Historical northeastern forested boundary of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States

Metadata:
Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Hanberry, Brice B.
Publication_Date: 2019
Title:
Historical northeastern forested boundary of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Fort Collins, CO
Publisher: Forest Service Research Data Archive
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2019-0034
Description:
Abstract:
Precise definition of the Great Plains grasslands has defied consensus, but historical vegetation reconstruction can provide a more authoritative boundary of the ecotone between the Great Plains and eastern forests. After comparing Great Plains boundaries, an eastern boundary was developed using evidence from historical tree surveys during the 1800s. The definition differs from others by including Illinois and small sections in Indiana and Wisconsin, but excluding Missouri due to regular tree presence overall at landscape scales, resulting in an extent of 2.29 million square kilometers in 15 states. Establishing the historical eastern boundary based on historical tree surveys contributes a solution to the debate over competing versions of the Great Plains. This data publication provides this historical boundary as a shapefile.
Purpose:
Develop an eastern boundary to the Great Plains using historical tree surveys.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1786
Ending_Date: 1908
Currentness_Reference:
Ground condition
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Description_of_Geographic_Extent:
Northeastern boundary of Great Plains grasslands which includes parts of: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -113.44829
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -85.18285
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 50.07635
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.07461
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: biota
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Research & Development Taxonomy
Theme_Keyword: Ecology, Ecosystems, & Environment
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: grasslands
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Great Plains
Place_Keyword: Illinois
Place_Keyword: Indiana
Place_Keyword: Iowa
Place_Keyword: Wisconsin
Place_Keyword: Minnesota
Place_Keyword: Missouri
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
These data were collected using funding from the U.S. Government and can be used without additional permissions or fees. If you use these data in a publication, presentation, or other research product please use the following citation:

Hanberry, Brice B. 2019. Historical northeastern forested boundary of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2019-0034
Data_Set_Credit:
This project was funded by the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Version 6.2 (Build 9200) ; Esri ArcGIS 10.5.1.7333
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Hanberry, Brice B.
Publication_Date: 2019
Title:
Defining the historical northeastern forested boundary of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: journal article
Series_Information:
Series_Name: The Professional Geographer
Issue_Identification: 2019
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2019.1611460
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Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
These boundaries generally aligned with independent sources of reconstructed vegetation, but ecotonal areas remain where unclear separation between grassland and forest potentially could be reclassified.
Completeness_Report:
Missouri was excluded due to regular tree presence overall at landscape scales.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Harlan, James
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Historical trees
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Columbia, MO
Publisher: Missouri Spatial Data Information Service
Online_Linkage: http://msdis-archive.missouri.edu/archive/Missouri_Vector_Data/state/
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1815
Ending_Date: 1864
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
historical tree surveys of Missouri
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Forest Landscape Ecology Lab, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Original vegetation points
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Wisconsin
Publisher: WiDNR Open Data
Online_Linkage: https://data-wi-dnr.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/original-vegetation-points
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1830
Ending_Date: 1860
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
historical tree surveys of Wisconsin
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Almendinger, John
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Original land survey bearing trees
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Minnesota
Publisher: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Online_Linkage: https://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/biota-original-pls-bearing-trees
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1847
Ending_Date: 1908
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
historical tree surveys of Minnesota
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Marschner
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Presettlement vegetation
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Minnesota
Publisher: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Online_Linkage: https://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/biota-marschner-presettle-veg
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1847
Ending_Date: 1908
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Vegetation reconstruction of Minnesota
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
General land office vegetation of Iowa
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Iowa
Publisher: Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Online_Linkage: https://geodata.iowa.gov/dataset/general-land-office-vegetation-iowa
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1832
Ending_Date: 1859
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Vegetation reconstruction of Iowa
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Natural History Survey
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Illinois landcover in the early 1800s
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Illinois
Publisher: Illinois Natural History Survey
Online_Linkage: https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/data/landcover/illinois-landcover-early-1800s
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1804
Ending_Date: 1843
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Vegetation reconstruction of Illinois
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Purdue University, Department of Biological Sciences; Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Generalized presettlement vegetation types of Indiana
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Indiana
Publisher: Indiana Geological Survey
Online_Linkage: http://maps.indiana.edu/previewMaps/Environment/Land_Cover_Presettlement_IDNR.html
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1799
Ending_Date: 1834
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Vegetation reconstruction of Indiana
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Gordon, Robert B.
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Natural vegetation of Ohio, at the time of the earliest land survey
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Ohio
Publisher: Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Online_Linkage: http://geospatial.ohiodnr.gov/data-metadata/search-by-category
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1786
Ending_Date: 1832
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Vegetation reconstruction of Ohio
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title:
Circa 1800 presettlement vegetation cover
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Michigan
Publisher: Michigan DNR Open Data
Online_Linkage: https://gis-michigan.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/midnr::michigan-circa-1800-presettlement-vegetation-cover
Type_of_Source_Media: Online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1816
Ending_Date: 1856
Source_Currentness_Reference:
Publication Date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Vegetation reconstruction of Michigan
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
I developed a map of predominantly grasslands from historical reconstructions. Grasslands were identified based on the major ecosystem type in the historical reconstructions by ecological subsections, the smallest spatial unit of the Ecomap hierarchical units. This eastern boundary of grasslands was then merged with the USDA Forest Service Ecomap (2007) western border. For more details see Hanberry (2019; https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2019.1611460).

