Attribute
Value
|
Definition of
Attribute Value
|
| Open Water |
All areas of open water, generally with less than 25% cover of vegetation or soil . |
| Developed |
Developed, Open Space - areas with a mixture of some constructed materials, but mostly vegetation in the form of lawn grasses. Impervious surfaces account for less than 20 percent of total cover. These areas most commonly include large-lot single-family housing units, parks, golf courses, and vegetation planted in developed settings for recreation, erosion control, or aesthetic purposes. Developed, Low Intensity - areas with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation. Impervious surfaces account for 20-49 percent of total cover. These areas most commonly include single-family housing units. Developed, Medium Intensity - areas with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation. Impervious surfaces account for 50-79 percent of the total cover. These areas most commonly include single-family housing units. |
| Mining |
Strip mines and gravel pits |
| Agriculture |
Summer fallow farmland, a method of farming in arid and semi-arid areas without using irrigation which consists of cultivating a given area in alternate years (usually every other year), allowing moisture to be stored in the un-cropped (fallow) year. Even if grain crops are occasionally sequenced with alfalfa or other nitrogen fixing crops, the land will be classified as fallow if grain is the principle crop. Continuously cropped, a method of farming without irrigation in which crops are grown a majority of the time as part of a normal farming practice. Christmas tree plantation and fruit orchards are classified as continuously cropped farmland. Non-irrigated hay land, a method of farming whereby hay is cut a majority of the years. Native vegetation cut for hay yearly or majority of the time over a period of years. Non-irrigated alfalfa and other domestic varieties cut for hay yearly or the majority of the time. Irrigated land, a method of farming that uses man-made water delivery systems to apply water to hayland or cropland to increase production. All hay land and cropland that is irrigated a majority of the time over the long term. |
| Cliff, Canyon and Talus |
Barren and sparsely vegetated landscapes (generally <10% plant cover) of steep cliff faces, narrow canyons, and smaller rock outcrops of various igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic bedrock types. Also included is vegetation of unstable scree and talus slopes that typically occurs below cliff faces. |
| Bluff, Badland and Dune |
Badlands and inland dunes composed of barren and sparsely vegetated substrates. |
| Alpine Grassland and Shrubland |
Herbaceous and low shrubby vegetation above mountain timberline. Herbaceous - Herbs (graminoids, forbs, and ferns) dominant (generally forming at least 25% cover, trees, shrubs, and dwarf-shrubs generally with less than 25% cover). Herb cover may be less than 25% where it exceeds tree, shrub, dwarf-shrub, and nonvascular cover, respectively. Shrubland - Shrubs generally greater than 0.5 m tall with individuals or clumps overlapping to not touching (generally forming more than 25% cover, trees generally less than 25% cover). Shrub cover may be less than 25% where it exceeds tree, dwarf-shrub, herb, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Alpine Sparse and Barren |
Barren or sparsely vegetated substrate above mountain timberline. Sparse Vegetation: Abiotic substrate features dominant. Vegetation is scattered to nearly absent and generally restricted to areas of concentrated resources (total vegetation cover is typically less than 25% and greater than 0%). |
| Conifer-dominated forest and woodland (xeric-mesic) |
Natural coniferous forest and woodland systems occurring in moderately moist to moist conditions. Evergreen - Greater than 75% of the total woody cover is never without green foliage. Forest - Trees with their crowns overlapping (generally forming 60-100% cover). Woodland - Open stands of trees with crowns not usually touching (generally forming 25-60% cover). Canopy tree cover may be less than 25% in cases where it exceeds shrub, dwarf-shrub, herb, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Deciduous dominated forest and woodland |
Natural deciduous forest and woodland systems, with the exception of riparian systems. Deciduous - Greater than 75% of the total woody cover sheds its foliage imultaneously in connection with the unfavorable season. Forest - Trees with their crowns overlapping (generally forming 60-100% cover). Woodland - Open stands of trees with crowns not usually touching (generally forming 25-60% cover). Canopy tree cover may be less than 25% in cases where it exceeds shrub, dwarf-shrub, herb, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Mixed deciduous/coniferous forest and woodland |
Natural forest and woodland systems composed of a mixture of coniferous and deciduous species. Mixed evergreen-deciduous - Evergreen and deciduous species generally contribute 25-75% of the total woody cover.Forest - Trees with their crowns overlapping (generally forming 60-100% cover).Woodland - Open stands of trees with crowns not usually touching (generally forming 25-60% cover). Canopy tree cover may be less than 25% in cases where it exceeds shrub, dwarf-shrub, herb, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Deciduous Shrubland |
Native, non-riparian deciduous shrubland. Shrubland - Shrubs generally greater than 0.5 m tall with individuals or clumps overlapping to not touching (generally forming more than 25% cover, trees generally less than 25% cover). Shrub cover may be less than 25% where it exceeds tree, dwarf-shrub, herb, and nonvascular cover, respectively. Vegetation dominated by woody vines is generally treated in this class. |
| Scrub and Dwarf Shrubland |
Native, non-riparian scrub and dwarf shrubland not dominated by Artemisia spp. Dwarf-shrubland - Low-growing shrubs usually under 0.5 m tall. Individuals or clumps overlapping to not touching (generally forming more than 25% cover, trees and tall shrubs generally less than 25% cover). Dwarfshrub cover may be less than 25% where it exceeds tree, shrub, herb, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Sagebrush-dominated Shrubland |
Artemisia-dominated shrubland and dwarf-shrubland |
| Sagebrush steppe |
Artemisia-dominated steppe (between 10% and 40% shrub cover). |
| Lowland/Prairie Grassland |
Low elevation grassland systems. Herbaceous - Herbs (graminoids, forbs, and ferns) dominant (generally forming at least 25% cover, trees, shrubs, and dwarf-shrubs generally with less than 25% cover). Herb cover may be less than 25% where it exceeds tree, shrub, dwarf-shrub, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Montane Grassland |
Grassland systems occurring from lower montane to upper montane-subalpine elevations. Herbaceous - Herbs (graminoids, forbs, and ferns) dominant (generally forming at least 25% cover, trees, shrubs, and dwarf-shrubs generally with less than 25% cover). Herb cover may be less than 25% where it exceeds tree, shrub, dwarf-shrub, and nonvascular cover, respectively. |
| Recently burned |
Recently burned forest, shrubland or grassland systems. |
| Harvested forest |
Recently cut forest systems with grass, shrub or tree regeneration |
| Introduced Vegetation |
Introduced upland and riparian communities dominated by invasive alien species. Though these communities are often casually considered as "planted/cultivated," they are spontaneous, self-perpetuating, and not the (immediate) result of planting, cultivation, or human maintenance. Land occupied by invasive communities is generally permanently altered (converted) unless restoration efforts are undertaken |
| Depressional Wetland |
Wetland ecological systems were defined following a non-regulatory definition for wetlands, emphasizing three important attributes: (1) the hydrology is such that there is some degree of flooding or soil saturation; (2) the vegetation is composed of plants adapted to grow in water or in a soil or substrate that is occasionally oxygen deficient due to saturation (hydrophytes); and (3) the soils are those saturated long enough during the growing season to produce oxygen-deficient conditions in the upper part of the soil, which commonly includes the major part of the root zone of plants (hydric soils). |
| Floodplain and riparian |
Flood plain - (bottomland) The nearly level alluvial plain that borders a stream and is subject to inundation under flood-stage conditions unless protected artificially. It is usually a constructional landform built of sediment deposited during overflow and lateral migration of the stream. Riparian: A narrow zone of habitats, which may or may not be vegetated, directly associated with streamsides or lake shores, or similar immediately adjacent habitat. |
| Forested marsh |
Ecological systems characterized by woody vegetation that is 6 m tall or taller, occurring on poorly drained soils that are saturated year-round or may have seasonal flooding in the spring . |
| Herbaceous Marsh |
The Emergent Wetland Class is characterized by erect, rooted, herbaceous hydrophytes, excluding mosses and lichens. This vegetation is present for most of the growing season in most years. These wetlands are usually dominated by perennial plants. All water regimes are included except subtidal and irregularly exposed . |
| Bog or Feb |
Wetlands with peat or muck substrate resulting from unusual water chemistry; includes areas of highly mineralized groundwater discharge (e.g., many fens) as well as sterile rainwater catch-basins (e.g., many bogs) and other peatlands. |
| Wet meadow |
An herbaceous wetland dominated by plants rooted in occasionally flooded soils. |