Washington Gap Project Reptile and Amphibian Distribution Models

Metadata:

Identification_Information
Data_Quality_Information
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
Spatial_Reference_Information
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
Distribution_Information
Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:: No statistically valid accuracy assessment for errors of omission and comission was conducted. However, we did a non-random assessment for errors of omission for the amphibians and reptiles. After the initial models were constructed, we used 2,838 new records not used to construct the models to test for errors of omission. These "new" points consisted of museum records that had not been obtained prior to the first modeling attempts, locations from recent studies, and incidental observations. The latter were often reported because the observer knew the specimen was outside or at the edge of its known range. Results were that 96% of the amphbian points and 95% of the reptile points fell within the modeled distributions. Most errors were due to new points falling outside the original modeled range, rather than errors of habitat association. Models were revised, usually by increasing range limits, based on the new data. Models in this coverage reflect corrections based on the "accuracy" assessment. Final accuracy is unknown.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

All vertebrate models were based on the same land cover map.

Completeness_Report:

All non-marine amphibians and reptiles known to breed in Washington State are included. Marine turtles, which occur offshore in Washington and occassionally appear on-shore were excluded. Some exotics known to occur through releases but not known to breed (e.g., Snapping Turtles) were excluded.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:: The land cover map had a 100 hectare minimum mapping unit, so the models can be no more spatially accurate than that. In practice, many of the polygons were larger than 100 hectares.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: Same as horizontal accuracy

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Step 1: Land Cover Mapping

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Methodology_Description:

The first step in creation of the vertebrate models was creation of a land cover map. Land cover map creation is more fully described in the WAGAP land cover metadata. Briefly, the land cover map was created by: 1) spectrally clustering TM data from 1991 satellite imagery, 2) On-screen manual digitizing of land cover polygons with the spectrally clustered and colored satellite imagery and ancillary data as a back-drop, and 3) Labeling of land cover polygons with ecoregion, vegetation zone, and current land cover. Current land cover was given as primary cover (the cover occupying the greatest percentage of the polygon) and, if necessary, secondary and tertiary cover.

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Cassidy, K. M.

Publication_Date: 19970101

Title:

Land cover of Washington State: Description and management

Series_Information:

Series_Name: Gap Analysis of Washington State - Final Report
Issue_Identification: Volume 1

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Seattle, WA
Publisher:: Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Washington

Other_Citation_Details:

This volume is the first volume of the 5-volume set (with one supplement), titled "Gap Analysis of Washington State - Final Report".

Methodology_Type: Step 2: Location Data Collection

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Methodology_Keyword: Habitat matrix
Methodology_Keyword: habitat association
Methodology_Keyword: habitat quality modeling

Methodology_Description:

Location data were based on a combination of museum records for Washington State from 39 museum collections, field observations from reliable sources, and record locations gleaned from literature. A total of 14,206 records, representing 9,646 unique locations, were collected. They were digitized as point locations with a precision identifier of G (very general location), N (could be plotted within about a mile), and C (could be plotted within about a quarter-mile.

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Authors: K. M. Dvornich, K. R. McAllister, and K. Aubry

Publication_Date: 1997

Title:

Amphibians and Reptiles of Washington State: Location data and modeled distributions

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Seattle, WA
Publisher:: Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Other_Citation_Details:

Volume 2 of the Washington State Gap Analysis Final Report

Methodology_Type: Step 3: Range delineation

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Methodology_Keyword: vertebrate modeling
Methodology_Keyword: habitat modeling

Methodology_Description:

Range limits were delineated using location data. If published accounts showed records in adjacent states, ranges were sometimes extended to the state border, if the habitat was appropriate, even in the absence of location data for Washington.

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Authors: K. M. Dvornich, K. R. McAllister, and K. Aubry

Publication_Date: 1997

Title:

Amphibians and Reptiles of Washington State: Location data and modeled distributions

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Seattle, WA
Publisher:: Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Other_Citation_Details:

Volume 2 of the Washington State Gap Analysis Final Report

Methodology_Type: Step 4: Habitat Matrix development

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Methodology_Description:

We made a habitat matrix with all possible ecoregion, vegetation zone, and land cover combinations on one side and species on the other. We defined 8 levels of habitat quality: 0- unsuitable; 1-suitable, but quality unknown (in practice, we never used this); 2-good habitat in a vegetation zone core for that species; 3-adequate habitat in a zone core for that species; 4- suitable habitat in a core zone, if it contains appropriate habitat (e.g., small wetlands or talus slopes) below our minimum mapping unit (termed 'contingently suitable, core zone) ; 5-good habitat in a peripheral vegetation zone; 6- adequate habitat in a peripheral zone; 7-contingently suitable habitat in a peripheral zone.

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Authors: K. M. Dvornich, K. R. McAllister, and K. Aubry

Publication_Date: 1997

Title:

Amphibians and Reptiles of Washington State: Location data and modeled distributions

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Seattle, WA
Publisher:: Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Other_Citation_Details:

Volume 2 of the Washington State Gap Analysis Final Report

Methodology_Type:

Step 5: Intersection of range limits with appropriate habitat

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Methodology_Description:

Range limits were intersected with land cover to select land cover polygons within the species' range limits. From this subset of land cover polygons, the habitat matrix was used to select suitable land cover and to assign a habitat quality code to primary, secondary, and tertiary cover.

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Authors: K. M. Dvornich, K. R. McAllister, and K. Aubry

Publication_Date: 1997

Title:

Amphibians and Reptiles of Washington State: Location data and modeled distributions

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Seattle, WA
Publisher:: Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Other_Citation_Details:

Volume 2 of the Washington State Gap Analysis Final Report

Process_Step:

Process_Description:: Amphibian and reptile models were created by collecting location data, determining range limits, building a habitat matrix based on location data, literature review, and expert opinion, and intersecting range limits with appropirate habitat in Washington State
Process_Date: 1991

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Planar:

Grid_Coordinate_System:

Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: State Plane Coordinate System 1927

State_Plane_Coordinate_System:

SPCS_Zone_Identifier: 4602

Lambert_Conformal_Conic:

Standard_Parallel: 45.833333
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -120.5
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 45.333333
False_Easting: 609601.2192
False_Northing: 0

Planar_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair

Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 82.02
Ordinate_Resolution: 82.02

Planar_Distance_Units: Survey Feet

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1927
Ellipsoid_Name: Clarke 1866
Semi-major_Axis: 6378206.4
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 294.98

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Distribution_Information:

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 19981110

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

Contact_Position:

Technical Services Manager, Wildlife Management Program

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing Address
Address: 600 Capitol Way North
City: Olympia
State_or_Province: Washington
Postal_Code: 98501
Country: USA

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing Address
City: Olympia
State_or_Province: Washington
Postal_Code: 98501
Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 360-902-2515

Hours_of_Service: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday

Metadata_Standard_Name:

NBS Content Standards for National Biological Information Infrastructure Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version:

NBII Draft of June 1997, Based on FGDC of June 8, 1994

Metadata_Access_Constraints: None

Metadata_Use_Constraints: None

Metadata_Security_Information:

Metadata_Security_Classification_System: None
Metadata_Security_Classification: Unclassified
Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: None

Generated by mp on Thu Dec 10 12:08:13 1998