Advancing the Description and Management of the Nation's

U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Advancing the Description and Management of the Nation’s Ecosystems A Data-Driven Method for Assembling Map Classes from Vegetation Associations in WA State National Parks Rachel Brunner (Portland State University) , Eric Nielsen (Portland State University), Catharine Copass (National Park Service) Background Map Classification Results M43W Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon–Holodiscus discolor Forest M21 Alnus viridis/Pteridium aquilinum–Athyrium filix-femina Shrubland Alnus viridis–Oplopanax horridus Shrubland The large national parks of Washington State are large, rugged, and ecologically Pacific Madrone–Douglas- Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon–Mahonia nervosa/Polystichum munitum High Elevation Deciduous Alnus viridis–Rubus spectabilis/(Athyrium filix-femina) Shrubland Map Class Separability Fir Forest Forest and Mixed Tall Shrubland 10 We ended up with 44 separable, vegetated complicated; exhaustive field mapping of plant communities would be Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon–Vaccinium parvifolium Forest Alnus viridis–Sambucus racemosa/(Thalictrum occidentalis) Shrubland Pseudotsuga menziesii/Holodiscus discolor–Rosa gymnocarpa/Festuca occidentalis Cupressus nootkatensis–Alnus viridis–(Oplopanax horridus)/(Erythronium montanum) Hierarchial map classes, listed in the central chart with prohibitively expensive. Therefore, our plant community maps rely on Forest Shrubland 8 Pseudotsuga menziesii/Mahonia nervosa/Achlys triphylla Forest Rubus spectabilis–Ribes bracteosum–(Oplopanax horridus) Shrubland Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Gaultheria shallon–Holodiscus discolor Forest Salix sitchensis–Alnus viridis/(Chamerion angustifolium–Heracleum maximum) Shrubland Data-Driven their component mapping associations. This modeling to extend field data across remote areas. We model with predictor M01 6 M43E Betula papyrifera–(Thuja plicata)/Acer circinatum/Mahonia nervosa Forest M61 Heracleum maximum–(Thalictrum occidentale–Saussurea americana) Herbaceous classification represents a significant increase Vegetation layers derived (in-house) from satellite data, air photos, lidar, and climate data. Dry Western Hemlock– Pseudotsuga menziesii–(Abies grandis)/Acer circinatum/Paxistima myrsinites Forest Mesic Tall Forbs M01 Acer macrophyllum/Oxalis oregana Forest Rubus parviflorus/Pteridium aquilinum–Chamerion angustifolium Shrubland Douglas-fir Forest Pseudotsuga menziesii–(Tsuga heterophylla)/Acer circinatum–Paxistima myrsinites Forest 4 in the two metrics of mapability that we Deciduous Floodplain and Alnus rubra/Oxalis oregana Forest Pseudotsuga menziesii/Acer circinatum/Mahonia nervosa Forest Symphoricarpos albus–Malus fusca Shrubland Figure 1. Swamp Forest Alnus rubra/Athyrium filix-femina–Lysichiton americanus Forest Pseudotsuga menziesii/Holodiscus discolor/Calamagrostis rubescens Forest Alnus rubra/Elymus glaucus Forest M52 Antennaria lanata Herbaceous Vegetation Separable Percent 2 worked to maximize. The map class an Location of Alnus rubra/Oplopanax horridus–Rubus spectabilis Forest Mixed Forb and Graminoid Danthonia intermedia Herbaceous Vegetation Alnus rubra/Rubus spectabilis/Carex obnupta–Lysichiton americanus Woodland Herbaceous Meadow Festuca viridula–Lupinus arcticus Herbaceous Vegetation association was assigned to received 5.3% Mount Rainier Alnus rubra/Rubus spectabilis Forest Juncus parryi–(Polygonum bistortoides) Herbaceous Vegetation 0 (MORA), North Alnus rubra/Stachys chamissonis–Tolmiea menziesii Forest more model votes than its second best fit, a Populus balsamifera/Cornus sericea Forest M62 Eucephalus paucicapitatus Herbaceous Vegetation Modeling Floristics Cascades Populus balsamifera–Alnus rubra/Carex obnupta Forest Olympic Mountain Aster Map Accuracy Field Separability more than 10 fold improvement over Populus balsamifera–Alnus rubra/Rubus spectabilis Forest Herbaceous Meadow (NOCA), and Populus balsamifera–Picea