Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups

Plant communities represent the integration of ecological and biological processes and they serve as an important component for the protection of biological diversity. To measure progress towards protection of ecosystems in the United States for various stated conservation targets we need datasets a...

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Main Authors:	Alexa McKerrow, Anne Davidson, Matthew Rubino, Don Faber-Langendoen, Daryn Dockter
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:	Forests
Subjects:	national vegetation classification gap analysis LANDFIRE protected areas conservation
Online Access:	https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/7/864

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spelling	doaj-d56edebb36be46b283886d76b3e0188d2021-07-23T13:41:08ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072021-06-011286486410.3390/f12070864Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification GroupsAlexa McKerrow0Anne Davidson1Matthew Rubino2Don Faber-Langendoen3Daryn Dockter4U.S. Geological Survey, Science Analytics and Synthesis, Core Science Systems, Raleigh, NC 27607, USADepartment of Public Policy and Administration, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USANorth Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USANatureServe, Conservation Science Division, Arlington, VA 22202, USAKBR, Contractor to the U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USAPlant communities represent the integration of ecological and biological processes and they serve as an important component for the protection of biological diversity. To measure progress towards protection of ecosystems in the United States for various stated conservation targets we need datasets at the appropriate thematic, spatial, and temporal resolution. The recent release of the LANDFIRE Existing Vegetation Data Products (2016 Remap) with a legend based on U.S. National Vegetation Classification allowed us to assess the conservation status of plant communities of the U.S. The map legend is based on the Group level of the USNVC, which characterizes the regional differences in plant communities based on dominant and diagnostic plant species. By combining the Group level map with the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US Ver 2.1), we quantified the representation of each Group. If the mapped vegetation is assumed to be 100% accurate, using the Aichi Biodiversity target (17% land in protection by 2020) we found that 159 of the 265 natural Groups have less than 17% in GAP Status 1 & 2 lands and 216 of the 265 Groups fail to meet a 30% representation target. Only four of the twenty ecoregions have >17% of their extent in Status 1 & 2 lands. Sixteen ecoregions are dominated by Groups that are under-represented. Most ecoregions have many hectares of natural or ruderal vegetation that could contribute to future conservation efforts and this analysis helps identify specific targets and opportunities for conservation across the U.S.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/7/864national vegetation classificationgap analysisLANDFIREprotected areasconservation
collection	DOAJ
language	English
format	Article
sources	DOAJ
author	Alexa McKerrow Anne Davidson Matthew Rubino Don Faber-Langendoen Daryn Dockter
spellingShingle	Alexa McKerrow Anne Davidson Matthew Rubino Don Faber-Langendoen Daryn Dockter Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups Forests national vegetation classification gap analysis LANDFIRE protected areas conservation
author_facet	Alexa McKerrow Anne Davidson Matthew Rubino Don Faber-Langendoen Daryn Dockter
author_sort	Alexa McKerrow
title	Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups
title_short	Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups
title_full	Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups
title_fullStr	Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups
title_full_unstemmed	Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups
title_sort	quantifying the representation of plant communities in the protected areas of the u.s.: an analysis based on the u.s. national vegetation classification groups
publisher	MDPI AG
series	Forests
issn	1999-4907
publishDate	2021-06-01
description	Plant communities represent the integration of ecological and biological processes and they serve as an important component for the protection of biological diversity. To measure progress towards protection of ecosystems in the United States for various stated conservation targets we need datasets at the appropriate thematic, spatial, and temporal resolution. The recent release of the LANDFIRE Existing Vegetation Data Products (2016 Remap) with a legend based on U.S. National Vegetation Classification allowed us to assess the conservation status of plant communities of the U.S. The map legend is based on the Group level of the USNVC, which characterizes the regional differences in plant communities based on dominant and diagnostic plant species. By combining the Group level map with the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US Ver 2.1), we quantified the representation of each Group. If the mapped vegetation is assumed to be 100% accurate, using the Aichi Biodiversity target (17% land in protection by 2020) we found that 159 of the 265 natural Groups have less than 17% in GAP Status 1 & 2 lands and 216 of the 265 Groups fail to meet a 30% representation target. Only four of the twenty ecoregions have >17% of their extent in Status 1 & 2 lands. Sixteen ecoregions are dominated by Groups that are under-represented. Most ecoregions have many hectares of natural or ruderal vegetation that could contribute to future conservation efforts and this analysis helps identify specific targets and opportunities for conservation across the U.S.
topic	national vegetation classification gap analysis LANDFIRE protected areas conservation
url	https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/7/864
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Quantifying the Representation of Plant Communities in the Protected Areas of the U.S.: An Analysis Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Groups

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