Metadata for Level III and IV Ecoregions of Montana - Draft Second Edition Metadata for Level III and IV Ecoregions of Montana - Draft Second Edition

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Identification Information:

Citation:

Originator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication date: 2002
Title:: Level III and IV Ecoregions of Montana - Draft Second Edition
Other citation details:: The former name of the data set on the NRIS web site was "ecoreg_2002"
Online linkage: https://ftpgeoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Data/Spatial/NonMSDI/Shapefiles/EcoRegions2002.zip

Browse graphic file name: https://ftpgeoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Documents/Maps/Thumbnails/20060106_491_thumb.jpg
Browse graphic file description: Thumbnail of Montana Ecoregions map

Browse graphic file name: https://ftpgeoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Documents/Maps/Individual/20060106_491_2002_ecoreg.pdf
Browse graphic file description: Montana Ecoregions map

Abstract:

This is the second edition (2002) of "Ecoregions of Montana". As of April 2013, the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/mt_eco.htm has ecoregion data published in 2012.

The second edition (2002) of "Ecoregions of Montana" revises many ecoregion polygon assignments that appeared in the first edition (Woods and others, 1999). These changes were made after research in Idaho (McGrath and others, 2002) recognized the Idaho Batholith as a separate level III ecoregion (Ecoregion 16), limited the Northern Rockies (15) to strongly marine-influenced areas, and transferred the Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies (formerly Ecoregion 16) to another level III ecoregion, the Middle Rockies (17). The second edition also modifies a few level IV ecoregion lines along Montana's western border so that ecoregions shared by Montana and Idaho will edge match. In addition, it updates ecoregion names so that they are consistent with the most recent ecoregion work in area (Chapman and others, 2003). However, it is important to note that although many polygon assignments and a few ecoregion names have changed between the first and second editions, nearly all level IV ecoregion line positions are identical on the two editions.

Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources; they are designed to serve as a spatial framework for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components. By recognizing the spatial differences in the capacities and potentials of ecosystems, ecoregions stratify the environment by its probable response to disturbance (Bryce and others, 1999). These general purpose regions are critical for structuring and implementing ecosystem management strategies across federal agencies, state agencies, and nongovernment organizations that are responsible for different types of resources within the same geographical areas (Omernik and others, 2000).

The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions can be identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity (Wiken, 1986; Omernik, 1987, 1995). These phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology.

The relative importance of each characteristic varies from one ecological region to another regardless of the hierarchical level. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme has been adopted for different levels of ecological regions. Level I is the coarsest level, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions. Level II divides the continent into 52 regions (Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, 1997). At level III, the continental United States contains 104 ecoregions and the conterminous United States has 84 ecoregions (United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2000). Level IV is a further subdivision of level III ecoregions. Explanations of the methods used to define the USEPA's ecoregions are given in Omernik (1995), Omernik and others (2000), and Griffith and others (1989, 1994).

The level III and IV ecoregion map on this poster was compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 and depicts revisions and subdivisions of earlier level III ecoregions that were originally compiled at a smaller scale (USEPA, 2000; Omernik, 1987). This poster is part of a collaborative project primarily between USEPA Region VIII, USEPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (Corvallis, Oregon), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service), United States Department of the Interior-Bureau of Land Management, and United States Department of the Interior-U.S. Geological Survey-Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center.

The project is associated with an interagency effort to develop a common framework of ecological regions. Reaching that objective requires recognition of the differences in the conceptual approaches and mapping methodologies applied to develop the most common ecoregion-type frameworks, including those developed by the U.S. Forest Service (Bailey and others, 1994), the USEPA (Omernik, 1987, 1995), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture-Soil Conservation Service, 1981). As each of these frameworks is further refined, their differences are becoming less discernible. Regional collaborative projects such as this one in Montana, where agreement has been reached among multiple resource management agencies, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation.

Purpose:

Assist managers of aquatic and terrestrial resources in understanding the regional patterns of the realistically attainable quality of these resources.

Time period of content:

Calendar date: 2002
Currentness reference: publication date

Status:

Progress: In work
Maintenance and update frequency:: Unknown. As of April 2013, the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/mt_eco.htm has ecoregion data published in 2012.

Access constraints: None

Use constraints:

The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.

Point of contact:

Alan Woods
US EPA Lab, Oregon State University, USGS
200 SW 35th St
Corvallis, OR 97333
Telephone: 541-754-4469
E-Mail: woods.alan@epa.gov
Contact instructions:: Alternate contact at the same physical address is James Omernik -- omernik.james@epa.gov 541-754-4458

Data Quality Information:

Lineage:

Source information:

Originator: Bailey, R.G., Avers, P.E., King, T., and McNab, W.H., eds.,
Publication date: 1994
Title: Ecoregions and subregions of the United States
Other citation details:: supplementary table of map unit descriptions compiled and edited by McNab, W.H. and Bailey, R.G.
Source scale denominator: 7500000
Type of source media: paper map

Source information:

Originator: Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M., and Larsen, D.P.
Publication date: 1999
Title:: Ecoregions - a geographic framework to guide risk characterization and ecosystem management
Other citation details: Environmental Practice, v. 1, no. 3, p. 141-155

Source information:

Originator:: Chapman, S.S., Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M., Despain, D.G., ZumBerge, J., and Conrad, M.,
Publication date: 2003
Title: Ecoregions of Wyoming
Source scale denominator: 400000
Type of source media:: color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs

Source information:

Originator: Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group
Publication date: 1997
Title:: Ecological regions of North America - toward a common perspective
Other citation details: 71 p.