sitchensis–(Acer macrophyllum)/Oxalis oregana Forest Figure 2. Comparison of map class modeling based on NVC hierarchy. Floristic Olympic (OLYM) M33 M67E Festuca viridula–(Phlox diffusa–Arenaria capillaris) Herbaceous Vegetation M19 Acer macrophyllum–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Symphoricarpos albus–(Cornus Green Fescue–Cascade Festuca viridula–Eucephalus ledophyllus Herbaceous Vegetation separability by classification method. Our National Parks Debris Apron Deciduous nuttallii)/Pteridium aquilinum Forest Aster Dry Herbaceous Paxistima myrsinites–Phlox diffusa Dwarf–Shrubland separability also improved markedly: floristics M33 Abies lasiocarpa–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium membranaceum/Calamagrostis Vaccinium deliciosum–Festuca viridula Dwarf-Shrubland percent separability metrics are the Forest Acer macrophyllum/Maianthemum stellatum Forest Meadow with respect to Acer macrophyllum/Rubus parviflorus–(Cornus sericea)/(Maianthemum racemosa) Forest Douglas Fir–Subalpine Fir rubescens Forest Pseudotsuga menziesii/Paxistima myrsinites–Spiraea betulifolia Woodland geometric mean of the margin of victory were 8.0% more similar to their assigned class Woodland M67W Dasiphora fruticosa–(Phlox diffusa) Dwarf-Shrubland Washington Pseudotsuga menziesii/Vaccinium membranaceum Forest M20C Alnus rubra/Polystichum munitum Forest Roemer's Fescue Dry Festuca roemeri–(Phlox diffusa–Arenaria capillaris) Herbaceous Vegetation across all associations and map classes. than to their second best fit (up from 3.6%). State ecoregions Coastal Bluff Deciduous Picea sitchensis–(Alnus rubra)/Rubus spectabilis/Polystichum munitum Forest Juniperus communis–(Phlox diffusa) Dwarf-Shrubland M35 Pinus contorta/Paxistima myrsinites/Calamagrostis rubescens Forest Herbaceous Meadow Forest Juniperus communis Shrubland Lodgepole Pine–Douglas- Pinus contorta/Vaccinium membranaceum Woodland Phlox diffusa–(Lomatium martindalei– Carex phaeocephala) Herbaceous Vegetation Fir Forest Pinus contorta–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon Forest Saxifraga bronchialis Lithomorphic Vegetation Our revised classification also highlights and maintains the key ecological Pseudotsuga menziesii–(Pinus contorta)/Arctostaphylos uva–ursi/Racomitrium canescens Woodland communities that local ecologists and NPS staff expect in these maps. To reflect Training data were collected at more than 6000 field plots representing 294 Pseudotsuga menziesii–Pinus contorta/Arctostaphylos nevadensis Woodland these expert opinions and expectations, our final classification is a compromise distinct vegetation associations—far too many to map. National Park Service M36 Pseudotsuga menziesii–(Pinus ponderosa)/Symphoricarpos albus Forest Ponderosa Pine–Douglas- Pseudotsuga menziesii–Pinus ponderosa/Arctostaphylos nevadensis Woodland Pseudotsuga menziesii–Pinus ponderosa/Calamagrostis rubescens Forest between a pure data-driven agglomeration process and previous methods based methods suggest mapping at higher levels of the vegetation hierarchy, such as Fir Forest M20I alliances or even groups (Natureserve 2010). Based on this approach, we M07 Abies amabilis–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Achlys triphylla–Tiarella trifoliata Forest on manual assignment based on user expectations and local ecology alone. M20I Acer macrophyllum–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Polystichum munitum Forest Warm Silver Fir–Western Abies amabilis–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Achlys triphylla Forest M86 Upland Deciduous Forest Acer macrophyllum/Polystichum munitum–Tolmiea menziesii Forest Hemlock Forest Abies amabilis–Tsuga heterophylla/Oplopanax horridus Forest initially lumped associations into 40 alliance and group level map classes. Acer macrophyllum/Rubus spectabilis Forest Abies amabilis–Tsuga heterophylla/Depauperate Forest Carex spectabilis–(Lupinus arcticus–Polygonum bistortoides Herbaceous Vegetation Alnus rubra/Acer circinatum/Claytonia sibirica Forest Abies amabilis–Tsuga heterophylla/Rubus