draft
15
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
Tree Planting In the United States
Forest Service Range Management Info System
Advanced Radiometer Derived Land Climatologies
Distribution of Cloud and Cloud Top Temperatures
National Climatic Data Center
Defense Meteorological Satellite Data
NASA Pathfinder Climate Data
Remote Automatic Weather Stations
STATSOO Soil Maps
National Soil Geographic (NATSCO) Database
National Soil Characterization Data
Global Pattern of Carbon Dioxide from soils
Annual Public Finances Survey
Highways Statistics
US Postal Service Delivery Statistics
Global Population Distribution
Interagency Monitoring of Visual Environments
Overall
Quality
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
High
Unk
Unk
Unk
Med
High
High
High
Unk
High
Geographic
Extent
1
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
N
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
R
1: International
N: national
R: regional
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Landscape/
Land UM
LU
•
CS
•
•
•
•
•
•
LU: land use
CS: condition/
status
Blotlc
Component*
CM
•
•
OR
•
CM: communities
OR: organisms
Abiotic
Component*
CL
•
•
•
•
•
•
SS
•
•
•
•
•
•
NR
WR
•
•
•
•
•
CL: climate
SS: soil/substrate condition
NR. nutrient regimes
WR: watet regime*
Ecological
Service*
NC
•
ES
•
•
NC: nutrient/element
cycles
ES: economic
services
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicators
Human Population
Pressure
HA
•
•
•
RD
•
•
•
•
•
HA: habitat alteration/
urban sprawl
RD: resource
degradation
Chemical/Other
Pollution
CU
AP
OR
•
•
•
•
CD: chemical use
AP: air pollution/
air deposition
OR: other releases
Indirect/
Unknown
DP
OT
DP: disease
parasites
exotics
OT: other
February 16, 1998 Draft
16
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
Global Carbon Isotopic Signature Estimates
Atmospheric Halocarbons and Nitrous Oxide
Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios
Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios
National Atmospheric Deposition Program and
National Trends Network
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations
Clean Air Status and Trends Network
Atmospheric Integrated Monitoring Network
Air Quality Monitoring Network
National/State/Local Air Monitoring Stations
Mercury Deposition Network
Ecological Exposure Research Data
UV-B Monitoring Data
UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends
National Agricultural Pest Information System
Exotic Species Database
Noxious/Invasive Database
Overall
Quality
High
High
High
High
High
Unk
High
High
Unk
High
High
Unk
Unk
Med
Unk
Unk
Unk
Unk
Geographic
Extent
1
•
•
•
•
N
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
R
•
•
•
•
•
•
1: international
N: nationa
R: regional
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Landscape/
Land Use
LU
CS
LU: land use
CS: condition/
status
Blotlc
Components
CM
•
OR
CM: communities
OR: organisms
Abiotic
Components
CL
•
•
SS
NR
•
WR
•
CL: climate
SS: soil/substrate condition
NR: nutrient regimes
WR: water regimes
Ecological
Services
NC
•
ES
NC: nutrient/element
cycles
ES: economic
services
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicators
Human Population
Pressure
HA
'
•
•
RD
•
HA: habitat alteration/
urban sprawl
RO: resource
degradation
Chemical/Other
Pollution
CU
•
•
AP
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
OR
•
•
CU: chemical use
AP: air pollution/
air deposition
OR: other releases
Indirect/
Unknown
DP
•
OT
•
•
DP: disease
parasites
exotics
OT: other
February 16, 1998 Draft
17
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
Exotic Map Database
Exotic Plants and Species Database
Ecological Incident Information System
Wildlife Health Diagnostics Database
Wildlife Health Eplzootiologlcal Database
Forest Insect and Disease Conditions
Global Inventory of Blomass Burning
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
Overall
Quality
Unk
Unk
High
High
Med
Unk
Unk
Unk
Geographic
Extent
1
•
•
N
•
•
•
•
•
R
•
•
N: national
R: regional
L: local
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Landscape/
Land Use
LU
CS
LU: land use
CS: condition/
status
Biotlc
Components
CM
OR
•
CM: communities
OR: organisms
Abiotic
Components
CL
SS
NR
WR
CL: climate
SS. soil/substrate condition
NR: nutrient regimes
WR: water regimes
Ecological
Services
NC
ES
•
NC: nutrient/element
cycles
ES: economic
services
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicators
Human Population
Pressure
HA
•
•
RD
HA: habitat alteration/
urban sprawl
RD: resource
degradation
Chemical/Other
Pollution
CU
•
•
AP
OR
•
CU: chemical use
AP: air pollution/
air deposition
OR: other releases
Indirect/
Unknown
DP
•
•
•
•
OT
•
•
•
•
•
OP: disease
parasites
exotics
OT: other
Other Databases of Interest:
National Classification of Ecological Communities will establish FGDC standard for classifying terrestrial communities
Globe Version 0.5 contains elevation information for 60% of the Earth's land surface
Terrain Base 1994 contains data on land elevation and ocean depth for the entire Earth
Level III Ecoregions of the Conterminous U.S. provide a standard ecoregion reference
February 16, 1998 Draft
18
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
5.0 Indicators
The focus of this part of the investigation was to identify available and emerging indicators of
terrestrial ecosystem health that both have been and/or could be linked to existing data sources
and could be incorporated into the IWI framework. Table 5-2 (presented at the end of the
chapter) provides an overview of 49 indicators that were identified. This table provides a brief
description of the indicator, its status, the geographic extent to which it currently and potentially
could be applied, the data source(s) to which it is linked, and general comments such as unique
features or advantages/disadvantages. Appendix C presents a more detailed description of each
indicator. Section 5.1 provides an overview of the indicators included in the data base. Section
5.2 provides a brief description of indicators that are currently in use at the national level.
Section 5.3 provides a brief description of indicators that currently are under development or
available on a limited basis but show promise as future indicators. Section 5.4 provides a listing
of other indicators that are available but are limited in value based on geographical coverage,
temporal coverage, or information content.
5.1 Overview
Information on 49 indicators is included in the project database (see Table 5-1). The majority of
these are screening level indicators that assess the state of terrestrial ecosystems rather than
pressure on these ecosystems. Indicators are much more abundant for forest and rangeland
ecosystems than for other ecosystem types (or landscapes); this reflects both the long-term data
bases maintained by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and recent USDA efforts to
develop ecosystem indicators. Most of the indicators either currently are or could be used to
assess both current state and change (trend). A majority of indicators measure abiotic
components of ecosystems, although measures of biotic components are plentiful. Most of the
indicators reviewed are applicable at the national or regional level. The majority are currently
available and funding is available for their use by the responsible organizations.
5.2 Indicators Currently Available for Use
Nearly 20 indicators developed by a variety of organizations are currently in use at the national
level and appear to be easily incorporated into the IWI approach. Most of these indicators are
supported by data that are available for all 48 conterminous states, Alaska, and Hawaii.
However, some indicators are in use for a limited portion of the nation, but are included here
because they are particularly relevant to the IWI approach.
• Percent of acreage by ecological status. This landscape indicator reports the degree
of similarity of present vegetation to the potential (climax) plant community. It is available
for BLM lands in 12 western states and is supported by data from the Public Land
Statistics. BLM has exclusive jurisdiction for about 12 percent of the U.S. land area.
February 16, 1998 Draft 19
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 5-1. Summary Statistics for Indicators Investigated (n = 49)
Assessment Type
Assessment Level
Specificity
Use
Response Category
Geographic Scale
Readiness
Funding
State
Pressure
Screening
Diagnostic
Biodiversity
Forest
Grassland
Landscape
Human population pressure
Rangeland
Current state (snap shot)
Change (trend)
Abiotic
Biotic
International
National
Regional
State/local
Currently available
Expected soon
Early development
Funded
Not funded
43
8
47
2
1
25
4
6
1
16
46
36
29
20
1
27
20
2
40
7
8
48
1
Forest area by age class or successional stage. This biotic indicator is among a set of
sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an indicator of forest maturation,
which leads to an increase in the diversity of forest structure but a decreased diversity of
forest types. It is supported by data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis and the
National Resources Inventory databases.
Percent composition of forests by forest type. This biotic indicator is among a set of
sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It can be used to identify forest types
that are decreasing in area, which in turn is a measure of decreased ecosystem diversity.
It is supported by data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis and the National
Resources Inventory databases.
20
February 16, 1998 Draft
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Status of forest-dependent endangered and threatened species. This biotic indicator
is among a set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an indicator of
threat to species diversity. It is supported primarily by data from the Natural Heritage
Network, with supplemental information from DOI and EPA endangered and threatened
species data. Data are available at the county level, which would not always coincide
with watershed boundaries. The indicator covers plant, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian,
and insect species.
Number of forest-dependent species in restricted ranges. This biotic indicator is
among a set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an indicator of
threat to species diversity. It is supported by data from the Natural Heritage Network. The
indicator covers mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Population levels of forest-dependent bird species. This biotic indicator is among a
set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an measure of the increase
or decline in the abundance of representative species selected as indicators of overall
levels of genetic diversity for a larger group of forest species. The indicator for birds is
supported at the national level by data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey.
The indicator for other groups (e.g., mammals, game birds) is supported by less
abundant and reliable data from certain states.
Extent of wildlife habitat. This biotic indicator reports the acres of habitat for big and
small game on BLM lands (including eastern states and Alaska) and is supported by data
from the Public Land Statistics. BLM has exclusive jurisdiction for about 12 percent of
the U.S. land area.
Number of big game animals on public lands. This biotic indicator reports the number
of pronghom, barbary sheep, bear, bighorn sheep, buffalo, and caribou on BLM lands
(including eastern states and Alaska) and is supported by data from the Public Land
Statistics. BLM has exclusive jurisdiction for about 12 percent of the U.S. land area.
Total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon pool. This abiotic indicator is among a
set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an indicator of the regulation
of atmospheric carbon by forest ecosystems. It is supported by data from the Forest
Inventory and Analysis and the National Soil Geographic Database. Most parameters are
calculated from available models and conversion factors, and data are limited to
commercial forest lands. A related indicator, contribution of forest ecosystems to
global carbon budget, consists of indirect flux estimates calculated by taking the
differences between successive inventories.
Soil erosion rates. This abiotic indicator was developed by the USDA both as a general
assessment of terrestrial ecosystem health and as a part of the set of sustainabe forest
indicators. It is an estimate of the annual soil loss by land use type. It is supported by
data from the Natural Resources Inventory.
February 16, 1998 Draft 21
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
• Indicators of forest services. These indicators of ecological services are among a set
of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. They provide various measures of
economic services provided by forest ecosystems, including area and percent of forest
land managed for protective functions, area and percent of forest land used for
timber production, net volume of timber species growing stock, growing stock of
tree species on forest land available for timber production, ratio of annual volume of
wood products removed to sustainable levels, and ratio of annual harvest of other
forest products (e.g., game, berries) to sustainable levels. These indicators are
supported by the Forest Inventory and Analysis, National Resources Inventory, Forest
Service data, and state databases.
• Forest land experiencing accumulation of persistent toxic substances. This indicator
of chemical pollution is among a set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA.
It measures the area and percent of forests impinged by releases from NPL sites. It is
supported by data from an EPA database of NPL sites in forests and a variety of EPA
water databases such as the Permit Compliance System, NPDES data, and National
Watershed Assessment Program data. Although data are limited to lands around NPL
sites, this indicator could be linked directly to IWI indicators of pollution in surface waters.
• Nighttime lights. This indicator of human population pressure measures the area
illuminated by human-generated visible-near infrared radiation (i.e., lights). This
information can be used to define and update the spatial distribution of human
settlements, although some significant outliers exist. It is supported by data from the
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program.
5.3 Promising New Indicators
More than 25 indicators currently under development should provide measures of terrestrial
ecosystem health that can be readily incorporated into the IWI approach. Many of these are
supported by databases that cover a large portion of the nation and/or by remote sensing data.
However, most of these indicators have been implemented only at an experimental or pilot-level
basis, and it may be several years before enough underlying data are available to provide a
sufficient basis for reporting status and trends. These indicators include:
• Land cover composition and pattern. This is a set of landscape indicators developed
for the Mid-Atlantic pilot project. It includes land cover dominance, land cover
connectivity and degree of fragmentation, land cover shape and complexity, land
cover patch size, amount of land cover in protective status, percent land cover
types at different scales, and percent paddocks on slopes greater than 5%. These
indicators are critically linked to the catchment process and the sustainability of ecological
processes and biological populations. The indicators are supported by remote sensing
and aerial photography data, coupled with soils, geology, topography, and climate data.
22 February 16,1998 Draft
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Riparian extent and distribution. This is a set of landscape indicators developed for the
Mid-Atlantic pilot project. It includes various measures of the percentage and connectivity
of woody vegetation along streams. These indicators are linked to soil loss, sediment
movement, and contaminant movement at watershed scales and below. The indicators
are supported by remote sensing and aerial photography data, coupled with soils,
geology, topography, and climate data.
Fragmentation of forest types. This landscape indicator is among a set of sustainable
forest indicators developed by USDA. It is a measure of patch areas and distances
between patches; fragmentation disrupts ecological processes and reduces available
habitat. It currently is supported by some data for Oregon.
Number of forest dependent species. This biotic indicator is among a set of
sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an indicator of species diversity. It
could be supported by a variety of databases, including the Forest Inventory and Analysis
and Forest Health Monitoring data (data on 865 native tree species), and the Breeding
Bird Survey, Breeding Bird Censuses, and Audubon Christmas Bird Counts data (data on
844 forest-dependent bird species). The indicator also could be extended to include
other groups such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Gap analysis. This indicator measures vegetation types or species not adequately
represented in areas managed for long-term maintenance of natura systems. It uses
primarily vertebrate species and dominant vegetation types as surrogates for biodiversity.
It is supported by internal databases and is currently available for some areas.
Terrestrial salamander populations. This indicator is currently under development by
USGS and will use population monitoring data and ecosystem measures such as
air/vegetation quality to assess environmental effects on population dynamics of
salamanders (and perhaps calling anurans). It will be supported by data from the North
American Amphibian Monitoring Program.
Indicators of rangeland health. This series of indicators is currently under development
by USDA and academic collaborators and includes measures such as rangeland
vegetation structure, rangeland canopy cover, normalized difference vegetation index,
and percent cover of various grass species. These are supported primarily by
experimental data, although they are applicable to all rangeland ecosystems.
Abiotic indicators of forest ecosystem health. USDA is developing a number of
additional sustainable forest indicators that address abiotic components. These include
forest soil compaction, forest soil with diminished soil organic matter or changed
chemical properties, and forest land with diminished ecological components. These
indicators will be supported by data from the Long-term Soil Productivity Initiative and the
National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program, but data collection has not occurred
long enough to report results.
February 16, 1998 Draft 23
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Abiotic indicators of rangeland health. This series of indicators is currently under
development by USDA and academic collaborators and includes measures such soil
infiltration, soil stability, soil penetromter resistance, soil depth, soil surface
characterization, slake test for soil stability, and bare patch index. These are supported
primarily by experimental data, although they are applicable to all rangeland ecosystems.
Erosion potential indicators. This is a set of abiotic indicators developed for the Mid-
Atlantic pilot project. It includes percent bare soil, soil loss distribution, percent farms
on erodible soils, distance of agricultural patches from streams, and percent
paddocks on slopes greater than 5%. These indicators integrate land cover,
precipitation, topography, and soil data to estimate soil loss using a universal soil loss
model. The indicators are supported by remote sensing and aerial photography data,
coupled with soils, geology, topography, and climate data.
Forest land experiencing specific levels of air pollution. This indicator of chemical
pollution is among a set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It measures
the area and percent of forests subject to levels of criteria air pollutants and UV-B that
may cause adverse impacts; lichens are an important indicator group. It could be
supported by data from a variety of sources, including the National Atmospheric
Deposition Program, UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program, Mercury Deposition Network,
Aerometric Monitoring, Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments, North
American Maple Project, Forest Health Monitoring Datasets, and National Acid
Precipitation Assessment Program. However, but data collection is not coordinated and
data have not been collated and analyzed sufficiently to report results.
Forested affected by natural and human-induced pressures. This set of indicators of
indirect/other stresses is among a set of sustainable forest indicators developed by
USDA. It includes area and percent of forests affected by native insects and diseases,
exotic insects and diseases, fire, weather, flood, land clearance, salinization, and
domestic animal invasion. The indicators will be supported by data from the Forest
Inventory and Analysis, Forest Health Monitoring Program, National Interagency Fire
Center, and Intermountain Fire Sciences Laboratory. However, not enough data are
available to report results.
24 February 16,1998 Draft
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
5.4 Other Indicators
Several indicators are currently available but are more limited in geographic, temporal, and/or
relevant coverage. While some data may be useful, considerable data analysis or additional data
collection would be required to support these indicators and integrate them into the IWI approach
on a national basis. These indicators were developed by EPA, BLM, and USDA. These
databases include:
• Degree of biophysical constraints, greenness pattern, and groundwater indicators
(landscape indicators developed for Mid-Atlantic pilot project)
• Reforested lands and timber stand improvements (BLM public land statistics indicator)
• Contribution of forest products to global carbon budget (USDA sustainable forest
indicator)
• Erosion control measures (BLM efforts to reduce soil erosion on federal lands)
February 16, 1998 Draft 25
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 5-2. Overview of Indicators Identified
Indicators of Landscape/Land Use
Priority
High
Promising
Promising
Promising
Name
Percent acreage by
ecological status
Fragmentation of forest
types
Degree of biophysical
constraints
Greeness pattern
Description
Degree of similarity of present
vegetation to the potential
natural (climax) plant
community, divided into four
classes
Patch areas and distances
between patches
Set of Indicators that includes
farm position In catchment,
subcatchment position, and
catchment position, relative to
biophysical constraints
Set of Indicators that includes
normalized difference
vegetation index (NDVI)
pattern and change; observed
vs. expected NDVI
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
National
Regional
Regional
Regional
Potential
National
National
Regional
National
Regional
National?
Data Source(s)
BLM Public Land Statistics
No national datasets; some,.,
data for Oregon
Remote sensing data,
Including Advanced Very High
Resolution Radlometry
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Comments
Based on BLM's ecological
site Inventories or soil-
vegetation inventory method
Available for BLM lands only
Forest fragmentation disrupts
ecological processes and
reduces available habitat
Indicates the relative
geographic position of a farm
or subcatchment to the
position of the catchment
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic pilot project
Used to estimate losses in
productivity, increases in
erosion, and loss in buffer
capacity along streams
Expected NDVI Is based on
soils, topography, vegetation,
and climate
Indicators are being used In
the Mid-Atlantic pilot project
February 16, 1998 Draft
26
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Priority
Promising
Promising
Promising
Name
Groundwater indicators
Land cover composition
and pattern
Riparian extent and
distribution
Description
Set of indicators that includes
albedo change, topographic
concavity variation, and depth
to water table
Set of indicators that includes
land cover dominance; land
cover connectivity and degree
of fragmentation; land cover
shape and complexity, land
cover patch size; amount of
land cover in protective
status; percent land cover
types at different scales;
percent paddocks on slopes
greater than 5%
Set of indicators that includes
percentage of woody
vegetation along stream/unit
stream distance; connectivity
of woody vegetation along
streams/unit stream distance;
percent woody vegetation
along streams by width
class/unit of stream distance
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
Regional
Regional
Regional
Potential
Regional
National?
Regional
National?
Regional
National?