Ecomap. 2007. National hierarchical framework of ecological units. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Hanberry, Brice B. 2019. Defining the historical northeastern forested boundary of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States. The Professional Geographer. https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2019.1611460
Process_Date: 2019
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Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:
SDTS_Terms_Description:
SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: GT-polygon composed of chains
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 15
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Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Map_Projection:
Map_Projection_Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers_Conical_Equal_Area:
Standard_Parallel: 29.5
Standard_Parallel: 45.5
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -96.0
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 23.0
False_Easting: 0.0
False_Northing: 0.0
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.0000000037527980722984474
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.0000000037527980722984474
Planar_Distance_Units: meter
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222101
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Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: Great_Plains_Hanberry_Ecomap_GLO_CT
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: FID
Attribute_Definition:
Internal feature number.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
Esri
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Shape
Attribute_Definition:
Feature geometry.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
Esri
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Coordinates defining the features.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SUBSECTI_4
Attribute_Definition:
Ecomap subsection codes for the Cross Timbers
Attribute_Definition_Source:
USDA Forest Service researchers
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SECTION_NA
Attribute_Definition:
Ecomap sections for the Cross Timbers
Attribute_Definition_Source:
USDA Forest Service researchers
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SUBSECTI_5
Attribute_Definition:
Ecomap subsections for the Cross Timbers
Attribute_Definition_Source:
USDA Forest Service researchers
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: area_ha
Attribute_Definition:
Area in hectares
Attribute_Definition_Source:
USDA Forest Service researchers
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
\Data\Great_Plains_Hanberry_Ecomap_GLO_CT.shp: ArcGIS shapefile (and associated files) containing historical boundaries of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States.
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
Hanberry, Brice B. 2019. Defining the historical northeastern forested boundary of the Great Plains grasslands in the United States. The Professional Geographer. https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2019.1611460
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Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Research and Development
Contact_Position: Research Data Archivist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 240 West Prospect Road
City: Fort Collins
State_or_Province: CO
Postal_Code: 80526
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: see Contact Instructions
Contact Instructions: This contact information was current as of August 2019. For current information see Contact Us page on: https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS.
Resource_Description: RDS-2019-0034
Distribution_Liability:
Metadata documents have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness. Unless otherwise stated, all data and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. However, neither the author, the Archive, nor any part of the federal government can assure the reliability or suitability of these data for a particular purpose. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed for a user's application of these data or related materials.

The metadata, data, or related materials may be updated without notification. If a user believes errors are present in the metadata, data or related materials, please use the information in (1) Identification Information: Point of Contact, (2) Metadata Reference: Metadata Contact, or (3) Distribution Information: Distributor to notify the author or the Archive of the issues.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: SHP
Format_Version_Number: see Format Specification
Format_Specification:
ArcGIS shapefile
File_Decompression_Technique: Files zipped with 7-Zip 18.05
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2019-0034
Fees: None
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Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20190808
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Brice Hanberry
Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Contact_Position: Research Ecologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 8221 Mt. Rushmore Rd.
City: Rapid City
State_or_Province: SD
Postal_Code: 57702
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 605-716-2205
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: brice.hanberry@usda.gov
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
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