pedatus–Tiarella trifoliata Forest M86 Spiraea splendens/Carex spectabilis–(Polygonum bistortoides) Shrubland We retained parts of the hierarchical classification that were important to Populus balsamifera–Acer macrophyllum/Acer circinatum/Polystichum munitum Forest Tsuga heterophylla–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium alaskaense/Cornus Showy Sedge–Sitka Valeriana sitchensis–Carex spectabilis Herbaceous Vegetation Populus tremuloides/Cornus nuttallii Forest unalaschkensis Forest Valarian Mesic Subalpine Valeriana sitchensis–Ligusticum grayi Herbaceous Vegetation Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium alaskaense Forest Meadow managers, in some cases despite an alternative that increased both measures of Unfortunately, this hierarchical lumping did not produce well distinguished Valeriana sitchensis–Veratrum viride Herbaceous Vegetation M82 Agrostis (capillaris, stolonifera) Herbaceous Vegetation Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis–(Thuja plicata)/Vaccinium alaskaense/Blechnum spicant Forest separability. For example, we retained the alpine heather map class (M74S) as Ruderal Meadow Sorbus sitchensis/Phyllodoce empetriformis–Vaccinium deliciosum Shrubland map classes. On average, the map class an association was assigned to Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis/Vaccinium alaskaense/Rubus pedatus Forest M85 Vaccinium spp./Xerophyllum tenax Shrubland Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis/Vaccinium alaskaense/Tiarella trifoliata Forest High Elevation Dry Picea sitchensis/Gaultheria shallon Forest Vaccinium membranaceum–(Sorbus sitchensis–Paxistima myrsinites) Shrubland distinct from the alpine sparsely vegetated map class (M63) because of requests received just 0.5% more model votes than its second best fit. Floristics were M27C Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon Forest Shrubland Picea sitchensis/Maianthemum dilatatum Forest Vaccinium membranaceum/Calamagrostis rubescens Shrubland Sitka Spruce–Western Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Mahonia nervosa Forest Hemlock Hypermaritime Picea sitchensis/Rubus spectabilis/Carex obnupta–Lysichiton americanus Forest Vaccinium scoparium Dwarf-Shrubland from NPS staff. also not well separated: associations were only 3.6% more similar to their Picea sitchensis–Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum Forest Forest Abies amabilis–(Pseudotsuga menziesii–Abies procera)/Vaccinium Tsuga heterophylla–(Abies amabilis)/Gaultheria shallon/Blechnum spicant Forest M46A Arctostaphylos uva–ursi–(Dasiphora fruticosa) Dwarf-Shrubland membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax Forest M74S assigned class than to their second best fit. Tsuga heterophylla/Gaultheria shallon/Polystichum munitum–Blechnum spicant Forest Mountain Hemlock–Silver Phyllodoce empetriformis–(Vaccinium deliciosum)–Lupinus arcticus Dwarf-Shrubland Abies amabilis–(Tsuga heterophylla)/Vaccinium membranaceum–Vaccinium alaskaense Subalpine Mountain Tsuga heterophylla–Thuja plicata–(Abies amabilis)/Gaultheria shallon/Blechnum spicant Fir Forest Phyllodoce empetriformis–Vaccinium deliciosum–(Cassiope mertensiana) Subalpine Forest Heather Dwarf- These three large national parks cover four ecoregions (Figure 1) and span steep Forest Dwarf-Shrubland Abies amabilis/Menziesia ferruginea Forest Shrubland Abies amabilis–Tsuga mertensiana/Menziesia ferruginea Forest Carex nigricans–(Luetkea pectinata) Herbaceous Vegetation elevation (0 – 14,411 feet) and climate gradients (66 – 660 cm annual rainfall). Accurate modeled maps require map classes to be distinguishable on the Abies amabilis–Tsuga mertensiana/Streptopus lanceolatus Forest M74A Cassiope mertensiana–Phyllodoce empetriformis Alpine Dwarf-Shrubland Tsuga mertensiana–Abies amabilis/Vaccinium alaskaense/Rubus pedatus Forest Alpine Mountain Heather Dwarf-Shrubland Empetrum nigrum–Lupinus sellulus Dwarf-Shrubland Despite these differences, the parks have similar montane and subalpine forests ground and in predictor data. We worked to group