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Alabama

Land cover:

Land cover mapping responsibilities were expanded in June 2003 to include the entire East Gulf Coastal Plain (Figure 1), integrating our mapping efforts with those of the Southeast Gap Analysis Project (SE-GAP).
Regionalized mapping methods were tested, and a graduate research assistant was hired in January 2003 to develop methods for spectrally differentiating longleaf pine from other pine species.
Nearly all aerial video from Alabama has been mosaicked, and approximately 6,000 training points were compiled from the video and additional field work.
The preliminary training points have been imported into a decision tree model to create a series of rules to classify our satellite imagery. The initial decision rule sets were drafted in July 2003 and will be modified with training points collected throughout 2004 to further develop the land cover map.
In addition, efforts to build ancillary data layers for the East Gulf Coastal Plain began in November 2003 and will continue in 2004 with the completion of a riparian/wetland layer and landform models.

Figure 1. Southeast GAP mapping region.

Animal modeling:

Animal modeling has been ongoing since mid-2002. In June 2003, AL-GAP partnered with NC-GAP and GA-GAP to produce vertebrate models for a nine-state area in the southeast (Figure 1) as part of the SE-GAP effort. In total, 594 species will be modeled for SE-GAP, and Alabama will be responsible for constructing models for 246 of those species.   To facilitate construction of species range extents, we have developed a Visual Basic application within ESRI’s ArcObjects interface to automate range delineations. Statewide hexagon range extents have been completed for all 372 species indigenous to Alabama , and regionwide extents are currently being drafted.   Development of regional range extents will continue throughout 2004 as will literature reviews for all habitat relationship data. In addition, we anticipate drafting the predicted habitat distribution models by the end of 2004.   

Land stewardship

mapping: Stewardship mapping is under way. Digital boundary files and ownership data have been compiled from various public and private agencies through cooperative arrangements.   Building of this layer will continue through the duration of the project and will be finalized in the last year (early 2006) to provide the most up-to-date data for our gap analysis.

Reporting and data distribution:

Report writing will be ongoing through the duration of the project. Project updates and current information can be found on our Web site at style='font-size:10.0pt'> http://www.auburn.edu/gap style='font-size:10.0pt'>.

Other accomplishments and innovations:

In June 2003, SE-GAP was initiated.   Within the mapping area spanned by SE-GAP (Figure 1), Alabama is one of the few states that has yet to complete a state-level project. This provided AL-GAP the unique opportunity to work within the scope of SE-GAP and integrate our state mapping and modeling efforts with those of the regional project.   As a result, our land cover mapping area and vertebrate modeling range expanded, extending our project completion date to December 2006. Consequently, AL-GAP will not only contribute to SE-GAP but also ensure the development of state spatial data sets that are regionally consistent, which virtually avoids edge-matching issues and allows for seamless boundaries to be created with our bordering states.

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Georgia

Florida

Hawaii

Land cover:

The Hawaii Gap Analysis Project (HI-GAP) has spent the past year developing a decision tree land cover classification approach that is repeatable and accurate.   The decision tree classification is implemented in ERDAS Imagine software, using the Knowledge Engineer platform. Different Landsat7 enhancements are used during the process to divide vegetation types into specific categories, thereby increasing overall accuracy.
The land cover classification for the Big Island of Hawaii has been completed. Accuracy assessment of the first draft is currently taking place.
While accuracy assessment is being completed for the Big Island of Hawaii, land cover drafts for Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai are being developed and will be completed in the next several months.

Animal modeling:

Data sources have been identified, and data have been collected for bird species.   Standardization and normalization of data are currently under way. Data sources for selected representative invertebrates have been contacted, and data collection is under way. Species distribution modeling has been initiated for native and nonnative freshwater aquatic species of vertebrates and selected macroinvertebrates.

Land stewardship mapping:

A first draft of the stewardship map has been completed both for the terrestrial and marine environment. GIS data will be made available on the ARC IMS Web site of the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII).

Analysis:

Analysis is currently scheduled for FY05. We plan to employ a simulated annealing approach to optimizing biological viability goals while minimizing exposure to degradation of ecological integrity and socioeconomic factors.   The gap analysis for our project is anticipated to employ the use of SITES for design of a comprehensive ecosystem conservation approach.

Reporting and data distribution:

Data are available for mapping of survey information on aquatic species as well as for stewardship mapping. Contact the Hawaii Natural Heritage Program for details.