Source information:

Originator:: Gallant, A.L., Whittier, T.R., Larsen, D.P., Omernik, J.M., and Hughes, R.M
Publication date: 1989
Title:: Regionalization as a tool for managing environmental resources
Other citation details: EPA/600/3-89/060, 152 p.

Source information:

Originator:: Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Wilton, T.F., and Pierson, S.M
Publication date: 1994
Title:: Ecoregions and subregions of Iowa - a framework for water quality assessment and management
Other citation details: v. 101, no. 1, p. 5-13

Source information:

Originator:: McGrath C.L., Woods A.J., Omernik, J.M., Bryce, S.A., Edmondson, M., Nesser, J.A., Shelden, J., Crawford, R.C., Comstock, J.A., and Plocher, M.D.,
Publication date: 2002
Title: Ecoregions of Idaho
Source scale denominator: 350000
Type of source media:: color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs

Source information:

Originator: Omernik, J.M
Publication date: 1987
Title: Ecoregions of the conterminous United States
Other citation details: v. 77, no. 1, p. 118-125
Source scale denominator: 7500000
Type of source media: paper map

Source information:

Originator: Omernik, J.M.
Publication date: 1995
Title: Ecoregions - a framework for environmental management
Other citation details:: in Davis, W.S. and Simon, T.P., eds., Biological assessment and criteria-tools for water resource planning and decision making, p. 49-62

Source information:

Originator: Omernik, J.M., Chapman, S.S., Lillie, R.A., and Dumke, R.T.
Publication date: 2000
Title: Ecoregions of Wisconsin
Other citation details: v. 88, p. 77-103

Source information:

Originator: U.S. Department of Agriculture-Soil Conservation Service
Publication date: 1981
Title:: Land resource regions and major land resource areas of the United States
Other citation details: 156 p.

Source information:

Originator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication date: 2000
Title:: Level III ecoregions of the continental United States (revision of Omernik, 1987)
Other citation details: Map M-1, various scales

Source information:

Originator: Wiken, E.
Publication date: 1986
Title: Terrestrial ecozones of Canada
Other citation details: Ecological Land Classification Series no. 19, 26 p.

Source information:

Originator:: Woods, Alan J., Omernik, James, M., Nesser, John A., Shelden, J., and Azevedo, Sandra H.
Publication date: 1999
Title: Ecoregions of Montana
Source scale denominator: 500000
Type of source media:: color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs

Source information:

Originator:: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Western Ecology Division
Publication date: 2002
Title: Ecoregions of Montana
Online linkage: http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/mt_eco.htm

Process step:

All ecoregion and subregion delineations are digitized from the U.S.G.S. 1:250,000 base maps. Prior to digitizing each base map must be initialized to orient the map and relate it in geographic coordinates to the surface of the earth. When the registration tics are entered at the start of digitizing a transformation error of less than 0.003 must be achieved in order to insure a high level of registration accuracy. The person responsible for digital data entry completes a data sheet describing coverage name, date of entry, and whether a topology for the coverage is established.

After each 1:250,000 base map has been digitized, a topology for each coverage is established. This function creates unique identities for each polygon.

Next each base map is tested for polygon errors through an internal editing function. Errors are corrected for unlabeled polygons, unclosed polygons, or polygons with more than one label. Topology is reestablished for each coverage and tested again until no error are indicated.

The digital coverage is then plotted at the same scale as the original base map. This coverage is overlaid on a light table with the original and visually inspected for replication of original lines with digitized lines. Two individuals independently inspect the coverage for accuracy.

Spatial Data Organization Information:

Point and vector object information:

SDTS object type: G-polygon

SDTS object count: 367

Spatial Reference Information:

Horizontal coordinate system definition:

Grid coordinate system name: State Plane Coordinate System

SPCS zone identifier: 2500

Lambert conformal conic:

Standard parallel: 45.000000
Standard parallel: 49.000000
Longitude of central meridian: -109.500000
Latitude of projection origin: 44.250000
False easting: 600000.000000
False northing: 0.000000

Planar distance units: meters

Geodetic model:

Horizontal datum name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator of flattening ratio: 298.257222

Entity and Attribute Information:

Entity type label: EcoRegions2002.dbf

Attribute label: FID

Attribute definition: Shapefile sequence number

Attribute label: Shape

Attribute definition: Feature geometry

Attribute label: AREA

Attribute definition: Area of feature in square meters

Attribute label: PERIMETER

Attribute definition: Perimeter of feature in meters

Attribute label: LEVEL4

Attribute definition:: Level 4 ecoregion code. The code is explained in the Level4_Nam field

Attribute label: LEVEL4_NAM

Attribute definition: Name of the level 4 ecoregion.

Attribute label: LEVEL3

Attribute definition:: Level 3 ecoregion code. The code is explained in the Level3_Nam field

Attribute label: LEVEL3_NAM

Attribute definition:: Name of the level 3 ecoregion. The values of this field are enumerated in the LEVEL3 attribute description.

Distribution Information:

Distributor:

Montana State Library
PO Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800
Telephone: 406-444-5354
Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov

Resource description: Downloadable Data

Distribution liability:

Standard order process:

Digital form:

Metadata Reference Information:

Metadata date: 01/13/2014

Metadata review date: 04/17/2013

Metadata review date: 01/06/2006

Metadata contact:

Montana State Library
P.O. Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800
Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov