Communicating the Condition
of Terrestrial Ecosystems
A Focused Investigation of Terrestrial
EC system Health Indicators
IIP
:
U,S. Enviiwinientaf Protection Agency
July 1 98
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Communicating the Condition of Terrestrial Ecosystems
A Focused Investigation of
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health Indicators
Molly Whitworth, Ph.D.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Policy
Work Assignment Manager
Cheryl Brown
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Policy
Project Officer
Funding Provided by
Environmental Information Strategic Projects Committee
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Report Prepared by
ICF Kaiser
Under Contract No. 68-W5-0012
Robert E. Hegner, Ph.D.
Project Manager
July 1998
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Table of Contents
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
1 .0 Introduction
2.0 Background and Scope
1
3
3.0 Approach
5
4.0 Data Sources .. .
4 1 Overview
4.2 Data Sources Currently Available for Use..
4.3 Promising New Data Sources
44 Other Data Sources
7-
7
7
11
12
6.0 Developing Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem Health at the National Level
6 1 Overall Composition of the Terrestrial Landscape .. .
6.2 Abundance and Condition of Terrestrial Ecosystems
6.3 Abundance and Condition of Terrestrial Populations/Species
6 4 Abundance and Condition of Terrestrial Ecosystems or Species
of Special Concern
6.5 Ecological Services
6.6 Pollution and Sedimentation
6.7 Human Population Pressure
6.8 lndirectiOttier Stress
6.9 Matching Potential Indicators of Terrestnal Ecosystem Health
with Index of Watershed lntegnty Indicators
39
39
40
41
41
42
43
44
44
7.0 General Comments
7.1 Data Availability.
7.2 Data Quality
7.3 Data Accessibility
7.4 Data Integration
7.5 Data Maintenance
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49
49
49
50
50
Appendix A. Organizations Contacted
. A-i
Appendix B. Data Source Descnptions
Appendix C: Indicator Descriptions
B-i
C-i
5.0 Indicators
5.1 Overview
5 2 Indicators Currently Available for Use
5 3 Promising New Indicators
54 Other Indicators
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19
19
22
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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 nations 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, EPAs 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 nations 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 research, data
gathering, and reporting Of particular interest
are indicators of landscape and terrestrial
ecosystem condition and supporting data sources that: (a) have been used on a broad geographic
scale (e.g., nationwide), (b) could be integrated with other ongoing reporting efforts at the national
scale such as the Index of Watershed Integrity ( 1W I), and (c) could be incorporated into existing EPA
data systems for longitudinal tracking This report is thus intended to serve as a resource document
for individuals seeking to develop or incorporate indicators of terrestrial ecosystem hea h at a
national scale.
The remainder of the 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.
Chapter 5 provides an overview of the indicators reviewed and identifies indicators that are
currently available as well as promising new indicators.
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.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Chapter 6 provides suggestions for integrating indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health with
other reporting efforts at the national scale.
Chapter 7 provides some general comments regarding data availability, 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 bnef description of each indicator identified in Chapter 5.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
2.0 Background and Scope
In the early 1 970s, 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 cnteria by which environmental progress will be measured It thus is necessary to
begin to develop indicators and other related criteria for assessing human and 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 terrestnal 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 step toward compiling and
evaluating existing data sources and indicators of
terrestrial ecosystem health. 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
Designing a Report Card on the Health of the Nations Ecosystems - Prelim;naiy Work Plan The
H. John Heinz Ill Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, November 1997
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 other reporting efforts and
databases at the national scale
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Environmental Goals and Indicators Project, a cooperative agreement between EPA and Florida
State University: Catalogue of Environmental Indicators, Catalog of Data Sources, State Indicators of
National Scope, and Dire ctoiy of Environmental Practitioners (all published in October 1996).
Unlike previous efforts, this investigation is focused on identifying indicators that are (1) appropriate to
terrestrial landscapes and ecosystems, (2) are currently available on a broad geographic scale
(preferably nationally), (3) are supported by existing databases, and (4) can be incorporated into
existing reporting efforts or databases that focus broadly at a national level 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, 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 Nations 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 any specific nationwide reporting efforts or databases 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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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 mented additional
information gathenng
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 preference of each data source and indicator. The criteria used in this project
are similar to those used by EPAs Index of Watershed (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 already implemented on a national scale are most preferred. Measures
specific to a particular region or state that could be extrapolated upward to a national scale fell
into the next level of preference
Data are readily available and are already being
collected 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.
The indicator and the information it provides are
relatively transparent to the public. A key goal of
this effort is providing the public with information
they can use and understand
Criteria Used by the IWl Framework:
Indicator Criteria:
Scientifically valid
Cost effective
Practical to implement
Relevant to goal
Suitable to programs
Understandable
Data Source Criteria:
Availability of data
Appropnate temporal coverage
Appropriate spatial coverage
Documented quality
Technical credibility
Acceptable estimation error
Acceptable cost
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The data source or indicator can be referenced geospatially. In addition, remote sensing
technologies (e g., satellites, aerial surveys) are likely to be used more intensely, in future
environmental data gathering efforts; these technologies rely heavily on geospatial
referencing.
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).
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 ecologicallbiological 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 pnmary 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 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 th data source Appendix B
presents a more detailed descnption 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 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 chapterl. 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. Each of the data sources are assigned a number
(e.g., D-015) for cross-referencing throughout the report.
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 existing reporting efforts at the national level 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 would be required to determine precisely how
each data set could be used to support specific indicators, particularly with regard to a specific
reporting effort or database. Most of these data sources cover all 4.8 conterminous states; some also
include data for Alaska and Hawaii.
Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (D-015) This is a comprehensive inventory and
analysis of forest and rarigeland 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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Table 4 -1. Summary Statistics for Data Sources Investigated (n = 89)
Category
Subcategory No Sources
Collecting
Organization
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center 8
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 11
National Park Service 2
Nature Conservancy 3
National Resource Conservation Service 5
U S. Environmental Protection Agency 9
U S. Fish and Wildlife Service 5
U.S. Forest Service 6
U.S Geological Survey 10
other federal 12
other non-federal 6
Geographic Scale
International 25
National 54
Regional 17
State/local 6
Readiness
Currently available 74
Expected soon 4
Early development 9
Format
Disk/CD 32
Hardcopy 32
System 13
Web page - 28
Accessibility
Publicly available 78
Not publicly available 5
Note: number of sources within each category may exceed 89 because each source may
cover more than one subcategory
Natural Resource Protection Act (RPA) Updates and RPA Database (D-045). 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 (D-056) In this database, data from the Census
Bureau, USDA, public land management and conservation organizations, and other sources
are synthesized to estimate acreage 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
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National Resources Inventory
(D-017) 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
Natural Heritage Network (D-054). 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 distnbution, population trends, habitat requirements, and
ecological relationships Data for communities include vegetation structure and composition,
succession patterns, and natural disturbances
Breeding Bird Census (D-078) 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 (D-OO1). This database, maintained by the USGS,
provides data on the presence/absence of bird species along nearly 4,000 permanent survey
routes dunng the breeding season Data have been collected since 1966 by experienced
observers using a roadside survey technique.
Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (D-081) 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 (D-046). This database, maintained by NOAA, contains data on
temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, storms, wind, and floods that have been collected
since the mid-i 9th century These data may be important adjunct information for use in
normalizing indicator data.
National (NATSGO) (D-042) and State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) Databases
(D-098) These databases, maintained by the USDA, provide GIS maps of soil
charactenstics linked to major land use resource area and boundanes (NATSGO) 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
Statistics from the National Resources Inventory
(1982 vs. 1992):
Federal land increased by 3 3 million acres
Cropiand decreased by 39 million acres
Developed land increased by 14 million acres
Rangeland decreased by 10 miliion acres
Soil erosion rates declined by 1 4 tons/year
Prime farmland decreased by 6 miliion acres
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Annual Public Finances Survey (D-086) 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 1 900s and at a more detailed level for approximately 30 years.
Highways Statistics (D-047). 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 1 900s
U.S. Postal Service Delivery Statistics (0-099). 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 (0-076) This is an interagency
monitoring program to assess present visibility levels, identify 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)
(D-009) and Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) (0-013). 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) (D-016). 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 (D-053). 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 (0-062). This database, maintained by
USDA, provides survey data for plant pests in the U.S since 1900
Noxious/Invasive Database (D-064). This database, established in 1983 by DOl, is a
geospatially referenced dataset on noxiousfinvasive weed inventory and biological control It
also includes pesticide data.
Ecological Incident Information System (D-003). This database, maintained by EPA, is the
largest database of morbidity and mortality incident data related to pesticide use. Reporting is
on an incident-by-incident bases as far back as the early 1960s
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Wildlife Health Epizootiological Database (D-023). 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 (0-093) This database, maintained by USDA,
contains information for federal, state, and pnvate 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 could be readily incorporated into
existing reporting efforts on a national scale. 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 incIude
North American Landscape Characterization Data (0-061) 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. Three sample data sets (1 970s, 1 98s, and 1 990s) are available are
available for comparing landscape changes over 20 years for large portions of North America.
Land Use History of North America (D-084) 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 (D-068). 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 (D-079) 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. It is expected to fit
into a proposed integrated, continent-wide population monitoring scheme that will include
other programs such as the Breeding Bird Survey (D-O01).
Project Feeder Watch (D-087). 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.
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North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (D-002). This program, established in
1996 by USGS, will establish a network of sampling sites to monitor the distribution and
abundance of salamanders and calling frogs in relation to geographic location, land
management, air quality, vegetation, and other species. Data will be applicable at the state,
provincial, ecoregional, and continental scales. Salamander populations may be an overall
indicator of terrestrial ecosystem health At present, long-term funding is uncertain.
Butterfly Monitoring Project (D-082) 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 in North America. At present, long-
term funding is uncertain.
North American Raptor Monitoring Program (D-097). This program plans to develop a
strategy for monitoring the population status of diurnal raptors in North America. At present,
long-term funding is uncertain
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (D-008). 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 (0-075). This program, currently
under development by USGS, will employ a national network of sites for monitonng
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. At
present, long-term funding is uncertain.
Mercury Deposition Network (D-021). This database was established in 1994 to monitor
mercury precipitation to surface waters, forested watersheds, and other sensitive receptors.
The program is expected to run at least 5 years. In 1997, 30 monitoring sites were located in
17 states and 3 Canadian Provinces.
Exotic Species Database (D-063). 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 existing reporting efforts or
databases 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.
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Ecological Site Inventory Data (BLM lands authonzed for livestock grazing) (D-1 00)
Land Cover Classification (NOAA data for the Chesapeake Bay watershed) (D-071).
GIRAS Landuse/Landcover Spatial Data (USGS data collected once for the entire U.S.) (D-
039)
Northern Hemisphere Biome Forest Data (EPA data for modeling global carbon cycles) (D-
037).
Olsons Major World Ecosystem Complexes (EPA global vegetation map) (D-058)
Multi-resolution Land Characteristic Grid (mosaic of Landsat data for EPA Region Ill)
(D-038).
Land Cover Characteristics Data (USGS data on land surface attributes) (D-060)
Major Land Resource Areas (USDA data on areas delineated by common patterns of soil,
climate, water resources, and land use characteristics) (D-059)
Land Use Data for Agroecosystems (EMAP data for the Mid-Atlantic Region) (D-004).
Man and the Biospheres Reserves data (UNESCO data collected at specified reserves) (D-
050).
Forest service experimental forest and rangeland sites (USDA experimental sites)
(D-049).
North American Conservation Assessment (one-time WWF compilation of ecoregion value
and vulnerability) (D-096).
Long-term Resource Monitoring Program(USGS data for the Upper Mississippi River system)
(D-041).
Bird Banding Program (USGS mark-recapture records for birds) (D-080).
July Duck Production Survey (DOl survey of breeding duck populations) (D-088).
Hawk Migration Monitonng (Autumn hawk migration counts at Hawk Mountain) (D-052).
Tree planting in the U.S. (USDA data on number of trees planted) (D-051).
Forest Service Range Management Information System (USDA data on grazing pressure in
National Forests and Grasslands) (D-055).
Remote Automatic Weather Stations (USDA monitoring network on Federal lands)
(D-01 8)
Global population distnbution (Data for 1990 prepared by the Carbon Dioxide Information
Analysis Center) (D-036).
Data from global climate change mOnitoring programs, including Atmospheric Halocarbons
and Nitrous Oxide (D-031), Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios (D-032), and Atmosphenc
Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios (D-033)
Atmosphenc Integrated monitonng 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) (D-083).
Air Quality Monitonng Network (DOI gaseous pollutant data for national parks) (D-077).
UV-B Monitonng Data (EPA monitonng network in 14 national parks and 8 urban areas) (D-
104)
Exotic Plants and Species Database (DOl data for national parks) (D-066)
13
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 4-2. OvervIew of Data Sources Identified to Support Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem Health
Data Source
Code
Geographic
Extent
Potential Ability to Support State indicators
Potential Ability to Support Pressure indicators
Landscape!
Land Use
Biotic
Components
Ablotic
Components
Ecological
Services
Human Population
Pressure
ChemlcaUOther
PollutIon
lndirect/
Unknown
I
N
R
LU
CS
CM
OR
CL
SS
NR
WR
NC
ES
HA
RD
CU
AP
OR
DP
Foresi inventory and Analysis
0-015
S
S
S
National Resources inventory
0-017
5
5
5
5
S
S
S
Global Ecosystem Data
0-070
S
S
S
RPA Updates/RPA Database
0-045
5
S
S
Land Use Data for Agroecosystems in the US
0-004
5
5
5
5
I
5
Ecological Sue inventory
0-100
5
I
Olsons Major World Ecosyslem Complexes
0-058
S
S
5
Land Use History of North America
0-084
S
Malor Uses of Land in the Untied States
0-056
5
S
S
Malor Land Resource Areas
0-059
S
S
North Aniencan Landscape Characlenzalion
D-061
S
S
S
S
Conierniinous U S Land Cover Charactenslics
D-060
S
S
S
Land Cover Classification
0-07 1
5
5
Northern Hemisphere Bionte Forest Data
D-037
S
S
5
Multi-Resolution Land Charactenstucs Grid
D-038
S
S
GIRAS Landuse/Landcover Spatiat Data D-039
I international
N national
A regionai
LU land use
CS condition!
status
CM communities
ON organisms
CL climate
SS soil/subslrate condition
NA nutrient regimes
WA water regimes
NC nutrient/element
cycles
ES economic
services
S
HA habitat alteration!
urban sprawl
RD resource
degradation
CU chemical use
AP air pollution!
air deposition
CA other reteases
OP disease
parasut
exotics
OT other
14
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
Code
Geographic
Extent
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicators
Landscape!
Land Use
Blotic
Components
Abiotic
Components
Ecological
Services
Human Population
Pressure
Chemical/Other
Pollution
Indirect]
Unknown
I
N
R
LU
CS
CM
OR
CL
SS
NR
WR
NC
ES
HA
RD
CU
AP
OR
DP
National Environmental Research Parks
D-020
Natural Heritage Network
0-054
-
Experimental Forest and Rangeland Sites
D-049
I
S
S
Global Vegetation Index
D-068
Man and the Biosphere Reserves
0-050
5
5
5
No,lh Amencan Conservation Assessment
0-096
5
5
Long-term Resource Monitoring Program
D-041
I
S
Breeding Bird Census
D-078
S
Norlh Amencan Breeding Bird Survey
D-0O1
S
S
Monttonng Avian Productivity and Survivorship
D-079
S
S
Bird Banding Program
D-080
S
S
Audubon Chnstmas Bird Counts
D-081
S
Butterfly Monitonng Prolect
0-082
5
S
\
Migration Monitoring Program
D-085
S
Projecl Feeder Watch
D-087
S
July Duck Production Survey
D-088
S
S
North Amencan Raptor Monitonng Strategy
0-097
5
I
Hawk Migration Monitoring
0-052
I international
N national
A regionat
LU and use
CS conditon/
CM communities
OR organisms
CL climate
SS soil/substrate condition
NC nutrieni/elernent
cycles
ES economic
services
HA habitat atteration/
urban sprawl
RD resource
degradation
CU chemical use
AP air pollution
air deposition
OR other releases
OP disease
status
NA nutrient regimes
WA water regimes
parasit
exotics
OT other
15
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
Code
Geographic
Extent
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Potential Ability to Support Pressure indicators
Landscape)
Land Use
Biotic
Components
Ablotic
Components
Ecological
Services
Human Population
Pressure
Chemical/Other
Pollution
Indirect!
Unknown
I
N
R
LU
CS
CM
OR
CL
SS
NR
WR
NC
ES
HA
RD
CU
AP
OR
DP
North Amencan Amphibian Monitonng Program
D-002
Tree Planting in the United States
D-05t
Forest Service Range Management info System
D-055
Advanced Radiometer Denved Land Climatologias
D-067
S
S
Distnbution 01 Cloud and Cloud Top Temperatures
D-106
S
National Climatic Data Center
DM46
Defense Meteorological Satellite Data
D-102
NASA Pathfinder Ctimate Data
DM69
S
Remote Automatic Weather Stations
DM18
S
S
5
STATSGO Soil Maps
D-098
5
5
National Soil Geographic (NATSGO) Database
0-042
5
5
National Soil Charactenzation Data
D-043
Global Pattern of Carbon Dioxide from soils
D-035
S
5
Annual Public Finances Survey
D-086
S
5
Highways Statistics
DM47
S
S
S
S
S
US Postal Service Detivery Statistics
0-099
5
5
Global Population Distnbution
D 036
S
Interagency Monitonng of Visual Environments
0-076
S
i internaiional
N national
R regional
LU iand use
CS condiiion/
staius
CM communhiies
OR organisms
CL chmate
SS son/substrate condition
NA nutrieni regimes
WR water regimes
NC nuirieni/etement
cycles
ES economic
services
S
HA habiiai aite:aiion/
urban sprawl
RD resource
degradation
CU chemical use
AP air pollution!
ai, deposition
OR other reieases
OP disease
parasites
ee oi lcs
OT other
16
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
Code
Geographic
Extent
Potential AbIlity to Support State Indicators
Potential Ability to Support Pressure indicators
Landscape!
Land Use
Blotic
Components
Ablotic
Components
Ecological
Services
Human Population
Pressure
ChemicaUOther
Pollution
Indirect!
Unknown
I
N
R
LU
CS
CM
OR
CL
SS
NR
WR
NC
ES
HA
RD
CU
AP
OR
DP
Global Carbon Isotopic Signature Estimates
D-034
Atmospheric i-talocarbons and Nitrous Oxide
0-031
Almosphenc Methane Mixing Ratios
D-032
Atmosphenc Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios
0-033
S
National Atmosphenc Deposition Program and
National Trends Network
0-009
5
5
Photochemical Assessment Monilonng Stations
D-008
S
S
S
Clean Air Status and Trends Network
D-013
S
I
Atmosphenc Integrated Monhionng Network
0-083
I
I
Air Quality Monitonng Network
D-077
S
NationaVSlate/Local Air Monitoring Stations
0-0 16
I
I
I
Mercury Deposition Network
0-02 1
I
Ecological Exposure Research Data
0-103
0
I
UV-BMonitonngDala
0-104
S
UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
D-053
S
Biomonitonng of Environmental Status and Trends
D-075
S
National Agncultural Pest Information System
0-062
I
I
Exotic Species Database
0-063
S
Noxious/Invasive Database
0-064
international
N natIonal
A regional
LU land use
CS condition!
status
CM communities
OR organisms
CL climate
SS sort/substrate condition
NA nutrient regimes
WA water regimes
NC nutrienhieiement
cycles
ES economic
services
S
HA habitat alteration)
urban sprawl
RD resource
degradation
5
CU chemical use
AP air pollution)
air deposition
OR other releases
OP disease
parasites
exolics
01 other
17
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Data Source
Code
Geographic
Extent
Potential Ability to Support State Indicators
Potential Ability to Support Pressure Indicatora
Landscape/
Land Use
Biotic
Compohents
Ablotic
Components
Ecological
Services
Human Population
Pressure
Chemical/Other
Pollution
Indirect!
Unknown
I
N
R
LU
CS
CM
OR
CL
SS
NA
WA
NC
ES
HA
RD
CU
AP
OR
DP
Exotic Map Database
0-065
Exotic Plants and Species Database
D-066
Ecological incident Information System
D-003
S
Wildlile Health Diagnostics Database
D-022
S
Wildlite Health Epizootiotogical Database
D-023
S
Forest insect and Disease Conditions
0-093
5
5
S
Global inventory of Biomass Burning
0-105
S
Southeastern Cooperative Wildtile Disease Study
D-094
S
I internaiionai
N nationai
A regionat
It! land use
CS condition!
staius
CM communities
OR organisms
CL climaie
SS sod/substrate condition
NA nutrient regimes
WA water regimes
NC nutrienVeiement
cycies
ES economic
services
HA habitat atteraiion/
urban sprawl
RD resource
degradation
CU chemical use
AP air pollution!
air deposition
OR other reieases
5
OP disease
parasit
exOtics
01 othQr
Other Databases of Interest:
National Classification of Ecological Communities wilt establish FGDC standard for classifying terrestrtal communities (D-101)
Globe Version 0.5 contains elevation information for 60% of the Earths land surface (D-072)
Terrain Base 1994 contains data on land elevation and ocean depth for the entire Earth (D-073)
Level Ill Ecoregions of the Conterminous U.S. provide a standard ecoregion reference (D-044)
18
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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 existing reporting efforts or databases at the national level. Table 5-2
(presented at the end of the chapter) provides an overview of 50 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 bnef 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 50 indicators is included in the project database (see Table 5.1). The majority of these
are screening level indicators that assess the state (condition) of terrestnal ecosystems rather than
pressure (stress) 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 majonty 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. It should be noted that the use of indicators
for status and/or trend, and geographic scale, reflect at least in part the data currently used to support
the indicators (e.g., a given indicator may be valid for forests in Oregon, yet no data to support the
indicator are currently being collected there) Similarly, funding reflects funding of data collection
rather than developing or implementing the indicators themselves.
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 existing reporting efforts or databases at the national level.
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 represent measures of unique features of the present state of terrestnal
ecosystems and/or pressures on these systems
19
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 5-1. Summary Statistics for Indicators Investigated (n = 50)
Category
Subcategory No Indicators
Assessment Type
State 44
Pressure 8
Assessment Level
Screening 48
Diagnostic 2
Specificity
Biodiversity 1
Forest 25
Grassland 4
Landscape 7
Human population pressure 1
Rangeland 16
Use
Current state (snap shot) 47
Change (trend) 37
Response Category
Abiotic 29
Biotic 20
Geographic Scale
International 1
National 28
Regional 20
State/local 2
Readiness
Currently available 41
Expected soon 7
Early development 8
Funding
Funded 49
Not funded 1
Note. number of indicators within each category may exceed 50 because
each indicator may cover more than one subcategory
National landscape indicators (1-051). This series of landscape indicators was developed
to assess the overall composition of the terrestrial landscape in the lower 48 United States. It
is focused at the watershed level, and reports data for 10 individual indicators, including
U-index (proportion of watershed area with anthropogenic land cover), Agriculture Index
(proportion of watershed area with agncu ture land cover), number of natural land cover
types per unit area, proportion of watershed that has forest land cover, average forest
patch size as a percentage of watershed area, and index of forest connectivity The
results of the initial assessment were published in 1997.
Percent of acreage by ecological status (1-046) This landscape indicator reports the
degree of similarity of present vegetation to the potential (climax) plant community It is
20
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
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.
Forest area by age class or successional stage (I-Oil). 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 (1-012) This biotic indicator is among a set
of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA It can be used to identify forest types
that are increasing or decreasing in area, which in turn is a measure of changes in ecosystem
diversity. It is supported by data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis and the National
Resources Inventory databases.
Status of forest-dependent endangered and threatened species (1-015). 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 Hentage
Network, with supplemental information from DOl and EPA endangered and threatened
species data. Data are available at the county level, which would not always coincide with the
boundaries of the geographic area(s) of concern. The indicator covers plant, mammal, bird,
reptile, amphibian, and insect species.
Number of forest-dependent species in restricted ranges (1-016) This biotic indicator is
among a set of sustainable forest indicators developed by USDA. It is an indicator of threat to
species diversity. The indicator covers mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It is
supported by data from the Natural Heritage Network.
Population levels of forest-dependent bird species (1-024). 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. It is supported at the national level by
data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey.
Extent of wildlife habitat (1-048). This biotic indicator reports the acres of habitat for big and
small game on BLM lands (including 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 BLM lands (1-049) This biotic indicator reports the
number of pronghom, barbary sheep, bear, bighom sheep, buffalo, and caribou on BLM lands
(including 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 (1-005) 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
21
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
forest lands A related indicator, contribution of forest ecosystems to global carbon
budget (1-004), consists of indirect flux estimates calculated by taking the differences
between successive inventories.
Soil erosion rates (1-010). 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 sustainable
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.
Indicators of forest services (1-044). These indicators 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 (1-009), area and percent of forest land used for timber production
(1-017), net volume of timber species growing stock (1-044), growing stock of tree
species on forest land available for timber production (1-018), ratio of annual volume of
wood products removed to sustainable levels (1-044), and ratio of annual harvest of
other forest products (e.g., game, berries) to sustainable levels (1-020). 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 (1-006). 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 indicators of pollution in surface waters.
Nighttime lights (1-045). 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 may eventually provide measures of terrestrial
ecosystem health that can be readily incorporated into existing reporting efforts or databases at the
national scale. Many of these are supported by databases that cover portions 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 the use of these indicators in
various types of settings can be studied sufficiently to determine whether they are robust enough to
be used on a national basis. These indicators include
Land cover composition and pattern (1-041). This is a set of landscape indicators
developed for the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania to Virginia) It includes land cover
dominance, land cover connectivity and degree of fragmentation, land cover shape and
22
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
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%
This set of indicators also includes riparian extent and distribution (1-042). 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. Although
the data sets generally are available at the national level, the specific use of the indicators in
other environmental settings has not been evaluated
Fragmentation of forest types (1-013) 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 (1-014) 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 Monitonng 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 (1-001) 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.
GAP analysis has been implemented in 40 states; examples of significant state-level planning
are found in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Flonda, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, and
Tennessee. Regional GAP analyses also have been conducted, for example in the Upper
Midwest (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), Mid America (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and
Missouri), and the Mid-Atlantic states (Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey).
Terrestrial salamander populations (1-002) 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 Amencan
Amphibian Monitonng 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 (1-030), rangeland canopy cover (1-031), normalized difference vegetation
index (1-032), and percent cover of various grass species (1-036). At present, these
indicators have only been applied experimentally, 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 (1-007), forest soil with diminished soil organic matter or changed chemical
properties (1-008), and forest land with diminished ecological components (1-023)
23
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
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 status or trends.
Abiotic indicators of rangeland health. This series of indicators is currently under
development by USDA and academic collaborators and includes measures such as soil
infiltration (1-025), soil stability (1-026), soil penetrometer resistance (1-027), soil depth (1-
028), soil surface characterization (1-029), slake test for soil stability (1-033), and bare
patch index (1-034). At present, these indicators have only been applied experimentally,
although they are applicable to all rangeland ecosystems
Erosion potential indicators (1-043). This is a set of abiotic indicators developed for the
Mid-Atlantic region. 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 aenal photography data, coupled with soils, geology,
topography, and climate data
Forest land experiencing specific levels of air pollution (1-022). 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
Monitonng 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 (1-021) 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
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 1 to support these indicators and integrate them into existing reporting efforts or
databases on a national basis. These indicators were developed by EPA, BLM, and USDA. These
databases include:
24
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Degree of biophysical constraints, greenness pattern, and groundwater indicators (landscape
indicators developed for Mid-Atlantic region) (1-038).
Ref orested lands and timber stand improvements (BLM public land statistics indicator)
(1-047).
Contribution of forest products to global carbon budget (USDA sustainable forest indicator) (1-
003).
Erosion control measures (BLM efforts to reduce soil erosion on federal lands) (1-050).
25
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Table 5-2. Overview of Indicators Identified
Indicators of Landscape/Land Use
Readiness
Name and Code
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potentlai
Ready
National landscape
indicators (1-050)
Set of indicators that
includes land cover indices,
number and proportion of
land cover types, average
patch size, and forest
connectivity Index
Currently
available
National
National
Advanced Very High
Resolution Radiometry,
USGS maps of roads, rivers,
and B-digit watersheds
Provides a measure of the
overall composition of the
terrestrial landscape
Primary focus is watersheds
Ready
Percent acreage by
ecological status
(1-046)
Degree of similarity of
present vegetation to the
potential natural (climax)
plant community, divided into
four ciasses
Currently
available
National
National
BLM Public Land Statistics
Based on BLMs ecological
site inventories or soil-
vegetation inventory method
Available for BLM lands only
Promising
Fragmentation of
forest types (1-013)
Patch areas and distances
between patches
Currently
available
Regional
National
No national datasets, some
data for Oregon
Forest fragmentation
disrupts ecological
processes and reduces
available habitat
Promising
Degree of blophysical
constraints (1-038)
Set of Indicators that
includes farm position in
catchment, subcatchment
position, and catcliment
positron, relative to
biophysical constraints
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
National
Remote sensing data,
including Advanced Very
High Resolution Radiometry
Indicates the relative
geographic position of a farm
or subcatchment to the
position of the catchment
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic region
Promising
Groundwater
indicators (1-040)
Set of indicators that
includes albedo change,
topographic concavity
variation, and depth to water
table
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
National?
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aenal photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
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 region
26
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name and Code
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Promising
Greeness pattern
(1-039)
Set of indicators that
includes normalized
difference vegetation Index
(NDVI) pattern and change,
observed vs expected NDVI
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
National?
Landsat and SPOT satellile
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
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 region
Promising
Land cover
composition and
pattern (1-041)
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%
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
National?
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Used to determine
dominance, spatial
distribution, and juxtaposition
of land cover elements
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic region
Promising
Riparlan extent and
distribution (1-042)
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
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
National?
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aenal photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Size and amount of riparian
buffer adjacent to streams
and water courses Is an
important determInant of soil
loss, sediment movemeni,
and contaminant movement
at the farm, subcatchment,
and catctimeni scales
Indicators are being used in
the Mid-Atlantic region
Indicators of Blotic Components
27
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Forest area by age
class or successional
stage (1-01 1)
Acreage of forest by age
class and successional stage
Currently
available
National
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis, National Resources
Inventory
Forest maturation leads to an
increase in diversity of forest
structure but a decreased
diversity of forest types
Ready
Percent composition of
forests by forest type
(1-012)
Acreage of forest types by
region
Currently
available
National
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis, National Resources
Inventory
Can be used to identify forest
types that are decreasing in
area, which In turn is a
measure of decreased
ecosystem diversIty
Ready
Status of forest-
dependent
endangered and
threatened species
(1-015)
Number of species by forest
type (deciduous, evergreen,
mixed, wetland)
Currently
available
National
NatIonal
National Heritage Network,
IDOl and EPA threatened and
endangered species
databases
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
Ready
Number of forest
dependent species in
restricted range (1-016)
Number, population size,
and distribution 01 interacting
populations of species that
occupy a small portion of
their former range
Currently
available
National
National
Natural Heritage Network
Population size and
distribution of interacting
populations are critical
attributes in evaluating
genetic diversity
Ready
PopulatIon levels of
forest-dependent blr d
species (1.024)
Population levels of
representative avian species
from diverse habitats
monitored across their range
Currently
available
National
National
North American Breeding
Bird Survey
Representative species are
selected as indicators 01
overall levels of genetic
diversity for a larger group of
forest species
Ready
Extent of wildlife
habitat (1-048)
Acres of habitat for big game
and small game on BLM
lands
Currently
available
National
National
BLM Public Land Statistics
Available for BLM lands only
28
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Number of big game
animals on public
lands (1-049)
Estimated number of
pronghorn, barbary sheep,
bear, bighorn sheep, buffalo,
and caribou on BLM lands
Currentiy
available
Natlonai
National
BLM Public Land Statistics
Could be used to assess
status and trends in big
game populations
Available for BLM lands only
Promising
Gap analysis (1-001)
Vegetation types or species
not adequately represented
in areas managed for long-
term maintenance of natural
systems
Currently
available
Regional
National
internal
Uses vertebrate species and
community alliances
(primarily dominant
vegetation types) as
surrogates for biodiversity,
not intended as a nationwide
inventory of biological
resources
Promising
Terrestrial salamander
populations (1-002)
Population monitoring data
and ecosystem measures
(e g air/vegetation quality)
will be combined to assess
environmental eflects on
population dynamics
Under
develop-
ment
N/A
National
North American Amphibian
Monitoring Program
Salamanders used as
indicators of forest health
Promising
Number of forest
dependent species
(1-014)
Species number
Currently
available
National
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis
Species number used as a
measure of species richness,
density, and evenness
Promising
Rangoland vegetation
structure (1-030)
Vegetation height, length,
wIdth and ground cover
Expected
soon
Regional
National
Project-specific datasets are
available
indicator can be applied to
any rarigeland ecosystem,
part of a core series of
indicators of rarigeland
ecosystem health
Promising
Rangeland canopy
cover (1-031)
Canopy length and width
Expected
soon
Regional
National
Project-specitic datasets are
available
Indicator can be applIed to
any rangeland ecosystem.
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
29
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Promising
Normalized difference
vegetation index
(1-032)
Changes in vegetation cover
over large geographic areas
Early
develop-
ment
Regional
Nationai
Very High resoiution
radiometer sateiiite imagery,
project-specific datasets are
avaiiable
Changes in vegetation used
as an indicator of irreversible
degradation of rangeland
ecosystems
Promising
Percent grass cover,
percent iong-iived
grass cover, percent
cover of vegetative
reproducers (1-036)
Cover of specific grass types
Currentiy
available
Regional
Reglonai
Project-specific datasets are
available
Indicators of desertification
of perennial grasslands
(early ecosystem
disturbance)
Other
Reforested lands and
timber stand
improvements (1-047)
Acres of reforested lands
and timber stand
improvements on BLM lands
Currentiy
available
National
National
BLM Public Land Statistics
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
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Total forest ecosystem
biomass and carbon
pool (1-005)
Total forest ecosystem
biomass and carbon pooi by
forest type, age class, and
successional stage
Currently
available
Limited
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis, National Soii
Geographic Database
Can be used to measure the
regulation of atmospheric
carbon by forest ecosystems
Production rate is a measure
of forest health
Ready
Contribution of forest
ecosystems to global
carbon budget (1-004)
Total amount of carbon
entering the earths
atmosphere contributed by
forest ecosystems, including
standing biomass, woody
debris, peat, and soil carbon
Currently
available
Limited
National
Forest inventory and
Analysis, National Soli
Geographic Database
Can be used to monitor
status of forest ecosystems
30
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Soil erosion rates
(1-010)
Annual erosion rates by land
use category
Currently
available
National
National
National Resources
Inventory
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
Promising
Forest soil compaction
(1-007)
Area and percent of forest
land with significant human-
induced soil compaction
Under
develop-
rnent
National
National
Long-term Soil Productivity
Research initiative data set
Not enough data available at
present
Soil compaction negatively
affects nutrient and water
availability and can reduce
infiltration, Increase runoff
and erosion, reduce biomass
production, and impair
watershed function
Promising
Forest soil with
diminished soil organic
matter or changed
chemical properties
(1-008)
Area and percent of forest
land with signlficantiy
diminished soil organic
matter and/or changed
chemical properties
Under
develop.
nient
National
National
Long-term Soil Productivity
Research Initiative data set
Not enough data available at
present
Decrease in soil organic
matter is an indicator of
ecosystem disturbance
Promising
Forest land with
diminished ecological
components (1-023)
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)
Under
develop-
mont
National
National
National Acid Precipitation
Assessment Program
Not enough data available at
present
Used to assess whether key
ecological components or
processes, or ecological
continuity, are changing in a
negative way, suggesting a
decline in sustainability
31
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Promising
Rangeiand soii
Infiltration (1-025)
Rate of water movement into
soii
Expected
soon
Regional
National
Project-specific datasets are
available
indicator can be appiied to
any rangetand ecosystem,
part of a core series of
Indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Promising
Rangeland soil stability
(1-026)
index based on the rate at
which soii fragments
disintegrate in water
Expected
soon
Regional
Nationai
Project-specific datasets are
avaiiabie
Indicator can be appiled to
any rangeiand ecosystem,
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Promising
Rangeiand soil
penetrometer
resistance (i-027)
Number of strikes required to
drive penetrometer into
ground to set depths
Expected
soon
Regional
National
Project-specific datasels are
avaiiabie
Indicator can be appiied to
any rangeland ecosystem,
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeiand
ecosystem health
Promising
Rangeland soil depth
(1.028)
Depth of soil cover
Expected
soon
Regionai
National
Project-specific datasets are
available
indicator can be appiied to
any rangeiand ecosystem,
part of a core series of
Indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Promising
Rangeiand soil surface
charactenzation
(1-029)
Soli cover, including organic
iitler, cryptograms, and bare
rock
Expected
soon
Regional
National
Project-specific dalasets are
available
indicator can be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem,
part of a core series of
indicators of rangeland
ecosystem health
Promising
Slake test for
rangeland soil surface
stability (1-033)
Extremely sensitive indicator
of soil ecosystem
degradation for rangeland
soils
Currently
available
Regional
National
Project-specific datasels are
available
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
32
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Promising
Bare patch Index
based on canopy
cover (1-034)
Index based on bare patches
in relation to canopy cover
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
Project-specific datasets are
available
Indicator of precipitation- and
wind-driven erosion, part of a
core series of Indicators of
desertification of perennial
grasslands (early ecosystem
disturbance)
Promising
Bare patch Index
based on soil surface
measurements (1-035)
index based on bare patches
In relation to soil cover
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
Project-specific datasets are
available
IndIcator of overland water
flow-dnven erosion, which is
an early Indicator of
desertificatlon, part of a core
series of indicators of
desertification of perennIal
grasslands (early ecosystem
disturbance)
Promising
Erosion potential
(1-043)
Set of indicators that Include
percent bare soil, soil loss
distribution, percent farms on
erodible soils, distance of
agricultural patches from
streams; percent paddocks
on slopes greater than 5%
Currently
available
Regional
Regional
National?
Landsat and SPOT satellite
imagery, aerial photography,
and data on soils, geology,
topography, and climate
Indicators Integrate land
cover, precipitation,
topography, and soil data to
estimate soil Toss potential
using a universal soil loss
model
Indicators are beIng used In
the Mid-Atlantic region
Other
Contribution of forest
products to global
carbon budget (1-003)
Total amount of carbon
entering the earths
atmosphere contributed by
harvested portions of forest
ecosystems
Currently
available
N/A
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis, timber product
surveys, special studies
Can be used to monitor
status of forests beIng
logged
Other
Erosion control
measures (1-050)
Acres of brush control,
seedIng, soil stabilization,
and weed control on BLM
lands
Currently
available
National
National
BLM Public Land Statistics
Measure of efforts to reduce
soil erosion
Available for BLM lands only
33
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Ecological Services
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Forest land managed
for protective functions
(1-009)
.
Area and percent of forest
land managed primarily for
protective functions,
including watersheds, flood
protection, avalanche
protection, and riparlan
zones
Currently
available
National
National
Forest area data on a state-
by-state basis, no national
data
Could be related to human
population growth pressure
Ready
Forest land available
for timber production
(1.017)
Area and percent of forest
land used for timber
production
Currently
available
National
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis, National Resources
Inventory
Data are available for
timberland, information for
other forest types is limited
Ready
Growing stock of tree
species on forest land
available for timber
production (1-018)
Total growing stock of
merchantable and non,
merchantable tree species
on forest land available for
timber production
Currently
available
NatIonal
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis
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
Ready
Sustainabillty of wood
products harvest
(1-019)
Ratio of annual volume of
wood products removed to
annual volume determined to
be sustainable
Currently
available
National
National
Forest Inventory and
Analysis, National Resources
Inventory
Provides an indicator of the
ability of a forest to support a
sustainable harvest of wood
products
Ready
Net volume of timber
species growing stock
(1-044)
Net volume of growing stock
on timberland by species
group and region
Currently
available
Regional
National
Data sets from US Forest
Service
Most complete data sets are
for souther region forest
plantations
Ready
Sustainability of non-
timber forest products
harvest (1-020)
Ratio of annual harvest of
non-timber forest products
(e g , fur bearing animals,
berries, mushrooms, game
animals) to levels
determined to be sustainable
Currently
available
Regional
National
State-by-state data on non-
timber species (e g , game
animals)
Provides an indicator of the
ability of a forest to support a
sustainable harvest of non-
timber species
34
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Chemical Pollution
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Forest land
experiencing
accumulation of
persistent toxic
substances (1-006)
Area and percent of forest
lands expenencing
accumulation of persistent
toxic substances
Under
develop-
rnent
National
National
EPA database of NPL sites
In forests, EPA Permit
Compliance System and
NPDES data, EPA National
Watershed Assessment
Program
Can be used as a current
indicator of toxic chemical
stress on forest ecosystems
Can be used as a potential
indicator of tong-term
ecosystem health
No data available for non-
NPL sites
Potential
Forest land
experiencing specific
levels of air pollution
(1-022)
Area and percent of forest
lands sublect to levels of
criteria air pollutants and UV-
B that may cause adverse
impacts on ecosystem health
Under
develop-
rnent
National
National
National Atmospheric
Deposition Program, UV-B
Radiation Monitoring
Program, Mercury Deposition
Network, Aerometnc
Monitoring, Interagency
Monitonng of Protected
Visual Environments, North
American Maple Project,
Forest Health Monitoring
Datasets, National Acid
Precipitation Assessment
Program
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
35
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Indicators of Human Population Pressure
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Ready
Nighttime lights (1-045)
Area illuminated by human-
Currently
Inter-
Inter-
Defense Meteorological
A satellite-based inventory
generated visible-near infrared
avaIlable
national
national
Satellite Program
of human settlements
radiation (i a fights)
Operational Linescan
derived from nighttime lights
System
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
Readiness
Name
Description
Status
Geographic Extent
Data Source(s)
Comments
Current
Potential
Promising
Forests affected by
Area and percent of forests
Currently
National
National
Forest Inventory and
It may be difficult to parse
other natural and
affected by native insects and
available
Analysis, Forest Health
out the mix of natural and
human-induced
diseases, exotic insects and
Monitoring Program,
human-induced pressures
pressures (1-021)
diseases, fire, weather, flood,
National Interagency Fire
land clearance, salinization,
Center, Intermountain Fire
Not enough data available
and domestic animal invasion
ScIences Lab
at present
36
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
6.0 Developing Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem
Health at the National Level
The indicators presented in Chapter 5 represent a wide range of measures of the state (condition) of
or pressure (stress) on terrestrial ecosystems and their biotic and abiotic components. This chapter
presents a framework for individuals seeking to develop a suite of indicators of terrestrial ecosystem
health at a national scale The framework presents eight general categories of measures that reflect
terrestrial ecosystem health. Within each general category, the discussion provides suggestions for
using or combining one or more of the specific indicators identified in Chapter 5 to develop an
indicator of terrestrial ecosystem health. Table 6-1 (presented at the end of this chapter) provides a
specific example of how several potential indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health match broadly with
existing indicators in the Index of Watershed Indicators (1W!) suite.
6.1 Overall Composition of the Terrestrial Landscape
Some measure of the overall composition of the terrestrial landscape comprising a geographic area
of interest (e.g., region, watershed) would be an appropnate indicator of terrestrial ecosystem health.
In time, it seems reasonable to develop a single, comprehensive indicator of land cover composition
and pattern at the national level. Such an indicator has been developed for the Mid-Atlantic region (I-
041), and plans are to expand this to a national scale. In the interim, oth er types of landscape-level
indicators could be used.
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 geographic area such as urbanization and
cropland conversion. Additional data from promising new data sources (North American
landscape characterization data, Land Use History of North Amenca) 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 the Mid-Atlantic
region (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 vanous approaches
and datasets into a single indicator and develop digitized map coverages. Data could be
collected eventually using remote sensing technology.
37
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Riparian extent and distribution This indicator is already available for the Mid-Atlantic
region, 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 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 Terrestrial Ecosystems
Some measures of the abundance and condition of terrestrial ecosystems within a geographic area
would be appropriate indicators of terrestnal ecosystem health It would seem reasonable to include
a measure of ecosystem or species diversity and some indicator of soil quality or 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 geographic areas. 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 to develop a more comprehensive
indicator of overall ecosystem health.
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,
DOl, and The Nature Conservancy (as well as bird and tree census data). Present census
coverage would likely vary widely among geographic areas, 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, NATSGO, and STATSGO Some effort would be
required to develop a measure of soil quality or condition that would be broadly applicable
across all geographic areas 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
38
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
such as the North American landscape charactenzation data It might be possible to develop
a qualitative scale that state/local fish and game personnel could use to assess geographic
areas.
6.3 Abundance and Condition of Terrestrial Populations/Species
Some measures of the abundance and condition of terrestrial populations within the geographic area
would be appropriate indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health. 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 geographic area. 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 moriitonng
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 Terrestrial Ecosystems or
Species of Special Concern
Some measures of the condition of terrestrial ecosystems or species of special concern (e.g.,
endangered/threatened species) within the geographic area would be appropriate indicators of
terrestrial ecosystem health. It would seem reasonable to include a measure of the
presence/absence of endangered or threatened species, unique or otherwise ecologically valuable
ecosystemsThabitats, 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 status
or condition (e.g , stable population, breeding population). Endangered/threatened species
data from the Natural Heritage Network, DOI, and EPA could be used.
39
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
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 geographic
area 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 Funds North Amencan Conservation Assessment.
Status of vulnerable ecosystems/species. This indicator is becoming available via two
promising new indicators (Gap Analysis, terrestnal 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 geographic area 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 Funds North
American Conservation Assessment
6.5 Ecological Services
Some measures of the ecological services provided by terrestrial ecosystems within the geographic
area would be appropriate indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health It would seem reasonable to
include a measure of ecosystem services as welI 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
geographic area. 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 geographic
area, it may be due to declines in the quantity or quality of ecosystem services within the
geographic area). 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 the most appealing resources
to report, but this indicator might be expanded to include other resources
40
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
6.6 Pollution and Sedimentation
Some measures of pollution of terrestrial ecosystems within the geographic area and additional
erosional indicators would be appropriate indicators of terrestnal ecosystem health. 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 Transportations
Highways Statistics.
Soil erosion. This indicator already exists for forests (USDA soil erosion rates) and for the
Mid-Atlantic region (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 vanety of databases, including
NATSGO and STATSGO Some effort would be required to merge the databases and
approaches into a single measure.
6.7 Human Population Pressure
Measures of human population pressure on terrestrial ecosystems would be appropriate indicators of
terrestrial ecosystem health. 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, geographic areas in urban corridor
areas may experience increased highway development unrelated to population growth within
the geographic area. Urban sprawl could increase without an increase in population (e.g., if
people move from more densely populated parts of the geographic area 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)
41
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
6.8 Indirect/Other Stress
Some measures of other stress on terrestrial ecosystems within the geographic area would be
appropriate indicators of terrestrial ecosystem health. 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.
Geographic areas 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 clear how difficult it would be to expand this indicator.
6.9 Matching Potential Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem
Health with Index of Watershed Integrity Indicators
Table 6.1 presents a specific example of how this report could be used as a resource document to
begin developing indicators of terrestnal ecosystem health at the national level. The example applies
the framework presented above to the indicators that are incorporated into the Index of Watershed
Integrity (lWl). This example is based on the September, 1997 version of the IWI. EPA currently is
revising and expanding the IWI approach, and plans are to include some measures of terrestnal
ecosystem health in these revisions.
42
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Abundance and Condition of
Ecosystems
1. Assessed nvers meeting all designated
uses
14. Hydrologic modification - dams
Indicators Currently Ready
Land cover composition and pattern (1-041)
Percent acreage by ecological status (1-046)
Promising New Indicators
Fragmentation of forest types (1-013)
Riparian extent and distribution (1-042)
Normalized difference vegetation index
(1-032)
Indicators Currently Ready
Forest area by age class or successional stage
(IOil)
Percent composition of forests by forest types
(1-012)
Extent of wildlife habitat (1-048)
Contribution of forest ecosystems to global
carbon budget (1-004)
Total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon
pool (1-005)
Promising New Indicators
Rangeland vegetation structure (1-030)
Rangeland canopy cover (1-031)
Percent cover of various types of grasses
(1-036)
Forest soil compaction (1-007)
Forest soil with diminished soil organic matter
or changed chemical properties
(1-008)
Forest land with diminished ecological
components (1-023)
Rangeland soil indicators suite (1-025, 1-029, I-
033)
Bare patch index based on canopy cover or
soil surface measurements (1-034) ___________
Table 6-1. Matching Potential Indicators of Terrestrial Ecosystem Health with Index of
Watershed Integrity lndicators*
Index of Watershed Integrity Indicators
Overall Composition of Landscape
(no indicators in September 1997 version)
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health Indicators
43
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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 nsk
Indicators Currently Ready
Number of forest dependent species (1-014)
Number of forest dependent species in
restricted ranges (1-015)
Population levels of forest-dependent bird
species (1-024)
Number of big game animals on public lands
(1-049)
Forest insect and disease conditions (1-021)
Abundance and Condition of
Ecosystems or Species of Special
Concern
7 Wetland loss index
-
Indicators Currently Ready
Status of forest-dependent endangered and
threatened species (1-015)
Promising New Indicators
Gap analysis (1-001)
Terrestrial salamander populations (1-002)
Ecological Services
(no indicators in September 1997 version)
Indicators Currently Ready
Forest land managed for protective functions
(1-009)
Forest land available for timber production
(1-017)
Growing stock of tree species on forest land
available for timber production (1-018)
Sustainability of wood products harvest
(1-019)
Net volume of timber species growing stock
(1-044)
Sustainability of non-timber forest products
harvest (1-020)
Total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon
pool (1-005)
Contribution of forest ecosystems to global
carbon budget (1-003)
Number of big game animals on public lands
(1-049) -
Ratio of annual harvest of other forest products
to sustainable levels
44
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSY STEM INDICATORS
Index of Watershed Integrity 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
Terrestrial Ecosystem Health Indicators
Indicators Currently Ready
Forest land experiencing accumulation of
persistent toxic substances (1-006)
Soil erosion rates (1-007, 1-010)
Promising New Indicators
Forest land experiencing specific levels of air
pollution (1-022)
Erosion potential (1-043)
Rangeland soil stability (1-026)
Human Population Pressure
13. Population change
Indicators Currently Ready
Percent acreage by ecological status (1-046)
Promising New Indicators
Nighttime_lights_(1-045)
Indirect/Other Stress
(no indicators in September 1997 version)
Promising New Indicators
Forests affected by other natural and human-
induced pressures (1-021)
* Matching is based on September 1997 version of the IWI EPA currently is considering
expansion of the IWI to include terrestnal ecosystem indicators.
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
7.0 General Comments
This chapter provides bnef 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 matenals, 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 existing reporting efforts or databases that focus at the national level.
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 summanzed at one geospatial level (e.g state or
county) directly to a different geospatial unit (e.g., watershed) Assuming that the promising new data
47
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
sources identified in this report continue to be developed and implemented, the next generation of
data will exist in multiple GIS 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 region) 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 existing nationwide reporting efforts and
databases with relatively little effort. For example, some data sources are or could easily be
referenced to specific watersheds. 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 tagged 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 Monitonng Avian
Production and Survivorship program, Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends) with
existing reporting efforts by assisting with efforts to locate sampling stations in representative
geographic areas of concern It might be necessary to develop some normalizing approaches for
some indicators (e.g., to compare number of species occurnng within a geographic area 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 efforts to better
disseminate information about ecosystem health. It is clear that considerably more effort would be
required to integrate other data sets into existing reporting efforts 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 others would need to assume a significant financial burden for these data sources. It also
is 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 framework of any existing nationwide
reporting effort.
48
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Appendix A
Organizations Contacted
-------
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Accelerate Canopy Chemistry
Program (ACCP)
ORNUDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423) 574-7319
Archived, data no longer being collected Database is online
Not currently
pursuing
Aerometric Information Retrieval
System (AIRS)
EPA/OAQPS
Current Repository for data on national ambient air quality and air
pollution
Not currently
pursuing
Air Quality Monitoring Network
DOl/NPS
Miguel Flores
(303) 969-2076
Current 1984-present Monitoring for priority air pollutants in
National Park Lands
In database
AIRMon
NOAAJAir Resources Laboratory
Jane Rothert
(217) 333-7942
Current Uses NADP and CASTNet monitoring networks Designed to
detect benefits of emissions controls mandated by CAA
In database
Annual Surveys of Government
Finances
Department of Commerce
Bureau of the Census
Henry WuIf
1-800-242-2184
hwulf@census gov
Current Surveys of state and local government finances on functions
and services such as health, sanitation, natural resources, sewerage,
solid waste management, etc
In database
Audubon Christmas Bird Counts
(CBC)
National Audubon Society
Geoff Leflaron
(212) 979-3083
glebaron@audubon org
Current An annual bird count survcy directed by the National
Audubon Society The counts have been conducted since the early
1900s and now cover over 1500 sites throughout North America
(primarily U S and Canada)
In database
Bioaccumulalion of contaminants
by indicator populations of raptors
Academic
Bill Bowerman (906) 635-6236
Mark Fuller (208) 385-4115
Mark Bechard (208) 385-3530
Current Research project - probably not useful at this time
Not currently
pursuing
A-i
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Biological Status and Trends
Program
USGS/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 Ttends of the Nations Biological Resouices, coming 2/98
Meeting held to
discuss current
initiatives
Bionionitoring of Environmental
Status and Trends (BEST)
USGS/BRD
Christine Bunck
Science Office
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 53711
(608) 27 1-4640
Future, in development stage Program designed to identify and
understand the effects of environmental contaminants on biological
resources
In database
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 DOl 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)
ORNUDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423) 574-7319
Current Data will be available over the next two years
International,
second (iei
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 (tormerly 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
A-2
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of DatalDescription
Status
Butterfly Monitoring Project
USGS/BRD
Sam Droege
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
(301) 497-5500
Future A program under development by BRD that will monitor trends
in populations of butterflies
In database
Capacities and Capabilities
(Taxonomists/ Systematists and
Collections)
USGS/NBII
Ann Frondorl
(703) 648-4205
Current Available via e-mail Probably not useful for environmental
health monitoring
Not currently
pursuing
Carbon Dioxide Information
Analysis Center (CDIAC)
ORNL
Robert Cushman, Director
cdiac@ornl gov
Current Contains a wide variety of data concerning greenhouse effects
and global climate change Metadata available on the Web
In database with
subentries for
each dataset
Clean Air Status and Trends
Network (CASTNet)
EPA
Ralph Baumgardner
(919) 541-4625
baumgardner ralph@epamail epa gov
Current Data on criteria pollutants, visibility, line particulates, toxics,
precipitation and deposition for 55 sites in the US Metadata available
through the National Environmental and Monitoring Research Initiative
website
In database
CO concentrations in the Tundra
OSTI (Office of Science and Technical
Information)
Karen Spence
423-576-1035
Archived
Not currently
pursuing
CO indicator plants in the Tundra
OSTI
Karen Spence
423-576-1035
Archived
Not currently
pursuing
Contcrminous U S Land Cover
Characteristics
USGS EROS Data Center
Customer Services
(605)594-6151
Current Land characteriiation dataset that incorporates a collection of
land surface attributes that define 159 seasonally distinct regions of the
US
In database
Decennial Census of Population
Department of Commerce
Bureau of the Census
Current Demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the U S
population Trend data available
Not currently
ptfrsuing
A-3
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Defense Meteorological Satellite
Program (DMSP) Data
NOAAlNational Geo-Physical Data
Center (NGDC)/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 particulates
In database
Digital Terrain Elevation Data
(DTED)
USGS/National Imagery and Mapping
Agency (NIMA)
Information Services
1-800-455-0899
Current Toll-free number provided two sites with current info on
digital tcrrain data HTPP //
164 214 2 59/publications/guides/dtf/dtf html for existing products, and
l-ITPP //1642142 59/geospatial/geospatial html Metadata available
from sites is incomplete Datasets are not publicly available
Not currently
pursuing
Ecological Exposure Research Data
EPA/National Health and
Environmental Effects Research lab
Bill Hogsett
(541) 754-4632
hogsett william@cpamail 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 (EIIS)
EPA/Office of Pesticide Programs
James Feldkel
(703) 305-5828
Current DBASEIII+ 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 eflect, 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 wildlite, 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
A-4
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource
Group
USDA
Steven Shafer (919) 515-2142 website
for program is
http //www epa gov/ernrjulte/html/
datal/agroland/mndexihtml
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
In database with
subentries for
each dataset
EMAP Ecological Landscape Level
Characteristics
Multi-Resolution Landscape
Characteristic Consortium
Bruce Jones
702-798-2671
Current Several ongoing projects with geospatial data
In database with
subentries for
each indicator
EMAP Rangeland Ecosystem
Indicators
EPA
Walt Whitford
(505) 646-8032
Current Not a part of the EMAP program anymore Contact has a new
manual and data, some which is geospatially referenced
In database with
subcntries for
each indicator
Endangered Ecosystems
U of Idaho
Reed Noss
USGS/BRD
M J Scott
Scientific Paper Publication obtained on website regarding percentages
of loss of endangered ecosystems in the US Snap shot analysis, not
based on ongoing monitoring
Not currently
pursuing
Endangered Species Inventory
DOI/Fish and Wildlife Service
Current Database of endangered and threatened species in the US
Not currently
ursuing
Environmental Monitoring and
Research Network
Scott Collins
(703) 306-1483
Future Proposed system to organize independent research projects
Not currently
pursuing
EROS Data Center
USGS
1-lolder and distributor of many different datasets related to land surface
See individual datasets
Reviewed web
site for relevant
datasets
Exotic Plants and Species Database
DOI/National Park Service
Bill Comniing
(202) 208-4631
Current Contains data about non-indigenous species on National Park
lands
In database
Exotic Mao Database
USGS/BRD
Kathryn Thomas
(520) 556-7466
Current Specific to the southwest, data is collected on land
administered by USGS
In database
A-5
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Exotic Species Database
Nature Conservancy
Barry Meyers-Rice
(530) 754-8891
Current Assesses weed problems on preserves stewarded by TNC and
formulated control strategies
In database
Federal Interagency Committee for
Management of Federal and
Noxious Weeds (FICM NEW)
FICMNEW
Gary Johnston
(202) 737-5886
Gary Johnston@nps gov
USGS/B RD
William Greg
(703) 648-4067
Current 15 databases of federal and noxious weeds in the US
In database
First International Satellite Land
Suriace Climatology (ISLSCP)
Field Experiment Project (FIFE and
FIFE Follow-on)
ORNLJDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
Archived, data no longer being collected Data available on CD-ROM
.
Not currently
pursuing
Forest Ecosystems Database
EPA
Center for Biological Statistics
Brand Niemann
(202) 260-3726
Current 1952-1992 and will be updated in 1997
See RPA
database
Forest Health Monitoring Program
USDAJForest Service
Ken Stoke (RTP)
(919) 549-4022
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
In database with
subentries for
each indicator,
still need to
identify datasets
Forest Insect and Disease
Conditions
USDA/Forest Service
Dick Fowler
(202)205-1598
Current 1952-present Data on insect and disease conditions on forest
lands (federal, state, and private) Annual reports available in hard
copy
In database
A-6
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Forest Inventory Analysis
USDA/Forest Service
Brad Smith
(202) 205-0841
Northeastern Experiment Station
5 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200
Radnor, PA
(610) 975-4017
Current, 1930-present Comprehensive Inventory and analysis of the
present and prospective conditions of and requirements br 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 live regional research stations Metadata
available through National Environmental Monitoring and Research
Initiative
In database
Forest Land Distribution Data
USDA/Forest Service
Andy Hartzel
(601) 324-1611
Maps have not been updated since 1993 Published by the US Forest
Service with the 1993 RPA Forest Resources report
Not currently
pursuing
Forest Service Experimental Forest
and Rangeland Sites
USDA/Forest Service
Dick Cline
(202) 205-1524
Current Indicators measure climate water vegetation and wildlife
conditions at 83 expenmental forests Meiadata available through
National Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative
In database
Forest Service Range Management
Information System (FSRAMIS)
USDA/Forest Service
Jim Zimmerman
(202) 205-1412
Current Collects and analyzes data on grazing in National Forests and
National Grasslands
In database
Gap Analysis Program (GAP)
USGS/HRD -- Michael Scott, Michael
Jennings, or Elisabeth Brackney
National GAP Office
530 S Asbury S , Suite I
Moscow, ID 83843
(208) 885-3555
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
In database
Gaseous Pollutant Monitoring
Network
DOl/Nalional Park Service
Current Monitoring tor priority air pollutants in National Park Lands
See Air Quality
Monitoring
Network
Global Change Data Information
System (GCDIS)
NASA
Lola Olson
Goddard Space Flight Center
webmaster@www gcdis usgcrp gov
Current Program provides comprehensive global change related data
and information Additional metadata and data available on the Web
More
information
needed about
individual
datasets
A-7
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of DatalDescription
Status
Global Ecosystem Data
NGDC
John Kineman
(303) 497-6900
Current Selected data on the global environment, such as ecosystems,
land use, vegetation, climate, topography, and soils
In database
Global Inventory of Biomass
Burning
NOAAINationaI Geo-Physicai Data
Center (NGDC)
Dave Serke
dserkeฎngdc noaa gov
(303)497-6126
Current The dataset contains satellite imagery of wildfire data
In database
Global Vegetation Index
NGDC
David Hastings
(303) 497-6729
Current Experimental normalized difference vegetation index based on
advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVI-IRR) of NOAAs polar
orbiting environmental satellites
In database
Hawk Migration Monitoring
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Laurie Goodrich
(610) 756-6961
Current Each autumn, the sanctuary records counts of migratory
raptors past North lookout in PA
In database
Highway Statistics
DOT/Federal Highway Administration
Mary Teets
(202)366-9211
Current Collection, analysis, summary, and dissemination of data
related to the physical characteristics of the nations highway system
Also includes state and local highway finance
In database
Index of Watershed Indicators
EPA
Sarah Lehniann
(202) 260-7021
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
Obtained report
and metadata
Individual State agencies
Current Siate agencies collect wildlife incident data associated with
pesticide poisoning Need to research which ones do
Not currently
pursuing
Integrated Taxonomic Information
System
USGS/NBII
Ann Frondorf
(703) 648-4205
Current Nomenclature standard Available via e-mail Probably not
useful for environmental health monitoring
Not currently
pursuing
Interagency Monitoring of Protected
Visual Environments (IMPROVE)
Network
DOI/NPS
William Maim
(970)491-8292
Current 1987-present Monitoring for line particulates on National
Park Lands One of the highest quality air monitoring programs for
lorested areas in the US
In database
A-8
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
International Satellite Land Surface
Climatology Project
ORNUDAAC
Laura Morris and Marilyn Gentry
423-241-3952
Archived, data no longer being collected
Not currently
pursuing
Land Areas of the National Forest
System
USDA/Forest Service
Current Data on the extent and characteristics of forest, range, and
related lands within the National Forest System
Not currently
pursuing
Land Cover Classification
NOAA/National Marine Fisheries
Service
Don Field
(919) 728-8764
Current Land cover and land use change data for the Chesapeake Bay
watershed
In database
Land Use 1-listory of North America
(LUHNA)
USGS/BRD
Tom Sisk
(202) 482-3694
NASA
Tony Janetos
(202) 358-0278
Future Goal is to develop a well-documented history of patterns of
land use and environmental change Program in development stage
In database
Landuse/Landcover (LUILC)
GIRAS Spatial Data
USEPA
Ed Parlingion
(202) 260-3106
Current The dataset contains land use and land cover digital data
interpreted from aerial photographs by NASA and the USGS
In database
Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere
(LBA) experiment in Amazonia
ORNUDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423) 574-7319
Future Project has been funded but not started yet Metadata is
available on the Web
International,
second tier
priority
Level III Ecoregions of the
Conterminous U S
USEPA
Office of Information Resources
Management
David Wolf
(202) 260-3075
Current The daaset provides polygon coverage of level III ecoregions
of the conterminous U S and is stored at EDLS (EPA Spatial Data
Library)
In database
LOCALECO
Ecosystem Protection Place-based
Projects in the US
EPA/NSDI
Current, 1995 - present
Not currently
pursuing
A-9
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale 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
(LThR) 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
USGS
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 information
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 1 precipitation, soils,
vegetation, water, and wildlife Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative
In database
A-la
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of DatalDescription
Status
Master Environmental Library
(MEL)
DoD/Defense Modeling and Simulation
Office
John Kent
kent@nrlmry navy mil
(408) 656-4706
Chuck Stein
stein@nrlniry navy niil
(408) 656-4706
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 description are included
Need more infor
on specific
databases within
MEL
Mercury Deposition Network
Van Bowersox
NADP Coordinator
(217) 333-7873
sox@sun sws uiuc edu
Current 1994-present A subuetwork of NADP gathering information
on weekly concentrations of total mercury in precipitation and the
seasonal and annual flux of total mercury in wet deposition
In database
Migration Monitoring Program
Canadian Wildlife Service
Erica Dunn
(819) 994-0182
Future A new program to count birds as they migrate north and south
being developed by a group of Canadian and U S ornithologists
In database
Monitoring Avian Productivity and
Survivorship (MAPS) Program
Institute for Bird Population
Dave DeSante
(415) 663-1436
75521 271 @compuserve corn
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, DOl/NPS, DOl/BLM, EPA, and DoD), private
organizations (e g., Institute for Bird Populations), and the bird banders
of North America
In database
Multi-Resolution Land
Characteristics Consortium
EPA
Pete Campbell
(919) 541 -2957
Current A cooperative effort between USDAIFS, 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
More
information
needed on
individual
datasets
Multi-Resolution Land
Characteristic Grid
James Vogelmann
(605) 594-6062
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
In database
NASA Pathfinder Climate Data
NOAAINGDC
Ted Habermann
(303) 497-6472
Current Data on atmospheric climatology
In database
A-il
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
National Acid Precipitation
Assessment Program (NAPAP)
NAPAP
Karen King
(301) 713-2465 x202
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
Not currently
pursuing
National Agricultural Pest
Information System
USDA/APHIS
D McNear
(301) 734-8247
Current Survey data for plant pests in the U S
In database
National Air Monitoring Stations
(NAMS)/State and Local Air
Monitoring Stations (SLAMS)
EPA
David Lutz
(919) 541-5476
Current Nationwide database of monitoring data for criteria air
pollutants, visibility/fine particulates. toxics Metadata available
through National Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative
In database
National Atmospheric Deposition
and National Trends Network
(NADP/NTN)
NADP Program Office
Van Bowersox
(217) 333-7873
soxฎsun sws uiuc edu
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
In database
National Classification of Ecologic
Communities
The Nature Conservancy
Denny Grossman, Chief Ecologist
(703) 841-5305
Mark Brycr
(703) 841-4191
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
In database
National Climatic Data Center
(NCDC)
Department of Comrrierce/NOAA
(704) 251-8205
Current l800s-present Meteorological and climatological data from a
global network of stations
In database
National Contaminant
Biomonitoring Program
DOl/Fish and Wildlife Service
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
Not currently
pursuing, see
BEST entry
A-12
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
National Environmental Monitoring
and Research Initiative
EPA
Laura Jackson
(919) 541-2698
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 arc to have detailed
information regarding all programs collecting ecological data in the US
in this database Web site www epa gov/monhtor
All relevant
metadata from
web page in
database
National Environmental Research
Parks (NERP)
DOE
Jerry Elwood
(301) 903-4583
Current Indicators measure a wide variety of terrestrial ecosystem
conditions at all DOE sites Metadata available through National
Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative
In database
National Geo-physical Data Center
(NGDC)
NOAA/NGDC
Dave Serke
Data Services Manager
dserke@ngdc noaa gov
(303) 497-6126
Current Includes Solar Terrestrial Physics and Defense Meteorological
Satellite Programs, Global Ecosystems Data, Global Vegetation Index,
and Pathfinder climate data
In database with
separate entries
for each dataset
National Land Use and Land Cover
Mapping Program
DOI/USGS
Current Land use and land cover maps and digitized data
In database
National Plant Data Collection
Center
USDAINRCS
Scott Peterson
(504) 775-6280
Phil Haney
(504) 775-6280
Current
Not currently
pursuing.
applicability of
webpage data
limited
National Report Card on Nations
Ecosystems
Heinz Center
Heather Blough, Bob Friedman
(202) 737-6307
Future Project not Just getting started Received reference list and
distributed to workgroup No indicators or databases selected for
project
Not currently
pursuing
A-13
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
National Resources Inventory
USDA/NRCS
Jeff Goebel
(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 live years by NRCS Data is not geospatial Several
environmental indicators of the condition of natural resources are
measured every live 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 vulnerabiliiy Name changed to Index ot Watershed
Indicators
See Index of
Watershed
Indicators
Native Plant Conservation Initiative
(NPCI)
NPCI
Peggy OIwelI
(202) 219-8933
(301) 681-5562 (home)
Olivia Quang
(202) 208-4912
Denny Grossn an (703) 841-5305
Do not have a native plant database due to lack of lunding, 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 c , not other types of ecosystems)
lr database
Natural Heritage Network
Nature Conservancy
Jeff Lerner
(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 ot North America Information includes
taxonomy, nomenclature, conservation status, distribution, habitat
ecology, and management as well as monitoring, and research needs
In database
A-14
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Net Primary Production
ORNUDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423) 574-7319
Archived, data no longer being collected Database is online
Not currently
pursuing
Nighttime Lights
NOAA/National Gco-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
Norih 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 Momtoring 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) 594-61 16
Current Intormation on corrected and projected and classified satellite
imagery
In database
A-15
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
North American Maple Project
(NAMP)
USDA/Forest Service
Northeastern Experiment Station
Radnor. PA
Gerry Hertle
(610)975-4125
New Hampshire
Bob Cooke
(603) 868-7705
Current Monitoring the health of the sugar maple population in the
US
More
information
needed
North American Raptor Monitoring
Strategy
USGS/BRD
Bob Lehman
Snake River Field Station
970 Lusk St
Boise, ID 83706
(208)331-5205
[ also Kirk Bates at (208) 331-5215)
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
In database
Noxious/Invasive Database
USDA/Forest Service
Rita Beard
(970)498-1715
Current This is a geospatially referenced dataset with administrative
reporting, inventory, and biological control information It also
contains pesticide information
In database
Oregon Transect Ecosysteni
Research (OTTER)
ORNUDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423) 574-7319
Archived, data no longer being collected Data available on CD-ROM
Not currently
pursuing
Photoehemical Assessment
Monitoring Stations (PAMS)
EPA
Gerald Nash
(919) 541-5652
Gerald Nash@epamail epa gov
Current Indicators of the effects of ozone pollution Metadata
available through National Environmental Monitoring and Research
Initiative
In database
Plant Genonie Data and Information
Center (PGDIC)
USDA
Ray Altevogt
(301) 504-6613
10301 Baltimore Ave
4th floor
Belltsville, MD 20705-2351
Current Plant and animal genome mapping
Not currently
pursuing
A-16
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
PostalService Delivery Statistics
USPS
National Customer Support Center
1-800-238-3150
Current Records of number of addresses within postal zip codes
In database
Production and Transport of
Organic Solutes Effects of Natural
Climate Variation (PROTOS)
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research
Initiative (TERI), part of the
Environment and Climate Research
Programme ofthe European
Commission Dr Jan Mulder
Jan Mulder@Nisk No
Current Project to collect geospatial data in Europe
Not currently
pursuing,
international,
second tier
priority
Project Feeder Watch
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Margaret Barker
(607) 254-2440
Current 1987-present A winter survey of birds that visit backyard
feeders in North America
In database
Public Lands Statistics
DOI/BLM
Eric Luse
(202) 452-7743
Current National summary of key statistics for all of the BLM lands
In database with
separate entries
for each
indicator
Range Site Inventory
DOI/BLM
Archived On-the-ground assessment of rangeland administered by
BLM Sec Ecological Site Inventory
Not currently
pursuing
Remote Automated Weather
Stations (RAWS)
USDA
Kolleen Shelley
(208) 476-8362
Current Database contains national data Indicators of climate,
precipitation, soils and wind spccd Mctadata available through
National Environmental Monitoring and Research Initiative
In database
Remote Sensing - geography, land
cover
U of Maryland
Peter Townsend
Not currently
pursuing
RPA Updates/Database
USDA/Forest Service
Brad Smith
(202) 205-0841
Current I 952-1992 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
In database
A-17
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
lime Scale 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 Daia
Center (NGDC)
Dave S้rke
dserke@ngdc noaa gov
(303) 497-6126
Current Many terrestrial geophysical datasets available including
Global Inventory 01 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, TN, 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
DOEiEnergy 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
USDAINRCS 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 [ or the US
EPA
website access to NPL US map is
www epa gov/superfund/oerr/impm/
products/nplsites/usmap/htm
wcbsite 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
A-18
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Superior National Forest
ORNUDAAC
NASA
Bob Cook
(423)574-7319
Archived, data no longer being collected Data available on CD-ROM
Not currently
pursuing
TEMS Database (Terrestrial
Ecosystems Monitoring Sites)
United Nations, Global Environmental
Monitoring System Program Activity
Center
Dr John lnncs
German address
Current Metadata for terrestrial ecosystem monitoring sites on a global
scale Metadata available on the Web
International,
second tier
priority
Tree Planting in the U S
USDA/Forest Service
Robert Moulton
(919) 549-4032
Current National summary of tree planting in the US
.
In database
U S Fish and Wildlife Service
Lands
DOl/Fish and Wildlife Service
Current 1945-present Inventory of U S Fish and Wildlife Service
lands
Not currently
pursuing
UV-B Monitoring Data
EPA/National Health and
Environmental Effects Research Lab
Bill Hogsett
(541) 754-4632
hogsett william@epaniait epa gov
Current The datasct contains UV-B monitoring data for 14 rural areas
(located in I 4 national parks) and 8 urban areas
In database
UV-B Radiation Monitoring
Program
USDA
Dr James H Gibson, Program Director
Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
(970) 491-3611
jimgฎnrel colostate edu
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 U V-B-I
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 sue are posted on the World Wide Web Home Page
each day and specific data files are made available Jo the user
community along with instrument calibration information upon request
In database
Visibility Monitoring Network
DOl/National Park Service
Current Monitoring for line particulates on National Park Lands
See IMPROVE
A-19
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TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS
Name of Project
Contact
Time Scale of Data/Description
Status
Waterfowl and Gamebird
Monitoring
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Graham Smith
(301) 497-5860
Current Extensive monitoring program, including several breeding and
wintering surveys for waterfowl and gamebirds that range from the
arctic islands down into northern Mexico
In database with
subentries for
each dataset
Wildland Fire Statistics
USDA/Forest Service
Current Data on wildland fires on public and private lands throughout
the US Includes info from Boise Interagency Fire Center
More info
needed
Wildlife Health Epizootiological
Database EPIZOO
NBS/National Wildlife Health Center
(NWHC)
Kathryn Converse
(608) 264-5411
Current, 1975 - present Metadata available on Ihe Web
In database
Wildlife Health Diagnostics
Database (DIAGDATA)
NES/National Wildlife Health Center
(NWHC)
Kate Cleary
(608) 264-5411
Current, 1975 - present Metadata available on the Web
In database
Wildlife Incident Investigation
Scheme (WIIS)
United Kingdom
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food (MAFF)
Mark Fletcher
M fletcher@csl gov uk
Database Maintenance
e barnett@csl gov uk
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
Not currently
pursuing
A-20
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Appendix B
Data Source Descriptions
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-001 Dataset Name: North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1966 to present
Data Gaps:
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 Amencan birds administered by BRD.
BBS monitors the status and trends of all species of birds breeding in North
Amenca, 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 songbtrds; however,
the data have many potential uses. BBS also measures climate (meteorology)
and animals (species, range, populations).
Indicator Association(s): 1-024 Population Levels of Forest-dependent Bird Species
Contact Name: Bruce Peterjohn
Organization: USGSIBRD
Phone: (301)497-5841
E-mail: bruce_pererjohn@nbs gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
11410 American Holly Dnve
Laurel, MD 20708
B-i
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-002
Dataset Name:
North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
(NAAMP)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/expected soon
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-002 Dataset Name: North Amencan Amphibian Monitorrng Program
(NAAMP)
Contact Name: Sam Droege
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (301) 497-5500
E-mail: frog@nbs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
3 B-3
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-003
Dataset Name: Ecological Incident Information System
Collecting Organization:
USEPA/Office of Pesticides Programs
Geographic Scale:
national/international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-004
Dataset Name: Land Use Data for Agroecosystems in the US
Collecting Organization:
EMAP Agncultural Lands Resource Group
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
annual
Reporting Frequency:
annual
Collection Years:
1992 to 1997
Data Gaps:
Format:
hard copy report/disk/CD
URL Address:
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: USDA/Agricultural Research Service
Phone: (919) 515-2142
E-mail: stevenshafer@ncsu.edu
Address:
5 B-5
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-005
Dataset Name: Land Cover Data for Agroecosystems in the US
Collecting Organization:
EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource Group
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
annual
Reporting Frequency:
annual
Collection Years:
1992 to 1997
Data Gaps:
Format:
hard copy report/disk/CD
URL Address:
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: USDA/Agricultural Research Service
Phone: (919)515-2142
E-mail: stevenshafer@ncsu edu
Address:
B-6 6
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-006
Dataset Name: Land Form Data for Agroecosystems in the US
Collecting Organization:
EMAP Agricultural Lands Resource Group
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currentiy available
Collection Frequency:
annual
Reporting Frequency:
annual
Collection Years:
1992 to 1997
Data Gaps:
Format:
hard copy report/disk/CD
URL Address:
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
E-mail: stevenshafer@ncsu.edu
Address:
7 B-7
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-008
Dataset Name: Photochemical Assessment Monitonng Stations
(PAMS)
Collecting Organization:
USEPA
Geographic Scale:
regional
Readiness:
early development
Collection Frequency:
hourly for 3 months or every 3 hours every sixth day
Reporting Frequency:
every 3 months for ozone, every 6 months for hydrocarbons
Collection Years:
1992 to present
Data Gaps:
data for 1992 and 1993 are not complete for all stations
Format:
hard copy report/disk/CD
URL Address:
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 cntena air pollutants and air toxics as well as climate
(meteorology).
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Gerald Nash
Organization: USEPAJOAQPS
Phone: (919) 541-5652
E-mail: gerald.nash@epamail epa.gov
Address: USEPA
OAQPS Maildrop 14
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
B-B 8
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-009
Dataset Name:
National Atmosphenc Deposition Program &
National Trends Network (NADPINTN)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
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/NADPfsitelist html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The NADP1NTN is a nationwide network of precipitation monitonng sites.
The network is a cooperative effort between many different groups, including
the State Agricultural Experiment Stations, USGS, USDA, and other
govermental and private entities The NADPINTN has grown from 22
stations at the end of 1978 to over 200 sites spanning the continental U.S.,
Alaska, and Puerto Rico. 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, chlonde, 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): 1-022 Forest Land Subject to Specific Levels of Air Pollutants
9 B-9
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-009 Dataset Name: National Atmospheric Deposition Program &
National Trends Network (NADPINTN)
Contact Name: Van Bowersox
Organization: NADP
Phone: (217) 333-7873
E-mail: sox@sun.sws.uiuc.edu
Address: NADP Program Office
Illinois State Water Survey
2204 Griffith Drive
Chicago, IL 61208
B-b 10
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-01 3 Dataset Name: Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet)
Collecting Organization: USEPA
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: weekly, but continuous for ozone and meteorological data
Reporting Frequency: quarterly
Collection Years: 1988 to present
Data Gaps: September 1995 to July 1996, except for 15 sites
Format: disklCD
URL Address:
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 cntena 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):
11 B-il
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-013 Dataset Name: Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet)
Contact Name: Ralph Baumgardner
Organization: USEPA
Phone: (919) 541-4625
E-mail: baumgardner ralph@epamail.epa.gov
Address: USEPA
Maildrop 56
Research mangle Park, NC 27711
B-12 12
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-015 Dataset Name: Forest Inventoryand Analysis (FIA)
Collecting Organization: USDAJForest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual (7-12 year cycle for entire nation)
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years: 1930 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: system/data tape
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The HA 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 1960s, inventories were completed for all of the
48 conterrninous 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 nations forests as
well as information about wildlife habitat, forage production, and other
resource charactenstics 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 HA data is available through the RPA database
(D-045) and RPA updates.
Indicator Association(s): 1-003 Contribution of Forest Products to the Global Carbon Budget
1-005 Total Forest Ecosystem Biomass and Carbon Pool
1-01 1 Extent of Area by Forest Type and Age Class or Successional Stage
1-012 Extent of Area by Forest Type Relative to Total Forest Area
1-0 14 Number of Forest Dependent Species
1-0 17 Area of Forest Land and Net Area Forest Land Available for Timber
Production
1-0 18 Total Growing Stock of both Merchantable and Non-Merchantable
Tree Species on Forest Land Available for Timber Production
1-019 Sustainability of Wood Products Harvest
1-021 Forests Affected by Other Natural and Human-Induced Pressures
Dataset Description (continued)
13 B-13
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Dataset ID: D-015 Dataset Name: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Contact Name: Brad Smith
Organization: USDA
Phone: (202) 205-0841
E-mail:
Address: Auditors Building
14th and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC
B-14 14
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-016
Dataset Name: National Air Monitoring Stations (NAMS)/State &
Local Air Monitonng Stations (SLAMS)
Collecting Organization:
cooperative effort
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
hourly - Pb and PMIO variable
Reporting Frequency:
hourly or vanable
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: USEPAJOAQPS
Phone: (919) 541-5476
E-mail:
Address: USEPA
Maildrop 14
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
15 B-15
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-017 Dataset Name: National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Collecting Organization: USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: eve ly 5 years
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1956 to present
Data Gaps: data currently available only to 1992
Format: disk/CD
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: NRI is an inventory of land cover and use, soil erosion, pnme farmland,
wetlands, and other natural resource charactenstics 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-imgated cropland, grazed and ungrazed forest
land, prime farmland, etc.); erosion (e g., sheet and nil, 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 1982, 1987 and 1992 NRI datasets.
Indicator Association(s): 1-0 10 Forest Land with Significant Soil Erosion
I-Oil Extent of Area by Forest Type and Age Class or Successional Stage
1-012 Extent of Area by Forest Type Relative to Total Forest Area
1-017 Area of Forest Land and Net Area Forest Land Available for Timber
Production
1-0 19 Sustainability of Wood Products Harvest
B-16 16
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-017 Dataset Name: National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name: Jeff Goebel
Organization: USDAINRCS
Phone: (202) 720-9032
E-mail: goebel@usdal gov
Address: USDAINRCS
P0 Box 2890
S Agricultural Building, Room 6175
Washington, DC 20013
17 B-17
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-018 Dataset Name: Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: vanes 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 page/hard copy report
URL Address: http://wrcc.sage.dn.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: (202) 476-8362
E-mail: shelly_kolleen/rl_clearwater@ fs.fed.us
Address: USDA
12730 Highway 12
Orofino, ID 83544
B-18 18
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: DM20
Dataset Name: National Environmental Research Parks
Collecting Organization:
cooperative effort
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
vanes for each park
Reporting Frequency:
vanes for each park
Collection Years:
1972 to present
Data Gaps:
vanes for each park
Format:
disk/CD/hard copy report/web page
URL Address:
Accessibility:
publicly available
Narrative Description:
National Environmental Research Parks collect a vanety of ecological data.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Jerry Elwood
Organization: US Department of Energy
Phone: (301) 903-4583
E-mail: jeriy.elwood@oer.doe.gov
Address: US DOE
ER-74
1909 Germantown Road
Germantown, M l) 20874
19 B-19
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-021 Dataset Name: Mercury Deposition Network
Collecting Organization: NADP
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available for staff only
Collection Frequency: weekly
Reporting Frequency: weekly
Collection Years: 1994 to present
Data Gaps: some stations closed in 1995 or 1996
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: The Mercury Deposition Network is developing a regional database on the
weekly concentrations of total mercury deposition in precipitation and the
seasonal arid 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):
Contact Name: Van Bowersox
Organization: NAD?
Phone: (217) 333-7873
E-mail: sox@sun.sws.uiuc.edu
Address: NADP Program Office
Illinois State Water Survey
2204 Griffith Drive
Chicago, IL 61208
B-20 20
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-022
Dataset Name:
Wildlife Health Diagnostics Database
(DIAGDATA)
Collecting Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: continuous
Collection Years: 1975 to present
Data Gaps: no major gaps
Format: disk/CDThard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility: not publicly available
Narrative Description: The diagnostics database is a computenzed 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 record
keeping information (identifier numbers, species, sex, submitter information,
etc.), types of tests run (virology, bactenology, parasitology, chemistry, etc.)
and some test results for heavy metals, particularly lead; and diagnostic
results. The diagnostic coding system is based on SNORED terminology,
with certain modifications and additions to fit Center needs. SNORED, 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 categones 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):
21 B-21
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-022 Dataset Name: Wildlife Health Diagnostics Database
(DIAGDATA)
Contact Name: Kate Cleary
Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Phone: (608) 264-5411
E-mail: kate_cleary@nbs.gov
Address: National Wildlife Health Center
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 53711-6223
B-22 22
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-023
Dataset Name:
Wildlife Health Epizootiological Database
(EPIZOO)
Collecting Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1975 to present
Data Gaps: variable for each case
Format: disk/CDfhard copy report
URL Address:
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 (N\VHC) EPIZOO tracks events throughout the U S
and territories, primanly 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 analyze data on morbidity and mortality, geographical
distribution, animal populations charactenstics, and dynamics of epizootics
It helps to prepare for investigations of animal population health and disease,
to analyzed 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):
23 B-23
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-023 Dataset Name: Wildlife Health Epizootiological Database
(EPIZOO)
Contact Name: Kathryn Converse
Organization: National Wildlife Health Center
Phone: (608) 264-5411
E-mail: kathy_converse@nbs.gov
Address: National Wildlife Health Center
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 537 11-6223
B-24 24
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-Oil Dataset Name: Atniosphenc Halocarbons & Nitrous Oxide
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset ID: D-032 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-032 Dataset Name: Atmospheric Methane Mixing Ratios
Contact Name: Tom Boden
Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Phone: (423) 241-4842
E-mail:
Address:
27 B-27
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-033
Dataset Name: Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios
Collecting Organization:
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-034
Dataset Name:
Global & Latitudinal Estimates of del
Fossil-Fuel Consumption and Cement
13C from
Manufacture
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1860 to 1992
Data Gaps:
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd ornl gov/ftp/dblOl3
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 I 3C of C02 emissions from fossil-fuel
consumption and cement manufacture for 1860-1992. It also contains
estimates of the value of del I 3C 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 charactenstic isotopic signatures. This time
series of fossil-fuel del I 3C signature provides an additional constraint for
balancing the sources and sinks of the global carbon cycle and complements
the atmospheric del 1 3C measurements that are used to partition the uptake of
fossil carbon emissions among the ocean, atmosphere, and terrestnal
biosphere reservoirs.
Indicator Association(s):
29 B-29
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-034 Dataset Name: Global & Latitudinal Estimates of del I 3C from
Fossil-Fuel Consumption and Cement Manufacture
Contact Name: Robert Andres
Organization: Institute of Northern Engineering
Phone:
E-mail:
Address: Institute of Northern Engineering
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AL 99775-5900
B-30 30
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-035
Dataset Name:
Global Patterns of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from
Soils
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: variable
Collection Years: 1964 to present
Data Gaps: uses predictions for sites with no data
Format: web page
U RL Address: cdiac.esd ornl.gov/cdiac/newsletr/spnng97/datas97
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Global Patterns of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Soils on a 0 5 Degree
Gnd Cell Basis database contains global, spatially explicit (0.5 degree gnd
cells) and temporally explicit (monthly and annual) model output of soil C02
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
E-mail: jraich@iastate edu
Address: Department of Botany
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
31 B-31
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-036
Dataset Name:
Global Population Distnbution (1990), Terrestrial
Area and Country Name Information
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years: 1990
Data Gaps:
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.ornl.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 gndded (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 countrys population present in each grid cell (Li,
I 996a). Secondly, the database contains the percentage of a countrys total
area in a grid cell and the countrys percentage of the grid cell that is
terrestrial (Li, l996b). 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 regions name; and the
United Nations three-digit country code that represents that name.
Indicator Association(s):
B-32 32
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-036 Dataset Name: Global Population Distribution (1990), Terrestrial
Area and Country Name Information
Contact Name: A.L. Brenkert
Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Phone:
E-mail: azl@ornl.gov
Address: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, TN 37830-6335
33 B-33
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-037
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
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years: 1890 to 1990
Data Gaps:
Format: web page
URL Address: cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/cdiac/newsletr/spnng97/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 areal extent (Ha) and gross merchantable (wood) volume (GMV in m 3 )
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 atmosphenc
C02) are identified as forest pests, forest diebacks, forest fires, forest
harvests, and land-use changes. Forests accruals (sink terms for atmosphenc
C02) are identified as forest fire exclusion, forest fire suppression, and
afforestanon/crop abandonment. Both the areal extent (Ha) and GMV (m 3 )
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):
B-34 34
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-037 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
E-mail: scipol@access.digex net
Address: Science & Policy Associates, Inc
1333 H Street, NW, W400
Washington, DC
35 B-35
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-038 Dataset Name: Multi-resolution Land Charactenstic Grid
Collecting Organization: USEPA
Geographic Scale regional
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-039 Dataset Name: Landuse/Landcover (LU/LV) GIRAS Spatial Data
Collecting Organization: USGSIUSEPAJNaionaI GIS Program
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: one time only
Reporting Frequency: one time only
Collection Years: 1977 to early l980s
Data Gaps:
Format: disk/CD/system (ARC/INFO)
URL Address:
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 w s 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(s):
Contact Name: Edward Partington
Organization: USEPA
Phone: (202) 260-3106
E-mail: partington.ed@epamail.epa gov
Address: 401 M Street, SW
Mailcode 3908
Washington, DC 20460
37 B-37
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-041 Dataset Name: Long-Term Resource Morntonng Program
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-042 Dataset Name: National Soil Geographic Database (NATSGO)
Collecting Organization: USDA/NRCS/National Soil Survey Center
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-043
Dataset Name: National Soil Characterization Data
Collecting Organization:
USDA/NRCSfNational Soil Survey Center
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-044
Dataset Name:
Level ifi Ecoregions of the Conterminous US
(USECO)
Collecting Organization: USEPAJOffice of Information Resource Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-045 Dataset Name: RPA UpdatesfRPA Database
Collecting Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: eveiy 5 years
Collection Years: 1952 to 1992
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report/web page
URL Address:
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 FIA (D-0 15). 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
E-mail:
Address: 14th and Independence, SW
Washington, DC
B-42 42
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-046 Dataset Name: National Climatic Data Center
Collecting Organization: NOAAINational Environmental Satellite & Data Information System
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: varied
Reporting Frequency: varied
Collection Years: mid- 19th century to present
Data Gaps:
Format: disk/CD/hard copy report
URL Address:
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 penods
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 meteorological elements over the worlds oceans as well as
summaries used in the study of air pollution are available
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: National Climatic Data Center
Organization: NOAAJNESDISINCDC
Phone: (704) 251-8205
E-mail:
Address: National Climatic Data Center
Federal Building
Asheville, NC 28801
43 B-43
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-047 Dataset Name: Highways Statistics
Collecting Organization: Federal Highway Administration/Department of Transportation
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1920s to present
Data Gaps: none
Format: web page
U RL 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 nations
highway system, as well as the traffic/travel and related performance activity
which occurs on those systems. Data include charactenstics 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 charactenstics collected as part of the
Nationwide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS). Trend data for many of
the charactenstics date back to the early 1900s. The Highway Statistics
Information Retrieval System (HSIRS) database contains Highway Statistics
Summary to 1985 and Highway Statistics for years 1986-1991.
Indicator Association(s):
B-44 44
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-047 Dataset Name: Highways Statistics
Contact Name: Mary Teets
Organization: Federal Highway Administration
Phone: (202) 366-9211
E-mail: mary.teets@fhwa dot gov
Address: 400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
45 B-45
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-049
Dataset Name:
Forest Service Expenmental Forest and Rangeland
Sites
Collecting Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: varies for each unit
Reporting Frequency: vanes for each unit
Collection Years: 1934 to present
Data Gaps: vanes for each unit
Format: vanes for each unit
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Forest Service Expenmental 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
expenmental forests sites
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Dick Cline
Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Phone: (202) 205-1524
E-mail: dclin&wo@fs fed.us
Address: USDA/Forest Service
PU. Box 96090
Washington, DC 20090-6090
B-46 46
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-050 Dataset Name: Man & the Biosphere Reserves
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: vanes for each reserve
Reporting Frequency: vanes for each reserve
Collection Years: 1976 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: vanes for each reserve
URL Address:
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 coninbutes to this goal, domestically and
internationally, through interagency and public-private partnerships that
promote and sponsor interdisciplinary research, expenmentatlon, education
and information exchange USMABs 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 (cntena 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),
manne/coastal (salinity/freshwater flux, chlorophyllJzooplankton,
submerged/coastal habitats, nutnents/contarmnants, animals, sediment), soi Is
(texture, chemistry, toxicity, mineralogy, climate, structure, strength, faunal
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(s):
47 B-47
-------
Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-050 Dataset Name: Man & the Biosphere Reserves
Contact Name: Roger Soles
Organization: U.S. State Department
Phone: (202) 776-08218
E-mail:
Address: U.S. Department of State
U.S MAB Secretariat
OES/ETC/MAB
SA-44C, Room 107
Washington, DC 20522-4401
B-48 48
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-051 Dataset Name: Tree Planting in the United States
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1928 to present
Data Gaps: 1941 to 1945
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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 windbamer stock)
Data are categonzed 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 Laboratory
Phone: (919) 549-4032
E-mail: rmoulton@rtpmail ernapshm.gov
Address: Forestry Science Laboratory
P0 Box 12254
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
49 B-49
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-052 Dataset Name: Hawk Migration Monitonng
Collecting Organization: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Geographic Scale: state/local
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1934 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: web page/diskThard copy
URL Address: www.hawkmountain.org/hawkcount.html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Sanctuarys 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. Histoncal data are found on
hard copies or disks.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Laune Goodnch
Organization: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Phone: (610) 756-6961
E-mail:
Address: 1700 Hawk Mountain Road
Kempton, PA 19529-9449
B-50 50
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-053 Dataset Name: UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
Collecting Organization: USDA/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
(continued)
Dataset ID:
D-053
Dataset Name: UV-B Radiation Monitoring Program Datasets
Contact Name: James Gibson
Organization: Colorado State University
Phone: (970) 491-3611
E-mail: jming@nrel.colostate.edu
Address: Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
B-52 52
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-054 Dataset Name: Natural Heritage Network
Collecting Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-054 Dataset Name: Natural Hentage Network
Contact Name: Jeffrey Lerner
Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Phone: (703) 841-4240
E-mail: jlerner@tnc.org
Address: 1815 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
B-54 54
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-055
Dataset Name:
Forest Service Range Management Information
System (FSRAM IS)
Collecting Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: in transition - new computer system in 1998
Collection Frequency: cycles ranging from annual to once every 3-5 years
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years: unknown to present
Data Gaps: only contains grazing statistics for National Forests and Grasslands
Format: system
URL Address:
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
vanables measured include allotment condition, improvement inventory and
activity, grazing capacity, actual use, authonzed use, and unauthorized use
Data are analyzed for trends in ecological potential. Data may be broken
down by State, Forest Service region, and forest/distnct level
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Jim Zimmerman
Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Phone: (202) 205-1412
E-mail: jzimmermlwo@fs fed us
Address: P.O. Box 96090
Washington, DC 20090-6090
55 B-55
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-056 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
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1945 to 1992
Data Gaps: some categories had no data to serve as a basis for an estimate
Format: web page/disk/CD
URL Address: www nammlib.comell.edu/data-setslland/890031
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 terrestnal ecosystem health.
Indicator Association(s):
ContactName: Ken Krupa
Organization: USDA/Economic Research Service
Phone: (202) 219-0853
E-mail:
Address: Natural Resource Conservation and Management
1301 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20054-4788
B-56 56
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-058 Dataset Name: Olsons Major World Ecosystem Complexes
Collecting Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/national/international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1970s-1980s to 1990
Data Gaps:
Format: disk/CD/ftp
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This package contains a computerized database used to generate a global
vegetation map 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 C02, and, eventually, of the net histonc shifts
of carbon between the biosphere and the atmosphere The map is derived
from patterns of pre-agncultural vegetation, modern areal surveys, and
intensive biomass data from research sites
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Linda Allison
Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Phone: (615) 576-8449
E-mail:
Address: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
57 B-57
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-059
Dataset Name: Major Land Resource Areas
Collecting Organization:
USDA/NRCS
Geographic Scale:
regional/state/local/national/international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
> annual
Reporting Frequency:
> annual
Collection Years:
l970s-1980s to 1990
Data Gaps:
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
charactenstics. 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
E-mail: custserv@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov
Address: Customer Services
USGS EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
B-58 58
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-060
Dataset Name:
Conterminous U S
Data
Land Cover Characteristics
Collecting Organization: EROS Data Center
Geographic Scale: regionaUstate/locaL/national/international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1970s-1980s to 1990
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report/web page/diskiCD
U RL Address: edcwww.cr.usgs gov/doc/edchome/ndcbdlndcdb html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This land characterization 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
E-mail: custservฎedcmail cr usgs gov
Address: Customer Services
USGS EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
59 B-59
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-061
Dataset Name:
North American Landscape Characterization
(NALC)
Collecting Organization: USEPAIUSGS/NASA
Geographic Scale: regional/state/local/national/international
Readiness: currently available, but not yet complete for entire U.S.
Collection Frequency: eveiy decade
Reporting Frequency: every decade
Collection Years: 1973 to 1991
Data Gaps: only two samples available
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: This dataset provides information on corrected and projected and classified
satellite imagery for the 1970s through the 1990s. 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
E-mail: edc@eos.nasa.gov
Address: Customer Services
USGS EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
B-60 60
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-062
Dataset Name: National Agricultural Pest Information System
Collecting Organization:
USDAJAPHIS
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
1900 to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
hard copy report/web page
URL Address:
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
E-mail: dmcnear@aphis usda.gov
Address: USDAJAPHIS/PPQ
4700 River Road Unit 134
Riverdale, MD 20737
61 B-61
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-063
Dataset Name: Exotic Species Database
Collecting Organization:
The Nature Conservancy
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-064
Dataset Name: Noxious/Invasive Database
Collecting Organization:
USDA/Forest Service
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
1983 to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
hard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility:
publicly available
Narrative Description:
This is a geospanally 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: USDA/Forest Service
Phone: (970) 498-1715
E-mail:
Address: USDA/Forest Service
3825 E Mulberry
Fort Collins, CO 80525
63 B-63
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-065
Dataset Name: Exotic Map Database
Collecting Organization:
Geographic Scale:
USGSIBRD
Readiness:
regional
Collection Frequency:
expected soon
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
1996 to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
web page
URL Address:
http//pc I 9.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 are
collected on land administered by the USGS.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Kathryn Thomas
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (520) 556-7466
E-mail: kat@nbs.nau.edu
Address: Colorado Plateau Field Station
P0. Box 5614
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
B-64 64
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-066
Dataset Name: Exotic Plants and Species Database
Collecting Organization:
DOl/National Park Service
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-067
Dataset Name: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
Derived Land Climatologies
Collecting Organization:
NGDC
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-068
Dataset Name: Global Vegetation Index
Collecting Organization:
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-069 Dataset Name: NASA Pathfinder Climate Data
Collecting Organization: NOAA/NASA
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-070
Dataset Name: Global Ecosystem Data
Collecting Organization:
NGDC and USEPA
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-071 Dataset Name: Land Cover Classification
Collecting Organization: NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years: 1984-1989
Data Gaps:
Format: disk/CD
URL Address:
Accessibility:
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: NOAAlNational Marine Fishenes Service
Phone: (919) 728-8764
E-mail:
Address: NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
101 Pivers Road
Beaufort, NC 285 16-9722
B-70 70
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-072 Dataset Name: GLOBE Version 0.5
Collecting Organization: National Imagery and Mapping Agency
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-073
Dataset Name: Terrain Base 1994
Collecting Organization:
NGDC
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-074
Dataset Name: Fleet Numeric Oceanographic Center (FNOC)
Collecting Organization:
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-075
Dataset Name:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends
(BEST)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility:
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 DO!. 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-pnority 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 DO!.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Christine Bunck
Organization: USGS/BRD
Phone: (608) 270-2407
E-mail:
Address: USGSIBRD, Science Office
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 53711
B-74 74
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-076
Dataset
Name:
Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual
Environments (IMPROVE)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1987 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: system
URL Address:
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 existing man-made impairment, 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):
Contact Name: William Maim
Organization: National Park Service
Phone: (970) 491-8292
E-mail:
Address: National Survey Park Service - AIR
Foothills Campus, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
75 B-75
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-077 Dataset Name: Air Quality Monitoring Network
Collecting Organization: DOI!National Park Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: > annual
Reporting Frequency: > annual
Collection Years: 1984 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: system
URL Address:
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
EPAJOAQPS.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Miguel Flores
Organization: National Park Service
Phone: (303) 969-2076
E-mail: Monitoring and Data Analysis Branch, NPS-AIR
P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225
Address: x
B-76 76
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Dataset
Description
Dataset
ID:
D-078 Dataset Name: Breeding Bird Census (BBC)
Collecting Organization: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: portions of the BBC are currently available
Collection Frequency: variable
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1937 to present
Data Gaps: few data for 1984 to 1988
Format: hard copy report/web page (some data)
URL Address: http //www im nbs govlbirds/bbc html
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The BBC program is based on individual study plots established 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 occumng 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 Laboratory of Ornithology
Ph one: (607) 254-2413
E-mail: JDL6@cornell edu
Address: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
77 B-77
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-079
Dataset Name:
Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship
(MAPS)
Collecting Organization: cooperative effort
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1989 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The MAPS program is a cooperative effort among public agencies, pnvate
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 Amenca 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):
B-78 78
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-079 Dataset Name: Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship
(MAPS)
Contact Name: Dave DeSante
Organization: Institute for Bird Population
Phone: (415) 663-1436
E-mail: 75521.271 @compusenc.com
Address: Institute for Bird Population
P.O. Box 1346
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
79 B-79
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-080 Dataset Name: Bird Banding Program
Collecting Organization: USGS/Bird Banding Laboratory
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: continuous
Reporting Frequency: continuous
Collection Years: 1920 to present
Data Gaps: none
Format: disk/CD/hard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the
U.S. Dept. of the Intenor and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The Bird
Banding Laboratory issues permits and bands, supplies forms, instructional
matenals 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 recovenes of banded birds.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: John Tautin
Organization: USGS/Bird Banding Laboratory
Phone: (301) 497-5790
E-mail: John_Tautin @usgs.gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4037
Laurel, MD 20708-4037
B-80 80
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-081 Dataset Name: Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBC)
Collecting Organization: National Audubon Society
Geographic Scale: international
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: early 1900s to present
Data Gaps: data from 1913 to 1958 and from 1961 to 1987 not computerized
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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 are available in the following published
reports Field Notes and American Notes
Indicator Association(s):
81 B-81
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Dataset
Description
(continued)
Dataset ID:
D-081
Dataset Name: Audubon Chnstmas Bird Counts (CBC)
Contact Name: Geoff LeBaron
Organization: National Audubon Society
Phone: (212) 979-3083
E-mail: glebaron@audubon.org
Address: 700 Broadway
New York NY 10003
B-82 82
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-082 Dataset Name: Butterfly Monitoring Project (BMP)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility:
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 vanous counting techniques for butterflies. Their plans are to evaluate all
these numbers over the winter and work with other groups currently
momtonng butterflies, such as the Fourth of July Butterfly Count, to create a
system that will yield statistically defensible estimates of butterfly trends for
North America
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Sam Droege
Organization: USGSIBRD
Phone: (301) 497-5500
E-mail: frog@nbs gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
83 B-83
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-083
Dataset Name:
Atmospheric Integrated Monitonng Network
(AIRMon)
Collecting Organization: NAOO/Air Resources Laboratory
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: D-083 Dataset Name: Atmosphenc Integrated Monitoring Network
(AIRMon)
Contact Name: Jane Rothert
Organization: NOAAIAir Resources Laboratory
Phone: (217) 333-7942
E-mail:
Address:
85 B-85
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-084 Dataset Name: Land Use History of North Amenca (LUHNA)
Collecting Organization: USGS/BRD
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility:
Narrative Description: The purposes of LUHNA are 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 pnvate research
organization, educational institutions, grant makers, and the public, to
provide a conceptual foundation for such an undertaking, to identify essential
components of LUHNA, such as a grounding in quantitative 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: Tony Janetos
Organization: NASA
Phone: (202) 358-0278
E-mail: cjanetos@mtpe.hg NASA gov
Address: 300 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20546
Dataset Description
B-86 86
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Dataset ID: D-085 Dataset Name: Migration Monitoring Program
Collecting Organization:
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: early development
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility:
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 migration suffer high variability in counts and captures However, for
boreal zone migrants, such as Gray-checked Thrush, Cape May Warbler, and
Bay-breasted Warbiers, 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):
87 B-87
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Dataset Description (continued)
Dataset ID: DM85 Dataset Name: Migration Monitoring Program
Contact Name: Erica Dunn
Organization: Canadian Wildlife Service
Phone: (819) 994-0182
E-mail: Enca.Dunn@ec.gc.ca
Address: National Wildlife Research Centre
100 Gamelin Boulevard
Hull, Quebec, Canada
B-88 88
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-086 Dataset Name: Annual Public Finances Survey
Collecting Organization: US Department of Commerce/US Census Bureau
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1952 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy/disk/CD
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: The Survey provides current estimates of state and local government financial
activity The United States Code Title 13, authonzes this survey and provides
for voluntary responses Data are obtained 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 agencies. Collection methods vary by state and type of
government
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Henry WuIf
Organization: US Department of Commerce/US Census Bureau
Phone: (800) 242-2184
E-mail: hwulf@census.gov
Address:
89 B-89
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-087 Dataset Name: Project Feeder Watch
Collecting Organization: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years: 1987 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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 Amenca; 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 senous ornithological study, and provide
direct feedback to project participants and the general public regarding bird
population trends.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Margaret Baker
Organization: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Phone: (607) 254-2440
E-mail: feederwatch@comell.edu
Address: 159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850-1999
B-90 90
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-088 Dataset Name: July Duck Production Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1961 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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: USFWSIOffice of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301) 497-5860
E-mail:
Address:
91 B-91
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-089 Dataset Name: May Breeding Waterfowl and Habitat Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: regional/north-central US/CanadalAlaska
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1955 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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 aenal 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 tea], 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
E-mail:
Address:
B-92 92
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-090 Dataset Name: Winter Surveys
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1950 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Many geese and ducks cant be counted in the spnng and summer on breeding
areas because they either cant be surveyed using airplanes or they nest in
remote and inaccessible Arctic areas. Abundance indices for these species
are obtained from surveys on wintenng 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 wintenng grounds, and habitat use
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Jerry Sene
Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Phone: (301) 497-5851
E-mail:
Address:
93 B-93
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-091 Dataset Name: Mourning Dove Call-Count Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1966 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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
E-mail:
Address:
B-94 94
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-092 Dataset Name: Woodcock Singing-Ground Survey
Collecting Organization: USFWS/Office of Migratory Bird Management
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1968 to present
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
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 spnng
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
E-mail:
Address:
95 B-95
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-093 Dataset Name: Forest Insect and Disease Conditions
Collecting Organization: USDA/Forest Service
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: annual
Reporting Frequency: annual
Collection Years: 1952 to present
Data Gaps: most recent report is 1996 (summarizes 1995 data)
Format; hard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: Data are collected on federal, state, and pnvate forest lands in the United
States via aenal and ground surveys. Data are analyzed for type of
msect/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
E-mail:
Address: USDA Forest Service (FHP, AB, 2S)
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, DC 20090-6090
B-96 96
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-094 Dataset Name: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
Collecting Organization: University of Georgia
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-096 Dataset Name: North American Conservation Assessment
Collecting Organization: World Wildlife Fund
Geographic Scale: North AmencalCanada
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency: one time only
Reporting Frequency: one time only
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format: hard copy report
URL Address:
Accessibility: publicly available
Narrative Description: WWFs North Amencan 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:
Organization: World Wildlife Fund
Phone: (202) 293-4800
E-mail:
Address: 1250 24th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037-1175
B-98 98
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-097
Dataset Name: North American Raptor Monitoring Strategy
Collecting Organization:
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
early development
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format:
URL Address:
Accessibility:
Narrative Description:
A program for developing a comprehensive North Amencan 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
E-mail:
Address: Snake River Field Station
970 Lusk Street
Boise, ID 83706
99 B-99
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-098 Dataset Name: STATSGO
Collecting Organization: USDA/NRCS/Soil Survey Division
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format: web page/CD
URL Address:
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 covenng state, regional, and multi-state areas.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Craig Palmer
Organization:
Phone: (702) 895-1797
E-mail:
Address: x
B-100 100
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-099
Dataset Name: US Postal Service Delivery Statistics
Collecting Organization:
US Postal Service
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
continuous
Reporting Frequency:
updated monthly
Collection Years:
unknown to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
disk/CD
URL Address:
Accessibility:
publicly available
Narrative Description:
This dataset provides detailed information about addresses in the United
States. Data can be retneved at a vanety 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:
Organization: US Postal Service
Phone: (800) 238-3150
E-mail:
Address: National Customer Support Center
6080 Pnmacy Parkway, Suite 201
Memphis, TN 38188-0001
101 B-1O1
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Dataset
Description
Dataset ID:
D-lOO Dataset Name: Ecological Site Inventory
Collecting Organization: DO1/BLM
Geographic Scale: BLM lands only
Readiness: currently available
Collection Frequency:
Reporting Frequency:
Collection Years:
Data Gaps:
Format: system
URL Address:
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: Ned Habich
Organization: Bureau of Land Management
Phone: (303) 236-0166
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
Denver, CO
B-102 102
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-l0l
Dataset Name: National Classification of Ecologic Communities
Collecting Organization:
The Nature Conservancy
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
expected soon
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-102
Dataset Name: Defense Meteorological Satellite Data
Collecting Organization:
NOAA/NGDCfDefense Meteorological Satellite Program
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
> annual
Reporting Frequency:
> annual
Collection Years:
1972 to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
web page
URL Address:
drnsp@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 distnbution and
temperatures, and atmospheric paruculates).
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Ed Erwin
Organization: National Geospatial Data Center
Phone: (303) 497-6133
E-mail: eerwin @ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: 325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80303-3328
B-104 104
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: - D-103
Dataset Name: Ecological Exposure Research Data
Collecting Organization:
USEPA/National Health and Environmental Research Laboratory
Geographic Scale:
regional
Readiness:
expected soon
Collection Frequency:
-------
Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-104
Dataset Name: UV-B Monitonng Data
Collecting Organization:
DIS Pro Demonstration Intensive Site Programs
Geographic Scale:
regional
Readiness:
expected soon
Collection Frequency:
> annual
Reporting Frequency:
> annual
Collection Years:
1996 to present
Data Gaps:
none
Format:
web page
URL Address:
expected soon
Accessibility:
publicly available
Narrative Description:
This dataset contains UV-B monitonng data for 14 rural areas (located in
national parks) and 8 urban areas. The urban areas were selected in cities
with cancer registnes.