Other accomplishments and innovations:

HI-GAP has developed partnerships with the National Park Service of Hawaii in an effort to develop vegetation maps for the state parks lands in Hawaii.   Planning meetings have taken place to develop this partnership. The University of California at Santa Barbara has partnered with HI-GAP to implement land cover mapping using AVIRIS data for land cover mapping.
HI-GAP has developed an aquatic species distribution modeling approach unique to the Hawaiian Islands’ aquatic biota. The modeling approach uses GIS-derived variables in combination with SAS statistical software to cluster watersheds into unique classes. Aquatic species distribution modeling at the stream segment level will be completed for the clustered watersheds.

Idaho

Illinois

Land cover:

Complete.

Animal modeling:

Complete.

Land stewardship mapping:

Complete.

Analysis:

Nearly complete.

Reporting and data distribution:

Digital coverages will be submitted in early 2004.
The IL-GAP team is now in the process of compiling the final report, which will be submitted for peer review in mid-2004.

Indiana

Land cover:

Complete.

Animal modeling:

Complete.

Land stewardship mapping:

Complete.

Analysis:

Nearly complete.

Reporting and data distribution:

Final report in progress.

Other accomplishments and innovations:

The Indiana Biodiversity Initiative’s Regional Biodiversity Assessment (RBA) project, which draws heavily on Indiana Gap Analysis data, has moved into the implementation stage with the support of many organizations and individuals and major funding from the Efroymson Fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation. Four of the seven modified Natural Regions of Indiana have complete RBAs, with the remaining three near completion. Pilot release of the data from the RBAs is planned to occur in southwest in the winter/spring of 2004. Implementation in other natural regions will follow in 2004 and 2005. The goal is an initial blueprint to guide protection and restoration efforts toward conservation of biodiversity in Indiana.   Our goal is to increase recognition of conservation opportunities and in particular to increase opportunities for coordination among agencies and organizations interested in conservation.

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Delaware

New Jersey

Maryland

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Michigan

Land cover:

Land cover mapping followed the Upper Midwest GAP protocol (ftp://ftp.umesc.usgs.gov/pub/misc/umgap/98-g001.pdf).  Mapping of the existing natural and seminatural land cover of Michigan, in cooperation with the DNR’s Integrated Forest Monitoring Assessment and Prescription (IFMAP) project, was completed in 2003.  The existing land cover classification for the state (from original MRLC imagery) has been cross-walked to the NVCS.

Animal modeling:

Wildlife Division research faculty at Michigan State University (MSU), in cooperation with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) and other Wildlife Division staff, completed species modeling in the fall of 2003.

Land stewardship mapping:

The stewardship data layer was completed in the fall of 2003.

Analysis:

The gap analysis has begun and will be completed by June 2004. 

Reporting and data distribution:

Land-cover data and stewardship data are available from the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center.  Contact Kirk Lohman at (608) 783-7550 x58 or klohman@usgs.gov.

Minnesota

Land cover:

Land cover mapping followed the Upper Midwest GAP protocol (ftp://ftp.umesc.usgs.gov/pub/misc/umgap/98-g001.pdf).  The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) completed classification of the entire state and, with the assistance of NatureServe, cross-walked the classification to the NVCS. 

Animal modeling:

Hexagon species range maps have been developed for Minnesota and delivered to the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC).  The animal modeling coordinator for the Minnesota DNR is Jodie Provost ( Jodie.provost@dnr.state.mn.us
Meetings were held to conduct expert review of predicted distribution maps for mammals, open landscape, forest, and water birds. Vertebrate distribution mapping will be completed in 2004.

Land stewardship mapping:

Stewardship mapping is completed, and a draft version is available from UMESC.

Analysis:

Gap analysis will be completed in 2004.

Reporting and data distribution:

Draft land-cover data and stewardship coverages are available from UMESC.  Contact Kirk Lohman at (608) 783-7550 x58 or klohman@usgs.gov.

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Land cover:

The land cover map has been completed.

Animal modeling: 

Animal models have been completed.

Land stewardship mapping:

Land stewardship mapping has been completed.

Analysis:

Gap analyses have been completed.

Reporting and data distribution:

Draft report, species atlases, GIS coverages, and metadata under review by state experts before delivery.

Other accomplishments:

Henebry, G.M., B.C. Putz, M.R. Vaitkus, and J.W. Merchant.2003. Accuracy assessment for range distributions of terrestrial vertebrates modeled from species occurrences and landscape variables. Gap Analysis Bulletin 12:

Henebry, G.M. 2003. Avian habitat and range distribution modeling in the Nebraska Gap Analysis Project. USFWS Platte-Kansas Rivers Ecosystem Prioritization and Planning workshop, Hays, Kansas, November 5-6. (talk)

Henebry, G.M., B.C. Putz, W. Chen, and J.W. Merchant. 2003. Interannual variation in the land surface phenology of the USFWS Platte-Kansas ecosystem.  USFWS Platte-Kansas Rivers Ecosystem Prioritization and Planning workshop, Hays, Kansas, November 5-6. (poster)

Henebry, G.M., B.C. Putz, W. Chen, and J.W. Merchant. 2003.  Exploiting land surface phenology for regional land cover modeling using AVHRR and MODIS image time series. National Gap Analysis Program Annual Meeting. Ft. Collins, Colorado, October 6-9. (poster)

Vaitkus, M.R., G.M. Henebry, B.C. Putz, and J.W. Merchant. 2003.  Regional models of avian range distributions for the Great Plains: A comparison of methods and results. National Gap Analysis Program Annual Meeting.   Ft. Collins, Colorado, October 6-9. (poster)

Vaitkus, M.R., G.M. Henebry, B.C. Putz, and J.W. Merchant.  2003. Evaluating the use of statistical decision trees for modeling avian habitats and regional range distributions in the Great Plains. ESA annual meeting, Savannah, Georgia, August 3-8. (poster)

Henebry, G.M., W.W. Hargrove, F.M. Hoffman, B.C. Putz, and J.W. Merchant.  2003. Delineating and resolving ecoregions statistically: Sorting out contexts for wildlife habitat. Nebraska GIS Symposium, Lincoln, Nebraska, May 13-15. (poster)

Holland, A.K., G.M. Henebry, B.C. Putz, M.R. Vaitkus, and J.W. Merchant. 2003. Modeling avian habitat from species occurrence data and environmental variables: Assessing the effects of land cover and landscape pattern. Nebraska GIS Symposium, Lincoln, Nebraska, May 13-15. (poster)

Putz, B.C., G.M. Henebry, M.R. Vaitkus, A.K. Holland, and J.W. Merchant.  2003.  Modeling range distributions of terrestrial vertebrates from species occurrences and landscape variables: Data integration and GIS implementation issues. Nebraska GIS Symposium, Lincoln, Nebraska, May 13-15. (poster)

Vaitkus, M.R., G.M. Henebry, B.C. Putz, and J.W. Merchant.  2003.  Assembling an environmental geodatabase for regional modeling of avian habitats and range distributions. Nebraska GIS Symposium, Lincoln, Nebraska, May 13-15. (poster)

Holland A.K., G.M. Henebry, B.C. Putz, M.R. Vaitkus, and J.W. Merchant. 2003. Modeling avian habitat from species occurrence data and environmental variables: Assessing the effects of land cover and landscape pattern.  US-IALE annual meeting, Banff, Canada, April. 2-6. (poster)

Providing GAP land cover, species models, range distributions, and stewardship data to Nebraska decision-makers, federal agencies (Park Service, USDA/APHIS), and researchers outside the state. <%Case "NV"%>

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Land Cover

The land cover map and the assessment are complete and under review.

Animal modeling:

Models for the 416 vertebrate species that breed in the state have been completed and are under review.

Land stewardship mapping:

The stewardship layer is complete. GAP stewardship assignments are being incorporated into the Lands Managed for Open Space, being updated and maintained by the Center for Geographic Information and Analysis.

Analysis:

The analysis of land cover is complete and under review. The species-specific GAP status results have been completed and are under internal review.

Reporting and data distribution:

The land cover and stewardship chapters are complete and in review.   The vertebrate modeling and analysis chapters are in preparation.

Other accomplishments and innovations:

To meet their obligations under the State Wildlife Grants program, states must develop a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) and submit it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by October 2005.   In North Carolina, the Wildlife Resources Agency is incorporating GAP data into the State Wildlife Conservation Plan.

North Dakota

Land cover:

The land cover map was completed. The map was produced from analysis of 48 May, July, and September Thematic Mapper images in a per-pixel, supervised classification procedure using a sequential series of classification tree analyses. National Wetland Inventory data were inserted into the land cover classification. The legend for the land cover map includes 12 prairie, 3 shrubland, and 10 woodland plant communities. The final land cover map is fine-grained (0.09 ha pixels) with an extent of 183,103 sq km.   An accuracy assessment of the land cover map is approximately 50% completed. Early results reveal the stratified random, single-stage cluster sample design is providing useful information about the spatial distribution of classification accuracy.

Animal modeling:

Individual species models, co-occurrence ( hypergrids), and species richness grids for birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles have been completed.   Reference databases, spreadsheets, and metadata for vertebrate models are completed. Accuracy assessment for amphibians, reptiles, and mammals are complete and near completion for birds.

Land stewardship mapping:

The stewardship vector was completed.   The data set identifies 16 stewards and 33 stewardship categories. Estimates of the area for status 1 and status 2 lands are 38,200 ha and 259,900 ha, respectively.

Analysis:

The gap analysis is near completion.

Reporting and data distribution:

The final report and CDs of products for the National Gap Analysis Program are in progress, and their completion will be the major activity in the winter of 2003/04. The report and data will also be made available to North Dakota GIS Technical Committee for distribution on the North Dakota GIS Hub.

Ohio

Land cover:

The goal of acquiring 60,000 digital aerial photographs was completed in 2003.   These images have been georeferenced for about two-thirds of Ohio, with the remaining images to be ready in March 2004. Fieldwork to verify the aerial photographs was performed at about 600 locations throughout Ohio.   An Anderson Level II classification as well as an unsupervised classification was completed for Ohio.   The final vegetation land cover map will be classified using the “Terrestrial Ecological Systems of the United States” produced by NatureServe.   Ohio has worked with Shannon Menard of NatureServe to cross-walk classifications from the National Vegetation System to the Ecological System.   A draft, supervised classification has been completed for about half of the state, mainly western and northern Ohio, with the rest of the state to be completed in June 2004.   All classified areas will be merged, and an accuracy assessment will be performed in the next year.

Animal modeling:

The hexagon range maps for Ohio reptiles were completed in 2003. Range maps for all 308 breeding terrestrial vertebrate species have therefore been constructed and reviewed. A hexagon range map was produced that shows preliminary species richness for all terrestrial vertebrate species (Figure 1). Literature review for habitat affinity data has been completed as well. Efforts to model species distributions using scripts created by West Virginia GAP will begin in 2004.   Expert review will follow.

Figure1. Preliminary species richness for all terrestrial vertebrate species in Ohio.

Land stewardship mapping:

Digital maps of all Ohio conservation lands were obtained and compiled into one map.   Each land parcel was attributed with a GAP land-status code. The map was reviewed and finalized in 2003.

Reporting and data distributions:

Hexagon range maps for reptiles were released on the Ohio GAP Web site (http://oh.water.usgs.gov/ohgap/ohgap.html) in 2003.   Two stakeholders meeting were held in June and December 2003.

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Land cover:

The International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) developed a semiautomated process to create a Landsat-7 ETM+ image mosaic based on 2001-2003 satellite imagery that is 97.5% cloud and cloud-shadow free ( Martinuzzi et al. 2003b). The semiautomated process is capable of performing routine regional updates (e.g., where clouds and cloud-shadows remain) as new imagery becomes available.   The resulting composite is being classified to provide us with the most current land cover classification and habitat map of Puerto Rico for our vertebrate distribution modeling and mapping (Gould et al. 2003). Initial classification includes mapping the extent of four classes of urban cover in Puerto Rico ( Martinuzzi et al. 2003c).   Urban cover comprises nearly 15% of the land surface in Puerto Rico, and the urban forest and low- and high-intensity urban land cover classes are important in both our habitat modeling and in understanding the dynamics of land cover change and threats to habitat sustainability and biodiversity. We have compiled vegetation descriptions from the plant community level and organized them into a hierarchical structure along gradients of climate, substrate, and topographic position ( Carrero et al. 2003). We have developed two new maps that will be useful in both our land cover mapping and modeling efforts. These include an updated map of the physiography of Puerto Rico (Gould et al. in prep.) and an analysis and map of landforms (slope position) of Puerto Rico (Martinuzzi et al. 2003a).

