Wired Science - 14 June 2010
First detailed national map of land-cover vegetation releasedA new national map of the ecosystems of America could help keep healthy species from ending up endangered.
Through ground and satellite surveys of land cover, the U. S. Geological Survey’s Gap Analysis Program has generated data that conservationists may be able to use to create and sustain habitat for wildlife.
“These data are critical for determining the status of biodiversity, as baseline data for assessing climate change impacts, and for predicting the availability of habitat for wildlife,” said John Mosesso, the USGS manager of GAP in a press release. “Large datasets of this type are extremely important to land and wildlife managers because they allow for analysis and planning across extensive geographic areas.”
While the research and mapping related to endangered species is extensive, the rest of the animals and plants out there — known as common species — get far less attention. The Endangered Species Act, signed into law by Richard Nixon in 1973, grants extraordinary protections to plants and animals on the verge of extinction, but it does little for other creatures in an ecosystem.
The Gap Analysis Program is charged with figuring out which common species’ habitats may not be well represented by existing parks and conservation areas. The only way to do that is to mash up a bunch of data about species and land use.
In addition to the large map above, there is a searchable, zoomable mapping system available. You can download the data that underpins the visualizations, too.
PhysOrg | Environment | 14 June 2010
The most detailed national vegetation U.S. land-cover map to date was released today by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The map will enable conservation professionals to identify places in the country with sufficient habitat to support wildlife.
The map, produced by the USGS Gap Analysis Program (GAP), can be viewed online and downloaded for free.
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The GAP national land cover data, based on the NatureServe Ecological Systems Classification, is the most detailed, consistent map of vegetative associations ever available for the United States and will help facilitate the planning and management of biological diversity on a regional and national scale.
GAP's mission is to keep common species common by providing information on the status of native species. The creation and dissemination of the national landcover dataset and online map viewer furthers that goal by putting crucial information into the hands of conservation professionals. Information about land cover is a key component of effective conservation planning and the management of biological diversity.