Table of Contents
Identification_Information Abstract Purpose Supplemental Information Data_Quality_Information Spatial_Data_Organization_Information Entity_and_Attribute_Information Detailed Description Overview Distribution_Information Metadata_Reference_Section
Identification_Information
Citation_Information Originator: Kuchler, A.W. Publication_Date: 1964 Title: The Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States Series_Information Series_Name: Special Publication Issue_Identification: No.36 Publication_Information Publication_Place: New York Publisher: Am. Geographical Society Other_Citation_Details: Scale 1:3,168,000 Scale_Denominator: 3,168,000Description Abstract This is a polygon coverage of potential natural vegetation of the conterminous United States. The coverage was adapted from A.W. Kuchlers "The Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States" map (1:3,168,000), which was published in American Geographical Society, Special Publication No. 36, in 1964. Potential natural vegetation is defined by Kuchler as "vegetation that would exist today if man were removed from the scene and if plant succession after his removal were telescoped into a single moment." Kuchlers classification of vegetation is based on whether plants are woody or herbaceous, and if woody, if they are broadleaf or needleleaf, evergreen or deciduous. For these broad vegetation groupings, dominant species are listed. Descriptors: Potential Natural Vegetation Conterminous United States Purpose 2.1 Intended use of data This coverage is intended for national-level studies of water resources. Supplemental_Information Procedures_Used This coverage was obtained from US Environmental Protection Agency as an ARC export file. EPA (Corvalis) purchased the data from Florida Environmental Resource Center, where it was digitized using AUTOCAD. The source map was Kuchlers 1:3,168,000 scale "The Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States," which was published in American Geographical Society - Special Publication No. 36, 1964. EPA converted the data files from DXF format to a ARC/INFO coverage. The coverage is in Albers Equal-Area Projection with the following parameters: First parallel: 29 30 00 N Second parallel: 45 30 00 N Central meridian: -96 00 00 W Latitude of projection origin: 23 00 00 N False easting: 0.0 False northing: 0.0 Revisions 1.1 1/27/91 Refined attributes. (Addition of CLASS) Reviews_Applied Has not been reviewed. Related_Spatial_and_Tabular_Data_Sets At this time, there are no related datafiles. Other_References_Cited Kuchler, A.W. 1964. "The Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States". American Geographical Society: Special Publication No. 36. Notes There are still some loose ends in the data that are currently being researched: 1) A questionable veg_code (131) Originally, the coverage from EPA contained the attributes, VEG_CODE and DESCRIPTION. It was found that VEG_CODE = 131 was lacking its DESCRIPTION. 2) Several vegetation types (DESCRIPTION) found in the coverage were not classified in the National Atlas. Consequently, these records have an assigned forest-type (CLASS). CLASS was added to the polygon attribute table so that tree-types can be aggregated into forest-types. US Geological Surveys "The National Atlas of the United States" was used to define and group the forest types. As a result, CLASS was ASSIGNED by comparing its location in the coverage with the approximate location on the map in the National Atlas. These records had the following DESCRIPTION (vegetation type) and were assigned the subsequent CLASS: DESCRIPTION CLASS Alder-Ash Western Needleleaf Forests Creosote-Tarbush Western Shrubs Great Basin Pine Forest Western Needleleaf