Animal modeling:

Our original list of 437 vertebrate species has been through expert review and now consists of 426 vertebrate species known to occur across Puerto Rico or its off-shore islands. The collection of species occurrence information has been, and continues to be, an arduous process. A large proportion of Puerto Rico’s vertebrate fauna is composed of species dependent upon aquatic and/or coastal-marine habitat. With this in mind, we are developing our relational database model with the understanding that the aquatic and marine species are important components of the landscape and have good potential for gap analysis after the completion of the terrestrial Gap Analysis project. We have identified a subset of 168 species to include in the terrestrial component of the gap analysis. This list contains those species considered endemic, resident, breeding migratory, or are species with special conservation importance that have become established through human introductions (e.g., Asian mongoose) or range expansion (e.g., Hispañolan parrot). PR-GAP adopted a modification of the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) hexagon grid of the Caribbean as the minimum mapping unit for creating species’ geographic range maps.   We feel the smaller hexagon size (24 km ²) is a valid scale for representing species distribution while considering the challenge of representing Puerto Rico’s diverse and heterogeneous landscape. We are collaborating with the Puerto Rico Ornithological Society to assist in the development of field survey methods for a Breeding Bird Atlas for Puerto Rico and to incorporate PR-GAP data, maps, and analyses into the Atlas.   Expert review of species geographic range maps are currently in progress.

Land stewardship mapping:

We are currently establishing an interagency collaborative effort to update an existing, but incomplete land stewardship layer of Puerto Rico.   We will be identifying land management areas, contacting land managers to determine management policies, classifying land parcels into the management strategies used in the GAP program, and developing a land management geospatial database in order to facilitate the final GAP analyses.

Analysis:

Gap analyses will begin as we complete our vertebrate models and database in 2004.

Literature cited:

G., W. Gould, B. Fevold , G. González , and S. Martinuzzi. 2003.   Hierarchical vegetation classification for the Puerto Rico Gap Analysis Project: Integrating climate, substrate, topography, and species composition in a land cover map legend. Poster presented at the National GAP Annual Meeting, October 6-9, 2003 .   Fort Collins Colorado

Gould, W., S. Martinuzzi , and O. Ramos. 2003.Image analysis and land cover mapping for Puerto RicoPoster presented at the National GAP Annual Meeting, October 6-9, 2003 Fort Collins Colorado .

Gould, W., S. Martinuzzi, B. Edwards, and O. Ramos. 2004 Physiography, geology, and the distribution of landforms in Puerto Rico: Shaping land use and vegetation. In preparation.

Martinuzzi, S., W. Gould, and O. Ramos.2003a Integrating remote sensing and GIS for land cover mapping and analysis in the Karst area. Presented at the Second Symposium of Karst Research, September 27, 2003 University in Bayamon Puerto Rico

Martinuzzi, S., W. Gould, and O. Ramos. 2003b.  Cloud and cloud shadow removal in the creation of a cloud-free composite Landsat ETM scene in tropical landscapes. Poster presented at the National GAP Annual Meeting, October 6-9, 2003, Fort Collins, Colorado

Martinuzzi, S., W. Gould, and O. Ramos. 2003c Urban cover estimates from image analysis and land cover mapping of Puerto Rico. Presented at the 2nd Congreso de Ecourbanismo, Centro de Bellas Artes, November 18-19, 2003 Caguas, Puerto Rico.

South Carolina

Status: 

Data on GAP Web site (http://www.gap.uidaho.edu/Projects/Data.asp) or CD.

South Dakota

Southeast Regional GAP

The Southeast Gap Analysis Project is working hard to develop the baseline data sets and tools for use by the conservation community within the region. Currently we have two focus areas: (1) production of regionally consistent and current data sets and (2) use of existing state GAP project data to create regional products for use by partner agencies. The Southeast Gap Analysis Project started actively mapping and modeling in July 2003.   The regional effort involves thirteen states (Figure 1) throughout the southeastern U.S.   The goal is building on the state GAP experiences to develop consistent land cover and vertebrate models.   The regional work is being coordinated through the Biodiversity and Spatial Information Center ( BaSIC) at North Carolina State University with partner researchers at The Natural Resource and Spatial Analysis Laboratory ( NaRSAL) at the University of Georgia and the Alabama GAP Project at the University of Auburn.

Figure Mapping zones and states Southeast GAP is working in.

Land cover:

Products being developed include land cover maps and impervious surface and canopy closure estimations. The land cover maps will be created at two levels of thematic detail, one compatible with the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD 2001), and the second a detailed vegetation map based on the Ecological Systems described by NatureServe (2003).   We are actively working with EROS Data Center (EDC) methodologies to create the general land cover products based on the NLCD 2001 protocols. Currently we are working on the general land cover in four, and on impervious surface and canopy estimations in seven of the ten Southeast mapping zones (Table 1).

Table: Lead responsibilities and timeline for completion of general and detailed land cover mapping for the Southeast GAP Project.

In preparation for the detailed land cover mapping, we have gathered over 30,000 digital photographs over the region. The camera setup consists of a Kodak 645 Pro Digital Back coupled with a Hasselblad H1 camera body and 80 mm lens.  Other sensors include a Watson Inertial Measurement Unit and a Trimble GeoExplorer 3 GPS unit. In addition, digital video is also being collected as a backup data source in case of camera troubles.   Software for rectification of the photographs is near completion at the University of Georgia.  With a swath of 600 meters and a resolution higher than 0.2 meters, these photographs will be used to build an extensive sample set for use in the detailed land cover mapping.   The approach is similar to that used by many of the GAP projects previously, with a subset of photos being visited on the ground to verify the cover types being seen. Those photographs will then be used as a reference library for labeling the remaining photos throughout each mapping zone.

NatureServe ecologists are assisting throughout the process to guarantee that the Ecological Systems, as they have been described, are being appropriately labeled in the field as well as in the computer labs. Alabama GAP, having started prior to the development of the regional effort, has hit the ground running with field visits based on previously flown videography. They are starting with field visits using the new photographs in March 2004. The field visits for creation of the reference library for the remaining zone are scheduled for late spring 2004.

Regional data sets being compiled to support the land cover mapping efforts include Ecological Land Units, 1997 Census of Agriculture (USDA 1997), the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) data, golf courses, and mines. With over 1000 NWI quadrangles not available in digital format for most of Alabama and Mississippi, Alabama GAP initiated a tremendous effort to start scanning those quadrangles. Given the scope of the effort, the utility of those data to a broad user base, and the ultimate goal of having those data in a vector format, we are working with collaborators to identify ways to get that work done.

Animal modeling:

The design of the Southeast Gap Analysis Vertebrate Database has primarily been the responsibility of the BaSIC personnel.   While the design of database has been centralized, the responsibility for the development of the ranges and the habitat suitability models has been split up between the three laboratories based on the specific expertise and interests of each of the vertebrate biologists. A total of 608 terrestrial vertebrate species are being modeled in the Southeast.

The ranges for each of these species will be hand-delineated based on the existing hexagon-based data from the individual state efforts, as well as a review of the literature for each of the species.  In order to facilitate a common approach in range delineations a common set of spatial data layers (ecological region boundaries, watersheds, hydrology, outerbanks, tidal/non-tidal boundary) have been compiled for the three labs to use when line work from an existing layer describes the range limits.   An internal review for these new ranges will be conducted in the summer of 2004.

The habitat database has been designed in Access, and the literature reviews from each of the state GAP efforts have been compiled. A unified set of habitat relationships for the region will be created with relationships to both the detailed and general land cover map units being developed. As the land cover data for each of the mapping zones becomes available, the habitat models for that zone will be created and reviewed internally.  By 2006 the detailed land cover for the entire region will be available and used as the basis for the final habitat maps.

Other accomplishments and innovations:

A pilot study has been initiated between the Southeast GAP Project and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Joint Ventures Program.  This project is a direct response to discussions at the October 2003 National GAP meeting, in which an opportunity for collaboration between ongoing GAP projects and USFWS Joint Venture (JV) bird conservation planning efforts were identified. In this project SE-GAP will augment the responsiveness of ongoing mapping and modeling work to specific data and analysis needs of the USFWS. Two goals of the project include (1) developing a map of the historic distribution of longleaf pine for the Atlantic and East Gulf Coastal Plain and (2) working with USFWS personnel to refine habitat models for priority bird species by identifying and creating habitat content and context variables specific to key southeastern habitats.

Literature cited:

NatureServe. 2003. A working classification of terrestrial ecological systems in the coterminous United States. International Terrestrial Ecological Systems Classification. NatureServe, Arlington , Virginia . 61 pp. + appendices.

U.S.  Department of Agriculture. 1997. Census of Agriculture Geographic Area Series.   National Agriculture Statistics Service.

Southwest Regional GAP (SWReGAP)

Land cover:

The RS/GIS Lab at Utah State University is the regional land cover mapping lab for the five-state southwest region. Coordination with the other four states is facilitated through a Web page that allows access to spatial data, procedural documents, and an Internet Map Server (http://www.gis.usu.edu/docs/projects/swgap).

