Appendix: Field data Collection Packet sent to cooperating private, county, state, and federal field personnel.

Dear Cooperator:

Thank you for helping with the Iowa Gap Analysis Project. We feel confident that the products which ultimately result from this project will be of great benefit to you and the public that you serve. The enclosed packet of materials includes the following:

1. Protocol for Iowa Gap Vegetation Survey - 1997. Follow this protocol to complete a survey form for each alliance polygon that you report.
2. 20 copies of the vegetation survey form. Please request more if you need them or photocopy your own.
3. Working Draft of Iowa Vegetation Classification Scheme. This document is a list of vegetation alliances for Iowa. The vegetation "alliance" is a term which comes from the National Vegetation Classification System that the national Gap Analysis Program has adopted as a standard. It corresponds closely to what plant ecologists call a community type or foresters call a forest type or stand. The "alliance" is characterized by the dominant species of plants that make up the overstory. These are shown in bold type. For the purpose of this survey, use the common names for the alliances given in the right hand column. For Gap Analysis, we have merged a few of the alliances that will not be possible to distinguish using satellite imagery. Plant species names given in italics represent the "association" level which includes species that occur in the understory.
4. Keys to vegetation alliances. We hope the keys will help you in identifying the various alliances that you report. Not all alliances will occur in your area or county. If you are not highly confident of your identification (see #4 on the survey form), please complete the "Vegetation Rapid Assessment" on the back of the form. This will enable us to assign an alliance name at a later time, if needed. Ideally, we would like a rapid assessment for every polygon that you report.

We recommend that you read through the list of vegetation alliances and select those that you are reasonably certain occur in your area in blocks (polygons) of 5 acres or greater. There is no upper limit to the size of polygon, as long as it is uniform and composed of only one alliance. For example, a single stand of forest may have two or more alliances, depending on canopy coverage and composition of the dominant species. Select several representative polygons of each alliance and fill out the vegetation survey forms and the rapid assessments, if necessary. We would like several locations for each alliance if possible.

We are not asking for a complete vegetation cover map of your areas. That's what we're trying to produce for you. Rather, we need representative samples of polygons with typical vegetation alliances. These sample polygons, located and classified by you on the ground, will be matched with the same polygons on our satellite scenes and classified accordingly. Each vegetation alliance should have its own unique spectral reflectance value. GIS technology will then be used to classify all of the other polygons on a scene with the same reflectance value.

Mail all completed forms in the enclosed self-addressed envelope. If you have any questions about any of this please do not hesitate to call either of the following:

Thank you. Your assistance on this important project is greatly appreciated.

Point Selection:

A point is a spatial location that represents an area of environmental homogeneity and similar vegetation. In other words a point should represent only one alliance or community type. Ideally points should be at least 5 acres in size, but this may not always be possible.

Name and Agency:

Record your name(s), the name of the agency that you work for, and your agency's phone number.

Site and Point Number:

If your point is located within a tract of land that has a name associated with it, please record it here (e.g., Black's prairie, Stone State Park). Each point that you do within a tract of land must be numbered. Beginning with 1, number the points that are surveyed within single tract of land. For example, in Stone State Park, a point could be selected in forest on a north-facing slope (point 1), another point on a ridge top could represent a different alliance, perhaps a woodland or a different type of forest (point 2), and a third point on south-facing slope could represent another alliance, perhaps a prairie (point 3).

Legal Description:

The location of the point must be determined as closely as possible. Since most points in Iowa will likely represent small areas of an alliance (less than 40 acres), the legal description should be determined to at least the nearest ¼ of a ¼ section. Often the nearest 10 acres, or ¼ of a ¼ of a ¼ section will be preferable. Be sure to record the smallest ¼ section first. In the example below, the point is located in the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of the NE ¼ of section 25.

Section 25, SW quarter

UTM Coordinates or Latitude/Longitude:

If you are using a USGS topographic map and can determine either of these for the point, record them here.

Topography:

Check the description that best fits the topography that is associated with the point. Use the "other" category and give a brief description if none of the categories provided fit very well. Circle the one of the listed slope directions.

Map :

If you have a copy of the aerial section photo from the local FSA office, indicate the location of the point(s) on it. Otherwise locate the point(s) on the section outline map provided.