Forests Juniper Steppe Woods Western Shrub and Grasslnd Combo Mesquite Savanna Cent and Eastern Forest Combo Ponderosa Shrub Forest Western Needleleaf Sea Oats Prairie Western Shrub Transition 104-106 Eastern Broadleaf & Needleleaf For Transition 30-35 Western Broadleaf & Needleleaf For Following is a list of vegetation types (DESCRIPTION) in the coverage: VEG_CODE DESCRIPTION 1 SPRUCE-CEDAR HEMLOCK 2 CEDAR HEML-DOUG FIR 3 SILVER FIR-DOUG FIR 4 FIR-HEMLOCK FOREST 5 MIXED CONIFERS 6 REDWOOD FOREST 7 RED FIR FOREST 8 LODGEPOLE P-SUBALP 9 PINE-CYPRESS FOREST 10 PONDEROSA SHRUB FOR 11 W PONDEROSA FOREST 12 DOUGLAS FIR FOREST 13 CEDAR-HEMLOCK-PINE 14 GRAND FIR-DOUG FIR 15 W SPRUCE-FIR FOREST 16 E PONDEROSA FOREST 17 BLACK HILLS PINE FOR 18 PINE-DOUGLAS FIR 19 ARIZONA PINE FOREST 20 SPRUCE-FIR-DOUG FIR 21 SW SPRUCE-FIR FOR 22 GREAT BASIN PINE FOR 23 JUNIPER-PINYON WOODS 24 JUNIPER STEPPE WOODS 25 ALDER-ASH FOREST 26 OREGON OAKWOODS 27 MESQUITE BOSQUES 28 MOSAIC OF 2 AND 26 29 CAL MIXED EVERGREENS 30 CALIFORNIA OAKWOODS 31 OAK-JUNIPER WOODLAND 32 TRANSITION 31-37 33 CHAPARRAL 34 MONTANE CHAPARRAL 35 COASTAL SAGEBRUSH 36 TRANSITION 30-35 37 MT MAHOGANY-OAK SCRB 38 GR BASIN SAGEBRUSH 39 BLACKBRUSH 40 SALTBUSH-GREASEWOOD 41 CREOSOTE BUSH 42 CREOSOTE B-BUR SAGE 43 PALO VERDE-CACTUS SH 44 CREOSOTE-TARBUSH 45 CENIZA SHRUB 46 DESERT LITTLE VEG 47 FESCUE-OATGRASS 48 CALIFORNIA STEPPE 49 TULE MARSHES 50 FESCUE-WHEATGRASS 51 WHEATGRASS-BLUEGRASS 52 ALPINE MEADOW-BARREN 53 GRAMA-GALLETA STEPPE 54 GRAMA-TOBOSA PRAIRIE 55 SAGEBRUSH STEPPE 56 WHTGR-NDLGR SHRBSTP 57 GALLETA-3 AWN SHRBST 58 GRAMA-TOBOSA SHRBSTP 59 TRANS-PECOS SHRB SAV 60 MESQUITE SAVANNA 61 MESQUITE-ACACIA SAV 62 MESQ-LIVE OAK SAVAN 63 FOOTHILLS PRAIRIE 64 GRAMA-NEEDLEGR-WHTGR 65 GRAMA-BUFFALO GRASS 66 WHEATGR-NEEDLEGRASS 67 WHTGR-BLUESTEM-NDLGR 68 WHTGR-GRAMA-BUFFALO 69 GRAMA-BLUESTEM PRAIR 70 SANDSAGE-BLSTEM PRA 71 SHINNERY 72 SEA OATS PRAIRIE 73 N CORDGRASS PRAIRIE 74 BLUESTEM PRAIRIE 75 NEB SANDHILLS PRAIR 76 BLACKLAND PRAIRIE 77 BLUSTM-SACAHUISTA PR 78 S CORDGRASS PRAIRIE 79 PALMETTO PRAIRIE 80 MARL-EVERGLADES 81 OAK SAVANNA 82 MOSAIC 74 AND 100 83 CEDAR GLADES 84 CROSS TIMBERS 85 MESQUITE-BUFFALO GR 86 JUNIPER-OAK SAVANNA 87 MESQUITE-OAK SAVANNA 88 FAYETTE PRAIRIE 89 BLACKBELT 90 LIVE OAK-SEA OATS 91 CYPRESS SAVANNA 92 EVERGLADES 93 GR LAKES SPRUCE-FIR 94 CONIFER BOG 95 GR LAKES PINE FOREST 96 NE SPRUCE-FIR FOREST 97 SE SPRUCE-FIR FOREST 98 N FLOODPLAIN FOREST 99 MAPLE-BASSWOOD FOR 100 OAK-HICKORY FOREST 101 ELM-ASH FOREST 102 BEECH-MAPLE FOREST 103 MIXED MESOPHYTIC FOR 104 APPALACHIAN OAK FOR 105 MANGROVE 106 NORTHERN HARDWOODS 107 N HARDWOODS-FIR FOR 108 N HRDWOOD-SPRUCE FOR 109 TRANSITION 104-106 110 NE OAK-PINE FOREST 111 OAK-HICKORY-PINE FOR 112 SOUTHERN MIXED FOR 113 SOUTHERN MIXED FOR 114 POCOSIN 115 SAND PINE SCRUB 116 SUBTROPICAL PINE FOR 131 999 WATERBODY Time_Period_of_Content Currentness_Reference Status Progress: Has not been reviewed Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency Spatial_Domain Bounding_Coordinates West_Bounding_Coordinate: East_Bounding_Coordinate: North_Bounding_Coordinate: South_Bounding_Coordinate:
Keywords Theme Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Theme_Keyword: Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States Place Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Place_Keyword: Conterminous United States Stratum Stratum_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Stratum_Keyword: Temporal Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Temporal_Keyword:
Access_Constraints Use_Constraints The resolution of the coverage limits the use to studies only on a national or region-wide basis. Point_of_Contact: See Distribution_Information for contact information.