Land cover mapping methods

– Landsat 7+ imagery for three dates (spring, summer, fall) spanning the years 1999-2001 is being used, along with ancillary DEM-derived data to map land cover for the five-state region. The land cover mapping protocol follows the approaches employed by EROS Data Center (EDC) for the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). We are using the CART Imagine module developed for EDC by EarthSat Corp. along with the classification tree software See5 ( Rulequest). Geographic stratification of the region is accomplished through mapping zones and functional units. Both mapping zones and functional units represent ecoregional divisions of the landscape. Mapping zones are smaller mapping areas with similar ecological and spectral characteristics and nest within functional units. Functional units are broader units used to aid in tracking and reporting mapping progress for the five participating states.

Figure 1.   Functional units for SWReGAP.

More detailed information on the mapping process can be found in the SWReGAP Land Cover Handbook, available at http://www.gis.usu.edu/%7Eregap/download/documents/LCHandbook112603.doc

Field data collection

– Field data collection for SWReGAP land cover mapping was completed in the 2003 field season.   Each of the five states had at least two field crews working this season, resulting in approximately 35,000 field samples collected for the region. Additional sample data, collected from various agencies and other projects in the region, augmented the sampling effort of the project. It is estimated that approximately 50,000 samples were collected in total for the five-state region.

Land cover mapping progress by functional unit

– As of December 31, 2003, preliminary maps were in progress for the following functional units: CO-1, CO-2, CO-3, NV-3, NV-4, NV-5, NV-6, NM-1, NM-2, NM-3, NM-4, NM-5, UT-3, and UT-4. Preliminary maps were complete for functional units AZ-1, AZ-2, AZ-3, AZ-4, AZ-5, CO-4, NV-1, and NV-2. Final maps were complete for UT-1 and UT-2.  

Goals for the coming year

– The regional land cover mapping timeline was revised during 2003 and, in accordance with this timeline, each state will complete their state responsibility area by May 2004.   Utah State University will mosaic the five areas, and the regional land cover map will be completed by June 2004.

In March 2004, a special SWReGAP session is planned for the International Association for Landscape Ecology’s regional conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.   Utah State University will coordinate the development and preparation of presentations for the land cover portion of that special session.

From July to December 2004, USU will coordinate the development and compilation of the land cover portion of the SWReGAP final written report. Also during this time period, USU will organize and archive all spatial and tabular databases associated with the land cover effort for the five-state region.

Animal habitat modeling:

The New Mexico project is providing regional animal habitat modeling coordination.   The primary objectives include (1) defining wildlife-habitat relationships, (2) finalizing the list of taxa to model, including review and finalizing decision rules, (3) allocating taxa modeling responsibilities among the projects, (4) identifying multiple modeling techniques that may be of use for the project, (5) creating a habitat modeling protocol to facilitate data collection and consistency within the region, (6) creating a Web interface for data transfer to the regional lab, (7) creating a database to facilitate association compilation, expert review and modification, and potential end user application, and (8) style='mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt'>conducting a regional animal habitat modeling workshop in Fort Collins, Colorado, in October 2003.

Defining wildlife-habitat relationship models

– To assure regional consistency, the New Mexico project proposed several definitions for Wildlife-Habitat Relationship (WHR) for the region. style='mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt'>In summary, a wildlife-habitat relationship is a statement describing resources and conditions present in areas where a species persists and reproduces or otherwise occurs. Relationships can be modeled to predict habitat composition and, if the relationships are represented in a cartographic plane, they can predict the presence of habitat spatially.

Decision rules and modeling allocation

– Taxa inclusion into the modeling process was determined by a series of decision rules. These rules initially identified 839 species to be modeled in the SWReGAP effort.   Exclusionary rules removed species if they had onl y incidental, accidental, or vagrant occurrence. As modeling continues, taxa can be eliminated if they meet one of the exclusionary decision rules. Currently the total number of species to be modeled is 836.
A taxa allocation decision rule was created to distribute initial taxa modeling responsibilities among all projects in a manner that capitalizes on previous modeling experience, is localized to the distribution of taxa experts, and is sensitive to the greatest awareness about local conditions applicable to more restricted taxa. All projects have opportunity for input on modeling approach and results among taxa, regardless of the lead assignment. The current allocation of taxa modeling responsibility is: Arizona – 189 taxa, Colorado – 157, Nevada – 73, New Mexico – 378, and Utah – 39.