1 ­ General Data:

Date: _______________

Name: _______________________________

Agency: ______________________________

Phone No. ________________

County: __________________________

Site Name: ___________________________

Point No.: _______

Legal Description: _____________________________________

(Township-Range-Section-¼ of ¼ of ¼)

UTM Coordinates: ____________________________

OR

Latitude/Longitude: ___________________________

2 ­ Topography:

_____ Narrow Ridgetop/Hogback (NR) _____ Steep Slope (SS) _____ Narrow Creek Bottom (NB)

_____ Wide Table Ridge (WR) _____ Gentle Slope (GS) _____ Wide Bottomland (WB)

_____ Level Upland Plain (UP) _____ Depression Basin (DB) _____ Other -- briefly describe:

Slope Aspect: None (fairly level) N NW NE E S SW SE W (circle one)

3 ­ Map: 1) First preference ­ locate point on a copy of an aerial section photo from Farm Service Agency and attach

2) Second preference ­ locate point on the section map outline below

Notes:

4 ­ Vegetation: Using the accompanying key, determine the alliance for this point: _________________________________

How confident are you of your assessment? _____ High confidence _____ Medium confidence _____ Low confidence

Comments:

Please complete information on reverse side.

1) Total Canopy Cover: Indicate the percent of the point area that is covered by the canopy of trees. Trees are adult woody plants with a DBH of at least 15 inches.

____0-10% ____11-25% ____25-40% ____41-60% ____61-75% ____76-100%

2) Canopy Composition: Indicate up to 5 species in the following categories:

25% or more canopy cover

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

less than 25% canopy cover

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

3) Total Sapling/Shrub Cover: Indicate the percent of the point area that is shaded by the small trees, saplings, shrubs and twining vines.

____<5% ____6-15% ____16-25% ____26-50% ____51-75% ____76-100%

4) Total Woody Cover by Grazing Indicators Indicate the percent of the point area that is shaded by the any of the following (all species combined).

____<5% ____6-15% ____16-25% ____26-50% ___51-75% ____76-100%

5) Herbaceous Species: Provide the common name for up to 10 herbaceous species of that are among the most frequently seen.

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

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Iowa Gap Analysis Project

GENERAL COVER

Cover Characteristic

Physiographic Position

TNC/FGDC Alliance ** IA Gap Class Name

Associations

Coniferous Forest

Upland

Pinus strobus Forest Alliance ** Eastern White Pine Forest

Pinus strobus (Pinus resinosa) Driftless Bluff Forest

Juniperus virginiana Forest Alliance ** Eastern Red Cedar Forest

Juniperus virginana Forest

Deciduous Forest

Upland

Acer saccharum - Tilia americana - (Quercus rubra) Forest Alliance ** Maple - Basswood Forest

Acer saccharum - A. nigrum - Tilia americana - Quercus rubra/Ostrya virginiana Forest

Acer saccharum - Tilia americana/Ostrya virginiana - Carpinus caroliniana Forest

Quercus alba - (Q. rubra) - Carya ovata Forest Alliance ** Oak-Hickory Forest

Quercus alba - Carya ovata/Ostrya virginiana Forest

Quercus alba - Q. rubra - Carya ovata Forest

Quercus macrocarpa Forest Alliance ** Bur Oak Upland Forest

Quercus macrocarpa - Tilia americana/Ostrya virginiana/Symphoricarpos occidentalis Forest

Quercus velutina - Q. ellipsoidalis Forest Alliance ** Black Oak - Northern Pin Oak Forest

Quercus ellipsoidalis Forest

Quercus velutina/Carex pensylvanica Forest

Quercus imbricaria Forest Alliance (status in Iowa uncertain) ** Shingle Oak Forest

Quercus imbricaria Forest

Populus tremuloides lowland/submontane Forest Alliance (status in Iowa uncertain) ** Aspen Forest

Populus tremuloides/Corylus americana Forest

Fraxinus spp.-Ulmus spp.-Celtis spp.-Juglans spp. Forest Alliance **Ash-Elm-Hackberry-Walnut Forest

Fraxinus spp.-Ulmus spp.-Celtis spp.-Juglans spp. Forest

Lowland

Acer saccharinum Temporarily Flooded Forest Alliance ** Silver Maple Forest

Acer saccharinum - (Populus deltoides) Forest

Quercus macrocarpa - (Q. bicolor) Forest Alliance ** Bur Oak Lowland Forest

Quercus macrocarpa - (Q. bicolor) Forest

Salix nigra (S. amygdalordes) Forest Alliance ** Willow Forest

Salix nigra (S. amygdalordes) Forest

Betula nigra Forest Alliance ** River Birch Forest

Betula nigra Forest

Juglans nigra - Ulmus spp. - Fraxinus spp. - Celtis occidentalis Forest Alliance ** Walnut - Elm - Ash -Hackberry Forest

Juglans nigra - Ulmus spp. - Fraxinus spp. - Celtis occidentalis Forest

Populus deltoides Forest Alliance ** Cottonwood Forest

Populus deltoides Forest

Acer negundo - Gleditsia triacanthos - Crataegus spp. Forest Alliance ** Boxelder - Honey Locust - Hawthorne Forest

