BOREAS DSP-09: Moss Cover Classification at Three Spatial Scales

BOREAS follow-on group DSP-09 mapped surface moss type at three spatial scales (1 km, 30 m, and 10 m) for the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study region. The maps were developed using associations between moss cover and land cover derived from satellite imagery, ground measurements, soils maps, and field observations. The dataset includes regional coverage at 1 km resolution and higher-resolution maps for specific study areas.

Use Cases

• Modeling carbon and water fluxes in boreal forests based on mapped moss cover.
• Validating satellite-derived land cover products using ground-observed moss associations.
• Studying the spatial distribution of moss types at regional (1 km) and local (10-30 m) scales.
• Analyzing relationships between soil properties, land cover type, and moss presence.

Strengths

• Provides multi-scale analysis with maps at 1 km, 30 m, and 10 m resolutions.
• Integrates multiple data sources, including Landsat TM, AVHRR, ground measurements, and field observations.
• Covers a specific 619 by 821 km subset of the BOREAS region for the 1 km map.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between sources (1994-12-31 on NASA Earthdata vs. 2026-03-13 on Data.gov).
• The regional 1 km moss cover map is described as being largely based on inferences, which may limit its direct accuracy.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), BOREAS follow-on group DSP-9.

Collection Method

Maps created by establishing associations between moss cover and land cover type using satellite imagery (Landsat TM, AVHRR), ground measurements, soils maps, and field observations.

Freshness

2026-03-13 07:30:54.576096 (Data.gov), though this conflicts with an earlier date from another source.

Geography

BOREAS region, specifically a 619 by 821 km subset for the 1 km map, the Southern Study Area (30 m map), and the NSA Old Black Spruce tower site (10 m map).