Data Source(s)
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate "
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Comments
Estimates the local and
regional impacts of changes
In recharge (i.e., water moving
beyond the root zone) on
catchment behavior
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic pilot project
Used to determine
dominance, spatial
distribution, and juxtaposition
of land cover elements
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic pilot project
Size and amount of riparian
buffer adjacent to streams
and water courses is an
important determinant of soil
loss, sediment movement,
and contaminant movement at
the farm, subcatchment, and
catchment scales
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic pilot project
February 16, 1998 Draft
27
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Biotic Components
Priority
High
High
High
High
High
High
Name
Forest area by age class
or successions! stage
Percent composition of
forests by forest type
Status of forest-
dependent endangered
and threatened species
Number of forest
dependent species In
restricted range
Population levels of
forest-dependent bird
species
Extent of wildlife habitat
Description
Acreage of forest by age
class and successions! stage
Acreage of forest types by
region
Number of species by forest
type (deciduous, evergreen,
mixed, wetland)
Number, population size, and
distribution of Interacting
populations of species that
occupy a small portion of their
former range
Population levels of
representative avlan species
from diverse habitats
monitored across their range
Acres of habitat for big game
and small game on BUM
lands
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
National
National
National
National
National
National
Potential
National
National
National
National
National
National
Data Source(s)
Forest Inventory and Analysis;
National Resources Inventory
Forest Inventory and Analysis;
National Resources Inventory
f-\
National Heritage Network;
DOI and EPA threatened and
endangered species
databases
Natural Heritage Network
North American Breeding Bird
Survey
BLM Public Land Statistics
Comments
Forest maturation leads to an
Increase in diversity of forest
structure but a decreased
diversity of forest types
Can be used to identify forest
types that are decreasing In
area, which in turn Is a
measure of decreased
ecosystem diversity
Considers endangered and
threatened species of plant,
mammal, bird, reptile,
amphibian, fish, snail, clam,
crustacean, and insect at risk
of not maintaining a viable
breeding population; species
can occur in more than one
forest type
Population size and
distribution of interacting
populations are critical
attributes in evaluating genetic
diversity
Representative species are
selected as Indicators of
overall levels of genetic
diversity for a larger group of
forest species
Available for BLM lands only
February 16, 1998 Draft
28
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Priority
High
Promising
Promising
Promising
Promising
Promising
Name
Number of big game
animals on public lands
Gap analysis
Terrestrial salamander
populations
Number of forest
dependent species
Rangeland vegetation
structure
Rangeland canopy cover
Description
Estimated number of
pronghorn, barbary sheep,
bear, bighorn sheep, buffalo,
and caribou on BLM lands
Vegetation types or species
not adequately represented in
areas managed for long-term
maintenance of natural
systems
Population monitoring data
and ecosystem measures
(e.g., air/vegetation quality)
will be combined to assess
environmental effects on
population dynamics
Species number
Vegetation height, length,
width and ground cover
Canopy length and width
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Under
development
Currently
available
Expected
soon
Expected
soon
Geographic Extent
Current
National
Regional
N/A
National
Regional
Regional
Potential
National
National
National
National
National
National
Data Source(s)
BLM Public Land Statistics
Internal
North American Amphibian
Monitoring Program
Forest Inventory and Analysis
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Comments
Could be used to assess
status and trends in big game
populations
Available for BLM lands only
Uses vertebrate species and
community alliances (primarily
dominant vegetation types) as
surrogates for biodiversity; not
intended as a nationwide
Inventory of biological
resources
Salamanders used as
indicators of forest health
Species number used as a
measure of species richness,
density, and evenness
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
February 16, 1998 Draft
29
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Priority
Promising
Promising
Other
Name
Normalized difference
vegetation index
Percent grass cover,
percent long-lived grass
cover, percent cover of
vegetative reproducers
Reforested lands and
timber stand
improvements
Description
Changes In vegetation cover
over large geographic areas
Cover of specific grass types
Acres of reforested lands and
timber stand Improvements on
BUM lands
Status
Early
development
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
Regional
Regional
National
Potential
National
Regional
National
Data Source(s)
Very High resolution
radiometer satellite imagery;
project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
BLM Public Land Statistics
Comments
Changes In vegetation used
as an Indicator of irreversible
degradation of rangeland
ecosystems
Indicators of desertification of
perennial grasslands (early
ecosystem disturbance)
May be used as a measure of
forest ecosystem health, but
may simply Indicate Intensity
of lumber extraction
Available for BLM lands only
Indicators of Abiotic Components
Priority
High
High
Name
Total forest ecosystem
biomass and carbon pool
Contribution of forest
ecosystems to global
carbon budget
Description
Total forest ecosystem
biomass and carbon pool by
forest type, age class, and
successional stage
Total amount of carbon
entering the earth's
atmosphere contributed by
forest ecosystems, including
standing biomass, woody
debris, peat, and soil carbon
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
Limited
Limited
Potential
National
National
Data Source(s)
Forest Inventory and Analysis;
National Soli Geographic
Database
Forest Inventory and Analysis;
National Soil Geographic
Database
Comments
Can be used to measure the
regulation of atmospheric
carbon by forest ecosystems
Production rate is a measure
of forest health
Can be used to monitor status
of forest ecosystems
February 16, 1998 Draft
30
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Priority
High
Promising
Promising
Promising
Name
Soil erosion rates
Forest soil compaction
Forest soil with
diminished soil organic
matter or changed
chemical properties
Forest land with
diminished ecological
components
Description
Annual erosion rates by land
use category
Area and percent of forest
land with significant human-
induced soil compaction
Area and percent of forest
land with significantly
diminished soil organic matter
and/or changed chemical
properties
Area and percent of forest
land with diminished
components indicative of
changes in fundamental
ecological processes (e.g.,
soil, nutrient cycling, seed
dispersion, pollination) and/or
functionally important species
(e.g., nematodes, epiphytes,
beetles, fungi, wasps)
Status
Currently
available
Under
development
Under
development
Under
development
Geographic Extent
Current
National
National
National
National
Potential
National
National
National
National
Data Source(s)
National Resources Inventory
Long-term Soil Productivity
Research Initiative data set
Not enough data available at
present
Long-term Soil Productivity
Research Initiative data set
Not enough data available at
present
National Acid Precipitation
Assessment Program
Not enough data available at
present
Comments
Assesses erosion due to all
process (both natural and
man-made)
Also part of USDA indicators
of forest sustainability
Soil erosion is an indicator of
aquatic ecosystem health,
recreational opportunities,
potable water supplies, and
the lifespan of dams, bridges,
and other river infrastructure
Soil compaction negatively
affects nutrient and water
availability and can reduce
Infiltration, increase runoff
and erosion, reduce biomass
production, and impair
watershed function
Decrease in soil organic
matter is an indicator of
ecosystem disturbance
Used to assess whether key
ecological components or
processes, or ecological
continuity, are changing in a
negative way, suggesting a
decline in sustainability
February 16, 1998 Draft
31
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Priority
Promising
Promising
Promising
Promising
Promising
Promising
Name
Rangetamd soil Infiltration
Rangeland soil stability
Rangeland soil
penetrometer resistance
Rangeland soil depth
Rangeland soil surface
characterization
Slake test for rangeland
soil surface stability
Description
Rate of water movement Into
soil
Index based on the rate at
which soil fragments
disintegrate In water
Number of strikes required to
drive penetrometer Into
ground to set depths
Depth of soil cover
Soil cover, Including organic
litter, cryptograms, and bare
rock
Extremely sensitive indicator
of soil ecosystem degradation
for rangeland soils
Status
Expected
soon
Expected
soon
Expected
soon
Expected
soon
Expected
soon
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
Regional
Regional
Regional
Regional
Regional
Regional
Potential
National
National
National
National
National
National
Data Source(s)
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Comments
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
Indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
Indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
Indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
Indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem;
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Soil stability can be
determined In three strata:
bare soil, grass, and scrubs.
Can be used as an early
warning indicator of rangeland
or grassland ecosystem
degradation.
February 16, 1998 Draft
32
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Priority
Promising
Promising
Promising
Other
Other
Name
Bare patch index based
on canopy cover
Bare patch index based
on soil surface
measurements
Erosion potential
Contribution of forest
products to global carbon
budget
Erosion control measures
Description
Index based on bare patches
in relation to canopy cover
Index based on bare patches
In relation to soil cover
Set of Indicators that Include
percent bare soil; soil loss
distribution; percent farms on
erodlble soils; distance of
agricultural patches from
streams; percent paddocks
on slopes greater than 5%
Total amount of carbon
entering the earth's
atmosphere contributed by
harvested portions of forest
ecosystems
Acres of brush control,
seeding, soil stabilization, and
weed control on BLM lands
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
Regional
Regional
Regional
N/A
National
Potential
Regional
Regional
Regional
National?
National
National
Data Source(s)
Project-specific datasets are
available
Project-specific datasets are
available
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Forest Inventory and Analysis,
timber product surveys,
special studies
BLM Public Land Statistics
Comments
Indicator of precipitation- and
wind-driven erosion; part of a
core series of indicators of
desertification of perennial
grasslands (early ecosystem
disturbance)
Indicator of overland water
flow-driven erosion, which is
an early indicator of
desertification; part of a core
series of Indicators of
desertification of perennial
grasslands (early ecosystem
disturbance)
Indicators Integrate land
cover, precipitation,
topography, and soil data to
estimate soil loss potential
using a universal soil loss
model
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic pilot project
Can be used to monitor status
of forests being logged
Measure of efforts to reduce
soil erosion
Available for BLM lands only
February 16, 1998 Draft
33
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Ecological Services
Priority
High
High
High
High
High
High
Name
Forest land managed for
protective (unctions
Forest land available for
timber production
Growing stock of tree
species on forest land
available for timber
production
Sustalnabllltyofwood
products harvest
Net volume of timber
species growing stock
Sustalnabllity of non-
timber forest products
harvest
Description
Area and percent of forest
land managed primarily for
protective functions, Including
watersheds, flood protection,
avalanche protection, and
riparian zones
Area and percent of forest
land used for timber
production
Total growing stock of
merchantable and non-
merchantable tree species on
forest land available for timber
production
Ratio of annual volume of
wood products removed to
annual volume determined to
be sustainable
Net volume of growing stock
on tlmberland by species
group and region
Ratio of annual harvest of
non-timber forest products
(e.g., fur bearing animals,
berries, mushrooms, game
animals) to levels determined
to be sustainable
Status
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
National
National
National
National
Regional
Regional
Potential
National
National
National
National
National
National
Data Source(s)
Forest area data on a state-
by-state basis; no national
data
Forest Inventory and Analysis;
National Resources Inventory
Forest Inventory and Analysis
Forest Inventory and Analysis;
National Resources Inventory
Data sets from US Forest
Service
State-by-state data on non-
timber species (e.g., game
animals)
Comments
Could be related to human
population growth pressure
Data are available for
timberland; Information for
other forest types Is limited
Provides an Indicator of
timber supply opportunities.
Some data for non-
commercial species are
available from regional FIA
programs, but no national
data are available
Provides an Indicator of the
ability of a forest to support a
sustainable harvest of wood
products
Most complete data sets are
for souther region forest
plantations
Provides an indicator of the
ability of a forest to support a
sustainable harvest of non-
timber species
February 16, 1998 Draft
34
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Chemical Pollution
Priority
High
Potential
Name
Forest land experiencing
accumulation of
persistent toxic
substances
Forest land experiencing
specific levels of air
pollution
Description
Area and percent of forest
lands experiencing
accumulation of persistent
toxic substances
Area and percent of forest
lands subject to levels of
criteria air pollutants and UV-
B that may cause adverse
impacts on ecosystem health
Status
Under
development
Under
development
Geographic Extent
Current
National
National
Potential
National
National
Data Source(s)
EPA database of NPL sites in
forests; EPA Permit
Compliance System and
NPDES data; EPA National
Watershed Assessment
Program
National Atmospheric
Deposition Program; UV-B
Radiation Monitoring
Program; Mercury Deposition
Network; Aerometric
Monitoring; Interagency
Monitoring of Protected Visual
Environments; North
American Maple Project;
Forest Health Monitoring
Datasets; National Acid
Precipitation Assessment
Program
Comments
Can be used as a current
indicator of toxic chemical
stress on forest ecosystems
Can be used as a potential
indicator of long-term
ecosystem health
No data available for non-NPL
sites
Uses lichens as indicators
Used as an indicator of the
effects of human induced
atmospheric pollutants on
forest ecosystems
Not enough data to quantify at
present
February 16, 1998 Draft
35
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Human Population Pressure
Priority
High
Name
Nighttime lights
Description
Area Illuminated by human-
generated visible-near Infrared
radiation (I.e., lights)
Status
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
Inter-
national
Potential
Inter-
national
Data Source(s)
Defense Meteorological
Satellite Program
Operational Llnescan
System
Comments
A satellite-based inventory of
human settlements derived
from nighttime lights data.
Area Illuminated is correlated
with gross domestic product
and electric power
consumption.
Data can be used to define
and update the spatial
distribution of human
settlements, although some
significant outliers exist
Indicators of Indirect/Unknown Stresses
Priority
Promising
Name
Forests affected by other
natural and human-
induced pressures
Description
Area and percent of forests
affected by native insects and
diseases; exotic insects and
diseases; fire; weather; flood;
land clearance; sallnization; and
domestic animal Invasion
Status
Currently
available
Geographic Extent
Current
National
Potential
National
Data Source(s)
Forest Inventory and
Analysis; Forest Health
Monitoring Program; National
Interagency Fire Center;
Intermountain Fire Sciences
Lab
Comments
It may be difficult to parse
out the mix of natural and
human-Induced pressures
Not enough data available at
present
February 16, 1998 Draft
36
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
6.0 Matching Indicators with the IWI Approach
Table 6-1 (presented at the end of this chapter) provides a broad matching between potential
indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health and indicators in the IWI suite. This matching is
included to assist in stimulating a discussion of how to incorporate terrestrial measures into the
IWI approach. Some preliminary suggestions as to how to make this incorporation are provided
below.
6.1 Overall Condition of the Landscape
Some measure of the overall condition of the landscape comprising the watershed might be an
appropriate addition to the IWI suite. In time, it seems reasonable to develop a single,
comprehensive indicator of land cover composition and pattern. The indicator of that name
developed for the Mid-Atlantic pilot is an appropriate starting point. In the interim, other types of
landscape-level indicators could be used by IWI.
• Percent land cover by land use category. This indicator is already available at a
summary level for hydrologic units (Natural Resources Inventory data). These data could
provide information on gross land use trends within a watershed such as urbanization and
cropland conversion. Additional data from promising new data sources (North American
landscape characterization data, Land Use History of North America) may be available in
the future. Some effort would be required to either digitize available data or merge these
data with digital land use datasets. Data could be collected eventually using remote
sensing technology. This indicator also could be a basis for other measures (which could
be reported in relation to land use acreage).
• Degree of similarity to potential (climax) vegetation. This indicator is already available
for some BLM lands (percent acreage by ecological status) and for some forests (USDA
forest area by age class/successional stage). A similar measure is also being developed
for rangelands (USDA normalized difference vegetative index). Some effort would be
required to merge various approaches and datasets into a single indicator and to develop
digitized map coverages. Data could be collected eventually using remote sensing
technology.
• Degree of habitat fragmentation. This indicator is already available for watersheds
covered by the Mid-Atlantic pilot (part of land cover composition and pattern) and is being
developed for forests (USDA fragmentation of forest types). Some effort would be
required to merge various approaches and datasets into a single indicator and develop
digitized map coverages. Data could be collected eventually using remote sensing
technology.
• Riparian extent and distribution. This indicator is already available for watersheds
covered by the Mid-Atlantic pilot, and some data are available from USDA (National
Resources Inventory, forest land managed for protective functions). Forestry companies
may have their own data, particularly in southeast and Pacific northwest, although these
February 16, 1998 Draft 37
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
sources have not been investigated. Some effort would be required to merge various
approaches and datasets into a single indicator and to develop digitized map coverages.
Data could be collected eventually using remote sensing technology.
6.2 Abundance and Condition of Ecosystems
The IWI suite contains two indicators tttat assess the overall condition of aquatic ecosystems
within the watershed (Table 6-1). Some measures of the abundance and condition of terrestrial
ecosystems within the watershed might be an appropriate addition to the IWI suite. It would
seem reasonable to include a measure of ecosystem or species diversity and some indicator of
soil quality/condition. It also might be possible to develop a measure of habitat quality for wildlife
and other biota. Some available and promising new indicators provide at least a start in this
direction. Additional indicators could be developed from available data sources.
• Ecosystem diversity. This indicator is available for forests (USDA percent composition
of forests by forest type) and is being developed for rangelands (USDA vegetation
structure, percent cover). Considerable effort would be required to develop a single
diversity measure that was broadly applicable across diverse watersheds. It is uncertain
whether data could be collected eventually using remote sensing technology. This
indicator could be linked to measures of wetland and/or aquatic habitat diversity.
• Species diversity. No specific indicator of species diversity (e.g., species richness,
evenness) was identified at the national level, but there appears to be sufficient census
data to support such an indicator for trees, birds, and perhaps mammals. It may be
possible to develop an indicator for the presence/absence of bird species using the
various bird census databases (or tree species using USDA data); these might be more
understandable to the general public. Such measures would probably need to be
reported as a percentage of the total number of species expected. It also would be
possible to develop a measure of relative native species representation by incorporating
data on exotics or pests maintained by USDA, DOI, and The Nature Conservancy (as well
as bird and tree census data). Present census coverage would likely vary widely among
watersheds, but it might be possible to coordinate development of new census areas to
fill data gaps.
• Soil quality/condition. This indicator is being developed for forests (USDA forest soil
indicators suite) and rangelands (USDA rangeland soil indicators suite). Data on soil
conditions are available nationwide via several datasets, including the National
Resources Inventory, Forest Inventory Analysis, NATSCO, and STATSCO. Some effort
would be required to develop a measure of soil quality or condition that would be broadly
applicable across all watersheds and to merge and digitize available data.
• Habitat quality. A measure of habitat abundance is available for some land areas (BLM
extent of wildlife habitat), but developing and implementing a rigorous habitat quality
index would likely be difficult. Some useful data may be obtained from promising new
data sources such as the North American landscape characterization data. It might be
38 February 16, 1998 Draft
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
possible to develop a qualitative scale that state/local fish and game personnel could use
to assess watersheds.
6.3 Abundance and Condition of Populations/Species
The IWI suite contains one indicator that assesses the overall condition of aquatic ecosystems
within the watershed (Table 6-1). Some measures of the abundance and condition of terrestrial
populations within the watershed might be an appropriate addition to the IWI suite. It would
seem reasonable to include a measure of species abundance and some indicator of the overall
condition of each species. Data to support these indicators are available for trees, birds, and
perhaps mammals, and additional data may be available in the future from promising new data
sources. Some available indicators provide a start in this direction.
• Species abundance. This indicator would reflect the relative population levels of a
variety of common species within the watershed. This indicator is available for forests
(USDA population levels of forest-dependent bird species) and BLM lands (number of big
game animals on public lands). It would be possible to combine data from the various
bird censuses and the Forest Inventory and Analysis to support this indicator. Additional
data may be available in the future from a variety of promising new data sources,
including project feeder watch, the North American amphibian monitoring program, the
butterfly monitoring project, and the North American raptor monitoring program.
• Species condition. This indicator would reflect the overall condition of individuals within
each population. This indicator is available for trees (USDA forest insect and disease
conditions); additional data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis program are available
for tree stand condition. Data from at least one promising new data source, monitoring
avian productivity and survivorship program, would support this indicator.
6.4 Abundance and Condition of Ecosystems or Species of
Special Concern
The IWI suite contains one indicator that assesses the condition of ecosystems of special
concern within the watershed (Table 6-1). Some measures of the condition of terrestrial
ecosystems or species of special concern (e.g., endangered/threatened species) within the
watershed might be an appropriate addition to the IWI suite. It would seem reasonable to include
a measure of the presence/absence of endangered or threatened species, unique or otherwise
ecologically valuable ecosystems/habitats, or particularly vulnerable ecosystems/species. Some
available and promising new indicators provide at least a start in this direction. Additional
indicators could be developed from available data sources.
• Status of endangered and threatened species. This indicator is available for forests
(USDA status of forest-dependent endangered and threatened species) and could be
expanded to include a greater variety of terrestrial species. The indicator could be limited
to known presence or absence or could be developed further to include some measure of
February 16, 1998 Draft 39
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
status or condition (e.g., stable population, breeding population). Endangered/threatened
species data from the Natural Heritage Network, DO), and EPA could be used.
• Status of unique ecosystems/habitats. This indicator is becoming available as a
promising new indicator (Gap Analysis). It could be limited to known presence or
absence or could be developed further to include some measure of status or condition
(e.g., present in watershed on protected vs. unprotected land). Data for this indicator are
currently available through the Natural Heritage Network and may be obtained from other
data sources such as the World Wildlife Fund's North American Conservation
Assessment.
• Status of vulnerable ecosystems/species. This indicator is becoming available via two
promising new indicators (Gap Analysis, terrestrial salamander populations). This
indicator could be limited to known presence or absence or could be developed further to
include some measure of status or condition (e.g., present in watershed on protected vs.
unprotected land). The data for this indicator are currently available through the Natural
Heritage Network and may be obtained from other data sources such as the World
Wildlife Fund's North American Conservation Assessment.
6.5 Ecological Services
Some measures of the ecological services provided by terrestrial ecosystems within the
watershed might be an appropriate addition to the IWI suite. It would seem reasonable to include
a measure of ecosystem services as well as a measure of beneficial uses. It also might be
possible to develop a measure of available resources. Some available indicators provide at least
a start in this direction. Additional indicators could be developed from available data sources.
• Indicator of ecosystem services. This indicator is available as a set of indicators of
timber services (USDA indicators of timber production) and a set of indicators of carbon
sequestration by forests (USDA indicators of ecosystem biomass and carbon pool).
These probably are not the most appealing ecosystem services to report, but this
indicator might be expanded to include other services. Data from land use surveys such
as the National Resources Inventory might be used to develop an index of recreational
use within the watershed. One existing data source, the Annual Public Finances Survey,
provides data that could be used as an inverse indicator of the status of ecosystem
services (e.g., if expenditures on natural resources, parks, water, or sewers increases
within a watershed, it may be due to declines in the quantity or quality of ecosystem
services within the watershed). In addition, data from the Interagency Monitoring of
Protected Visual Environments program might be used to develop an indicator of lost or
diminished recreational services.
• Indicator of available resources. This indicator might be in the form of land area
available for recreation, hunting etc. or as a measure of the abundance of exploitable
resources (e.g., game). It is available to some degree (USDA forest land managed for
protective functions, BLM number of big game animals on public lands, USDA ratio of
annual harvest of other forest products to sustainable levels). Again, these may not be
40 February 16, 1998 Draft
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
the most appealing resources to report, but this indicator might be expanded to include
other resources.
6.6 Pollution and Sedimentation
The IWI suite contains nine indicators that assesses pollution and sedimentation within the
watershed (Table 6-1). Some measures of pollution of terrestrial ecosystems within the
watershed and additional erosional indicators might be an appropriate addition to the IWI suite. It
would seem reasonable to include a measure of terrestrial pollution and a measure of soil
erosion. Data to support these indicators are available for forests, and additional data should be
available in the future from promising new data sources. Some available indicators provide a
start in this direction.
• Pollution of terrestrial ecosystems. This indicator already exists for forests (USDA
forest land experiencing accumulation of persistent toxic substances), and additional
indicators are being developed (USDA forest land experiencing specific levels of air
pollution). Existing air pollution monitoring networks (e.g., NADP/NTN, CASTNet) and a
variety of promising new data sources (e.g., Photochemical Assessment Monitoring
Stations, Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends) should provide considerable
new information about pollutant loadings in terrestrial systems. Some data on air
pollution can be at least inferred from traffic volume and fuel consumption data from the
Department of Transportation's Highways Statistics.
• Soil erosion. This indicator already exists for forests (USDA soil erosion rates) and for
watersheds covered by the Mid-Atlantic pilot (soil erosion potential). It also is being
developed for rangelands (USDA rangeland soil stability). The USDA forest indicator is
supported by data from the Natural Resources Inventory; additional data can be obtained
from a variety of databases, including NATSCO and STATSCO. Some effort would be
required to merge the databases and approaches into a single measure.
6.7 Human Population Pressure
The IWI suite contains one indicator that assesses human population pressure within the
watershed (Table 6-1). Measures of human population pressure on terrestrial ecosystems might
be an appropriate addition to the IWI suite. One existing and one promising new indicator
provide a start in this direction, and existing databases provide a source of additional information
to support such a measure.
• Urban sprawl. This indicator already exists to some extent (developed land is a land use
category in the Natural Resources Inventory and reported in percent acreage by
ecological status). In addition, nighttime lights could provide data that are geospatially
referenced more precisely. Other data sources, such as highways statistics and U.S.
Postal Service delivery statistics, may provide supplemental data. For example,
watersheds in urban corridor areas may experience increased highway development
unrelated to population growth within the watershed. Urban sprawl could increase
without an increase in population (e.g., if people move from more densely populated parts
February 16, 1998 Draft 41
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
of the watershed to more sparsely populated parts); this might be reflected in postal data.
Ultimately, remote sensing data on land coverage could be used to establish more
precise data on urban sprawl (e.g., effect on habitat fragmentation or wildlife corridors).
6.8. Indirect/Other Stress
Some measures of other stress on terrestrial ecosystems within the watershed might be a
valuable addition to the IWI suite. It might be possible to include a measure of pressure from
other natural and human-induced pressures. One promising new indicator provides at least a
start in this direction.
• Watersheds affected by other pressures. This indicator is under development for
forests (USDA forests affected by other natural and human-induced pressures) and could
be expanded to include other terrestrial ecosystems. Stresses covered by this indicator
are native and exotic insects and diseases, fire, weather, flood, land clearance,
salinization, and domestic animal invasion. It is not dear how difficult it would be to
expand this indicator.