Acer negundo - Gleditsia triacanthos - Crataegus spp. Forest

WOODLAND Open stands of trees comprise 25 - 60% cover

Coniferous woodland

Upland

Juniperus virginiana Woodland Alliance ** Eastern Red Cedar Woodland

Juniperus virginiana Woodland

Deciduous woodland

Upland

Quercus alba - (Q. velutina) Woodland Alliance ** White Oak Woodland

Quercus alba - (Carya ovata)/Carex pensylvanica Central Glaciated Woodland

Quercus macrocarpa Woodland Alliance ** Upland Bur Oak Woodland

Quercus macrocarpa/Andropogon gerardii - Stipa spartea Woodland

Quercus (macrocarpa, alba, rubra, velutina) Woodland Alliance ** Mixed Oak Woodland

Quercus alba - Q. macrocarpa - Q. rubra - Q. velutina/Corylus americana Woodland

Quercus muhlenbergii Woodland Alliance (status in Iowa uncertain) ** Chinkapin Oak Bluff Woodland

Quercus muehlenbergii Bluff Woodland

Lowland

Quercus macrocarpa - (Q. bicolor) Woodland Alliance ** Lowland Oak Woodland

Quercus macrocarpa - (Q. bicolor) Woodland

SHRUBLAND Generally shrubs >0.5m tall forming >25% cover with <25% tree cover.

Deciduous shrubland

Upland

Cornus spp. - Rhus glabra - (Symphoricarpus spp.) Shrubland Alliance ** Dogwood - Sumac Shrubland

Cornus spp. - Rhus glabra - (Symphoricarpus spp.) Shrubland

Lowland

Salix exigua Shrubland Alliance ** Sandbar Willow Shrubland

Salix exigua Sand/Gravel Bar Shrubland

Alnus incana Wetland Shrubland Alliance (status in Iowa uncertain) ** Swamp Alder Shrubland

Alnus incana Swamp Shrubland

Salix spp. Shrubland Alliance ** Mixed Willow Shrubland

Cornus sericea - Salix (bebbiana, discolor, petiolaris)/Calamagrostis stricta Shrubland

Betula pumila - (Salix spp.) Shrubland Alliance (status in Iowa uncertain) ** Meadow Willow - Sedge Shrubland

Betula pumila/Carex prairea Seepage Shrubland

HERBACEOUS Graminoids, forbs and ferns dominate, with trees and shrubs generally <25% cover

Grasslands

Tallgrass prairie ** Tallgrass Prairie

Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum Herbaceous Alliance

Andropogon gerardii - (Panicum virgatum) - Muhlenbergia richardsonis Wet Mesic Vegetation

Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - (Spartina pectinata) Wet Mesic Herbaceous Vegetation

Andropogon gerardii - (Sorghastrum nutans) - (Panicum virgatum) - (Schizachyrium scoparium) Herbaceous Alliance

Andropogon gerardii - (Sorghastrum nutans) Northern Herbaceous Vegetation

Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Sporobolus heterolepis/Liatrus spp. - Silphium lacinatum Herbaceous Vegetation

Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Stipa spartea Loess Hills Herbaceous Vegetation

Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans Herbaceous Alliance

Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Bouteloua crutipendula Dry-mesic Herbaceous Vegetation

Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Bouteloua curtipendula Gravel Hill Herbaceous Vegetation

Midgrass Prairie

Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula Herbaceous Alliance ** Little Bluestem Midgrass Prairie

Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula/B. hirsuta - (Yucca glauca) Herbaceous Vegetation

Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula Bedrock Bluff Herbaceous Vegetation

Schizachyrium scoparium - (Sporobolus cryptandrus) Herbaceous Alliance ** Little Bluestem Sand Prairie

Schizachyrium scoparium - Sporobolus cryptandrus - Cyperus schweinitzii/Carex pensylvanica Herbaceous Vegetation

Planted Native Grassland

Panicum virgatum Planted Herbaceous Alliance ** Planted Native Grassland

Panicum virgatum - Andropogon gerardii Planted Herbaceous Vegetation

Planted Exotic Grassland

Brome - Fescue - Timothy - Orchard - Bluegrass - Redtop Planted Herbaceous Alliance **Planted Exotic Grassland

Brome - Fescue - Timothy - Orchard - Bluegrass - Redtop Planted Herbaceous Vegetation

Temporarily Flooded Grassland

Calamagrostis spp. - Carex (lanuginosa, stricta) Herbaceous Alliance ** Bluejoint Grass - Sedge Meadow

Calamagrostis stricta - Carex lanuginosa Herbaceous Vegetation

Carex atherodes - C. lacustris - C. stricta Herbaceous Alliance ** Sedge Meadow

Carex lacustris Meadow Herbaceous Vegetation

Carex stricta - Carex spp. Fen/Meadow Herbaceous Vegetation

Spartina pectinata Herbaceous Alliance ** Cordgrass - Sedge Prairie

Spartina pectinata - Calamagrostis stricta - Carex spp. Great Plains Herbaceous Vegetation