Data_Set_Credit Security_Information Security_Classification_System: None Security_Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Security_Handling_Description: None
Native_Data_Set_Environment: dgux UNIX, ARC/INFO version 7.0.4
Cross_Reference Originator: Unknown Publication_Date: Publication_Time: Title: Edition: Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Series_Information Series_Name: Issue_Identification: Publication_Information Publication_Place: Publisher: Other_Citation_Details: Online_Linkage: Larger_Work_Citation:
Data_Quality_Information
Attribute_Accuracy Attribute_Accuracy_Report: See Entity_Attribute_InformationQuantitative_Attribute_Accuracy_Assessment Attribute_Accuracy_Value: See Explanation Attribute_Accuracy_Explanation: Attribute accuracy is described, where present, with each attribute defined in the Entity and Attribute Section.
Logical_Consistency_Report: Polygon topology present.
Completeness_Report Positional_Accuracy Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment: Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: approximately 1600 meters Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Resolution as reported
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: Lineage: See Supplemental_Information for overview.Process_Steps Process_Step Process_Description: ELIMINATE KUCHLER.CL KUCHLER.EL Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902504 Process_Time: 1527 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: ARCEDIT Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902504 Process_Time: 1542 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: CLEAN KUCHLER.EL Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902504 Process_Time: 1547 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: PROJECT COVER KUCHLER.EL KUCHLER.PJ Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902504 Process_Time: 1733 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: CLEAN KUCHLER.PJ Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902504 Process_Time: 1858 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: CREATELABELS KUCHLER.PJ 2551 Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902704 Process_Time: 949 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: IDEDIT KUCHLER.PJ POLY Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19902704 Process_Time: 949 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXTERNALALL Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19900626 Process_Time: 1240 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXTERNALALL Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19900626 Process_Time: 1413 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXPORT COVER KUCHLER.PJ KUCHLER.E00 Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19900716 Process_Time: 1029 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: IMPORT COVER KUCHLER.E00 KUCHLER_PNV Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19901129 Process_Time: 1513 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: COPY KUCHLER_PNV USER7$DISK:[GIS_COMMON]KUCHLER_PNV Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19901129 Process_Time: 1530 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXPORT COVER USER7$DISK:[GIS_COMMON]KUCHLER_PNV KPNV Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 1991' 7'' 9' Process_Time: 846 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXPORT COVER KUCHLER_PNV.DIR [GIS_COMMON.ZEXPORT]KUCHLER_PNV.E00 Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 1992' 1'' 2' Process_Time: 1517 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXPORT COVER KUCHLER_PNV KUCHLER_PNV Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 1992' 1'15 Process_Time: 1032 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: IMPORT COVER FILE3.E00 KUCHLER Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920117 Process_Time: 1708 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: COPY /HOME/ZEPHER/THELIN/KUCHLER VEGET3_168K Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920220 Process_Time: 1635 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K CREATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920220 Process_Time: 1750 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920221 Process_Time: 841 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920221 Process_Time: 955 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920221 Process_Time: 1054 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920221 Process_Time: 1116 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920221 Process_Time: 1553 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920306 Process_Time: 858 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920306 Process_Time: 1331 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: DOCUMENT VEGET3_168K UPDATE NAKAGAKI Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920316 Process_Time: 1112 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: EXTERNALALL Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19920406 Process_Time: 749 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: KJHITT RENAME VEGET3_168K POTNVEG Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19950807 Process_Time: 1027 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: KJHITT DOCUMENT POTNVEG UPDATE KJHITT Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19950807 Process_Time: 1033 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: KJHITT EXPORT COVER POTNVEG POTNVEG.E00 Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19950807 Process_Time: 1044 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: KJHITT DOCUMENT POTNVEG UPDATE KJHITT Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19950807 Process_Time: 1048 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: KJHITT IMPORT COVER POTNVEG.E00 POTNVEG Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19970611 Process_Time: 1128 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None Process_Step Process_Description: KJHITT DOCUMENT POTNVEG UPDATE KJHITT Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:None Process_Date: 19970611 Process_Time: 1138 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information SDTS_Terms_Description SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Point Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 2515 SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: String Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 6775 SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: GT-polygon composed of chains' Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 2515
Spatial_Reference_Information
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition Projection: Unknown
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
Detailed_Description Entity_Type Entity_Type_Label: VEGET3_168K.PAT Entity_Type_Definition: Polygon Attribute Table Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Kuchler (1964) Attribute: Attribute_Label: AREA Attribute_Definition: Area of polygon in square coverage units Attribute_Definition_Source: Computed Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Positive real numbers Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: PERIMETER Attribute_Definition: Perimeter of polygon in coverage units Attribute_Definition_Source: Computed Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Positive real numbers Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: VEGET3_168K# Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number Attribute_Definition_Source: Computed Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Sequential unique positive integer Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: VEGET3_168K-ID Attribute_Definition: User-assigned feature number Attribute_Definition_Source: User-defined Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Integer Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: VEG_CODE Attribute_Definition: Vegetation Code Attribute_Definition_Source: Kuchler (1964) Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1-116, 131, 999 (waterbody), 0 Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: CLASS Attribute_Definition: Type of Vegetation Attribute_Definition_Source: Kuchler (1964) Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: alpha Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: DESCRIPTION Attribute_Definition: Type of Vegetation Attribute_Definition_Source: Kuchler (1964) Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: alpha Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source:Overview_Description Entity_and_Attribute_Overview DATAFILE NAME: VEGET3_168K.PAT 7 ITEMS: STARTING IN POSITION 1 COL ITEM NAME WDTH OPUT TYP N.DEC ALTERNATE NAME 1 AREA 4 12 F 3 5 PERIMETER 4 12 F 3 9 VEGET3_168K# 4 5 B - 13 VEGET3_168K-ID 4 5 B - 17 VEG_CODE 3 3 I - 20 CLASS 40 40 C - 60 DESCRIPTION 20 20 C - where: VEG_CODE - Vegetation code (1-116, 131 and 999) where 999 stands waterbodies. CLASS - General vegetation classification Western Needleleaf Forests Western Broadleaf Forests Western Needleleaf and Broadleaf Forests Western Shrub Western Grassland Western Shrub and Grassland Eastern Needleleaf Forests Eastern Boradleaf Forests Eastern Needleleaf and Broadleaf Forests Central and Eastern Grasslands Central and Eastern Grassland and Forest Combinations DESCRIPTION - Name of the specific type of vegetation (refer to notes section for entire listing) Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: Not Available
Distribution_Information
Distributor_Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey Distributor_Contact_Address: (Please use electronic mail.) Distributor_Contact_Voice_Telephone: Please use electronic mail. Distributor_Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kjhitt@usgs.gov Resource_Description: POTNVEG Distribution_Liability: Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the Geological Survey regarding the utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Standard_Order_Process: Digital_Form: Digital_Transfer_Information: Format_Name: SDTS and ARCE Files are compressed with the GNU-zip public-domain file compression utility.
Warning Your browser may automatically uncompress the files when they are transferred. Digital_Transfer_Option: POTNVEG is available via Internet! Select the "Load to Local Disk" option on your client software and choose one of these formats: Arc/INFO Export (1.5 MB) Fees: None. Available_Time_Period: Immediate.
Metadata_Reference_Section
Metadata_Date: 19970611 Metadata_Contact: kjhitt Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata Metadata_Standard_Version: 19940608 Metadata_Time_Convention: Local Time Metadata_Security_Information: Metadata_Security_Classification_System: None Metadata_Security_Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: None