1. Controlled Vocabularies (CVs) Development Why do we need CVs? Select CV domains needed Identify applicable CVs to evaluate Evaluate content of CVs –Scientific Appropriateness –Size –Presence of glossaries, thesauri –Hierarchies, structure Integrate CVs into portal (coding)

2. Scientific Appropriateness of CVs What is the quality of the data source? Does the CV contain adequate documentation? To what audience is the CV directed? What is the level of scientific detail? What is the status of data review?

3. Evaluation of Vegetation CVs 7 Vegetation CVs Evaluated Combination of 3 CVs Recommended National Plants Database (taxonomy) National Vegetation Classification Standard – Definitions (glossary) Pacific Northwest Ecoclass Codes for Seral and Potential Natural Communities (codes and cross-references)

4. Vegetation Taxonomic Hierarchy Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Division: Coniferophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: Pseudotsuga Species: Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) Photo credit: Charles Webber, California Academy of Sciences Source: National Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database; http://plants.usda.gov/plants/

5. Vegetation Glossary Assemblages - Vegetative communities that assemble themselves based on specific site conditions, etc… Canopy Cover - The proportion of ground that is occupied by the perpendicular projection down on to it of the aerial parts of the vegetation... Deciduous Vegetation - Associations in which deciduous woody plants generally contribute  75% to total dominant plant cover. Evergreen Cover - Vegetation classes where  75% of the vegetation consists of trees or shrubs having leaves all year. Needle-leaved - A plant with slender, elongated leaves; e.g., pine and fir trees. Source: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) National Vegetation Classification Standard

6. Ecoclass Codes for Seral and Potential Natural Communities Ecoclass codes –Inventory/mapping codes to identify surface resources according to potential to grow vegetation Potential Natural Community (PNC) Codes –Series, subseries, plant association Seral Status –Current plant association condition or successional stage Vegetation Structure –Size, canopy, evenness Plant Associations –ID by dominant or indicator species Source: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: Pacific Northwest Ecoclass Codes for Seral and Potential Natural Communities

7. Ecoclass Codes for Seral and Potential Natural Communities Examples of cross-references to other classification schemes: Source: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: Pacific Northwest Ecoclass Codes for Seral and Potential Natural Communities PNC Codes USDA Forest Service Standard Range Types Society of American Foresters Cover Types Society for Range Management Cover Types Küchler Potential Natural Vegetation Types Wildlife Habitat Cross-Reference

8. Next Steps for CVs Refine evaluation method for scientific appropriateness into publishable product Locate additional CVs for identified domains Evaluate new CVs Continue coding CVs for integration into portal