39 field plots were surveyed at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument and a surrounding 400-meter buffer. The dataset documents physical site attributes and species listings for each plot to support vegetation classification and mapping. Data collection was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey for the National Park Service, with field sampling completed in 1995.
Use Cases
- Classify vegetation alliances using plot attributes like community name, landform, and soil texture.
- Model species cover relationships using Species Cover codes and Strata Codes across 39 plots.
- Analyze geospatial patterns of vegetation using raw and differentially corrected UTM coordinates.
- Study the correlation between environmental factors like elevation, slope, aspect, and species presence.
- Validate remote sensing-based vegetation maps using ground-truthed plot data and species listings.
Strengths
- Contains data from 39 distinct field plots representing the full spectrum of alliance types.
- Each plot includes over 25 physical description attributes and detailed species listings.
- Geospatial data includes both raw and differentially corrected UTM coordinates for accuracy.
Limitations
- Small sample size of only 39 plots limits statistical power for broad ecological inference.
- Data is temporally stale, with collection occurring in 1995 and no updates provided.
- Geographic scope is limited to a single national monument and its immediate buffer zone.
Provenance
- Source
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the National Park Service.
- Collection Method
- Field sampling using releve plots to document physical site attributes and species composition.
- Time Range
- 1995
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Agate Fossil Beds National Monument and a surrounding 400-meter buffer.