Vegetation classification data for Isle Royale National Park, covering approximately 571,790 acres of land and water. The National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey created this baseline map through aerial photo interpretation and field sampling in the mid-1990s.
Use Cases
- Analyze vegetation association distribution across the park's ridges and valleys using mapped polygon boundaries.
- Establish a 1990s baseline for land cover change detection by comparing classification units against modern satellite imagery.
- Model habitat suitability for specific species based on standardized vegetation classification units and their geographic attributes.
- Assess the accuracy of photointerpretation signatures used for vegetation delineation against field sampling data.
Strengths
- Data created using a standardized national vegetation classification system (October 1995).
- Mapping supported by field sampling and ecological analysis for validation.
- Covers a large protected area of approximately 893 square miles.
Limitations
- Data reflects conditions from specific aerial photography seasons in 1994 and 1996, not current vegetation.
- Inherent margin of error in vegetation delineation from aerial photography is acknowledged.
- Sample size or row count for vegetation units is unknown.
Provenance
- Source
- National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Resources Division.
- Collection Method
- Stereoscopic interpretation of aerial photographs, supported by field sampling and ecological analysis.
- Time Range
- 1994-1996 (aerial photography from fall 1994 and spring 1996).
- Freshness
- 1996-04-25
- Geography
- Isle Royale National Park archipelago in Lake Superior, USA.