Spartina pectinata - Carex spp. - Calamagrostis canadensis/Lythrum alatum - (Oxypolis rigidior) Herbaceous Vegetation

Semipermanently Flooded Grassland

Scirpus spp. - Typha spp. - Sparganium spp. Herbaceous Alliance ** Bulrush - Cattail Wetland

Scirpus acutus - Scirpus fluviatillis Freshwater Herbaceous Vegetation

Scirpus acutus - Typha spp. Mixed Inland Midwest Herbaceous Vegetation

Typha latifolia Herbaceous Alliance ** Cattail Wetland

Typha spp. Inland Midwest Herbaceous Vegetation

Saturated Grassland (no standing water)

Carex lasiocarpa Herbaceous Alliance ** Flooded Sedge Meadow

Carex lasiocarpa - Calamagrostis spp. - (Eleocharis rostellata) Herbaceous Vegetation

Carex lasiocarpa - Carex spp. - (Eleocharis restellata) Eastern Herbaceous Vegetation

Carex spp. - Sphagnum spp. Herbaceous Alliance ** Sphagnum Fen

Carex oligosperma - C. lasiocarpa/Sphagnum spp. - Polytrichum spp. Poor Fen Herbaceous Vegetation

Carex rhynchospora - Scirpus spp. Herbaceous Alliance ** Rich Fen

Carex prairea - Scirpus americanus/Rhynchospora capillacea Herbaceous Vegetation

Grassland with Tree Layer (Trees comprise <25% cover)

Quercus macrocarpa Tallgrass Wooded Herbaceous Alliance ** Bur Oak Savanna

Quercus macrocarpa Northwestern Tallgrass Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation

Quercus macrocarpa - (Q. alba - Q. velutina)/Andropogon gerardii Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation

Quercus velutina - (Q. ellipsoidalis) Wooded Herbaceous Alliance ** Dry Oak Savanna

Quercus velutina - Q. ellipsoidalis/Carex pensylvanica - Schizachyrium scoparium Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation

Quercus muhlenbergii - Juniperus virginiana Wooded Herbaceous Alliance ** Oak - Red Cedar Savanna

Quercus muhlenbergii - Juniperus virginiana Northern Limestone Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation

Juniperus virginiana Wooded Herbaceous Alliance ** Red Cedar Savanna

Juniperus virginiana Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation

Hydromorphic Rooted Vegetation (non-emergent forbs supported by water)

Temperate, non-tidal ** Pondweed - Water Lily Wetland

Nuphar lutea - Nymphaea odorata Herbaceous Alliance

Nuphar lutea spp. Advena - Nymphaea odorata Herbaceous Vegetation

Potamogeton spp. - Ceratophyllum spp. - Elodea spp. Mixed Herbaceous Alliance

Potamogeton spp. - Ceratophyllum spp. Midwest Herbaceous Vegetation

Ruppia martima Herbaceous Alliance

Ruppia martima Great Plains Herbaceous Vegetation

Vallisneria americana Herbaceous Alliance

Vallisneria americana Herbaceous Vegetation

Sparse Vegetation (vegetation typically <10%)

Open Bluff/Cliff ** Open Bluff/Cliff

Inland Sandstone/Limestone Bluff/Cliff

Sparsely Vegetated Talus Rocks

Talus/scree slopes

Lowland Talus ** Lowland Talus

Algific Talus Slope

Limestone-Dolomite Talus

Agricultural Lands

Cropland

Grain Crops ** Agriculture - Grains

Irrigated Cropland

Dry Cropland

Forage Crops ** Agriculture - Forage

Irrigated Forage

Dry Forage

Woodland/Forest

Coniferous Woodland or Forest ** Agriculture - Coniferous Woodland

Grazed Pasture

Grove

Shelterbelt

Pine Plantation

Deciduous Woodland or Forest ** Agriculture - Deciduous Woodland

Grazed Pasture

Orchard

Vinyard

Grove/Shelterbelt

Mixed Woodland or Forest ** Agriculture - Mixed Woodland

Grazed Pasture

Grove

Shelterbelt

Grassland ** Agriculture - Grassland

Grazed Pasture

Ungrazed Pasture

Urban Lands

Commercial ** Urban - Commercial

Residential ** Urban - Residential

Recreational ** Urban - Recreational

Open Water ** Open Water

Lacustrine

Freshwater Lakes

Alkaline Lakes

Riverine

Streams

Rivers

Canals

1 canopy cover of trees 60% ----- FOREST

1 canopy cover of trees < 60% ----- 2

2 canopy cover of trees 25% ----- WOODLAND

2 canopy cover of trees < 25% ----- 3

3 cover of shrubs 25% ----- SHRUBLAND

3 cover of shrubs < 25% ----- HERBACEOUS