42 February 16, 1998 Draft
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 6-1. Matching Potential Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem Health with Index of
Watershed Integrity Indicators
Index of Watershed Integrity Indicators
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health Indicators
Overall Condition of Landscape
(no indicators)
High Priority Indicators
• Percent acreage by ecological status
Promising New Indicators
• Land cover composition and pattern
• Fragmentation of forest types
Riparian extent and distribution
• Normalized difference vegetation index
Abundance and Condition of
Ecosystems
1. Assessed rivers meeting all
designated uses
14. Hydrologic modification - dams
High Priority Indicators
• Forest area by age class or successional
stage
• Percent composition of forests by forest
types
Extent of wildlife habitat
• Contribution of forest ecosystems to global
carbon budget
• Total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon
pool
Promising New Indicators
• Rangeland vegetation structure
Rangeland canopy cover
• Percent cover of various types of grasses
• Forest soil compaction
Forest soil with diminished soil organic
matter or changed chemical properties
• Forest land with diminished ecological
components
• Rangeland soil indicators suite
• Bare patch index based on canopy cover or
soil surface measurements
February 16, 1998 Draft
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Index of Watershed Integrity Indicators
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health Indicators
Abundance and Condition of
Populations
8. Aquatic/wetland species at risk
High Priority Indicators
• Number of forest dependent species
• Number of forest dependent species in
restricted ranges
• Population levels of forest-dependent bird
species
• Number of big game animals on public lands
• Forest insect and disease conditions
Abundance and Condition of
Ecosystems or Species of Special
Concern
7. Wetland loss index
High Priority Indicators
• Status of forest-dependent endangered and
threatened species
Promising New Indicators
• Gap analysis
• Terrestrial salamander populations
Ecological Services
(no indicators)
High Priority Indicators
• Forest land managed for protective functions
Forest land available for timber production
• Growing stock of tree species on forest land
available for timber production
• Sustainability of wood products harvest
• Net volume of timber species growing stock
• Sustainability of non-timber forest products
harvest
• Total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon
pool
• Contribution of forest ecosystems to global
carbon budget
• Number of big game animals on public lands
Ratio of annual harvest of other forest
products to sustainable levels
44
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Index of Watershed Integrity Indicators
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health Indicators
Pollution and Sedimentation
2. Fish and wildlife consumption
advisories
3. Source water quality for drinking ;
water systems
4. Contaminated sediments
5. Ambient water quality data - four toxic
pollutants
6. Ambient water quality data - four
conventional pollutants
9. Toxic pollutant loads discharged
above permitted discharge limits
10. Conventional pollutant loads
discharged above permitted
discharge limits
11. Urban runoff potential
12. Index of agricultural runoff potential
High Priority Indicators
• Forest land experiencing accumulation of
persistent toxic substances
• Soil erosion rates
Promising New Indicators
• Forest land experiencing specific levels of air
pollution
• Erosion potential
• Rangeland soil stability
Human Population Pressure
13. Population change
High Priority Indicators
• Percent acreage by ecological status
Promising New Indicators
Nighttime lights
Indirect/Other Stress
(no indicators)
Promising New Indicators
• Forests affected by other natural and human-
induced pressures
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
7.0 General Comments
This chapter provides brief observations regarding data availability, quality, accessibility,
integration, and maintenance. These comments are based largely on the conversations with
persons responsible for the data sources and indicators reviewed, the review of available
materials, and the project staffs general experience with environmental data. Much more
detailed investigations of individual data sources and indicators would be required to fully assess
the extent to which a given indicator could be integrated into the IWI framework.
7.1 Data Availability
It is clear that considerable data are available to assess and report on the condition of terrestrial
ecosystems. Data on birds have been collected for most of this century, and the federal
government has conducted systematic surveys of federal and forest lands for half a century. A
number of indicators and statistics have been developed for these data sets and are routinely
reported and used by the federal government and other organizations. The most abundant data
exists for forests, BLM lands, birds, soils, and air pollutants. Data on exotic species and
epizootics are surprisingly common, although these have not always been organized and
reported systematically. There are considerable data for human population pressures, but few
indicators other than land cover-type measures have been developed and routinely used. Due to
EMAP efforts, there are considerably more data, and indicators linked to these data, for the Mid-
Atlantic region than for other parts of the country. It may be worth considering a closer look at
these data sources to develop pilot approaches for the entire nation.
7.2 Data Quality
The project team was unable to perform a rigorous examination of data quality. It appears that
reasonably systematic sampling protocols have been established for most of the data sources
we examined, although the extent to which these protocols are followed by observers cannot be
determined. For many data sources, it does not appear that sampling locations have been
selected to be statistically representative of a region (or the nation as a whole); many data
sources rely upon volunteers for data collection. However, some well-established inventories,
particularly those performed by USDA, apparently follow a statistical sampling protocol. The
investigation attempted to identify data sources and indicators that are currently used for
resource management and other decision-making processes; the assumption is that data used
for these purposes will have some degree of validity.
7.3 Data Accessibility
Many of the more recent data are readily available to the public in electronic formats. Accessing
older data sets would be more difficult and time consuming. Most ready-to-use data are
summarized by category (e.g., geographic unit such as county or state), although the Natural
Resources Inventory is reported for watersheds. The most likely reason is that these data
collection efforts preceded development of GIS technology by at least half a century. While
these data are geospatially referenced, it may be challenging to link older data summarized at
February 16, 1998 Draft 47
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
one geospatial level (e.g., state or county) directly to a different geospatial unit (e.g., watershed).
Assuming that the promising new data sources identified in this report continue to be developed
and implemented, the next generation of data will exist in multiple CIS coverages, and a
substantial amount of data collection will be via satellites and other remote sensing technologies.
Some high quality GIS coverages are available at the regional level (e.g., EMAP Mid-Atlantic
Pilot Project) or have been collected on a one-time basis for specific regions and the entire U.S.
It may be possible to incorporate some of these data, particularly as the use of remote sensing
increases.
7.4 Data Integration
Some data sets and indicators could be integrated into the IWI framework with relatively little
effort. For example, data from the Natural Resources Inventory is reported for 8-, 6-, 4-, and 2-
digit hydrologic units, and many of the bird census data could be lagged" to specific watersheds
based on the location of sampling routes. It also might be possible to coordinate the
development and expansion of some promising new data sources (e.g., the Monitoring Avian
Production and Survivorship program, Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends) with
the IWI concept (e.g, by assisting with efforts to locate sampling stations in representative
watersheds). It might be necessary to develop some normalizing approaches for some
indicators (e.g., to compare number of species occurring within a watershed with expected
number), but this could be accomplished with the assistance of state or local experts (e.g.,
members of local birdwatching clubs have a remarkable knowledge of what species do and
ought to exist in their regions). In fact, an outreach program to enlist the assistance of local
organizations in developing specific indicators might prove an effective means of promoting the
IWI concept. It is clear, however, that considerably more effort would be required to integrate
other data sets into the IWI framework. Another challenging task would be to integrate the older
longitudinal data (e.g., the USDA datasets) with current and future data that are (a) geospatially
referenced using GIS and (b) collected using remote sensing technology.
7.5 Data Maintenance
The data sources identified in this report have been developed and are maintained largely by
organizations other than EPA (see Table 4-1). Assuming these organizations continue to collect
and maintain these data (e.g., to assist in their own decision-making processes), there is no
reason to expect that EPA would need to assume a significant financial burden for these data
sources. In fact, a focus of this investigation was to identify indicators of terrestrial ecosystem
health that would not require EPA to develop new data bases. It would be reasonable to expect
a significant start-up cost associated with developing and implementing one or more indicators of
terrestrial ecosystem health within the IWI framework. However, since EPA has already
established the infrastructure to support the IWI framework, it is also reasonable to expect that
there would be only a relatively small incremental cost for maintaining one or more indicators of
terrestrial ecosystem health within the IWI framework.
48 February 16, 1998 Draft
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Appendix A
Organizations Contacted
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Accelerate Canopy Chemistry
Program (ACCP)
Aerometric Information Retrieval
System (AIRS)
Aerometric Monitoring Program
Air Quality Monitoring Network
AIRMon
Annual Surveys of Government
Finances
Audubon Christmas Bird Counts
(CBC)
Bioaccumulation of contaminants by
indicator populations of raptors
Contact
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
EPA/OAQPS
DOI/NPS
Miguel Flores
(303) 969-2076
NOAA/Air Resources Laboratory
Jane Rothert
(217)333-7942
Department of Commerce
Bureau of the Census
Henry Wulf
1-800-242-2184
hwulf@census.gov
National Audubon Society
Geoff LeBaron
(212)979-3083
glebaron@audubon.org
Academic
Bill Bowerman (906) 635-6236
Mark Fuller (208) 385-41 15
Mark Bechard (208) 385-3530
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Archived; data no longer being collected. Database is online.
Current. Repository for data on national ambient air quality and air
pollution.
Current. Consists of Federal, State, and local governments conducting
ambient air monitoring of six pollutants for which exist national ambient
air quality standards.
Current. 1984-present. Monitoring for priority air pollutants in National
Park Lands. "
Current. Uses NADP and CASTNet monitoring networks. Designed to
detect benefits of emissions controls mandated by CAA.
Current. Surveys of state and local government finances on functions and
services such as health, sanitation, natural resources, sewerage, solid waste
management, etc.
Current. An annual bird count survey directed by the National Audubon
Society. The counts have been conducted since the early 1900's and now
cover over 1 500 sites throughout North America (primarily U.S. and
Canada).
Current. Research project - probably not useful at this time.
Status
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing
Can't locate;
source unknown
In database
In database
In database
In database
Not currently
pursuing
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A-1
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Timescale of Data/Description
Status
Biological Status and Trends
Program
USOS/BRD
300 National Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston.VA 20192
Mike Ruggiero
(703) 648-4039
Mike Mac
(703) 648-4073
Current. Program provides information on the status and trends of flora,
fauna, and ecosystems. Working in collaboration with the Global
Biodiversity Forum (GBF). Interpretation of inventory and monitoring
data at the habitat, species, and genetic levels. New report, The status and
Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources, coming 2/98.
Meeting held to
discuss current
initiatives
Biomonitoring of Environmental
Status and Trends (BEST)
USGS/BRD
Christine Bunck
Science Office
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 53711
(608)271-4640
Future; in development stage. Program designed to identify and
understand the effects of environmental contaminants on biological
In database
resources.
Bird Banding Program
USGS
John Tautin
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Bird Banding Laboratory
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
(301)497-5790
Current. A program for studying the movement, survival and behavior of
birds that is administered by the U.S. DOI and the Canadian Wildlife
Service. The data are maintained by the Bird Banding Laboratory at the
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
In database
Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study
(BOREAS)
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
Current. Data will be available over the next two years.
International;
second tier
priority
Breeding Bird Census (BBC)
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Jim Lowe
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607)254-2413
jdl6@cornell.edu
Current. A bird census program administered by the Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology (formerly administered by the National Audubon Society).
The data have been used to estimate long-term trends of species at
individual plots or at selected groups of plots, however, the plots are not
necessarily representative of the habitats and communities in an entire area
and, therefore, the results usually cannot be generalized to larger areas.
In database
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Butterfly Monitoring Project
Capacities and Capabilities
(Taxonomists/ Systematists and
Collections)
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis
Center (CDIAC)
Clean Air Status and Trends Network
(CASTNet)
CO concentrations in the Tundra
CO indicator plants in the Tundra
Conterminous U.S. Land Cover
Characteristics
Decennial Census of Population
Contact
USGS/BRD
Sam Droege
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
(301)497-5500
USOS/NBD
Ann Frondorf
(703) 64M205
ORNL
Robert Cushman, Director
cdiac@ornl.gov
EPA
Ralph Baumgardner
(919)541-4625
baumgardner.ralph@epamail.epa.gov
OSTI (Office of Science and Technical
Information)
Karen Spence
423-576-1035
OSTI
Karen Spence
423-576-1035
USGS EROS Data Center
Customer Services
(605)594-6151
Department of Commerce
Bureau of the Census
Timescale of Data/Description
Future. A program under development by BRD that will monitor trends in
populations of butterflies.
Current. Available via e-mail. Probably not useful for environmental
health monitoring.
Current. Contains a wide variety of data concerning greenhouse effects
and global climate change. Metadata available on the Web.
Current. Data on criteria pollutants, visibility, fine particulates, toxics,
precipitation and deposition for 55 sites in the US. Metadata available
through the National Environmental and Monitoring Research Initiative
website.
Archived.
Archived.
Current. Land characterization dataset that incorporates a collection of
land surface attributes that define 159 seasonally distinct regions of the
U.S.
Current. Demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the U.S.
population. Trend data available.
Status
In database
Not currently
pursuing
In database with
subentries for
each dataset
In database
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing
In database
Not currently
pursuing
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A-3
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Status
Defense Meteorological Satellite
Program (DMSP) Data
NOAA/National Oeo-Physical Data
Center (NODC)/Solar Terrestrial Physics
Ed Erwin
eerwin@ngdc.noaa.gov
(303)497-6133
Current. The DM satellite collects meteorological data such as microwave
frequencies, cloud distribution and temperatures, and atmospheric
participates.
In database
DELOS - international datasets
International;
second tier
priority
Digital Terrain Elevation Data
(DTED)
USGS/National Imagery and Mapping
Agency (MIMA)
Information Services
1-800-455-0899
Current. Toll-free number provided two sites with current info on digital
terrain data HTPP:// 164.214.2.59/publications/guides/dtf7dtf.html for
existing products, and HTPP://164.214.2.59/geospatial/geospatial.html.
Metadata available from sites is incomplete. Datasets are ndt publicly
available.
Not currently
pursuing
Ecological Exposure Research Data
EPA/National Health and Environmental
Effects Research lab
Bill Hogsett
(541)754-4632
hogsett.william@epamail.epa.gov
Future. The database will contain data on ecological exposures to UV-B,
ozone, nitrogen deposition, and other atmospheric pollutants.
In database
Ecological Incident Information
System (EOS)
EPA/Office of Pesticide Programs
James Feldkel
(703) 305-5828
Current. DBASEIH+ software package designed as an application tool for
state and federal agencies to enter and submit incident data relating to
pesticides. Includes information for location of incident, species affected,
magnitude of effect, pesticides and formulation, application rate and
method, and circumstances under which the incident occurred.
In database
Ecological Risk Analysis Tools and
Applications
ORNL
Marilyn Langston
mzl@ornl.gov
Current. Ecological Screening Benchmarks Database; contains ecotox
benchmarks for terrestrial plants and wildlife; widely used in ecological
risk analysis. Web site: www.hsrd.ornl.gov/ecorisk/
benchome.html.
Not currently
pursuing
Ecological Site Inventory Data
DOI/BLM
Ned Habich
303-236-0166
Current. Data and maps of habitat types on public rangelands. The focus
is on plant succession and productivity. Over 90 million acres inventoried.
In database
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource
Group
EMAP Ecological Landscape Level
Characteristics
EMAP Rangeland Ecosystem
Indicators
Endangered Ecosystems
Endangered Species Inventory
Environmental Monitoring and
Research Network
EROS Data Center
Exotic Plants and Species Database
Exotic Map Database
Contact
USDA
Steven Shafer(919) 515-2142 website
for program is:
http://www.epa.gov/ernfjulte/html/
datal/agroland/index/html
Multi-Resolution Landscape
Characteristic Consortium
Bruce Jones
702-798-2671
EPA
Walt Whitford
(505) 646-8032
U. of Idaho
Reed Noss
USGS/BRD
M.J. Scott
DOI/Fish and Wildlife Service.
Scott Collins
(703) 306-1483
USGS
DOI/National Park Service
Bill Comming
(202)208-4631
USGS/BRD
Kathryn Thomas
(520) 556-7466
Timescale of Data/Description
Current. 300 sites across the mid-Atlantic region. Develops and tests
methods for monitoring the status and trends in the health of
agroecosystems in the US. Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Current. Several ongoing projects with geospatial data.
Current. Not a part of the EMAP program anymore. Contact has a new
manual and data, some which is geospatially referenced.
Scientific Paper. Publication obtained on website regarding percentages of
loss of endangered ecosystems in the US. Snap shot analysis, not based on
ongoing monitoring.
Current. Database of endangered and threatened species in the US.
Future. Proposed system to organize independent research projects.
Holder and distributor of many different datasets related to land surface.
See individual datasets.
Current. Contains data about non-indigenous species on National Park
lands.
Current. Specific to the southwest; data is collected on land administered
by USGS.
Status
In database with
subentries for
each dataset
In database with
subentries for
each indicator
In database with
subentries for
each indicator
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing
Reviewed web
site for relevant
datasets
In database
In database
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Exotic Species Database
Federal Interagency Committee for
Management of Federal and Noxious
Weeds (FICMNEW)
First International Satellite Land
Surface Climatology 0SLSCP) Field
Experiment Project (FIFE and FIFE
Follow-on)
Forest Ecosystem Health Project
Forest Ecosystems Database
Forest Health Monitoring Program
Forest Insect and Disease Conditions
Contact
Nature Conservancy
Barry Meyers-Rice
(530) 754-8891
FICMNEW
Gary Johnston
(202) 737-5886
Gary Johnston@nps.gov
USGS/BRD
William Greg
(703) 648-4067
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
USDA/Forest Service
Joe Lewis
(202)205-1597
EPA
Dwight Atkinson
(202)260-2771
EPA
Center for Biological Statistics
Brand Niemann
(202) 260-3726
USDA/Forest Service
Ken Stolte (RTF)
(919) 549-4022
USDA/Forest Service
Dick Fowler
(202)205-1598
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Current. Assesses weed problems on preserves stewarded by TNC and
formulated control strategies.
Current. 1 5 databases of federal and noxious weeds in the US.
Archived; data no longer being collected. Data available on CD-ROM.
Current. Ongoing geospatial data regarding conditions of forest
ecosystems in the contiguous US. Map overlays containing ecosystem
indicators for all forested areas of the US. Indicators include patterns of
species eiidangerment, risk of insect and disease outbreaks, and forest fire
risk.
Current. 1952-1992 and will be updated in 1997.
Current. Some indicators are geospatially referenced. Project is currently
being written up. Contains data for a wide variety of indicators, metadata
available for 25 indicators.
Current. 1952-present. Data on insect and disease conditions on forest
lands (federal, state, and private). Annual reports available in hard copy.
Status
In database
In database
Not currently
pursuing
More
information
needed
SeeRPA
database
In database with
subentries for
each indicator;
still need to
identify datasets
In database
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Forest Inventory Analysis
Forest Land Distribution Data
Forest Service Experimental Forest
and Rangeland Sites
Forest Service Range Management
Information System (FSRAMIS)
Gap Analysis Program (GAP)
Gaseous Pollutant Monitoring
Network
Global Change Data Information
System (GCDIS)
Contact
USDA/Forest Service
Brad Smith
(202)205-0841
Northeastern Experiment Station
5 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200
Radnor, PA
(610)975^017
USDA/Forest Service
Andy Hartzel
(601)324-1611
USDA/Forest Service
Dick Cline
(202)205-1524
USDA/Forest Service
Jim Zimmerman
(202)205-1412
USGS/BRD - Michael Scott, Michael
Jennings, or Elisabeth Brackney
National GAP Office
530 S. Asbury St., Suite 1
Moscow, ID 83843
(208) 885-3555
DOI/National Park Service
NASA
Lola Olson
Goddard Space Flight Center
webmaster@www.gcdis.usgcrp.gov
Timescale of Data/Description
Current; 1930-present. Comprehensive inventory and analysis of the
present and prospective conditions of and requirements for the renewable
resources of the forest and rangelands of the U.S. Indicators measure the
condition of soils, vegetation and the occurrence of fires. Implemented
through five regional research stations. Metadata available through
National Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Maps have not been updated since 1993. Published by the US Forest
Service with the 1993 RPA Forest Resources report.
Current. Indicators measure climate water vegetation and wildlife
conditions at 83 experimental forests. Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Current. Collects and analyzes data on grazing in National Forests and
National Grasslands.
Current. Geographic approach for assessing the current protection status
of biological diversity over large geographic areas. The program is
conducted as state-level projects and is coordinated by BRD.
Current. Monitoring for priority air pollutants in National Park Lands.
Current. Program provides comprehensive global change related data and
information. Additional metadata and data available on the Web.
i
Status
In database
Not currently
pursuing
In database
In database
In database
See Air Quality
Monitoring
Network
More
information
needed about
individual
datasets
February 16,1998 Draft
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Global Ecosystem Data
Global Inventory of Biomass Burning
Global Vegetation Index
Hawk Migration Monitoring
Highway Statistics
Index of Watershed Indicators
Individual State agencies
Integrated Taxonomic Information
System
Interagency Monitoring of Protected
Visual Environments (IMPROVE)
Network
Contact
NGDC
John Kineman
(303)497-6900
NOAA/National Geo-Physical Data
Center (NGDC)
Dave Serke
dserke@ngdc.noaa.gov
(303)497-6126
NGDC
David Hastings
(303)497-6729
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Laurie Goodrich
(610)756-6961
DOT/Federal Highway Administration
Mary Teets
(202)366-9211
EPA
Sarah Lehmann
(202)260-7021
USGS/NBH
Ann Frondorf
(703) 648-4205
DOI/NPS
William Malm
(970)491-8292
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Current. Selected data on the global environment, such as ecosystems,
land use, vegetation, climate, topography, and soils.
Current. The dataset contains satellite imagery of wildfire data.
Current. Experimental normalized difference vegetation index based on
advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) of NOAA's polar
orbiting environmental satellites.
Current. Each autumn, the sanctuary records counts of migratory raptors
past North lookout in PA.
Current. Collection, analysis, summary, and dissemination of data related
to the physical characteristics of the nation's highway system. Also
includes state and local highway finance.
Current. The Index is a compilation of information on the "health" of
aquatic resources in the U.S. It organizes and presents aquatic resource
information on a watershed basis.
Current. State agencies collect wildlife incident data associated with
pesticide poisoning. Need to research which ones do.
Current. Nomenclature standard. Available via e-mail. Probably not
useful for environmental health monitoring.
Current. 1987-present. Monitoring for fine particulates on National Park
Lands. One of the highest quality air monitoring programs for forested
areas in the US.
Status
In database
In database
In database
In database
In database
Obtained report
and metadata
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing
In database
February 16,1998 Draft
A-8
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
International Satellite Land Surface
Climatology Project
Land Areas of the National Forest
System
Land Cover Classification
Land Use History of North America
(LUHNA)
Landuse/Landcover (LU/LC) GIRAS
Spatial Data
Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere
(LBA) experiment in Amazonia
Level ffl Ecoregions of the
Conterminous U.S.
LOCALECO
Ecosystem Protection Place-based
Projects in the US
Contact
ORNL/DAAC
Laura Morris and Marilyn Gentry
423-241-3952
USDA/Forest Service
NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
Don Field
(919)728-8764
USGS/BRD
Tom Sisk
(202) 482-3694
NASA
Tony Janetos
(202) 358-0278
USEPA
Ed Partington
(202)260-3106
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
USEPA
Office of Information Resources
Management
David Wolf
(202) 260-3075
EPA/NSDI
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Archived; data no longer being collected.
Current. Data on the extent and characteristics of forest, range, and related
lands within the National Forest System.
Current. Land cover and land use change data for the Chesapeake Bay
watershed.
Future. Goal is to develop a well-documented history of patterns of land
use and environmental change. Program in development stage.
Current. The dataset contains land use and land cover digital data
interpreted from aerial photographs by NASA and the USGS.
Future. Project has been funded but not started yet. Metadata is available
on the Web.
Current. The dataset provides polygon coverage of level HI ecoregions of
the conterminous U.S. and is stored at EDLS (EPA Spatial Data Library).
Current; 1995 - present.
Status
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing
In database
In database
In database
International;
second tier
priority
In database
Not currently
pursuing
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-9
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
TImescale of Data/Description
Status
Long Term Ecological Monitoring
and Research
Scott Collins
(703)306-1483
Metadata available through National Environmental Monitoring and
Research Initiative website. See Environmental Monitoring and Research
Network.
Not currently
pursuing
Long Term Ecological Research
(LTER) Network
Bob Waide
University of New Mexico
(505)272-7316
Current. Collection of competitive grants and research programs; branch
of Environmental Monitoring and Research Network. For example, one
project is researching the dynamics of ecosystem state change, both the
transitions among ecosystem states and succession within these states, in
the Virginia Reserve. Metadata available through National Environmental
Monitoring and Research Initiative website.
Not currently
pursuing
Long Term Resource Monitoring
Program
USOS
Environmental Management Technical
Center
Onalaska, WI 54650
Norm Hildrum
(608) 783-7550
Current. 1987-present. Program documents system-wide ecological
trends of the Upper Mississippi River System. A variety of resource
monitoring data are available, including floodplain forest int*6rmation.
In database
Long Term Soil Productivity (LTSP)
Research Initiative
USDA
Forest Service
Dick Cline
(202)205-1323
Current. 1989-present. To evaluate timber management impacts on long-
term soil productivity.
More
information
needed
Major Land Resource Areas
USGS EROS Data Center
Customer Services
(605)594-6151
Current. Land resource units that are geo-areas by common patterns of
soil, climate, water resources, and land use characteristics.
In database
Major Uses of Land in the United
States
USDA/Economic Research Service
Ken Krupa
(202)219-0853
Current. 1945-1987. Inventory of the major uses of land in the US at
intervals coinciding with the Census of Agriculture. Database available.
In database
Man and the Biosphere (MAB)
Reserve Program
EPA
NASA
Roger Soles
(202)776-8318
Current. Indicators measure conditions of climate, precipitation, soils,
vegetation, water, and wildlife. Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
In database
February 16,1998 Draft
A-10
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Master Environmental Library
(MEL)
Mercury Deposition Network
Migration Monitoring Program
Monitoring Avian Productivity and
Survivorship (MAPS) Program
Multi-Resolution Land
Characteristics Consortium
Multi-Resolution Land Characteristic
Grid
NASA mission to planet earth
Contact
DoD/Defense Modeling and Simulation
Office
John Kent
kent@nrlmry.navy.mil.
(408) 656-4706
Chuck Stein
stein@nrlmry.navy.mil
(408)656-4706
Van Bowersox
NADP Coordinator
(217)333-7873
sox@sun .sws. uiuc.edu
Canadian Wildlife Service
Erica Dunn
(819)994-0182
Institute for Bird Population
Dave DeSante
(415)663-1436
75521 .271@compuserve.com
EPA
Pete Campbell
(919)541-2957
James Vogelmann
(605) 594-6062
NASA
Tony Janetos
(202) 358-0272
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Excellent source of environmental geospatial data sets in the areas of
meteorology, oceanography, bathymetry, topography and climatology.
Contains data from around the world. Includes data from many federal
mapping agencies including NIMA. Metadata descriptions are included.
Current. 1 994-present. A subnetwork of NADP gathering information on
weekly concentrations of total mercury in precipitation and the seasonal
and annual flux of total mercury in wet deposition.
Future. A new program to count birds as they migrate north and south
being developed by a group of Canadian and U.S. ornithologists.
Current. A program designed to track the changes and patterns in the
number of young produced and the survivorship of adults and young. The
program is a cooperative effort between public agencies (e.g., USFWS,
USDA, DOI/NPS, DOI/BLM, EPA, and DoD), private organizations (e.g.,
Institute for Bird Populations), and the bird banders of North America.
Current. A cooperative effort between USDA/FS, EPA, and USGS to
develop national land cover databases for the U.S. Metadata available
through National Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative
website. See individual datasets.
Current. A classified mosaic of Landset TM data generated by the multi-
resolution landscape characteristic project. Currently includes information
for PA, MD, and DE with plans to expand.
Status
Need contacts
for specific
databases within
MEL; need more
information
In database
In database
In database
More
information
needed on
individual
datasets
In database
Searching for
additional
information
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-11
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
NASA Pathfinder Climate Data
National Acid Precipitation
Assessment Program (NAPAP)
National Agricultural Pest
Information System
National Air Monitoring Stations
(NAMS)/State and Local Air
Monitoring Stations (SLAMS)
National Atmospheric Deposition and
National Trends Network
(NADP/NTN)
National Classification of Ecologic
Communities
National Climatic Data Center
(NCDC)
National Contaminant Biomonitoring
Program
Contact
NOAA/NODC
Ted Habermann
(303)497-6472
NAPAP
Karen King
(301)713-2465x202
USDA/APHIS
D. McNear
(301)734-8247
EPA
David Lutz
(919)541-5476
NADP Program Office
Van Bowersox
(217)333-7873
sox@sun.sws.uiuc.cdu
The Nature Conservancy
Denny Grossman, Chief Ecologist
(703) 841-5305
Mark Bryer
(703)841-4191
Department of Commerce/NOAA
(704)251-8205
DOI/Fish and Wildlife Service
Timescale of Data/Description
Current. Data on atmospheric climatology.
Current. A 10-year research and assessment program to improve
understanding of the causes, effects, and controls of acidic deposition.
Program does not collect data; uses NADP data.
Current. Survey data for plant pests in the U.S.
Current. Nationwide database of monitoring data for criteria air pollutants,
visibility/fine particulates, toxics. Metadata available through' National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Current. Database contains information on the exposure of both natural
and managed ecosystems to biologically important chemical deposition and
other stresses resulting from changes in chemical climate. Metadata
available through National Environmental Monitoring and Research
Initiative.
Current. The conservancy has developed and implemented a standard
ecological classification approach to help manage our information and
prioritize work referred to as a physiogonomic/floristic approach.
Current. 1 800s-present. Meteorological and climatological data from a
global network of stations.
Archived. Temporal and geographic trends in concentrations of certain
persistent environmental contaminants in fish and wildlife. Being phased
out with the implementation of the BEST Program.
Status
In database
Not currently
pursuing
In database
In database
In database
In database
In database
Not currently
pursuing; see
BEST entry
February 16,1998 Draft
A-12
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
National Environmental Monitoring
and Research Initiative
National Environmental Research
Parks (NERP)
National Geo-physical Data Center
(NGDC)
National Land Use and Land Cover
Mapping Program
National Plant Data Collection
Center
National Report Card on Nation's
Ecosystems
Contact
EPA
Laura Jackson
(919)541-2698
DOE
Jerry Elwood
(301)903-4583
NOAA/NGDC
Dave Serke
Data Services Manager
dserke@ngdc.noaa.gov
(303)497-6126
DOI/USGS
USDA/NRCS
Scott Peterson
(504) 775-6280
Phil Haney
(504) 775-6280
Heinz Center
Heather Blough, Bob Friedman
(202) 737-6307
Timescale of Data/Description
Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment Monitoring Inventory has metadata on
all programs collecting ecological data in the US. Detailed information on
ten programs in the mid-Atlantic regions, information on all other current
programs currently in the Mid-Atlantic region will be available on-line by
January; less detailed information about several national monitoring
programs. Future plans are to have detailed information regarding all
programs collecting ecological data in the US in this database. Web site:
www.epa.gov/monitor.
Current. Indicators measure a wide variety of terrestrial ecosystem
conditions at all DOE sites. Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Current. Includes Solar Terrestrial Physics and Defense MeTeorological
Satellite Programs, Global Ecosystems Data, Global Vegetation Index, and
Pathfinder climate data.
Current. Land use and land cover maps and digitized data.
Current.
Future. Project not just getting started. Received reference list and
distributed to workgroup. No indicators or databases selected for project.
Status
All relevant
metadata from
web page in
database
In database
In database with
separate entries
for each dataset
In database
Not currently
pursuing;
applicability of
webpage data
limited
Not currently
pursuing
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-13
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Tlmescale of Data/Description
Status
National Resources Inventory
USDA/NRCS
JeffGoebel
(202) 720-9032
Current; 1956-present. NRI is an inventory of land cover and use, soil
erosion, prime farmland, wetlands, and other natural resource
characteristics on non-Federal rural land in the U.S. Inventories are
conducted every five years by NRCS. Data is not geospatial. Several
environmental indicators of the condition of natural resources are
measured every five years at 800,000 sites in the US and Canada.
Metadata available through the National Environmental Monitoring
Initiative website.
In database
National Soil Characterization Data
USDA/NRCS
National Soil Survey Center
Steven Baird
(402)437-5363
Current. Morphological descriptions for 15,000 prendons of soil (U.S. and
other countries).
In database
National Watershed Assessment
Project (NWAP)
EPA
Sarah Lehmann
(202)260-7021
Current. Developed from national datasets to address watershed condition
and vulnerability. Name changed to Index of Watershed Indicators.
See Index of
Watershed
Indicators
Native Plant Conservation Initiative
(NPCI)
NPCI
Peggy Olwell
(202)219-8933
(301) 681-5562 (home)
Olivia Quang
(202)208-4912
Denny Grossman (703) 841-5305
Do not have a native plant database due to lack of funding; searching for
interagency support.
Not currently
pursuing
NATSGO (National Soil Geographic
Database)
USDA/NRCS
National Soil Survey Center
Steven Baird
(402) 437-5363
Current. Estimates of soil carbon on a national basis, possibly in forest
ecosystems only (i.e., not other types of ecosystems).
In database
Natural Heritage Network
Nature Conservancy
JeffLerner
(703)841-4240
Current. Contains a variety of conservation information for all vascular
plant species, all vertebrate species, selected invertebrate species, and
selected non-vascular species of North America. Information includes
taxonomy, nomenclature, conservation status, distribution, habitat ecology,
and management as well as monitoring, and research needs.
In database
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-14
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Timescalc of Data/Description
Status
Net Primary Production
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
Archived; data no longer being collected. Database is online.
Not currently
pursuing
Nighttime Lights
NOAA/National Geo-Physical Data
Center (NGDC)
Solar Terrestrial Physics Divisions
Chris Elvidge
(303)497-6121
Current. A digital map of the nighttime lights of the US. Corresponds
well to the distribution of population and factors like electric power
consumption.
In database
North American Amphibian
Monitoring Program (NAAMP)
USGS/BRD
Sam Droege
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
(301)497-5500
Future. Terrestrial Salamander Monitoring Program will monitor changes
in populations of terrestrial salamanders (indicator of forest health).
Metadata available through the National Environmental Monitoring
Initiative website.
In database
North American Breeding Bird
Survey (BBS)
USGS/BRD
Bruce Peterjohn
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
11410 American Holly Drive
Laurel, MD 20708
bruce_peterjohn@nbs.gov
Current; 1966-present. A large-scale survey of North American birds
administered by BRD. Metadata available through the National
Environmental Monitoring Initiative website.
In database
North American Conservation
Assessment
WWF
(202) 293-4800
Archived; one time assessment. A comprehensive study undertaken to
chart the biological wealth and distinctiveness of all ecoregions north of
Mexico.
In database
North American Landscape
Characterization (NALC)
USGS EROS Data Center
EDC DAAC User Services
(605)594-6116
Current. Information on corrected and projected and classified satellite
imagery.
In database
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-15
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
North American Maple Project
(NAMP)
North American Raptor Monitoring
Strategy
Noxious/Invasive Database
Oregon Transect Ecosystem
Research (OTTER)
Photochemical Assessment
Monitoring Stations (PAMS)
Plant Genome Data and Information
Center (PODIC)
Contact
USDA/Forest Service
Northeastern Experiment Station
Radnor, PA
Gerry Hertle
(610)975-4125
New Hampshire
Bob Cooke
(603) 868-7705
USGS/BRD
Bob Lehman
Snake River Field Station
970 Lusk St.
Boise, ID 83706
(208)331-5205
[also Kirk Bates at (208) 33 1 -52 1 5]
USDA/Forest Service
Rita Beard
(970)498-1715
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
EPA
Gerald Nash
(919)541-5652
Gerald.Nash@epamail.epa.gov
USDA
Ray Altevogt
(301)504-6613
10301 Baltimore Ave
4th floor
Belltsville, MD 20705-2351
Timescale of Data/Description
Current. Monitoring the health of the sugar maple population in the US.
Future. A strategy developed by a group of raptor biologists and
statisticians for monitoring raptor populations in North America by
developing current raptor monitoring programs into a continent-wide
population tracking system for raptors.
Current. This is a gcospatially referenced dataset with administrative
reporting, inventory, and biological control information. It also contains
pesticide information.
Archived; data no longer being collected. Data available on CD-ROM.
Current. Indicators of the effects of ozone pollution. Metadata available
through National Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Current. Plant and animal genome mapping.
Status
More
information
needed
In database
In database
Not currently
pursuing
In database
Not currently
pursuing
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-16
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Postal Service Delivery Statistics
Production and Transport of Organic
Solutes: Effects of Natural Climate
Variation (PROTOS)
Project Feeder Watch
Public Lands Statistics
Range Site Inventory
Remote Automated Weather Stations
(RAWS)
Remote Sensing - geography, land
cover
RPA Updates/Database
Contact
USPS
National Customer Support Center
1-800-238-3150
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Initiative
(TERI), part of the "Environment and
Climate" Research Programme of the
European Commission Dr. Jan Mulder
Jan Mulder@Nisk.No
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Margaret Barker
(607) 254-2440
DOI/BLM
Eric Luse
(202) 452-7743
DOI/BLM
USDA
Kolleen Shelley
(208)476-8362
U of Maryland
Peter Townsend
USDA/Forest Service
Brad Smith
(202)205-0841
Timescale of Data/Description
Current. Records of number of addresses within postal zip codes.
Current. Project to collect geospatial data in Europe.
Current. 1987-present. A winter survey of birds that visit backyard
feeders in North America.
Current. National summary of key statistics for all of the BLM lands.
Archived. On-the-ground assessment of rangeland administered by BLM.
See Ecological Site Inventory.
Current. Database contains national data. Indicators of climate,
precipitation, soils and wind speed. Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative.
Current. 1952-1992 and will be updated in 1997. Provides information
about forest land area, timberland area, timber inventories, timber
mortality, timber growth and harvest, and ownership. Information
gathered from FIA.
Status
In database
Not currently
pursuing;
international;
second tier
priority
In database
In database with
separate entries
for each
indicator
Not currently
pursuing
In database
Not currently
pursuing
In database
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-17
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Timescale of Data/Description
Status
Santiago Declaration: Criteria and
Indicators of Temperate and Boreal
Forests
USDA/Forest Service
Kathy Malony
(202)205-1235
USFS first approximate report for sustainable forest management. Many
indicators and datasets in this report.
Relevant
indicators and
datasets in
database
Soil Interpretations Record Database
USDA/NRCS
National Soil Survey Center
Steven Baird
(402)437-5131
More
information
needed
Solar Terrestrial Physics Data
NOAA/National Geo-Physical Data
Center (NGDC)
Dave Serke
dserke@ngdc.noaa.gov
(303)497-6126
Current. Many terrestrial geophysical datasets available including Global
Inventory of Biomass Burning, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
(DMSP) data, and Nighttime Lights.
See individual
entries for these
datasets
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife
Disease Study (SCWDS)
University of Georgia
College of Veterinary Medicine
John Fischer
(706)542-1741
Current. Database containing information regarding wildlife mortalities in
AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, SC, TO, VA, WV) and
Puerto Rico. Information includes clinical history, location and extent of
mortality, species involved most mortem findings in specimens, and results
of tests for toxins and microbes.
In database
State Energy Data Reports
DOE/Energy Information Administration
Current. 1960-present. Estimates of annual energy consumption at the
state and national levels by major economic sector and by principal energy
type.
Not currently
pursuing
STATSGO
USDA/NRCS Soil Survey Division
Craig Palmer
(702) 895-1797
palmerc@nevada.edu
Current. Estimates on soil carbon on a state-by-state basis, possibly in
forest ecosystems only (i.e., not other types of ecosystems).
In database
Superfund National Priority List Site
Boundaries for the US
EPA
website access to NPL US map is:
www.epa.gov/superfund/oerr/impm/
products/nplsites/usmap/htm
website for ecologically related info:
www.epa.gov/docs/ord/ecorisk.html
Current; 1992-present. US map of NPL sites, geospatially and state
referenced. Metadata on web is limited; does not appear to indicate
terrestrial ecosystems at risk.
Not currently
pursuing
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-18
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Superior National Forest
Sustainable Development Indicators
Project
TEMS Database (Terrestrial
Ecosystems Monitoring Sites)
Tree Planting in the U.S.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands
University of Georgia and
Environmental Protection Agency
Ultraviolet Monitoring Network
UV-B Monitoring Data
Contact
ORNL/DAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
President's Council on Environmental
Quality
David Berry (Need Phone #)
EPA
Tim Stewart
United Nations, Global Environmental
Monitoring System Program Activity
Center
Dr. John Innes
German address
USDA/Forest Service
Robert Moulton
(919) 549-4032
DOLTish and Wildlife Service
EPA/National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Lab
Bill Hogsett
(541)754-4632
hogsett.william@epamail.epa.gov
Timescale of Data/Description
Archived; data no longer being collected. Data available on CD-ROM.
Current. Metadata for terrestrial ecosystem monitoring sites on a global
scale. Metadata available on the Web.
Current. National summary of tree planting in the US.
Current. 1945-present. Inventory of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands.
Current. The dataset contains UV-B monitoring data for 14 rural areas
(located in 14 national parks) and 8 urban areas.
Status
Not currently
pursuing
Not currently
pursuing -
received forest
indicators from
Ken Stolte
International;
second tier
priority
In database
Not currently
pursuing
More info and
contact needed
In database
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-19
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program
Visibility Monitoring Network
Waterfowl and Oamebird Monitoring
Wildland Fire Statistics
Wildlife Health Epizootiological
Database EPIZOO
Wildlife Health Diagnostics Database
(DIAODATA)
Wildlife Incident Investigation
Scheme (WES)
Contact
USDA
Dr. James H. Gibson, Program Director
Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
(970)491-3611
jimg@nrel.colostate.edu
DOI/National Park Service
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Graham Smith
(301)497-5860
USDA/Forest Service
NBS/National Wildlife Health Center
(NWHC)
Kathryn Converse
(608)264-5411
NBS/National Wildlife Health Center
(NWHC)
Kate Cleary
(608)264-5411
United Kingdom
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food (MAFF)
Mark Fletcher
M . fletcher@csl . go v. uk
Database Maintenance
e.barnett@csl.gov.uk
Timescale of Data/Description
Current. Assessment of the potential for damage that increased UV-B
radiation might have on agricultural crops, forests and natural ecosystems.
Measurement of radiation with broadband UV-B-1 pyranometers began in
1994, recognizing that information derived from these instruments would
be of limited value to both the biological effects and atmospheric science
communities. Plans call for an expansion of the network to at least 26 sites
during the current year. Data from each site are posted on the World Wide
Web Home Page each day and specific data files are made available to the
user community along with instrument calibration information upon
request.
Current. Monitoring for fine participates on National Park Lands.
Current. Extensive monitoring program, including several bleeding and
wintering surveys for waterfowl and gamebirds that range from the arctic
islands down into northern Mexico.
Current. Data on wildland fires on public and private lands throughout the
US. Includes info from Boise Interagency Fire Center.
Current; 1975 - present. Metadata available on the Web.
Current; 1975 -present. Metadata available on the Web.
Current; 1964 - present. Agency has been recording incident data related
to vertebrate mortality since 1964. Uncertain whether info is in the form
of a database reporting status and trends.
Status
In database
See IMPROVE
In database with
subentries for
each dataset
More info and
contact needed
In database
In database
Not currently
pursuing
February 16, 1998 Draft
A-20
-------
Appendix B
Data Source Descriptions
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0001 Dataset Name: North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available *
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1966 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD/web page
URL Address: www.mbr.nbs.gov/bbs/bbs.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: BBS is a large-scale survey of North American birds administered by BRD. BBS
monitors the status and trends of all species of birds breeding in North America, to
monitor changes, and provide current trend estimates to promote our knowledge of the
overall health of regional wildlife communities and the ecosystems they inhabit. Over
3,500 routes are surveyed each June by experienced birders using a roadside survey
technique. The objective of the survey has been the estimation of population changes
for songbirds; however, the data have many potential uses. BBS also measures climate
(meteorology) and animals (species, range, populations).
Indicator Association(s): 1-0024 Population Levels of Forest-dependent Bird Species
Contact Name: Bruce Peterjohn
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (301)497-5841
Fax:
E-mail: bruce_peterjohn@nbs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
11410 American Holly Drive
Laurel, MD 20708
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0002 Dataset Name: North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/expected soon
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1996 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: unknown
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The North American Amphibian Monitoring Program provides a statistically defensible
program to monitor the distributions and relative abundance of amphibians in North
America, with applicability at the state, provincial, ecoregional, and continental scales.
It includes the Terrestrial Salamander Monitoring Program and the Calling Surveys and
Herpetological Atlases for Frogs and Toads. The Terrestrial Salamander Monitoring
Program, which is currently being developed, will establish a network of sites in North
America that will collect trend information on terrestrial salamander populations. The
program is in the stages of recruiting monitoring sites and local coordinators. The
results of salamander population monitoring combined with other ecosystem measures
(e.g., geographic location, land management, air quality, vegetation, and other animal
species) will permit the investigation of the effects of ecosystem attributes on their
population dynamics. Researchers hypothesize that salamander population trends may
be an indicator of forest health. The Calling Surveys and Herpetological Atlases for
Frogs and Toads started in 1996 and is conducted three times a year.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0002 Terrestrial Salamander Populations
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetlD: D-0002 Dataset Name: North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP)
Contact Name: Sam Droege
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (301)497-5500
Fax:
E-mail: frog@nbs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 207084039
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0003 Dataset Name: Ecological Incident Information System
Collecting Organization: USEPA/Office of Pesticide Programs
Geographic Scale: national/international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1960s to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports/system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset is the largest database of pesicide incident information. Reporting is on an
incident-by-incident basis, and contains data incidents occurring as far back as the
1960's.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: James Feldkel
Organization: EPA/OPP
Phone: (703)305-5828
Fax: (703)305-6309
E-mail: felkel.james@epamail.eoa.gov
Address: USEPA
Mailcode: 7507C
Washington, DC 20460
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0004 Dataset Name: Land Use Data for Agroecosystems in the US
Collecting Organization: EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource Group
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1992 to 1997
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports/disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset contains information on the characteristics and maintenance of agricultural
lands such as ancillary features, extent and management information, chemical
application, irrigation, and tillage.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Steven Shafer
Organization: USD A/Agricultural Research Service
Phone: (919)515-2142
Fax:
E-mail: stevenshafer@ncsu.edu
Address:
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0005 Dataset Name: Land Cover Data for Agroecosystems in the US
Collecting Organization: EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource Group
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1992 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports/disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset includes types of land cover such as vegetative descriptions and disturbance
history.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Steven Shafer
Organization: USD A/Agricultural Research Service
Phone: (919)515-2142
Fax:
E-mail: stevenshafer@ncsu.edu
Address:
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0006 Dataset Name: Land Form Data for Agroecosystems in the US
Collecting Organization: EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource Group
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1992 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports/disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset includes information on soil characteristics for agricultural lands including
fertility and nutrients, in-field and lab analyses, texture, toxicity, pH, microbial biomass,
and water infiltration.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Steven Shafer
Organization: USDA/Agricultural Research Service
Phone: (919)515-2142
Fax:
E-mail: stevenshafer@ncsu.edu
Address:
11
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0008 Dataset Name: Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS)
Collecting Organization: USEPA
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: early development
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: hourly for 3 months or every 3 hours every sixth day
Reporting Frequency: every 3 months for ozone & 6 months for hydrocarbons
Collection Years: 1992 to present
Data Gaps: data for 1992 and 1993 is not complete for all stations
Format: hard copy reports/disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: These stations collect data that is used to study the causes of ozone pollution, to devise
effective remedies, and to measure environmental improvement. PAMS measures
criteria air pollutants and air toxics as well as climate (meteorology).
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Nash Gerald
Organization: USEPA
Phone: (919)541-5652
Fax: (919)541-1903
E-mail: gerald.nash@epamail.epa.gov
Address: USEPA
OAQPS Maildrop 14
RTP,NC27711
13
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0009 Dataset Name: National Atmospheric Deposition Program & National
Trends Network (NADP/NTN)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: weekly
Reporting Frequency: weekly
Collection Years: 1978 to present
Data Gaps: varies for each station
Format: web page
URL Address: http://nadp.nrel.colostate.edu/NADP/sitelist.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The NADP/NTN is a nationwide network of precipitation monitoring sites. The
network is a cooperative effort between many different groups, including the State
Agricultural Experiment Stations, USGS, USD A, and other govermental and private
entities. The NADP/NTN has grown from 22 stations at the end of 1978 to over 200
sites spanning the continental U.S., Alaska, and Puerto Puco. The purpose of the
network is to collect data on the chemistry of precipitation for monitoring of
geographical and temporal long-term trends. The precipitation at each station is
collected weekly according to strict clean-handling procedures. It is then sent to the
Central Analytical Laboratory where it is analyzed for hydrogen (acidity as pH), sulfate,
nitrate, ammonia, chloride, and base cations (such as calcium, magnesium, potassium,
and sodium). It provides the scientific community, resource managers, and policy
makers with information on the exposure of both natural and managed ecosystems to
biologically important chemical deposition and other stresses resulting from changes in
chemical climate.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0022 Forest Land Subject to Specific Levels of Air Pollutants
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0009 Dataset Name: National Atmospheric Deposition Program & National
Trends Network (NADP/NTN)
Contact Name: VanBowersox
Organization: NADP
Phone: (217)333-7873
Fax: (217)244-0220
E-mail: sox@sun.sws.uiuc.edu
Address: NADP Program Office, Illinois State Water Survey
2204 Griffith Drive
Champain, n 61028
16
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Dataset Description
DatasetID: D-0013
Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset Name: Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet)
Collecting Organization: QST Environmental (USEPA contractor in Florida)
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Quality: extremely high
Collection Frequency: weekly, but continuous for ozone & meteorological data
Reporting Frequency: quarterly
Collection Years: 1988 to present
Data Gaps: September 1995 to July 1996, except for 15 sites
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: CASTNet is a USEPA-sponsored network of rural sites designed to evaluate patterns
and trends of atmospheric concentration, wet and dry deposition and related variables
across the U.S. The sites measure criteria air pollutants, visibility/fine particulates, air
toxics as well as precipitation (wet deposition and dry deposition). Each site is
equipped with a temperature-controlled shelter, ozone analyzer, meteorological sensors,
a filter pack sampling system and a datalogger. By the beginning of 1991 the network
had grown to 50 sites, most of them in rural locations in the eastern states, with 48 of
those sites operating year-round. The network was originally established to monitor dry
deposition and other meteorological parameters. However, at 16 of these sites, all
further than 50 kilometers away from the nearest NADP/NTN station, weekly
precipitation chemistry samples are collected using NADP/NTN sampling protocols and
site selection criteria. Since 1989, ten dry deposition stations have been closed. As
special study sites, CASTNet has three high elevation sites in New York, SW Virginia
and Tennessee. The study started in 1994 and lasted three cloud seasons (May to
September in 1994, 1995, and 1996). Cloud water chemistry includes major ionic
species collected by impaction. Filter packs are also used for visibility. CASTNet
includes data on the chemical content of haze and aerosol composition.
Indicator Association(s):
17
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0013 Dataset Name: Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet)
Contact Name: Ralph Baumgardner
Organization: USEPA
Phone: (919)541-4625
Fax: (919)541-1486
E-mail: baumgardner.ralph@epamail.epa.gov
Address: USEPA
Maildrop56
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0015 Dataset Name: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Collecting Organization: USD A/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: annual (7-12 year cycle for entire nation
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1930 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: system/data tape
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The FIA is a comprehensive inventory and analysis of the renewable forest and
rangeland resources of the United States. Initial inventory efforts began in the West in
1930. By the 1960's, inventories were completed for all of the 48 conterminous states,
and many of the important forested states had been re-inventoried. The inventory data
and analysis provide trend information on the extent, condition, ownership, and
composition of the nation's forests as well as information about wildlife habitat, forage
production, and other resource characteristics needed for resource planning. FIA
measures soil texture and structure, vegetation growth rate, above-ground biomass,
recruitment, disease intensity, species, cover, range, and fire. This dataset includes
individual project databases of county level, sample plot level, and tree level statistics;
seven databases are maintained by individual inventory projects. Much of the FIA data
is available through the RPA database (D-0045) and RPA updates.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0021 Forests Affected by Other Natural and Human-Induced Pressures
1-0005 Total Forest Ecosystem Biomass and Carbon Pool
1-0019 Sustainability of Wood Products Harvest
1-0018 Total Growing Stock of Both Merchantable and Non-Merchantable
1-0017 Area of Forest Land and Net Area Forest Land Available for Timber
1-0014 Number of Forest Dependent Species
1-0012 Extent of Area by Forest Type Relative to Total Forest Area
1-0011 Extent of Area by Forest Type and Age Class or Successional Stage
1-0003 Contribution of Forest Products to the Global Carbon Budget
19
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0015 Dataset Name: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Contact Name: Brad Smith
Organization: USDA
Phone: (202)205-0841
Fax: (202)205-1087
E-mail:
Address: Auditor's Building
14th & Independence, SW
Washington, DC
20
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0016 Dataset Name: National Air Monitoring Stations (NAMS)/State & Local Air
Monitoring Stations (SLAMS)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: hourly - Pb & PM10 variable
Reporting Frequency: hourly or variable
Collection Years: 1980 to present
Data Gaps: none
Format: web page
URL Address: http://www.epa.gov/airs/aexec.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The national air monitoring stations (NAMS) are run by EPA, and the state and local
air monitoring stations are run by state and local governments. NAMS/SLAMS
measure criteria pollutants, visibility/fine particulates, and toxics in air.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: David Lutz
Organization: USEPA
Phone: (919)541-5476
Fax: (919)541-1903
E-mail: unknown
Address: USEPA
Maildrop 14
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
21
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset D>: D-0017 Dataset Name: National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Collecting Organization: USD A/Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: variable
Collection Frequency: every 5 years
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1956 to present
Data Gaps: data currently available only until 1992
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: NRI is an inventory of land cover and use, soil erosion, prime farmland, wetlands, and
other natural resource characteristics on non-Federal rural land in the U.S. The many
types of data collected by the NRI process are organized into eight general categories:
soil characteristics and interpretations (including agricultural land capability); land
cover, land use (including irrigated and non-irrigated cropland, grazed and ungrazed
forest land, prime farmland, etc.); erosion (e.g., sheet and rill, wind, and ephemeral
gullies); land treatment (e.g., irrigation, tillage, and windbreaks); conservation
treatment needs; vegetative conditions (e.g., wetlands, rangeland condition and species,
and pasture management); and potential for conversion to cropland. The database
contains 19S2,1987 and 1992 NRI datasets.
Indicator Association^): 1-0019 Sustainability of Wood Products Harvest
1-0017 Area of Forest Land and Net Area Forest Land Available for Timber
1-0012 Extent of Area by Forest Type Relative to Total Forest Area
1-0011 Extent of Area by Forest Type and Age Class or Successional Stage
1-0010 Forest Land with Significant Soil Erosion
23
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0017 Dataset Name: National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name: JefFGoebel
Organization: USDA/NRCS
Phone: (202)720-9032
Fax: (202)690-3266
E-mail: goebel@usdal.gov
Address: USDA/NRCS
P.O. Box 2890, S. Agricultural Building, Room 6175
Washington, DC 20013
24
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0018 Dataset Name: Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high quality during fire season
Collection Frequency: varies for each station
Reporting Frequency: varies for each station
Collection Years: late 1970s/early 1980s to present
Data Gaps: varies for each station
Format: web pages/hard copy reports
URL Address: http://wrcc.sagedri.edu
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The stations measure climate (meteorology and solar radiation), precipitation/deposition
(wet and dry deposition), soils (chemistry and climate), and other variables such as fuel
temperature, maximum gust and wind speed direction. Stations are located only on
public lands.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Kolleen Shelley
Organization: USDA
Phone: (208)476-8362
Fax: (208)476-8329
E-mail: sheuey_koUeen/rl_clearwater@fs.fed.us
Address:
12730 Highway 12
Orofino, ID 83544
25
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
DatasetID: D-0020 Dataset Name: National Environmental Research Parks
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: varies for each park
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1972 to present
Data Gaps: varies for each park
Format: disk/CD/hard copy reports/web pages
URL Address: unknown
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: National Environmental Research Parks collect a variety of ecological data.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Jerry Elwood
Organization: DOE
Phone: (301)903-4583
Fax: (301)903-8519
E-mail: jerry.elwood@oer.doe.gov
Address: DOE
ER-74, 1909 Germantown Road
Germantown, MD 20874
27
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0021 Dataset Name: Mercury Deposition Network
Collecting Organization: Frontier Geosciences, Inc., Seattle, WA
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available for staff only
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: weekly
Reporting Frequency: weekly
Collection Years: 1994 to present
Data Gaps: some stations closed in 1995 or 1996
Format: NA
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: The Mercury Depositon Network is developing a regional database on the weekly
concentrations of total mercury deposition in precipitation and the seasonal and annual
flux of total mercury in wet deposition. The data will be used to develop an information
database on spatial and seasonal trends in mercury deposited to surface waters, forested
watersheds, and other sensitive receptors. MDN began a transition network of 13 sites
in 1994 and 30 sites are anticipated by 1997. The MDN is anticipated to operate for a
minimum of five years and will be managed at the NADP Coordination Office.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0022 Forest Land Subject to Specific Levels of Air Pollutants
Contact Name: VanBowersox
Organization: NADP
Phone: (217)333-7873
Fax: (217)244-0220
E-mail: sox@sun.sws.uiuc.edu
Address: NADP Program Office, Illinois State Water Survey
2204 Griffith Drive
Champain, II61028
29
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Dataset Description
DatasetID: D-0022
Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset Name: Wildlife Health Diagnostics Database (DIAGDATA)
Collecting Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: continuous
Collection Years: 1975 to present
Data Gaps: no major data gaps
Format: disk/CD/hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: The diagnostics database is a computerized record of specimens (from serum samples to
carcasses) sent to the National Wildlife Health Center for processing and diagnostic
workup. The datafile includes five 80-character lines of coded data for each specimen.
Data include history and recordkeeping information (identifier numbers, species, sex,
submitter information, etc.); types of tests run (virology, bacteriology, parasitology,
chemistry, etc.) and some test results for heavy metals, particularly lead; and diagnostic
results. The diagnostic coding system is based on SNOMED terminology, with certain
modifications and additions to fit Center needs. SNOMED, the Systematized
Nomenclature of Medicine, is a structured nomenclature and classification of the
terminology used in human and veterinary medicine. Terms are assigned in any or all
of the following six categories for each diagnostic: topography (detailed anatomic term
for the site of interest), morphology (information on the pathogenic change or process
associated with the topography), etiology (cause or causal agent of the disease or
dysfunction), disease (disease, disease entity or syndrome), and link (qualifier to link on
diagnosis to another).
Indicator Association(s):
31
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0022 Dataset Name: Wildlife Health Diagnostics Database (DIAGD AT A)
Contact Name: KateCleaiy
Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Phone: (608)264-5411
Fax: (608)264-5431
E-mail: kate_cleary@nbs.gov
Address: National Wildlife Health Center
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI537116223
32
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0023 Dataset Name: WUdlife Health Epizootiological Database (EPIZOO)
Collecting Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: medium
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1975 to present
Data Gaps: variable for each case
Format: disk/CD/hard copy report
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: EPIZOO is a computerized record of wildlife mortality and morbidity events
(epizootics), summarizing information gathered by personnel at the National Wildlife
Health Center (NWHC). EPIZOO tracks events throughout the U.S. and territories,
primarily in migratory birds. Data include incident, dates, species involved, history,
population numbers, total sick/dead, and morbidity and mortality information. The
EPIZOO computer software package has been developed specifically for analysis of
information on animal health and diseases, including those transmissible to man. The
software package includes indicators to analyse data on morbidity and mortality,
geographical distribution, animal populations characteristics, and dynamics of
epizootics. It helps to prepare for investigations of animal population health and
disease, to analysed diagnosis and consequences of illness, to design animal health
programmes, to estimate costs and evaluate programmes. It also includes some
sampling and other simple and practical statistical techniques.
Indicator Association(s):
33
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0023 Dataset Name: WUdlife Health Epizootiological Database (EPIZOO)
Contact Name: Kathryn Converse
Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Phone: (608)264-5411
Fax: (608)264-5431
E-mail: kathy_converse@nbs.gov
Address: National Wildlife Health Center
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI537116223
34
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Dataset Description
DatasetID: D-0031
Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset Name: Atmospheric Halocaibons & Nitrous Oxide
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: good
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1978 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/ale OR /gage OR /agage
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: In the Atmospheric Halocarbons and Nitrous Oxide from the ALE/GAGE/AGAGE
global network program, continuous high frequency gas chromatographic
measurements of two biogenic/anthropogenic gases (methane, CH4; nitrous oxide,
N2O) and five anthropogenic gases (chlorofluorocarbons, CFC13, CF2CL2, and
CF2C1CFC12; methyl chloroform, CH3CC13; carbon tetrachloride, CC14) are carried out
at globally distributed sites. The program, which began in 1978, is conveniently
divided into three parts associated with three changes in instrumentation: the
Atmospheric Lifetime Experiment (ALE), which utilized Hewlett Packard HP5840 gas
chromatographs; the Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (GAGE), which utilizes
HP5880 gas chromatographs; and the recently initiated Advanced GAGE (AGAGE).
AGAGE uses a new fully automated system from the Scripps Institution of
Oceanography containing a custom-designed sample module and HP5890 and Carle
Instruments gas chromatographic components.
Indicator Associations):
35
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0031 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Halocarbons & Nitrous Oxide
Contact Name: TomBoden
Organization: Caibon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Phone: (423)241-4842
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
36
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0032 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: good
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1983 to 1993
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/dbl008
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This database presents atmospheric methane (CH4) mixing ratios from flask air samples
collected over the period 1983-1993 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory's (NOAA/CMDL's)
global cooperative air sampling network. Air samples were collected approximately
once per week at 44 fixed sites (37 of which were still active at the end of 1993).
Samples were also collected at 5 degree latitude intervals along shipboard cruise tracks
in the Pacific Ocean between North America and New Zealand (or Australia) and at 3
degree latitude intervals along cruise tracks in the South China Sea between Singapore
and Hong Kong. The shipboard measurements were made approximately every 3 weeks
per latitude zone by each of two ships in the Pacific Ocean and approximately once
every week per latitude zone in the South China Sea. All samples were analyzed for
CH4 at the NOAA/CMDL laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, USA, by gas
chromatography with flame ionization detection, and each aliquot was referenced to the
NOAA/CMDL methane standard scale.
Indicator Association(s):
37
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0032 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios
Contact Name: TomBoden
Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Phone: (423)241-4842
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
38
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0033 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: good
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1988 to 1993
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/dblO 11
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Individual site files provide carbon monoxide mixing ratios in parts per billion based on
measurements from the NOAA/CDML Cooperative Air Sampling Network beginning
1988. Data are provided through June 1993 for stations at which the first sample was
collected before July 1991.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: PaulNovelli
Organization: NOAA
Phone: (303)497-6974
Fax:
E-mail: pnovelli@cmdl.noaa.gov
Address: NOAA
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80303
39
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0034 Dataset Name: Global & Latitudinal Estimates of del 13C from Fossil-Fuel
Consumption and Cement Manufacture
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: good
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: I860 to 1992
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.oml.gov/ftp/dbl013
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Global and Latitudinal Estimates of del 13C from Fossil-Fuel Consumption and
Cement Manufacture database contains estimates of the annual mean value of del 13C
of CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel consumption and cement manufacture for 1860-
1992. It also contains estimates of the value of del 13C for one degree bands for the
years 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 1991, and 1992. These estimates of the carbon
isotopic signature account for the changing mix of coal, petroleum, and natural gas
being consumed and for the changing mix of petroleum from various producing areas
with characteristic isotopic signatures. This time series of fossil-fuel del 13C signature
provides an additional constraint for balancing the sources and sinks of the global
carbon cycle and complements the atmospheric del 13C measurements that are used to
partition the uptake of fossil carbon emissions among the ocean, atmosphere, and
terrestrial biosphere reservoirs.
Indicator Association(s):
41
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0034 Dataset Name: Global & Latitudinal Estimates of del 13C from Fossil-Fuel
Consumption and Cement Manufacture
Contact Name: Robert Andres
Organization: Institute of Northern Engineering
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Institute of Northern Engineering
Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AL 997755900
42
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0035 Dataset Name: Global Patterns of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Soils
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: medium
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1964 to present
Data Gaps: uses predictions for sites with no data
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/cdiac/newsletr/spring97/datas97
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Global Patterns of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Soils on a 0.5 Degree Grid Cell
Basis database contains global, spatially explicit (0.5 degree grid cells) and temporally
explicit (monthly and annual) model output of soil CO2 emissions. The calculated
emissions include the respiration of both soil organisms and plant roots. A map of the
soil emissions is available as a soil.ps and a soil.gif file. It uses published data and runs
it through a model to produce an annual report.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: James Raich
Organization: Iowa State University
Phone: (515)294-5073
Fax: (515)294-1337
E-mail: jraich@iastate.edu
Address: Department of Botany
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
43
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0036 Dataset Name: Global Population Distribution (1990), Terrestrial Area and
Country Name Information
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1990 to 1990
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.oml.gov/cdiac/newsletr/spring97/datas97
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Global Population Distribution (1990), Terrestrial Area and Country Name
Information on a One by One Degree Grid Cell Basis database contains gridded (one
degree by one degree) information on the world-wide distribution of the population for
1990 and country-specific information on the percentage of the country's population
present in each grid cell (Li, 1996a). Secondly, the database contains the percentage of
a country's total area in a grid cell and the country's percentage of the grid cell that is
terrestrial (Li, 1996b). Li (1996b) also developed an indicator signifying how many
countries are represented in a grid cell and if a grid cell is part of the sea; this indicator
is only relevant for the land, countries, and sea-partitioning information of the grid
cell. Thirdly, the database includes the latitude and longitude coordinates of each grid
cell; a grid code number, which is a translation of the latitude/longitude value and is
used in the Global Emission Inventory Activity (GEIA) databases; the country or
region's name; and the United Nations three-digit country code that represents that
name.
Indicator Association(s):
45
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0036 Dataset Name: Global Population Distribution (1990), Terrestrial Area and
Country Name Information
Contact Name: A.L. Brenkert
Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail: azt@ornl.gov
Address: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Oak Ridge National Lab
Oak Ridge, TN 378306335
46
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0037 Dataset Name: Northern Hemisphere Biome- and Process-Specific Changes
in Forest Area and Gross Merchantable Volume
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: Northern hemisphere
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1890 to 1990
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.oml.gov/cdiac/newsletr/spring97/datas97
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Northern Hemisphere Biome- and Process-Specific Changes in Forest Area and
Gross Merchantable Volumes: 1890-1990 consists of annual values of the area! extent
(Ha) and gross merchantable (wood) volume (GMV in m3) of depletion and accrual
processes in Northern Hemisphere boreal and temperate forests. The data files cover six
geographic regions: Alaska, Canada, Europe, Former Soviet Union, Non-Soviet
Temperate Asia, and the contiguous United States. Forest depletions (source terms for
atmospheric CO2) are identified as forest pests, forest diebacks, forest fires, forest
harvests, and land-use changes. Forests accruals (sink terms for atmospheric CO2) are
identified as forest fire exclusion, forest fire suppression, and afforestation/crop
abandonment. Both the area! extent (Ha) and GMV (m3) are listed as total area and
volume of the depletion or accrual processes, and are calculated separately for each of
the following biomes: forest tundra, boreal forest (boreal softwood), mixed wood
(mixed hardwood), temperate softwoods, and temperate hardwoods.
Indicator Association(s):
47
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
Dataset ID: D-0037 Dataset Name: Northern Hemisphere Biome- and Process-Specific Changes
in Forest Area and Gross Merchantable Volume
Contact Name: A.N.D. Auclair
Organization: Science & Policy Associates, Inc.
Phone: (202)789-1201
Fax:
E-mail: scipol@access.digex.net
Address: Science & Policy Associates, Inc.
1333 H Street, NW, W400
Washington, DC
48
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0038 Dataset Name: Multi-resolution Land Characteristic Grid
Collecting Organization: USEPA
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Quality: FGDC format
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1986 to 1994
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: unknown
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: A classified mosaic of Landset TM data generated by the multi-resolution landscape
characteristic project. It includes information on Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
Delaware. Source TM scenes range from March 1986 through September 1994 with the
majority of imagery produced in the 1991 - 1994 time frame. Main objective was to
generate a generalized and consistent (i.e., seamless) land cover data for EPA Region
ffl.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: James Vogelmann
Organization: USGS EROS Data Center
Phone: (605)594-6062
Fax:
E-mail: vogel@edcwww.cr.usgs.gov
Address: USGS EROS Data Center
Souix Falls, SD
49
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0039 Dataset Name: Landuse/Landcover (LU/LV) GIRAS Spatial Data
Collecting Organization: USGS/USEPA/National CIS Program
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: FGDC format, ARC/INFO
Collection Frequency: one time only
Reporting Frequency: one time only
Collection Years: 1977 to early 1980's
Data Gaps: not current
Format: disk/CD/system (ARC/INFO)
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset contains land use and land cover digital data interpreted from aerial
photographs by NASA and the USGS. It was compiled into 1.250,00-scale USGS base
maps and converted to ARC/INFO by the EPA. It is useful for environmental
assessment of land use patterns with respect to water quality analysis, growth
management, and other types of environmental impact assessment. Land use is a good
measure of urban growth, which may be useful in determining terrestrial health.
Indicator Association^):
Contact Name: Edward Partington
Organization: USEPA
Phone: (202)260-3106
Fax: (202)401-8390
E-mail: partington.ed@epamail.epa.gov
Address: 401M St, SW
Mailcode3908
Washington, DC 20460
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0041 Dataset Name: Long-Tenn Resource Monitoring Program
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1987 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: unknown
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The mission of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program is to provide decision
makers with the information needed to maintain the Upper Mississippi River System as
a viable multiple-use large river ecosystem. The long-term goals include understanding
the system, determining resource trends and impacts, and developing management
alternatives. This dataset includes data for floodplain forests in selected reaches along
the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. A survey was conducted to estimate tree
mortality induced by the Flood of 1993.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Norm Hildrum
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (608)783-7550
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Environmental Management Technical Center
575 Lester Avenue
Onalaska, WI54650
53
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DaiasetID: D-0042 Dataset Name: National Soil Geographic Database (NATSGO)
CoUecting Organization: USDA/NRCS/National Soil Survey Center
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available *
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1987 to unknown
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The area boundaries NATSGO are formed from major land use resource area (MLRA)
and Inad resource region (LRR) boundaries. Digitizing is done by line segment (victor)
format. The base map used is a 1970 census and county digital database. NATSGO is
linked to a soil interpretation record (SIR) attribute database. NATSGO is available in
the USGS (DLG-3) Optional Distribution format.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0005 Total Forest Ecosystem Biomass and Carbon Pool
Contact Name: Steven L. Baud
Organization: NRCS National Soil Survey Center, Soil Survey Lab
Phone: (402)437-5363
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Federal Building, Room 152, MS 41
100 Centennial Mall North
Lincoln, NE 685083866
55
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
Dataset ID: D-0043 Dataset Name: National Soil Characterization Data
Collecting Organization: USDA/NRCS/National Soil Survey Center (and Lab)
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1945 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset provides current analytical data for more than 20,000 pendons of U.S. soil
and about 1,100 pendons from other countries. Morphological pendon descriptions are
available for about 15,000 of these pendons.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Steven L. Baird
Organization: NRCS National Soil Survey Center, Soil Survey Lab
Phone: (402)437-5363
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Federal Building, Room 152, MS 41
100 Centennial Mall North
Lincoln, NE 685083866
57
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0044 Dataset Name: Level fflEcoregions of the Conterminous US (USECO)
Collecting Organization: USEPA/Office of Information Resource Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: FGDC format
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: as needed
Collection Years: 1986 to 1994
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD/system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset provides polygon coverage of Level ni ecoregions of the conterminous U.S
and is stored at ESDLS (EPA Spatial Data Library). Ecoregions are derived from
ecoregions of the conterminous U.S. and from refinements of Omemik's framework that
have been made for other projects. These projects conducted in collaboration with the
USEPA regional offices and with state resource managment agenceis involve refining
ecoregions defining subregions, and locating set of reference sites. The dataset also
provides valuable data layers for ARC/INFO GIS applications.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: David Wolf
Organization: USEP A/Office of Information Resources Management (O
Phone: (202)260-3075
Fax:
E-mail: NSDI@epamail.epa.gov
Address:
59
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0045 Dataset Name: RPA Updates/RPA Database
Collecting Organization: USD A/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: FGDC format
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: every 5 years
Collection Years: 1952 to 1992
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reportsweb page
URL Address: unknown
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The RPA Updates are reports that provide a comprehensive inventory of the extent,
condition, and character of the forest ecosystems of the U.S based on data collected
through FLA (D-0015). The reports provide summary forest area classification volume
and species data for over 100,000 permanent field data plots providing measures of the
forest that allow an assessment of forest land use trends. They also provide information
on productivity, biodiversity and ecosystem distribution, condition, and structure. The
reports are published in hard copy every five years. The RPA database is a web page
prototype that is updated as new information becomes available. Currently, the
database does not have national coverage.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Brad Smith
Organization: USDA
Phone: (202)205-0841
Fax: (202)205-1087
E-mail:
Address: Auditor's Building
14th & Independence, SW
Washington, DC
61
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0046 Dataset Name: National Climatic Data Center
Collecting Organization: NOAA & National Environmental Satellite & Data Inf
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: varies
Reporting Frequency: varies
Collection Years: mid-19th century to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD/hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) collects, processes, and archives
meteorological and climatological data from a global network of stations. Climatic
variables (e.g., temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, storms, wind, and floods) are
summarized for both short-term and long-term periods of record. Derived values
relating to growing season and heating and cooling degree days are also produced.
Special statistical summaries of actual and derived values of meterological elements
over the world's oceans as well as summaries used in the study of air pollution are
available.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: National Climatic Data Center
Organization: NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC
Phone: (704)251-8205
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: National Climatic Data Center
Federal Building
Asheville, NC 28801
63
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetlD: D-0047 Dataset Name: ffighways Statistics
Collecting Organization: Federal Highway Administration (DoT)
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1920s to present
Data Gaps: no
Format: web page
URL Address: http://ctil.volpe.dot.gov/ohim
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The program includes the collection, analysis, summary, and dissemination of a broad
range of data related to the physical characteristics of the nation's highway system, as
well as the traffic/travel and related performance activity which occurs on those
systems. Data include characteristics such as: traffic volumes; travel estimates (for
example, miles traveled and fuel consumption per vehicle and per capita); vehicle
speeds; distribution of vehicle types and weights by highway category; vehicle fuel
efficiency ratings and motor fuel consumption; vehicle registrations and driver licensing
(including revenues related to latter variables); state and local highway finance; Federal
Highway Trust Fund status; highway mileage; pavement condition; and accidents. Data
also include personal travel characteristics collected as part of the Nationwide Personal
Transportation Study (NPTS). Trend data for many of the characteristics date back to
the early 1900s. The Highway Statistics Information Retreival System (HSIRS)
database contains "Highway Statistics Summary to 1985" and "Highway Statistics" for
years 1986-1991.
Indicator Association(s):
65
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0047 Dataset Name: Highways Statistics
Contact Name: MaiyTeets
Organization: Federal Highway Administration
Phone: (202)366-9211
Fax: (202)366-7742
E-mail: mary.teets@fhwa.dot.gov
Address: Federal Highway Administration, HPM-40
400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
66
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0049 Dataset Name: Forest Service Experimental Forest and Rangeland Sites
Collecting Organization: USD A/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: varies for each unit
Collection Frequency: varies for each unit
Reporting Frequency: varies for each unit
Collection Years: 1934 to present
Data Gaps: varies for each unit
Format: varies for each unit
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Forest Service Experimental Forest and Rangeland Sites collect data on: climate
(meteorology), water (discharge, sediment load, organic contaminants, inorganic
chemistry), vegetation (species/cover/range), and animals (species/range/population).
This is not a centralized data collection effort; each unit performs a local operation.
The data are not limited to experimental forests sites.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Dick Cline
Organization: USD A/Forest Service
Phone: (202)205-1524
Fax: (202)205-1530
E-mail: dcline/wo@fs.fed.us
Address:
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, DC 200906090
67
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0050 Dataset Name: Man & the Biosphere Reserves
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: varies for each reserve
Collection Frequency: varies for each reserve
Reporting Frequency: varies for each reserve
Collection Years: 1976 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: varies for each reserve
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The United States Man and the Biosphere Program (USMAB) is a cooperative effort of
government agencies, other organizations and the research community to help achieve
the goal of a sustainable society early in the 21st century. USMAB contributes to this
goal, domestically and internationally, through interagency and public-private
partnerships that promote and sponsor interdisciplinary' research, experimentation,
education and information exchange. USMAB's activities build on biosphere reserves
that are nominated by the U.S. and designated by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which coordinates the
intergovernmental MAB Program. USMAB includes data on: climate (meteorology,
snow, solar radiation); air (criteria pollutants, toxics, visibility/fine particulates);
precipitation/deposition (wet deposition, dry deposition); water (discharge, sediment
load, organic contaminants, aquatic biota, inorganic chemistry, sediment chemistry,
trace metals, habitat); marine/coastal (salinity/freshwater flux, chlorophyll/zooplankton,
submerged/coastal habitats, nutrients/contaminants, animals, sediment); soils (texture,
chemistry, toxicity, mineralogy, climate, structure, strength, fauna! biomass,
erodability); vegetation (growth rate/above-ground biomass, recruitment,
species/cover/range, disease intensity, nutrient availability); and animals (food
source/quality, recruitment, species/range/population, disease intensity, toxicology).
The USMAB program is part of the MAB International Program, which is a world-wide
MAB effort.
Indicator Association^):
69
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0050 Dataset Name: Man & the Biosphere Reserves
Contact Name: Roger Soles
Organization: State Department
Phone: (202)776-8318
Fax: (202)776-8367
E-mail: mabres@aol.com
Address: US MAB Secretariat, US Dept. of State, OES/ETC/MAB
SA-44C, Room 107
Washington, DC 205224401
70
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0051 Dataset Name: Tree Planting in the United States
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1928 to present
Data Gaps: 1941 to 1945
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset is a national summary of tree planting in the U.S. The Forest Service
compiles data on the following: the number of tree seedlings planted or seeded; acres of
tree planting (including acres seeded and acres of windbarriers planted); acres of timber
stand improvement; and production of tree planting stock (including seedlings produced
for windbarrier stock). Data are categorized by state and by ownership categories
(federal, state, other public, industrial, or non-industrial private). The data are
presented in the Forest Planting Report. Tabular data are available upon request.
Currently preparing a database.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Robert Moulton
Organization: Forestry Science Lab
Phone: (919)549-4032
Fax: (919)549-4047
E-mail: rmoulton@jtpmail.emapshm.gov
Address: Forestry Science Lab
P.O. Box 12254
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
71
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0052 Dataset Name: Hawk Migration Monitoring
Collecting Organization: Hawk Mountain Santuary
Geographic Scale: state/local
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1934 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page/disk/hard copy
URL Address: www.hawkmountain.org/hawkcount.htrnl
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Sanctuary's annual autumn hawk counts represent the longest and most detailed
record of raptor migration in the world. Each autumn, the Santuary records counts of
migratory raptors past North Lookout in Pennsylvania. The official count begins
August 15 and extends through December 15. Data found on the web site is for present
year only. Historical data are found on hard copies or disks.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Laurie Goodrich
Organization: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Phone: (610)756-6961
Fax: (610)756-4468
E-mail:
Address: 1700 Hawk Mountain Rd.
Kempton, PA 195299449
73
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0053 Dataset Name: UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
Collecting Organization: USD A/Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: good, but depends on calibration
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1992 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: http://uvb.nreI.colostate.edu/UVB/mfcjlata.htinl
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The program provides information on the geographical distribution and temporal trends
of UV-B (ultraviolet-B) radiation in the United States. This information is critical to
the assessment of the potential impacts of increasing ultraviolet radiation levels on
agricultural crops and forests. Specifically the monitoring program: provides
information to the agricultural community and others about the climatological and
geographical distribution of UV-B irradiance; provides the basic information necessary
to support evaluations of the potential damage effects of UV-B to agricultural crops and
forests; provides ground truth for satellite measurements and basic information for
radiation transfer model calculations; and provides long-term records of UV-B
irradiance necessary to assess trends. Datasets available include latest UV and visible
shadowband data and latest UV-B broadband data.
Indicator Association^): 1-0022 Forest Land Subject to Specific Levels of Air Pollutants
Contact Name: James Gibson
Organization: Colorado State University
Phone: (970)491-3611
Fax: (970)491-3601
E-mail: jimg@nrel.colostate.edu
Address: Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
75
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0053 Dataset Name: UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
Colorado Sate University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
76
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0054 Dataset Name: Natural Heritage Network
Collecting Organization: Nature Conservancy
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1974 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports/system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Network maintains a continually updated computerized database of information on
rare and threatened species and natural communities and alos tracks the locations of
these species and communities. The databases identity species, natural communities,
and ecosystems in need of protection at the local, regional, national, and global levels.
For species, the network tracks the scientific name, distribution and population trends,
habitat requirements, and ecological relationships. For natural communities, databases
contain information on vegetation structure and composition, succession patterns,
natural disturbances, and the the distribution and rarity of specific community types
throughout their geographic range. In addition, the network tracks the quality and
condition of each occurrence of a community and can also develop statewide
distribution patterns and the actual areas on that landscape that are conservation
significant because they are inhabited by these species.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0016 Number of Forest Dependent Species in Restricted Range
1-0015 Status of Threatened & Endangered Species
77
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0054 Dataset Name: Natural Heritage Network
Contact Name: Jeffrey Lerner
Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Phone: (703)841-4240
Fax: (703)525-8024
E-mail: jlerner@tnc.org
Address: International Headquarters
1815 North Lynn St.
Arlington, VA 22209
78
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0055 Dataset Name: Forest Service Range Management Information System
(FSRAMIS)
Collecting Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: in transition - new computer system in 1998
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: cycles ranging from annual to once every 3-5 years
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: unknown to present
Data Gaps: only contains grazing stats for National Forests & Grasslands
Format: system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: FSRAMIS provides grazing use statistical data on the number of grazing animals
(cattle, horses and burros, sheep and goats), animal unit month, and number of
permittees at the national level and for each type of Forest Service land (National
Forests, National Grasslands), region, and state. Other variables measured include:
allotment condition; improvement inventory and activity; grazing capacity; actual use;
authorized use; and unauthorized use. Data are analyzed for trends in ecological
potential. Data may be broken down by State, Forest Service region, and forest/district
level.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Jim Zimmerman
Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Phone: (202)205-1412
Fax:
E-mail: jzimrnerm/wo@fs.fed.us
Address: USDA/Forest Service
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, DC 200906090
79
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0056 Dataset Name: Major Uses of Land in the United States
Collecting Organization: USDA/Economic Research Service
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1945 to 1992
Data Gaps: some categories had no data to base an estimate
Format: web page/disk/CD
URL Address: www.mannlib.coraell.edu/data-sets/land/89003/
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset provides acreage estimates of major land uses by region and State for each
census of Agriculture year from 1945 to 1992. Land use classes include cropland,
grassland pasture and range, forest-use land, urban areas, rural areas, defense and
industrial areas, farm areas, and other land uses. The changes in land use acreage over
the years may show an increase in developed land and a decrease in forested land —
which may be a surrogate for terrestrial ecosystem health.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: KenKrupa
Organization: USDA/Economic Research Service
Phone: (202)219-0853
Fax: (202)219-0473
E-mail:
Address: Natural Resource Conservation and Management
1301 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 200054788
81
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0058 Dataset Name: Olson's Major World Ecosystem Complexes
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/nationaJ/intemational
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high; depends on data set
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1970's - 1980's to 1990
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD/ftp
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This package contains a computerized database used to generate a global vegetation
mnap of 44 different land ecosystem complexes comprising seven broad groups. The
database and accompanying map provides a basis for making improved estimates of
vegetation areas and carbon quantities, of natural biological exchanges of CO2, and,
eventually, of the net historic shifts of carbon between the biosphere and the
atmosphere. The map is derived from patterns of preagricultural vegetation, modern
area! surveys, and intensive biomass data from research sites.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Linda Allison
Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Phone: (615)576-8449
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
83
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0059 Dataset Name: Major Land Resource Areas
Collecting Organization: USDA/NRCS
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/national/international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high; depends on data set
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1970's - 1980's to 1990
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page/disk/CD
URL Address: edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/eros-home.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The dataset contains land resource units that are geo-areas delineated by common
patterns of soil, climate, water resources, and land use characteristics. This dataset is
available in both raster and vector formats on the Conterminous U.S. AVHRR
Companion Disk.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: EROS Data Center
Organization: USGS EROS Data Center
Phone: (605)594-6151
Fax: (605)594-6589
E-mail: custserv@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov
Address: Customer Services
USGS, EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
85
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0060 Dataset Name: Conterminous U.S. Land Cover Charcteristics Data
CoUecting Organization: EROS Data Center
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/national/international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high; depends on data set
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1970's - 1980's to 1990
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy reports/web page/disk/CD
URL Address: edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/doc/edchome/ndcdb/ndcdb.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This land charcterization dataset incorporates a collection of land surface attributes that
define 159 seasonally distinct regions of the U.S. at 1-km resolution. The dataset
contains composite data from the image analysis of eight bands of AVHRR 28-day
maximum normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: EROS Data Center
Organization: USGS EROS Data Center
Phone: (605)594-6151
Fax: (605) 594-6589
E-mail: custserv@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov
Address: Customer Services
USGS, EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
87
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0061 Dataset Name: North American Landscape Characterization (NALC)
Collecting Organization: USEPA/USGS/NASA
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/national/international
Readiness: currently available/not complete for enitre US yet
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: every decade
Reporting Frequency: every decade
Collection Years: 1973 to 1991
Data Gaps: only two samples available
Format: unknown
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset provides information on corrected and projected and classified satellite
imagery for the 1970's through the 1990's. Digital elevation models have also been
created to correspond with the images. Also a biomass indicator layer has been created.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: EDC DAAC User Services
Organization: USGS EROS Data Center
Phone: (605)594-6116
Fax: (605)594-6963
E-mail: edc@eos.nasa.gov
Address: USGS EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
89
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0062 Dataset Name: National Agricultural Pest Information System
Collecting Organization: USD A/APHIS
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1900 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports/web page
URL Address: unknown
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This system provides survey data for plant pests in the United States.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: D. McNear
Organization: USDA/APHIS
Phone: (301)734-8247
Fax:
E-mail: dmcnear@aphis.usda.gov
Address: USDA/APfflS/PPQ
4700 River Road Unit 134
Riverdale, MD 20737
91
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0063 Dataset Name: Exotic Species Database
Collecting Organization: Nature Conservancy
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1992, 1995 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: digital system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: The data was first collected in 1992, then in 1995. This dataset assesses weed problems
on preserves stewarded by TNC and formulated control strategies. A website is
currently under development.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Barry Meyers-Rice
Organization: TNC
Phone: (530)754-8891
Fax:
E-mail: bazza@ucdavis.edu
Address: The Nature Conservancy
Wildland Weeds Mgmt & Research, Univ. of CA
Davis, CA 95616
93
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0064 Dataset Name: Noxious/Invasive Database
Collecting Organization: USD A/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1983 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This is a geospatially referenced dataset that graphically displays data on administrative
reporting, inventory, and biological control information. It also contains pesticide
information.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Rita Beard
Organization: USFS
Phone: (970)498-1715
Fax:
E-mail: unknown
Address: USFS
3825 E. Mulberry
Fort Collins, CO 80525
95
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0065 Dataset Name: Exotic Map Database
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1996 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: http://pcl9.nbs.nau.edu
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Exotic Map Database uses internet mapserver technology to help managers
integrate exotic plant management in the arid southwest. Data is collected on land
administered by the USGS.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Kathryn Thomas
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (520)556-7466
Fax:
E-mail: kat@nbs.nau.edu
Address: Colorado Plateau Field Station
P.O. Box 5614
Flagstaff, AR 86011
97
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0066 Dataset Name: Exotic Plants and Species Database
Collecting Organization: DOI/National Park Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1993,1996 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: digital system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The database contains most comprehensive data available about non-indigenous species
for the National Park Service on national park land.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: BillComrning
Organization: National Park Service
Phone: (202)208-4631
Fax:
E-mail: billcomming@nps.gov
Address: 1201 Oak Ridge Drive
Suite 350
Fort Collins, CO 80525
99
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0067 Dataset Name: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer Derived Land
Climatologies
Collecting Organization: NGDC
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1985 to 1994
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The CD includes climatological information such as normalized difference vegetation
index, precipitable water index, reflectances, temperatures (including statistics for these
parameters), and ancillary environmental data (such as soils, vegetation, ecosystems,
topography and climate) form NGDC's global ecosystems database and terrainbase.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: David Hastings
Organization: NGDC, Remote Sensing & Data Integration
Phone: (303)497-6729
Fax: (303)497-6513
E-mail: unknown
Address: unknown
101
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0068 Dataset Name: Global Vegetation Index
Collecting Organization: unknown
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: experimental
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1985 to 1992
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD/web page
URL Address: www.ngdc.gov/seg/fliers/se-2008.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset is an experimental normalized difference vegetation index based on
advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) of NOAA's polar urbiting
environmental satellites. NDVI data are an indication of vegetative processes such as
chlorophyll production.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: David Hastings
Organization: NGDC, Remote Sensing & Data Integration
Phone: (303)497-6729
Fax: (303)497-6513
E-mail: unknown
Address: unknown
103
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0069 Dataset Name: NASA Pathfinder Climate Data
Collecting Organization: NOAA/NASA
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: unknown to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This collection contains subsets of data concerning atmospheric climatology. Three
datasets (TOVA, TOVC1, TOVC2) are included, which were collected using the TOYS
(Tiros Operational Vertical Sounder) for determining geophysical parameters including
atmospheric temperatures, longwave radiation, cloud pressure, total precipitable water
and ocean precipitation. It also contains data collected by SSM/I team regarding
precipitation. It also contains data produced by the Advanced Very High Resolution
Radiometer on Vegetation.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Ted Habermann
Organization: NGDC
Phone: (303)497-6472
Fax:
E-mail: haber@ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: unknown
105
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0070 Dataset Name: Global Ecosystem Data
Collecting Organization: NGDC and USEPA
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available "
Quality: raster gridded map layers
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: unknown to 1992
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset includes selected data on the global environment, such as ecosystems, land
use, wetlands, vegetation (including satellite-derived vegetation index), climate,
topography, and soils.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: JohnKineman
Organization: NGDC
Phone: (303)497-6900
Fax:
E-mail: ijk@ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: unknown
707
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
DatasetID: D-0071 Dataset Name: Land Cover Classification
Collecting Organization: NCAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1984 to 1989
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: unknown
Narrative Description: This dataset includes the Land Cover and Land Cover Change Data for the Chesapeake
Bay. It contains descriptions of types of land cover in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
and describes landscape level changes that occurred in the land cover during the period
1984-1989. Trends in 15 different types of land cover are included.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Don Field
Organization: NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
Phone: (919)728-8764
Fax:
E-mail: unknown
Address: NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
101 Fivers Road
Beaufort, NC 285169722
109
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0072 Dataset Name: GLOBE Version 0.5
Collecting Organization: National Imagery & Mapping Agency
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1997 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Global Digital Elevation Model on a Nominal 1-km grid. The goal of GLOBE is to
represent elevation information for the Earth's entire land surface globe covers 60% of
the Earth's land surface, using a 30 arc-second latitude/longitude grid. The source of
the data is DTED (Digital Terrain Elevation Data).
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Paula Dunbar
Organization: NGDC
Phone: (303)497-6084
Fax:
E-mail: pdunbar@ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: unknown
777
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0073 Dataset Name: Terrain Base 1994
Collecting Organization: NGDC
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: unknown to 1994
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Terrainbase Global Digital Terrain Model contains a complete matrix of land
elevation and ocean depth values for the entire world gridded at 5-minute intervals.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Lee W. Row III
Organization: NGDC
Phone: (303)497-6764
Fax: (303)497-6513
E-mail: internetlwr@niail.ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: National Geophysical Data Center
325 Broadway, E/GCI
Boulder, CO 80303
113
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
DatasetJD: D-0074 Dataset Name: Fleet Numeric Oceanographic Center (FNOC)
Collecting Organization: National Center for Atmospheric Research
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1960 to 1984
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset contains Terrain Elevation Data, which is precursor data to Terrainbase.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: J Joseph
Organization: National Center for Atmospheric Research
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: National Center for Atmospheric Research
Data Support Section
Boulder, CO 80303
115
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0075 Dataset Name: Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: NA
Reporting Frequency: NA
Collection Years: NAtoNA
Data Gaps: NA
Format: NA
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: NA
Narrative Description: The BEST Program is designed to identify and understand the effects of environmental
contaminants on biological resources, particularly those under the stewardship of DOI.
At the national level, BEST will deploy a network of sites for monitoring contaminants
and effects on organisms. At the regional level, BEST will focus on selected high-
priority ecosystems to determine overall impacts contaminants are having on them. At
the local level, BEST will provide a site-specific contaminant assessment process
designed to focus on lands managed by DOI.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Christine Bunck
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (608)270-2407
Fax: (608)270-2415
E-mail:
Address: USGS/BRD, Science Office
6006 Schroeder Rd.
Madison, WI53711
117
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0076 Dataset Name: Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments
(IMPROVE)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1987 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: IMPROVE is an interagency monitoring program (NPS, EPA, FWS, USFS, and others)
that monitors and studies visibility in Federal Class I areas and the land surrounding
them (i.e., national parks, wildlife refuges, etc). The three primary objectives are (1) to
establish present visibility levels, (2) to identify sources of exisiting man-made
impariment, and (3) to document long-term trends to track progress towards meeting
the long-term goal of no man-made impairment of protected areas. IMPROVE has been
collecting data at 20 sites since 1987; 70 sites are under study today.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0022 Forest Land Subject to Specific Levels of Air Pollutants
Contact Name: William Malm
Organization: National Park Service
Phone: (970)491-8292
Fax: (970)491-8598
E-mail:
Address: National Survey Park Service-AIR
Foothills Campus, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
119
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0077 Dataset Name: Air Quality Monitoring Network
Collecting Organization: DOI/National Park Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1984 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: The dataset is a collection of gaseous pollutant data for national parks, especially those
designated as Class I areas. Measurements are made for ozone, sulfur dioxide, and
meteorological conditions. These data are added to the Aerometric Information
Retrieval System (AIRS) maintained by EPA/OAQPS.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Miguel Flores
Organization: National Park Service
Phone: (303)969-2076
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Monitoring and Data Analysis Branch, NPS - AIR
P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225
727
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
DatasetID: D-0078 Dataset Name: Breeding Bird Census (BBC)
Collecting Organization: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: Portions of the BBC are currently available
Quality: medium
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1937 to present
Data Gaps: little data for 1984 to 1988
Format: hard copy reports/web page (some data)
URL Address: http://www.im.nbs.gov/birds/bbc.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The BBC program is based on individual study plots establised within a single habitat
type. Standardized methods are followed to collect data on the avian and vegetative
communities. Over a period of years, these data provide insight into the changes
occuring in the breeding avifaunas within these communities. The BBC results are
provided as the total number of territories for each species present in each plot during
each year. Only some portions of the BBC database have been computerized and can be
accessed from the web page.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: James D.Lowe
Organization: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Phone: (607)254-2413
Fax: (607)254-2415
E-mail: JDL6@comell.edu
Address: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
123
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0079 Dataset Name: Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1989 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The MAPS program is a cooperative effort among public agencies, private
organizations and the bird banders of North America to develop long-term data on the
productivity, survivorship and population dynamics (e.g., age structure, recruitment,) of
target landbird species through constant-effort mist netting, banding and point counts
during the breeding season. By providing demographic information on landbirds, and
by relating these to climate data, the MAPS program can play a major role in aiding
efforts to conserve avian diversity in North America. It is expected that the MAPS
program will fit into a proposed integrated continent-wide population monitoring
scheme that will include several other long-term, large-scale monitoring programs, such
as the Breeding Bird Survey, that are already in operation on this continent.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: DaveDeSante
Organization: Institute for Bird Population
Phone: (415)663-1436
Fax: (415)663-9482
E-mail: 75521.271@compusenc.com
Address: Institute for Bird Population
P.O. Box 1346
125
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0079 Dataset Name: Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS)
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
126
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0080 Dataset Name: Bird Banding Program
Collecting Organization: USGS/Bird Banding Laboratory
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: medium
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: continuous
Collection Years: 1920 to present
Data Gaps: none
Format: disk/CD/hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Dept. of
the Interior and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The Bird Banding Laboratory issues
permits and bands, supplies forms, instructional materials and technical advice,
coordinates the use of auxiliary markers such as colored leg bands and radio
transmitters, serves as the repository for banding data, serves as the clearinghouse for
reports of banded birds, disseminates banding data to researches and managers, and
assists in the development and coordination of banding projects. BBL data files contain
records of 56 million bandings and 3 million recoveries of banded birds.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: JohnTautin
Organization: USGS/Bird Banding Laboratory
Phone: (301)497-5790
Fax: (301)497-5717
E-mail: John_Tautin@usgs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4037
Laurel, MD 207084037
727
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0081 Dataset Name: Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBC)
Collecting Organization: National Audubon Society
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: medium
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: early 1900s to present
Data Gaps: 1913-1958 & 1961-1987 data not computerized
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is an annual hemispheric early-winter bird census.
Volunteers count every individual bird and bird species over one calendar day (from
midnight to midnight), within well-defined geographic areas. Each bird count is a
circle 15 miles in diameter — approximately 177 square miles. Bird counters try to
cover as much of the circle area as possible within a 24-hour calendar day, counting
each individual bird and species they see or hear in their designated sector of the circle.
Over 45,000 people from all 50 states, every Canadian province, the Caribbean, Central
and South America and the Pacific Islands (all areas where the breeding birds of North
America spend their winter) participate in about 1,700 counts held during a two and
one-half week period. Data is available in the following published reports: "Field
Notes" and "American Notes."
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: GeoffLeBaron
Organization: National Audubon Society
Phone: (212)979-3083
Fai: (212)353-0321
E-mail: glebaron@audubon.org
Address: National Audubon Society Headquarters
729
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetlD: D-0081 Dataset Name: Audubon Christinas Bird Counts (CBC)
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
730
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0082 Dataset Name: Butterfly Monitoring Project (BMP)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: MA
Reporting Frequency: NA
Collection Years: NAtoNA
Data Gaps: NA
Format: NA
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: NA
Narrative Description: In the summer of 1995, USGS and a number of volunteers collected information that
will better enable them to evaluate the statistical properties of various counting
techniques for butterflies. Their plans are to evaluate all these numbers over the winter
and work with other groups currently monitoring butterflies, such as the Fourth of July
Butterfly Count, to create a system that willl yield statistically defensible estimates of
butterfly trends for North America.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: SamDroege
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (301)497-5500
Fax:
E-mail: frog@nbs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 207084039
131
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0083 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Integrated Monitoring Network (AIRMon)
Collecting Organization: NOAA/Air Resources Laboratory
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1992 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: web page
URL Address: http://nadp.nrel.colostate.edu/nadp-map/map.html/get_data.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network is an array of stations
designed to provide a research-based foundation for the routine operations of the
nation's deposition monitoring networks — the National Atmospheric Deposition
Program (NADP) for wet deposition, and the Clean Air Status and Trends Network
(CASTNet) for dry. The techniques of AIRMoN are designed to quantify the extent to
which changes in emissions affect air quality and deposition at selected Icoations.
Currently, the AIRMoN subnetwork comprises nine sites where precipitaion samples
are collected daily or on an event basis. The overall design target for AIRMoN is to
detect, with 95% confidence, the atmospheric concentration and deposition
consequences of a 5% reduction in emissions, over a two-year period. The specific
goals of the AIRMoN rapid detection monitoring program are to provide regular, timely
reports on the atmosphericc environment consequences of emission reductions, as
imposed under the Clean Air Act Amendments; to extend these observations to wet and
dry deposition rates that affect sensitive ecosystems; and to provide a direct linkage
between the monitoring and modeling communities that are involved.
Indicator Association(s):
733
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0083 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Integrated Monitoring Network (AIRMon)
Contact Name: JaneRothert
Organization: NOAA/Air Resources Laboratory
Phone: (217)333-7942
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
134
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetBD: D-0084 Dataset Name: Land Use Histoiy of North America (LUHNA)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: NA
Reporting Frequency: NA
Collection Years: NAtoNA
Data Gaps: NA
Format: NA
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: NA
Narrative Description: The purpose of LUHNA is to produce a well-documented history of patterns of land use
and environmental change by the year 2000; to demonstrate the educational value of a
Land Use History; to convey the utility of such a history in guiding future resource
managment decisions; to generate interest and participation from public and private
research organization, educational instiutions, grant makers, and the public; to proivde
a conceptual foundation for such an undertaking; to identify essential components of
LUHNA, such as a grounding in quanitiative methods that will permit comparisons
between locations and identification of trends through time; and to identify the major
areas of new research needed to integrate approaches taken by different disciplines, such
as anthropology, environmental history, ecology, and remote sensing.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: TonyJanetos
Organization: NASA
Phone: (202)358-0278
Fax: (202)358-2771
E-mail: tjanetos@mtpe.hg.NASA.gov
Address: NASA HQ, Code YSE
300 E Street, SW
135
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0084 Dataset Name: Land Use History of North America (LUHNA)
Washington, DC 20546
136
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0085 Dataset Name: Migration Monitoring Program
Collecting Organization: NA
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: NA
Reporting Frequency: NA
Collection Years: NAtoNA
Data Gaps: NA
Format: NA
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: NA
Narrative Description: A group of Canadian and US ornithologists have joined together to design and
implement monitoring systems for birds during migration. Counts taken during
migrartion suffer high variablity in counts and captures. However, for boreal zone
migrants, such as Gray-cheeked Thrush, Cape May Warbler, and Bay-breasted
Warblers, counts during migration are the only real opportunity to track population
changes. The program has initiated a new program to count birds as they migrate north
and south. The program consists of a network of migration monitoring stations (e.g.,
bird observatories, migration banding stations, and daily migrant counts) and a more
extensive program to collect daily field checklists from birders. The scientific report on
recommendations for checklist programs is now finished and approved by the Migration
Monitoring Council.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Erica Dunn
Organization: Canadian Wildlife Service
Phone: (819)994-0182
Fax: (819)953-6612
E-mail: Erica.Dunn@ec.gc.ca
Address: National Wildlife Research Centre
737
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0085 Dataset Name: Migration Monitoring Program
100 Gamelin Boulevard
Hull, Quebec, Canada,
738
-------
Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0086 Dataset Name: Annual Public Finances Survey
Collecting Organization: Department of Commerce/US Census Bureau
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: high
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1952 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy/disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Survey provides current estimates of state and local government financial activity.
The United States Code Title 13, authorizes this survey and provides for voluntary
responses. Data are obtrained for revenue, expenditures, debt, and financial assets.
Revenue data include taxes, charges, interest, and other earnings. Expenditures data
include totals by function (such as education and police protection) and by accounting
category (such as current operations and capital outlays). Debt data include issuance,
retirement, and cumulative totals. This dataset is compiled of data from 3 sources: an
enumeration of all 50 state governments, a survey of 13,000 selected local governments,
and data from Federal agnecies. Collection methods vary by state and type of
government.
Indicator Associations):
Contact Name: Henry Wulf
Organization: Department of Commerce/US Census Bureau
Phone: (800)242-2184
Fax:
E-mail: hwidf@census.gov
Address:
139
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0087 Dataset Name: Project Feeder Watch
Collecting Organization: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: low
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: 1987 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Project Feeder Watch began as a winter survey of the birds that visit backyard feeders in
North America. The information collected each year helps ornithologists track changes
in the abundance and distribution of bird species that use feeders in the winter. The
goals of the program are to: gather long-term data on winter bird populations
throughout North America; detect significant population declines or expansions, track
the dynamic movements of nomadic and irruptive species during the winter months,
identify habitat features, involve bird watchers in serious ornithological study, and
provide direct feedback to project participants and the general public regarding bird
population trends.
Indicator Association^):
Contact Name: Margaret Barker
Organization: Cornell Lab of Ornithology/PFW
Phone: (607)254-2440
Fax:
E-mail: feederwatch@cornell.edu
Address: 159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 148501999
141
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0088 Dataset Name: July Duck Production Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1961 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: In July a portion of the lines surveyed in May during the Breeding Waterfowl Survey
are suveyed to obtain information on duck production. These counts yield measures of
duck production and give an idea of the timing of nesting chronology for the year,
assess water body abundance, and result in a qualitative assessment of July habitat
conditions. The July brood counts are not adjusted for visibility bias and thus provide
only a relative index rather than a direct estimate. The July Duck Production Survey is
helpful in predicting the number of ducks to be expected during the Fall hunting season.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Graham Smith
Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301)497-5860
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
143
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetD): D-0089 Dataset Name: May Breeding Waterfowl and Habitat Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: regional/north-central US/Canada/Alaska
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1955 to prresent
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Each May and June, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service survey breeding waterfowl from the north-central U.S. throughout Canada and
Alaska. Survey biologists estimate numbers and species from airplanes flown along
transects. A portion of the transects are then surveyed from the ground by biologists
who census all waterfowl. The ground census corrects for birds not counted by the
aerial team. This survey is the most extensive wildlife survey in the world, and its
results are a major factor used in setting annual duck-hunting regulations. Excellent
survey data exist in the form of graphs for mallards, gadwall, American wigeon, green-
winged teal, blue-winged teal, northern shoveler, northern pintail, redhead, cnavasback,
and scaup.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Graham Smith
Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301)497-5860
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
145
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0090 Dataset Name: Winter Surveys
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1950 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Many geese and ducks can't be counted in the spring and summer on breeding areas
because they either can't be surveyed using airplanes or they nest in remote and
inaccessible Artie areas. Abundance indices for these species are obtained from surveys
on wintering areas. Most of these surveys are targeted at specific species or
populations. A nationwide effort to survey all waterfowl is conducted annually in
January. This, the Midwinter Survey, provides information on population trends for
some species, distribution on the wintering grounds, and habitat use.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Jerry Serie
Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301)497-5851
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
147
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0091 Dataset Name: Mourning Dove Call-Count Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratoiy Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1966 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Mourning Dove Call-Count Survey was developed to provide an index to
population size and to detect annual changes in mourning dove breeding populations in
the U.D. The survey consists of numerous routes throughout the U.S., which are
surveyed in late May and early June. The resulting estimates of relative abundance and
population trends comprise the principal information used in the annual setting of
mourning dove hunting seasons.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Graham Smith
Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301)497-5860
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
149
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0092 Dataset Name: Woodcock Singing-Ground Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: regional/eastern US and Canada
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1968 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Woodcock Singing-Ground Survey exploits the conspicuous courtship display of
the male woodcock. The survey consists of numerous routes in the eastern half of the
U.S. and Canada, which are surveyed in the spring. Counts of singing male woodcock
along the routes provide an index to woodcock abundance, and are used to estimate
woodcock population trends for states, provinces, management regions, and the
continent. The survey is the major source of information considered in the annual
setting of woodcock hunting seasons.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Graham Smith
Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301)497-5860
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
757
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0093 Dataset Name: Forest Insect and Disease Conditions
Collecting Organization: USD A/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1952 to present
Data Gaps: nearly two year lag in reporting; most recent report is 1996 report
(summarizing 1995 data)
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Data are collected on federal, state, and private forest lands in the United States via
aerial and ground surveys. Data are analyzed for type of insect/disease damage (e.g.,
pine beetle, gypsy moth, spruce budworm, dwarf mistletoe, root diseases, etc.), size of
area affected, and dollars lost by region. Trend data are available.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Dick Fowler
Organization: U.S. Forest Service
Phone: (202)205-1598
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: USDA Forest Service (FHP, AB, 2S)
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, DC 200906090
153
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0094 Dataset Name: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
Collecting Organization: University of Georgia
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1957 to present
Data Gaps: NA
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) is a leader in in
wildlife health research, service, and teaching. SCWDS's objectives are: to detect
causes of sickness and death in wildlife; to define the impact of diseases and parasites
upon wildlife populations; to delineate disease interrelationships between wildlife and
domestic animals; to determine the role of wildlife in transmission of human diseases;
and to develop methods of disease prevention and control in wildlife populations.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: John Fischer
Organization: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Desease Study
Phone: (706)542-1741
Fax: (706)542-5865
E-mail:
Address: College of Veterinary Medicine
(Building 6)
Athens, GA 306027393
155
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16,1998
DatasetID: D-0096 Dataset Name: North American Conservation Assessment
Collecting Organization: WWF
Geographic Scale: North America/Canada
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: one time only
Reporting Frequency: one time only
Collection Years: NAtoNA
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: WWFs North American Conservation Assessment (also referred to as the referred to as
the North American Status Assessment) is a comprehensive study undertaken to chart
the biological wealth and distinctiveness of all ecoregions north of Mexico. In all,
North America was divided into over 100 ecoregions. These regions were then scaled
for biological distinctiveness qualities (like species richness and mammal richness) and
conservation status. These evaluations were combined to gauge the relative biological
importance of ecoregions and were then scaled according to recommended conservation
actions.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: World Wildlife Fund
Organization: World Wildlife Fund
Phone: (202)293-4800
Fax: (202)293-9211
E-mail:
Address: 1250 24th Street, NW
Washington, DC 200371175
757
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0097 Dataset Name: North American Raptor Monitoring Strategy
Collecting Organization: NA
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: early development
Quality: NA
Collection Frequency: NA
Reporting Frequency: NA
Collection Years: NAtoNA
Data Gaps: NA
Format: NA
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: NA
Narrative Description: A program for developing a comprehensive North American strategy for monitoring the
population status of diurnal raptors. The goal of the strategy will be to monitor the
status and trends in continental and regional populations of Nearctic diurnal raptors in
Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Bob Lehman
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (208)331-5205
Fax:
E-mail:
Address: Snake River Field Station
970 Lusk St.
Boise, ID 83706
759
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0098 Dataset Name: STATSGO
Collecting Organization: USDA/NRCS/Soil Survey Division
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: unknown to unknown
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page/CD
URL Address: www.ncg.nrcs.usda.gov/stat_data.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Soil maps for the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) data base are made by
generalizing the detailed soil survey data. The mapping scale for STATSGO map is
1:250,000 (with the exception of Alaska, which is 1:1,000,000). The level of mapping
is designed to be used for broad planning and management uses covering state,
regional, and multi-state areas.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Craig Palmer
Organization:
Phone: (702)895-1797
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
767
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0099 Dataset Name: US Postal Service Delivery Statistics
Collecting Organization: US Postal Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Quality: very good
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: updated monthly
Collection Years: unknown to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: disk/CD
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset provides detailed information about addresses in the United States. Data
can be retrieved at a variety of levels (e.g., city/state, 5-digit zip, or zip+4 level). Data
would need to be manipulated to count addresses or to evaluate trends in where
addresses occur.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: U.S. Postal Service
Organization: U.S. Postal Service
Phone: (800)238-3150
Fax: (901)681-4252
E-mail:
Address: National Customer Support Center
6080 Primacy parkway, Suite 201
Memphis, TN 381880001
163
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0100 Dataset Name: Ecological Site Inventory
Collecting Organization: DOI/BLM
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: unknown
Reporting Frequency: unknown
Collection Years: unknown to unknown
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Ecological Site Inventory produces data and maps of habitat types on public lands.
The data can be used to indicate production capability, suitability for grazing, wildlife,
recreation, natural beauty, watershed management, and open space.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: NedHabich
Organization: Bureau of Land Management
Phone: (303)236-0166
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
Denver, CO
165
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ED: D-0101 Dataset Name: National Classification of Ecologic Communities
Collecting Organization: Nature Conservancy
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: expected soon
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1997 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: hard copy reports
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The dataset is a national classification of terrestrial communities. The classification,
which is hierarchial and is based on both the structure and floristics of existing
vegetation, was recently adopted by the FGDC as the standard classification and
mapping to be used across all federal facilities. 4200 communities currently exist in the
database. The two-volume set will be published in spring 1998.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: MarkBryer
Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Phone: (703)841-4191
Fax: (703)525-8024
E-mail: mbryer@tnc.org
Address: The Nature Conservancy
1815 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
167
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0102 Dataset Name: Defense Meteorological Satellite Data
Collecting Organization: NOAA/NGDC/Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1972 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: dmsp@ngdc.noaa.gov
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The DM satellite has meteorological sensors attached to it, each collecting different
types of data (e.g., microwave frequencies, cloud distribution and temperatures, and
atmospheric particulates).
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Ed Erwin
Organization: National Geospatial Data Center
Phone: (303)497-6133
Fax:
E-mail: eerwin@ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: NGDC
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 803033328
169
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0103 Dataset Name: Ecological Exposure Research Data
Collecting Organization: USEPA/National Health and Environmental Research Lab
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: < annual
Reporting Frequency: < annual
Collection Years: 1997 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: web page
URL Address: expected soon
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The database will contain data on ecological exposures to UV-B, ozone, nitrogen
deposition, and other atmospheric pollutants. Research projects to collect data will be
funded in Spring 1998.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: BillHogsett
Organization: EPA/National Health and Environmental Effects Researc
Phone: (541)754-4632
Fax:
E-mail: hogsett.william@epamail.epa.gov
Address: National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab
200 SW 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97333
777
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Dataset ID: D-0104 Dataset Name: UV-B Monitoring Data
Collecting Organization: DIS Pro Demonstration Intesnive Site Projects
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1996 to present
Data Gaps: none
Format: web page
URL Address: expected January 1998
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset contains UV-B monitoring data for 14 rural areas (located in 14 national
parks) and 8 urban areas. The urban areas were selected in cities with cancer registries.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: BillHogsett
Organization: EPA/National Health and Environmental Effects Researc
Phone: (541)754-4632
Fax:
E-mail: hogsett.william@epamail.epa.gov
Address: National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab
200 SW 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97333
773
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0105 Dataset Name: Global Inventory of Biomass Burning
Collecting Organization: NOAA/NGDC/Solar Terrestrial Physics
Geographic Scale: national/international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1992 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset contains satellite imagery of wildfire data. A month's worth of burning
products are available for Indonesia and Brazil and are posted on the Web
(dmsp@ngdc.noaa.gov).
Indicator Association^):
Contact Name: Dave Serke
Organization: NOAA/Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Phone: (303)497-6126
Fax:
E-mail: dserke@ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: 3100 Marine Street
room 109
Boulder, CO 80303
775
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Dataset Description Monday, February 16, 1998
DatasetID: D-0106 Dataset Name: Distribution of Clouds and Cloud Top Temperatures
Collecting Organization: NCAA/Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Quality: unknown
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1972 to present
Data Gaps: unknown
Format: system
URL Address: NA
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset contains infrared and visible imagery from DMSP Operational Linescan
System (OLS) instrumens. The data are used to monitor the global distribution of cloud
cover and cloud top temperatures.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: EdErwin
Organization: National Geospatial Data Center
Phone: (303)497-6133
Fax:
E-mail: eerwin@ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: NGDC
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 803033328
777
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Appendix C
Indicator Descriptions
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0001 Indicator Name: Gap Analysis
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: diagnostic
Specificity: biodiversity
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: maps of U.S. land cover and vertebrate species distribution
Geographic Scale: state with potential for national aggregation
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: Gap analysis is a geographic approach for assessing the current protection status of
biological diversity over large geographic areas. The program is conducted as
state-level projects and is coordinated by BRD. The goal is to provide regional
assessments of the conservation status of native vertebrate species and natural land
cover types. Vegetation is mapped from satelite imagery and other records using
the National Vegetation Classification System. Native animal species ranges are
mapped by using: museum and agency specimen collection records; known
general ranges; and known affiliations between animals and vegetation types.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Michael Jennings
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (208)885-3555
Fax:
E-mail: unknown
Address: National GAP Office
530 S. Asbury St., Suite 1
Moscow, ED 83843
-------
Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0002 Indicator Name: Terrestrial Salamander Populations
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: diagnostic
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: changes in populations of terrestrial salamanders
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Funding: not funded
Narrative Description: The Terrestrial Salamander Monitoring Program, which is currently being
developed, will establish a network of sites in North America that will collect trend
information on terrestrial The program is in the stages of recruiting monitoring
sites and local coordinators. The results of salamander population monitoring
combined with other ecosystem measures (e.g., geographic location, land
management, air quality, vegetation, and other animal species) will permit the
investigation of the effects of ecosystem attributes on their population dynamics.
Researchers hypothesize that salamander population trends may be an indicator of
forest health.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0002 North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAM
Contact Name: SamDroege
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (301)497-5500
Fax:
E-mail: frog@nbs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 207084039
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator D): 1-0003 Indicator Name: Contribution of Forest Products to the Global Carbon
Budget
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: forest contibution to global carbon cycles
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/early develop
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: USDA/NRCS is now testing protocols for measuring total carbon in forest
ecosystems. This indicator uses the FLA data set. It indicates total amount of
carbon entgering the world's atmosphere contributed from forest ecosystems. The
indicator can be used to monitor ecological and sustainable management of
production forests and the long lasting use of forest products.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
-------
Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0004 Indicator Name: Contribution of Forest Ecosystems to Total Global Budget
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: forest contibution to global carbon cycles
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/early develop
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures contribution of forest ecosystems to total global carbon
budget. The dataset used for indication is from 1992 for the conterminous U.S.
and 1987 for Alaska. In addition to the contribution of forest ecosystems to total
global budget, the indicator also looks at the absorption and release of carbon in
standing biomass, coarse woody debris, peat, and soil carbon. USDA/NRSC is
testing protocols for measuring total carbon in forest ecosystems.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549^022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
-------
Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0005 Indicator Name: Total Forest Ecosystem Biomass and Carbon Pool
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: Forest contribution to global carbon cycles
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/early develop
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon pool, and if
appropriate, it distinguishes it by forest type, age class, and successional stage.
This indicator measures the regulation of atmospheric carbon in forest ecosystems
as a function of the accumulation of biomass as vegetation, debris, peat, and soil
function. The production rate of biomass is a measure of forest health and
vitality. USDA/NRCS is testing protocols for measuring total carbon in forest
ecosystems. Data sets used by this indicator include FIA, NATSGO (National Soil
Carbon Database), and STATSGO (State Soil Carbon Database).
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
D-0042 National Soil Geographic Database (NATSGO)
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rrpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
-------
Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0006 Indicator Name: Forest Land Experiencing an Accumulation of Persistent
Toxic Substances
Assessment Type: pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: maintenance and conservation of soil resources
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land experiencing an
accumulation of persistent toxic substances. It is an indicator of current ecosystem
health and a potential indicator of long-term ecosystem health. There is no
national data available for sites of smaller magnitude or lower toxicities than
Superfund sites. It uses the following data sets: EPA database of Superfund sites
in forests, (database does not include non-Superfund waste sites); EPA Permit
Compliance System (PCS) and NPDES data; and EPA's National Watershed
Assessment Program (NWAP).
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
11
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0007 Indicator Name: Forest Land with Significant Compaction of Changes in
Soil Physical Properties
Assessment Type: pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: conservation and maintenance of soil resources
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/early develop
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land with significant
compaction of changes in soil physical properties resulting from human activities.
This indicator shows that increases in soil compaction negatively effects nutrient
and water availability to forest vegetation. Subsurface hydrology can also be
affected by soil compaction. Compaction of surface soil reduces soil infiltration
resulting in more runoff, increased erosion, reduction in biomass production and
impaired watershed function. It uses the USDA Forest Service Long-Term Soil
Productivity Research Initiative (LTSP) data set.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549^022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
13
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0008 Indicator Name: Forest Land with Significantly Diminished Soil Organic
Matter and/or Changes in Other Soil Chemical Porperties
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: conservation and maintenance of soil resources
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/early develop
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land with significantly
diminished soil organic matter and/or changes in other soil chemical properties.
Decrease in soil organic matter is an indicator of ecosystem disturbance. It uses
the USDA Forest Service Long-Term Soil Productivity Research Initiative (LTSP)
data set.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapflun.gov
Address:
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0009 Indicator Name: Forest Land Managed Primarily for Protective Functions
Assessment Type: pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: conservation of soil resources
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator provides a measure of forest land managed for protective functions
such as watersheds, flood protection, avalanche protection and riparian zones.
This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land with managed
primarily for protection functions (e.g., watersheds, flood protection, avalanche
protection, and riparian zones). Specifically, it is a measure of forest land
allocated primarily for the protection of valuable environmental amenities
associated with clean air, water, soil, food, and avalanche protection (i.e., public
health and safety). It uses forest area data set aside for protective functions
available on a state-by-state basis, however there is no national data.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
77
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16,1998
Indicator ID: 1-0010 Indicator Name: Forest Land with Significant Soil Erosion
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: conservation and maintenance of soil resources
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: Soil erosion is an important indicator of potential effects on aquatic ecosystems
associated with forests, recreational opportunities, potable water supplies and the
lifespan of river infrastructure (i.e., dams, bridges). This indicator considers the
area and percent of forest land with significant soil erosion. It assesses primarily
forest roads and wild fires. It uses the NRI data set.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0017 National Resources Inventory (NRT)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapflini.gov
Address:
19
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0011 Indicator Name: Extent of Area by Forest Type and Age Class or
Successional Stage
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: ecosystem diversity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures acreage of specific forest type and age class or
successional stage. Forest maturation leads to an increase in diversity of forest
structure, but a decreased diversity of forest types. This indicator uses the NRI and
FIA data sets.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
D-0017 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
21
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0012 Indicator Name: Extent of Area by Forest Type Relative to Total Forest Area
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: amount of agreage of forest type relative to total forest area; ecosystem diversity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures amount of specific forest types by region in the contiguous
U.S. It is an important indicator of forest types that are decreasing in area, in turn
decreasing ecosystem diversity. This indicator uses the NRI and FIA data sets.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
D-0017 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
23
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0013 Indicator Name: Fragmentation of Forest Types
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: ecosystem diversity
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures patch areas and distances between patches of forests. The
fragmentation of a forest disrupts ecological processes and reduces the available
habitat. There are no national datasets that currently exist. Models include
fragmentation data for cascade range of Oregon.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
25
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16,1998
Indicator ID: 1-0014 Indicator Name: Number of Forest Dependent Species
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: species diversity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: For this indicator, species number is the most fundamental element of species
diversity. This indicator is also a measure of species richness, species density, and
species evenness. This indicator uses the FIA and FHM data sets.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapflun.gov
Address:
27
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0015 Indicator Name: Status of Threatened & Endangered Species
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: species diversity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers threatened and endangered species of forest-dependent
species at risk of not maintaining variable breeding populations. It indicates the
number of threatened and endangered species by forest land type category. Forest
categories include deciduous, evergreen, mixed and wetland. Threatened and
endangered species are categorized as plant, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian,
fish, snail, clam, crustacean, and insect. Species can occur in more than one land
type category. It uses the following data sets: Biological and Conservation
database (TNC), USDI, and Threatened and Endangered Species databases
(USEPA).
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0054 Natural Heritage Network
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
29
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0016 Indicator Name: Number of Forest Dependent Species in Restricted Range
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: genetic diversity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator analyzes the number of forest-dependent species that occupy a small
portion of their former range. It measures population size and the distribution of
interacting populations, which are critical attributes in evaluating genetic
diversity. It uses the Natural Heritage Central Databases.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0054 Natural Heritage Network
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
31
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0017 Indicator Name: Area of Forest Land and Net Area Forest Land Available
for Timber Production
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: productive capacity of forest ecosystem
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures areas of forest used for timber porduction relavtive to total
area of forest. Data is available for timberland, but information regarding the
productive capacity for other forest lands is limited. This indicator uses the NRI
and FIA data sets.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
D-0017 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rrpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
33
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16,1998
Indicator ID: 1-0018 Indicator Name: Total Growing Stock of Both Merchantable and Non-
Merchantable Tree Species on Forest Land Available for
Timber Production
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: productive capacity of forest ecosystems (timber supply opportunities)
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator provides an indication of timber supply opportunities. Some
information for non-commercial species is available from the regional FIA
programs, but no national data is available. This indicator uses the FIA data set.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0019 Indicator Name: Sustainability of Wood Products Harvest
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: productive capacity of forest ecosystems
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures forest's availability to provide a continuing supply of
forest products and economic and forest management opportunities. This indicator
uses the FIA and NRI data sets.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
D-0017 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
37
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0020 Indicator Name: Sustainability of Non-timber Forest Products Harvest
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: productive capacity of forest ecosystems
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available/early develop
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the annual removal of non-timber forest products (e.g., fur
bearing animals, berries, mushrooms, game) and compares it to the level
determined to be sustainable. It indicates the forest's ability to provide a
continuing supply of forest products, and economic and forest management
opportunities. It uses state-by-state data on game species, however no national
data for other non-timber products is available. There is no complete national
scale data.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfrim.gov
Address:
39
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0021 Indicator Name: Forests Affected by Other Natural and Human-Induced
Pressures
Assessment Type: pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: forest ecosystem health and vitality
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the area and percent of forest affected by natural and
human-induced pressures on ecosystems. Pressures are categorized by native
insects and diseases, exotic insects and diseases, exotic plants and diseases, fire,
weather, flood, land clearance, salinization, and domestic animal invasion. It uses
the following data sets: FIA; Intennountain Fire Sciences Lab (for fire data);
National Interagency Fire Center, Boise, Idaho; and Forest Heallth Monitoring
Program.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
41
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16,1998
Indicator ID: 1-0022 Indicator Name: Forest Land Subject to Specific Levels of Air Pollutants
Assessment Type: pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: forest ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land subject to specific
levels of air pollutants (e.g., sulfates, nitrates, ozone) or ultraviolet B that may
cause negative impacts on the forest ecosystem. It is an indicator of the effects of
atmospheric pollutants resulting form anthropogenic activities. It includes use of
lichens as bioindicators of forest health. It uses the following data sets: National
Acid Deposition Program Data (NADP); University of Georgia and USEPA
Ultraviolet Monitoring Network; USD A UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program;
Mercury Deposition Network; National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National
Trends Network; Aerometric Monitoring; Interagency Monitoring of Protected
Visual Environments (IMPROVE); North American Maple Project (NAMP);
Forest Health Monitoring Datasets; and National Acid Precipitation Assessment
program (NAPAP).
Dataset Asssociarion(s): D-0009 National Atmospheric Deposition Program & National Tr
D-0021 Mercury Deposition Network
D-0053 UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
D-0076 Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhni.gov
Address:
43
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0023 Indicator Name: Forest Land with Diminished Ecological Components
Assessment Type: pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: forest ecoystem health
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator shows whether key ecological components, processes of ecological
continuity are begin negatively affected, suggesting a decline in forest ecosystem
sustainability. This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land with
diminished biological components indicative of changes in fundamental
ecological processes (e.g., soil, nutient cycling, seed dispersion, pollination, and/or
ecological continuity (monitoring of functionally important species such as
nematocles, arboreal epiphytes, beetles, fungi, wasps, etc.). It specifically
measures whether key ecological components or processes, or ecological continuity
are changing in a negative way, suggesting a decline in sustainability. The
indicator uses the US national Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP)
data set.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
45
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0024 Indicator Name: Population Levels of Forest-dependent Bird Species
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: genetic diversity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: Representative species monitored include forest dependent species whose
population levels are indicative of overall levels of genetic diversity for a larger
group of forest species. This indicator uses the BBS data set.
Dataset Asssociation(s): D-0001 North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)
Contact Name: KenStolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
47
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0025 Indicator Name: Soil Measurements: Infiltration
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator includes a specific set of indicators for monitoring state of soils on
rangelands. Project-specific data sets and associated methods for collecting data
are available from the contact. The indicator can be applied to any rangeland
ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitfbrd
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VERNMSU, Box 30003
Las Cnices, NM 880030003
49
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0026 Indicator Name: Soil Measurements: Soil Stability
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator includes a specific set of indicators for monitoring state of soils on
rangelands. Project-specific data sets and associated methods for collecting data
are available from the contact. The indicator can be applied to any rangeland
ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, MM 880030003
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator D): 1-0027 Indicator Name: Soil Measurements: Soil Penetrometer Resistance
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator includes a specific set of indicators for monitoring state of soils on
rangelands. Project-specific data sets and associated methods for collecting data
are available from the contact. The indicator can be applied to any rangeland
ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, NM 880030003
53
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16,1998
Indicator ID: 1-0028 Indicator Name: Soil Measurements: Soil Depth
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: Rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator includes a specific set of indicators for monitoring state of soils on
rangelands. Project-specific data sets and associated methods for collecting data
are available from the contact. The indicator can be applied to any rangeland
ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: WaltWhitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USD A-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
DepL 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, NM 880030003
55
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0029 Indicator Name: Soil Surface Characterization
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is a specific indicator used to monitor rangeland health. Specific data sets
and associated methods for collecting data are available from the contact. The
indicator can be applied to any rangeland ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, NM 880030003
57
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0030 Indicator Name: Vegetation Characterization: Vegetation Structure
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic/biotic
Measures: rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is a specific indicator used to monitor rangeland health. Specific data sets
and associated methods for collecting data are available from the contact. The
indicator can be applied to any rangeland ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Wbitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, NM 880030003
59
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0031 Indicator Name: Vegetation Characterization: Canopy Cover
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: expected soon
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is a specific indicator used at rangeland sites. Specific data sets and
associated methods for collecting data are available from the contact. The
indicator can be applied to any rangeland ecosystem.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 880030003
61
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0032 Indicator Name: Satellite Imageiy of the Normalized Difference Vegetation
Index (NDVI)
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: change (trend)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: changes in vegetation as an indicator of irreversible degradation of rangeland ecosystem
Geographic Scale: regional/southern NM
Readiness: early development
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator uses advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) satellite
imagery to study ecosystems of large geographic area. This indicator uses project-
specific data sets that are available from the contact.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USD A-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, NM 880030003
63
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0033 Indicator Name: Slake Test for Soil Surface Stability
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: grassland/rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: early warning indicator of rangeland/grassland ecosystem degradation
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is an extremely sensitive indicator of soil ecosystem degradation for coarse-
tempered soils which exist on rangeland ecosystems. Soil stability can be
determined in three strata: bare soil, grass, and scrubs. This indicator uses project-
specific data sets that are available from the contact.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, MM 880030003
65
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16,1998
Indicator ID: 1-0034 Indicator Name: Bare Patch Index Based on Canopy Cover
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: grassland/rangeland.
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: an indicator of desertification of perennial grasslands; early ecosystem disturbance
Geographic Scale: regional/southwestern US
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is an indicator of precipitation and wind driven erosion. It is part of a core
set of indicators of desertification. This indicator uses project-specific data sets
that are available from the contact.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: WaltWhitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
DepL 3 VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, NM 880030003
67
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0035 Indicator Name: Bare Patch Index Based on Soil Surface Measurements
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: grassland/rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: an indicator of desertification of perennial grasslands; early ecosystem disturbance
Geographic Scale: regional/southwestern US
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicates overland water flow driven erosion which is a early indication of
desertification. Part of a core set of indicators associated with desertification of
grasslands. This indicator uses project-specific data sets that are available from
the contact.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VERNMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 880030003
69
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator D): 1-0036 Indicator Name: Percent Grass Cover, Percent Long-lived Grass Cover,
Percent Cover of Vegetative Reproducers
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: grassland/rangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: an indicator of desertification of perennial grasslands; early ecosystem disturbance
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This provides early warning indicators of the desertification of grasslands. This
indicator uses project-specific data sets that are available from the contact.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Pbone: (505)646-8032
Fax:
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: USDA-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3 VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Graces, MM 880030003
77
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0038 Indicator Name: Degree of Biophysical Constraints Indicators
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: relative geographic position of a farm or subcatchment to the position of the catchment.
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: The indicators are being used in the USEPA Mid-Atlantic pilot project. Specific
indicators in this group are: farm position in catchment relative to biophysical
constraints, subcatchment position relative to biophysical constraints, and
catchment position in region relative to biophysical constraints. This indicator
uses remote sensing data, including Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometry.
This indicator was derived from a diaper of a book entitled Indicators of
Landscape Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H. Riitters, J.D. Wickham, and C.
Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of Catchment Health.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Lab.
Phone: (702)798-2671
Fax:
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
73
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0039 Indicator Name: Greenness Pattern Indicators
Assessment Type: state/pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: losses in productivity, increases in erosion and loss in buffer capacity along streams
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This group of indicators is being used in the USEPA Mid-Atlantic pilot project.
Specific indicators in this group include normalized difference vegetation index
(NDVI) pattern and change, NDVI expected versus observed based on soils,
topography, vegetation, and climate, and NDTI changes. This indicator uses
landsat and SPOT satellite imagery, aerial photography, and data on soils,
geology, topography, and climate. This indicator was derived from a chaper of a
book entitled Indicators of Landscape Integrity by 6. Jones, I. Walker, K.H.
Riitters, J.D. Wickham, and C. Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of
Catchment Health.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Lab.
Phone: (702)798-2671
Fax:
E-mail: jones.bnice@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
75
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0040 Indicator Name: Ground Water Indicators
Assessment Type: state/pressure
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: estimates the local and regional impacts of changes in recharge (water moving beyond
rootzone) on catchment behavior.
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This group of indicators is used in the USEPA Mid-Atlantic pilot project.
Indicators in this category include albedo change, topographical concavity
variation, depth to watertable. This indicator was derived from a diaper of a book
entitled Indicators of Landscape Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H. Riitters,
J.D. Wickham, and C. Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of Catchment Health.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Lab.
Phone: (702)798-2671
Fax:
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
77
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0041 Indicator Name: Land Cover Composition and Pattern Indicators
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: dominance, spatial distribution and juxtaposition of land cover elements
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is an indicator set which is being used in the USEPA Mid-Atlantic pilot
project More specific indicators in this group include land cover dominance, land
cover connectivity and degree of fragmentation, land cover shape and complexity,
land cover patch size, amount of land cover in protective status, percentage of land
cover types at different scales and percentage of paddocks on slopes greater than
5%. This indicator was derived from a chaper of a book entitled Indicators of
Landscape Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H. Riitters, J.D. Wickham, and C.
Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of Catchment Health.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Lab.
Phone: (702)798-2671
Fax:
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
79
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0042 Indicator Name: Riparian Extent & Distribution Indicators
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: size and amount of riparian buffer adjacent to streams and water courses
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This set of inindicator set is being used in the USEPA Mid-Atlantic pilot project.
Size and amount of riparian buffer is an important determinant of soil loss,
sediment movement and contaminant movement at the farm, subcatchment and
catchment scales. Indicators in this group include: percentage of woody
vegetation along stream/unit stream distance, connectivity of woody vegetation
along streams/unit stream distance, percentage of woody vegetation along streams
by width class/unit of stream distance. This indicator was derived from a chaper
of a book entitled Indicators of Landscape Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H.
Riitters, J.D. Wickham, and C. Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of
Catchment Health.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Lab.
Phone: (702)798-2671
Fax:
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
81
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ED: 1-0043 Indicator Name: Erosion Potential Indicators
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: soil loss involving the integration of land cover, precipitation, topography, and soils data
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This set of indicators is being used in the USEPA Mid-Atlantic pilot project.
Indicators include estimates of soil loss involving the integration of land cover,
precipitation, topography, and soils data. Measurements are made using a
universal soil loss model. Specific indicators include percentage of bare soil, soil
loss distribution, percentage of farms on credible soils, distance of agricultural
patches from streams, percentage of paddocks on greater than 5% slopes. This
indicator was derived from a chaper of a book entitled Indicators of Landscape
Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H. Riitters, J.D. Wickham, and C. Nicoll from a
book entitled Indicators of Catchment Health.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Lab.
Phone: (702)798-2671
Fax:
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
83
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0044 Indicator Name: Area and Growing Stock of Plantations of Native and
Exotic Species
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: forest managment intensity, or of efforts to reclaim degraded lands or marginal
agricultural lands
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator measures net volume of growing stock on timberland in the U.S. by
species group and region. Most complete datasets associated with this indicator
are for southern region forest plantations. Data sets are from USDA Forest
Service, where the most recent data are from 1992.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: USFS Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919)549-4022
Fax:
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
Address:
85
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0045 Indicator Name: Nighttime Lights
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: human population pressure
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: area lit by anthropogenic visible-near infrared emissions (i.e., lights)
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: A satellite-based inventory of human settlements derived from nighttime data from
the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan
System (OLS). The area lit is highly correlated to gross domestic product and
electric power consumption. The data can be used to define and update the spatial
distribution of human population; however, significant outliers exist in the relation
between area lit and population.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Chris Elvidge
Organization: NOAA/National Geo-Physical Data Center
Phone: (303)497-6121
Fax:
E-mail:
Address:
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0046 Indicator Name: Percent of Acreage by Ecological Status
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: degree of similarity of present vegetation to the potential natural, or climax, plant
community
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator is a component of BLM's Public Land Statistics and is based on
Ecological Site Inventories. The data are summarized by state; however, a more
detailed assessment may be possible.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Eric Luse
Organization: Bureau of land Management
Phone: (202)452-7743
Fax: (202)452-7709
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
89
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0047 Indicator Name: Reforested Lands and Timber Stand Improvements
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: forest
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: acres of reforested land and acres of timber stand improvements
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator is a component of BLM's Public Land Statistics and may be a
measure of forest health conditions on public lands. The data are summarized by
state; however, a more detailed assessment may be possible.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: EricLuse
Organization: Bureau of land Management
Phone: (202)452-7743
Fax: (202)452-7709
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
91
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0048 Indicator Name: Types of Wildlife Habitats
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: number of acres of various wildlife habitats (e.g., big game, small game, waterfowl)
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator is a component of BLM's Public Land Statistics and could possibly
be used to assess trends in wildlife habitats on public lands. The data are
summarized by state; however, a more detailed assessment may be possible.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: Eric Luse
Organization: Bureau of land Management
Phone: (202)452-7743
Fax: (202)452-7709
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
93
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0049 Indicator Name: Number of Big Game Animals on Public Lands
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: rangeland
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: estimated numbers of big game animals (e.g., antelope, bear, buffalo)
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator is a component of ELM'S Public Land Statistics and could possibly
be used to assess trends in big game populations on public lands. The data are
summarized by state; however, a more detailed assessment may be possible.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: EricLuse
Organization: Bureau of land Management
Phone: (202)452-7743
Fai: (202)452-7709
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
95
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Indicator Description Monday, February 16, 1998
Indicator ID: 1-0050 Indicator Name: Erosion Control Measures
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: soil
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: Acres of brush control, seeding, soil stabilization, and weed control on BLM lands.
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator is a component of BLM's Public Land Statisticsand is a measure of
efforts to reduce soil erosion on BLM lands. The data are summarized by state;
however, a more detailed assessment may be possible.
Dataset Asssociation(s):
Contact Name: EricLuse
Organization: Bureau of land Management
Phone: (202)452-7743
Fax: (202)452-7709
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
97
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