Habitat modeling database

– The New Mexico project has created an Access database to compile taxa-specific information for modeling. The intent is to create a data set that manages information and is used to construct each taxon’s wildlife habitat relationship model.   The database addresses several concerns of the regional group regarding expert participation and end user functionality. Included within the database is a user-friendly method to define range limits using the 8-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) .   Each HUC is designated using a 3-character coding system based on historic/recent distribution as either known (K), potential (P), or extirpated (X). We developed a coding system based on reproductive use (breeding, nonbreeding, both) and seasonal use (migratory, wintering, summering, wintering and summering).   The database also incorporates the core data layers the region had identified to be minimally addressed in each wildlife habitat relationship model.   These core data layers are land cover, elevation (minimum and maximum), slope, aspect, soils, hydrology (distance to and association with permanent water), and patch size.   Other layers specifically addressed in the database are mountain ranges, temperature (minimum and maximum), and precipitation. The database allows further data layers to be incorporated into the model-building process.  

Incorporated in the habitat modeling database is the ability to model species beyond the current overlay process. We style='mso-font-kerning:14.0pt'>are continuing to review modeling techniques that can be applied to gap analysis habitat association information.   Within the database we have the option of applying a weighted index overlay procedure in addition to the standard Boolean overlay procedure. Index overlay offers a subjective consideration of the relative value of habitat variables, and fuzzy sets allow for the inclusion of ambiguity at the habitat boundaries. style='mso-font-kerning:14.0pt'> If applicable, two products will be produced: nonbinary representations incorporating uncertainty and the traditional GAP binary representations.

The database was presented to the region at a workshop held prior to the National GAP Meeting in Fort Collins Colorado  in October 2003. This workshop detailed the process of populating the database.   It also provided a forum to identify additional needed database refinements. The database will be modified through the course of the project to ensure the most functionality possible at project completion.

Habitat modeling progress

While the regional lab has been creating the habitat-modeling database, each state has been contributing habitat association information through a Web interface.   This interface is based on the hard copy form protocol and allows the habitat modeler to input the data into the database. The initial focus has been on species that may not need land cover to be modeled successfully.   As of December 30, 2003  86% of species data collection has been completed (716 of the 836 species). Approximately 80% of models completed also have their ranges delineated.   The initial models will be reviewed internally and then be reviewed by species experts. Completion of land cover mapping is projected for June 2004 and will impact when models will be run and predicted animal habitat distributions will be mapped.

Expert review -

The region is finalizing the process that will be used for expert review. Each state is identifying species experts and contacting these experts to gauge their level of interest. These lists will then be provided to the regional laboratory so that coordination of the regional approach can begin. Because of the number of species, we will be using a variety of methods to capture expert knowledge. These methods may include state expert review panels and regional expert review panels.

Accuracy assessment –

The region will complete the standard gap analysis habitat modeling measure of agreement as well as a measure of agreement with existing species occurrence records.   States are currently identifying qualified species lists for the standard measure of agreement.   These lists will then be provided to the regional laboratory. In the next year, the regional laboratory and the Arizona project will identify a procedure to use existing data to measure the degree of concordance between habitat models and species occurrence.

Land stewardship mapping:

Land stewardship mapping began regionwide during 2003 with the development of a regional workplan outlining the steps involved in the process. The New Mexico project hired the regional Stewardship Coordinator, Andrea Ernst, who began the process of data collection and consolidation within the five-state region.   Base data layers were gathered from sources such as the Bureau of Land Management and the Conservation Biology Institute, which developed the Protected Areas Database. The land stewardship mapping effort is also coordinating with an existing project in Colorado that has previously gathered detailed land stewardship information for the state. The Stewardship Coordinator has also initiated contact with various federal and state agencies to gather more detailed internal management boundary information and associated management plans for the region.

Analysis:

Analysis for SWReGAP will take place when the mapping tasks are completed.   Land cover analysis will begin in July 2004 and animal habitat modeling analysis in January 2005.

Reporting and data distribution:

All products derived from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project are scheduled to be complete by approximately May 2005. 

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Land cover:

Land cover mapping followed the Upper Midwest GAP protocol (ftp://ftp.umesc.usgs.gov/pub/misc/umgap/98-g001.pdf).  Land cover mapping is completed, and a draft version is available from the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC).  With the assistance of NatureServe, the classification has been cross-walked to the NVCS.

Land stewardship mapping:

The Wisconsin DNR has finished compiling data for state, county, and U.S. Forest Service lands.  UMESC acquired coverages of DOI lands and compiled the complete stewardship coverage. 

Reporting and data distribution:

Land-cover and stewardship coverages are available from UMESC.  Contact Kirk Lohman at (608) 783-7550 x58 or klohman@usgs.gov. 

Wyoming

Go to the State Projects section and choose a state first.

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