14
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Bill Hogsett
Organization: EPA/National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
Phone: (541) 754-4632
E-mail: hogsett.william@epamail.epa.gov
Address: 200 SW 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97333
B-106 106
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-105
Dataset Name: Global Inventory of Biomass Burning
Collecting Organization:
NOAAJNGDC/Solar Terrestnal Physics
Geographic Scale:
national/international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
> annual
Reporting Frequency:
> annual
- Collection Years:
1992 to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
system
URL Address:
Accessibility:
publicly available
Narrative Description:
This dataset contains satellite imagery of wildfire data. A months worth of
burning products are available for Indonesia and Brazil and are posted on the
Web (dmsp@ngdc.noaa gov)
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Dave Serke
Organization: NOAA/Defense Meteorological Sate llite Program
Phone: (303) 497-6126
E-mail: dserke@ngdc noaa gov
Address: 3100 Manne Street, Room 109
Boulder, Co 80303
107 B-107
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Dataset Description
Dataset ID: D-106
Dataset Name: Distribution of Clouds and Cloud Top
Temperatures
Collecting Organization:
NOAAIDefense Meteorological Satellite Program
Geographic Scale:
international
Readiness:
currently available
Collection Frequency:
> annual
Reporting Frequency:
> annual
Collection Years:
1972 to present
Data Gaps:
Format:
system
URL Address:
Accessibility:
publicly available
Narrative Description:
This datasec contains infrared and visible imagery from DMSP Operational
Linescan System (OLS) instruments. The data are used to monitor the global
distnbution of cloud cover and cloud top temperatures.
Indicator Association(s):
Contact Name: Ed Erwin
Organization: National Geospatial Data Center
Phone: (303) 497-6133
E-mail: ecrwin @ngdc.noaa.gov
Address: 325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80303-3328
B-108 108
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Appendix C
Indicator Descriptions
-------
Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-00 1 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 distnbution
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 Biological Resources
Division The goal is to provide regional assessments of the conservation
status of native vertebrate species and natural land cover types Vegetation is
mapped from satellite 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 Association(s):
Contact Name: Michael Jennings
Organization: US Geological SurveyIBiological Resources Division
Phone: (208) 885-3555
E-mail:
Address: National GAP Office
530 S. Asbury St., Suite I
Moscow, ID 83843
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-002 Indicator Name: Terrestnal 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 currently is being
developed, will establish a network of sites in North America that will collect
trend information on terrestrial salamanders. The program is in the early
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 Association(s): D-002 North American Amphibian Monitonng Program (NAAMP)
Contact Name: Sam Droege
Organization: US Geological SurveyfBiological Resources Division
Phone: (301)497-5500
E-mail: frog@nbs gov
Address: Patuxent Wildlife Research Centei
12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039
Laurel, MD 20708-4039
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-003
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 contnbution to global carbon cycles
Geographic Scale:
national
Readiness:
currently available/early development
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
US Department of Agnculture/NRCS is now testing protocols for measunng
total carbon in forest ecosystems. This indicator uses the FIA data set It
indicates total amount of carbon entering the worlds 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 Association(s):
D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-004
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 contribution to global carbon cycles
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available/early development
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. US Department of Agnculture/NRSC is testing
protocols for measuring total carbon in forest ecosystems.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stoke
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@npmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-005 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 development
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator considers the total forest ecosystem biomass and carbon pool,
and if appropnate, 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 US Department of Agnculture/NRCS
is testing protocols for measuring total carbon in forest ecosystems. Data sets
used by this indicator include HA, NATSGO (National Soil Carbon
Database), and STATSGO (State Soil Carbon Database)
Dataset Association(s): D-0l 5 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
D-042 National Soil Geographic Database (NATSCO)
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail emapfhm.gov
Address:
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-006
Indicator Name:
Forest Land Experiencing and 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 are no national data available for sites of smaller magnitude or lower
toxicities than Superfund sites. It uses the following data sets:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) database of Superfund sites in
forests, (database does not include non-Superfund waste sites); EPA Permit
Compliance System (PCS) and NPDES data; and EPAs National Watershed
Assessment Program (NWAP)
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stoke
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-007
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 development
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
US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Long-Term Soil Productivity
Research Initiative (LTSP) data set.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail emapthm gov
Address:
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-008
Indicator Name: Forest Land with Significantly Diminished Soil
Organic Matter and/or Changes in Other Soil
Chemical Properties
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 development
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 US Department of Agnculture Forest Service
Long-Term Soil Productivity Research Initiative (LTSP) data set
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm gov
Address:
Ken Stolte
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-009
Indicator Name: Forest Land Managed Pnmanly 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
ripanan zones. This indicator considers the area and percent of forest land
with managed pnmanly for protection functions (e.g., watersheds, flood
protection, avalanche protection, and riparian zones) Specifically, it is a
measure of forest land allocated pnmanly 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 are no national data
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte @ rtpmail emapthm.gov
Address:
Ken Stoke
C-9
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-010
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 opponunities, 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
Dataset Association(s):
D-0 17 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name:
Organization:
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
Ken Stolte
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-01 1
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
Dataset Association(s):
D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
D-Ol 7 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolte@rtpmail emapfhm gov
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-012
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 acreage 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.
Dataset Association(s):
D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
D-017 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stoke
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-0 13 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 integrity
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 Association(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stoke
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
C-13
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-014
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 HA and FHM data
sets.
Dataset Association(s):
D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
(919) 549-4022
kscolte@rtpmail emapthm.gov
C-14
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-015 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 nsk of not maintaining vanable 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 data
from the Natural Heritage Network,USDI, and the Environmental Protection
Agency Threatened and Endangered Species databases
Dataset Association(s): D-054 Natural Hentage Network
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail emapfhm.gov
Address:
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-016
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
Dataset Association(s):
D-054 Natural Heritage Network
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stoke
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-017
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 production relative to
total area of forest. Data are available for timberland, but information
regarding the productive capacity for other forest lands is limited
Dataset Association(s):
D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
D-0 17 National Resources Inventory (NM)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolte@rtpmail.emapfhm.gov
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-018 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 HA
programs, but no national data are available.
Dataset Association(s): D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
C-18
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-0 19
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 forests availabihty to provide a continuing supply of
forest products and economic and fore t management opportunities
Dataset Association(s):
D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
D-017 National Resources Inventory (NRI)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolte@rtpmail emapfhm.gov
C-19
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-020
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: national
Readiness: currently available/early development
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 forests 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 are available. There are no
complete national scale data.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail emapfhm.gov
Address:
C-20
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-021
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 categonzed by native
insects and diseases, exotic insects and diseases, exotic plants and diseases,
fire, weather, flood, land clearance, salinization, and domestic animal
invasion.
Dataset Association(s): D-015 Forest Inventory and Analysis (HA)
Intermountain Fire Sciences Lab (for fire data), National Interagency
Fire Center, Boise, Idaho
Forest Health Monitonng Program datasets
Contact Name: Ken Stolte
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: ks tolte@rtpmail emapfhm gov
Address:
C-21
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-022
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.
Dataset Association(s): D-009 National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network
D-02 1 Mercury Deposition Network
D-053 UV-B Radiation Monitonng Program datasets
D-076 Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments
D- North American Maple Project
D- Forest Health Monitoring Program datasets
Contact Name: Ken Stoke
Organization: US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
Address:
C-22
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-023
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 ecosystem 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, nutrient cycling, seed
dispersion, pollination, and/or ecological continuity (monitoring of
functionally important species such as nemaodes, 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
Dataset Association(s):
D-009 National Atmosphenc Deposition Program/National Trends Network
Contact Name:
Organization:
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
Phone: (919) 549-4022
E-mail: kstolce @ rtpmail .emapfhm gov
Address:
Ken Stolte
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-024
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.
Dataset Association(s):
D-001 North American Breeding Bird Survey
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolte@rtpmail.emapthm.gov
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-025
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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
US Department of Agriculture-ARS Jornada Exp Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-25
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-026
Indicator Name: Soil Measurements: Soil Stability
Assessment Type:
state
Assessment Level:
screening
Specificity:
rangeland
Use:
change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category:
abioric
Measures:
rangeland ecosystem health
Geographic Scale:
regional
Readiness:
expected soon
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This indicator includes a specific set of indicators for monitonng 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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jomada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-26
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-027
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 monnonng state of soils
on rangelands Project-specific data sets and associated methods for
collecting data are available from the contact The indicatorcan be applied to
any rangeland ecosystem
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003 -0003
C-27
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-028
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:
reg1onal
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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jomada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-28
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-029 Indicator Name: Soil Surface Charactenzation
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 Association(s):
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505) 646-8032
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu edu
Address: US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jomada Exp Range
Dept 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-29
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-030
Indicator Name: Vegetation Charactenzation 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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-30
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Indicator Descriptio
Indicator ID: 1-031
n
Indicator Name: Vegetation Charactenzation 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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu edu
US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-31
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-032
Indicator Name: Satellite Imagery 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
ecosystems
Geographic Scale:
regional/southern New Mexico
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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
US Department of Agriculture-ARS Jomada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-32
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-033
Indicator Name: Slake Test for Soil Surface Stability
Assessment Type:
state
Assessment Level:
screening
Specificity:
grassland/rangeland
Use:
change (trend)/currenc 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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu edu
US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jornada Exp Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, MM 88003-0003
0-33
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-034 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 and early ecosystem
disturbance
Geographic Scale: regional/southwestern United States
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This is an indicator of precipitation and wind dnven erosion. his part of a
core set of indicators of desertification.
Dataset Association(s): Project-specific datasets available from the contact
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505) 646-8032
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: US Department of Agnculture-ARS Jornada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-34
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-035
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 and early ecosystem
disturbance
Geographic Scale:
regionallsouthwestern United States
Readiness:
currently available
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This indicates overland water flow dnven erosion which is a early indication
of desertification Part of a core set of indicators associated with
desertification of grasslands.
Dataset Association(s):
Project-specific datasets available from the contact
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Walt Whitford
New Mexico State University
(505) 646-8032
wawhitfo@nmsu edu
US Department of Agriculture-ARS Jornada Exp Range
Dept 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-35
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-036 Indicator Name: Percent Grass Cover, Percent Long-lived Grass
Cover, Percent Cover of Vegetative Reproducers
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: grasslandlrangeland
Use: change (trend)/current state (snap shot)
Response Category: biotic
Measures: an indicator of desertification of perennial grasslands and early ecosystem
disturbance
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This provides early warning indicators of the desertification of grasslands.
Dataset Association(s): Project-specific datasets available from the contact
Contact Name: Walt Whitford
Organization: New Mexico State University
Phone: (505) 646-8032
E-mail: wawhitfo@nmsu.edu
Address: US Department of Agriculture-ARS Jomada Exp. Range
Dept. 3VER NMSU, Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003
C-36
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-038 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 Mid-Atlantic region 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 denved from a chapter of a book
entitled Indicators of Landscape Integnty by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H.
Riitters, J D Wickham, and C Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of
Catchment Health.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones bruce@epamai].epa gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-37
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-039 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 Mid-Atlantic region. 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 chapter
of a book entitled Indicators of Landscape Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker,
K.H. Riitters, J D. Wickham, and C. Nicoli from a book entitled Indicators of
Catchment Health.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-38
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-040
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 root zone) on catchment behavior
Geographic Scale:
regional
Readiness:
currently available
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This group of indicators is used in the Mid-Atlantic region Indicators in this
category include albedo change, topographical concavity variation, depth to
watertable This indicator was derived from a chapter of a book entitled
Indicators of Landscape Integnty by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H Rutters, J.D.
Wickham, and C. Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of Catchment Health.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Bruce Jones
Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones bruce@epamail epa gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-39
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-041 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 Mid-Atlantic region. 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 chapter 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 Association(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones.bruce@epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-40
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-042 Indicator Name: Riparian Extent & Distnbution Indicators
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: current state (snap shot)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: size and amount of npanan buffer adjacent to streams and water courses
Geographic Scale: regional
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This set of indicators set is being used in the Mid-Atlantic region 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 chapter 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 Association(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones bruce@epamail epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-41
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-043 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 Mid-Atlantic region. 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 erodible soils, distance of
agricultural patches from streams, percentage of paddocks on greater than 5%
slopes. This indicator was derived from a chapter of a book entitled
Indicators of Landscape Integrity by B. Jones, J. Walker, K.H. Riiuers, J.D.
Wickham, and C. Nicoll from a book entitled Indicators of Catchment Health.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones.bruce @epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-42
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-044
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 management intensity
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
Dataset Association(s):
US Department of Agriculture Forest Service datasets (most recent data are
from 1992)
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E.mail:
Address:
Ken Stolte
US Forest Service Forest Health Monitonng Program
(919) 549-4022
kstolteฎrtpmail.emapfhm gov
C-43
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-045
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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Chns Elvidge
NOAAfNational Geo-Physical Data Center
Phone: (303) 497-6121
E-mail:
Address:
C-44
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-046
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 potential natural, or climax, plant
community
Geographic Scale:
Bureau of Land Management lands only
Readiness:
currently available
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This indicator is a component of Bureau of Land Managements Public Land
Statistics and is based on Ecological Site Inventories The data are
summarized by state; ho vever, a more detailed assessment may be possible.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Eric Luse
Bureau of Land Management
(202) 452-7743
Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
C-45
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-047 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
acres of timber stand improvements
Geographic Scale: Bureau of Land Management lands only
Readiness: currently available
Funding: funded
Narrative Description: This indicator is a component of Bureau of Land Managements 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 Association(s):
Contact Name: Eric Luse
Organization; Bureau of Land Management
Phone: (202) 452-7743
E-mail:
Address: Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
C-46
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-048
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:
Bureau of Land Management lands only
Readiness:
currently available
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This indicator is a component of Bureau of Land Managements 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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Eric Luse
Bureau of Land Management
(202) 452-7743
Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
C-47
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-049
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, bison)
Geographic Scale:
Bureau of Land Management lands only
Readiness:
currently available
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This indicator is a component of Bureau of Land Managements 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 Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Enc Luse
Bureau of Land Management
(202) 452-7743
Bureau of Land Management
1 84 9 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
C-48
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Indicator Description
Indicator ID: 1-050
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
Geographic Scale:
Bureau of Land Management lands only
Readiness:
currently available
Funding:
funded
Narrative Description:
This indicator is a component of Bureau of Land Managements Public Land
Statistics and is a measure of efforts to reduce soil erosion on Bureau of Land
Management lands. The data are summanzed by state, however, a more
detailed assessment may be possible
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name:
Organization:
Phone:
E-mail:
Address:
Enc Luse
Bureau of Land Management
(202) 452-7743
Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street, NW, LSB 204
Washington, DC 20240
0-49
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Indicator
Description
Indicator ID:
1-05 1 Indicator Name: National Landscape Indicators
Assessment Type: state
Assessment Level: screening
Specificity: landscape
Use: current state (snap shot)/change (trend)
Response Category: abiotic
Measures: U-index (proportion of watershed area with anthropogenic land cover),
Agriculture Index (proportion of watershed area with agriculture land cover),
number of natural land cover types per unit area, proportion of watershed that
has forest land cover, average forest patch size as a percentage of watershed
area, and index of forest connectivity
Geographic Scale: national
Readiness: currently available
Funding: one-time snapshot funded
Narrative Description: This indicator set was developed for the Mid-Atlantic region. Data sources
include 1-km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer imagery, digital
elevation, ecoregions, and climate data (1990); and USGS maps of roads
(1980), rivers (1973), and 8-digit watershed boundaries. The indicators focus
at the watershed level but include several specific terrestrial measures. This
indicator is descnbed in greater detail in the publication An Ecological
Assessment of the United States Mid-Atlantic Region EPA/6001R-97/1 30,
November 1997.
Dataset Association(s):
Contact Name: Bruce Jones
Organization: USEPA, Las Vegas Laboratory
Phone: (702) 798-2671
E-mail: jones.bruce @epamail.epa.gov
Address: Environmental Science Division
Las Vegas, NV 89193
C-50
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