associations in a way that Phyllodoce glanduliflora–(Cassiope mertensiana) Dwarf-Shrubland maximized the separability of map classes in mapping while maintain field and National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring efforts are organized at the network scale (North Coast and Cascades Network). We created a consistent map identification (floristic separation) and structure from the United States M45 class classification, where all map classes are defined similarly at all parks. Two National Vegetation Classification (USNVC). M45 Picea sitchensis/Vaccinium ovatum Forest Western Hemlock– Thuja plicata–Tsuga heterophylla/Vaccinium ovatum Forest thirds of the map classes are common enough to be mapped at more than two Western Red Cedar Tsuga heterophylla–Thuja plicata/Gaultheria shallon/Lysichiton americanus Forest M46B Hypermaritime Forest M73 parks, while one third are unique to just one park (e.g. hypermaritime map M46B Abies amabilis–(Tsuga heterophylla)/Vaccinium membranaceum Forest M27I Picea sitchensis–Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum–Oxalis oregana Forest Silver Fir–Mountain Abies amabilis/Rhododendron albiflorum Forest Pseudotsuga menziesii–(Alnus rubra–Tsuga heterophylla)/Rubus spectabilis Forest classes at Olympic National Park). If a map class was not represented by enough Methods Sitka Spruce–Western Hemlock Forest Abies amabilis/Vaccinium membranaceum/Rubus lasiococcus Forest M73 Artemisia ludoviciana–Lomatium martindalei Herbaceous Vegetation Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum–Oxalis oregana Forest Hemlock Forest Abies amabilis–Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Rubus lasiococcus Athyrium americanum–Cryptogramma acrostichoides Lithomorphic Vegetation Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum–Oxalis oregana Forest Sparsely Vegetated Talus Forest Chamerion latifolium–Oxyria digyna–(Valeriana sitchensis) Lithomorphic Vegetation plots to effectively map at a particular park, it was lumped with the next most Tsuga heterophylla/Vaccinium alaskaense/Oxalis oregana Forest and Fellfield plot Tsuga mertensiana–Abies amabilis/Rhododendron albiflorum Forest Elmera racemosa–(Senecio neowebsteri) Lithomorphic Vegetation Map Class Classification Tsuga heterophylla–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Vaccinium alaskaense/Oxalis oregana Forest Eriogonum pyrolifolium–Polygonum davisiae Lithomorphic Vegetation similar type. This lumping is not expected to have a significant effect on the final plot M06 Abies lasiocarpa–(Abies amabilis)/Vaccinium membranaceum/Valeriana sitchensis Phlox diffusa–Lupinus sellulus–(Pedicularis contorta) Herbaceous Vegetation plot M44 Abies amabilis/Rubus spectabilis–Vaccinium alaskaense Forest Mesic Subalpine Forest Forest Thuja plicata–Tsuga heterophylla–(Picea engelmannii)/Oplopanax horridus Forest maps as it affects under 1% of field plots. Wet Western Hemlock– and Woodland Abies lasiocarpa–(Abies amabilis)/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax Forest Luetkea pectinata–Carex spectabilis Lithomorphic Vegetation Tsuga heterophylla/Polystichum munitum–Blechnum spicant Forest M63 plot Douglas-fir Forest Abies lasiocarpa–(Picea engelmannii)/Rhododendron albiflorum Forest Saxifraga tolmiei–(Luzula piperi–Carex nigricans) Lithomorphic Vegetation Tsuga heterophylla–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Tiarella trifoliata–Gymnocarpium Abies lasiocarpa/Rhododendron albiflorum/Rubus lasiococcus Forest Sparsely Vegetated Alpine dryopteris Forest Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium membranaceum/Lupinus arcticus Woodland Herbaceous Vegetation Map Class Tsuga heterophylla–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium alaskaense/Polystichum Abies lasiocarpa/Valeriana sitchensis Forest + association munitum Forest Abies lasiocarpa/Veratrum viride Woodland M39H Carex aquatilis–(Menyanthes trifoliata–Equisetum spp.) Herbaceous Vegetation Tsuga heterophylla–(Pseudotsuga menziesii–Thuja plicata)/Oplopanax Cupressus nootkatensis/Valeriana sitchensis Forest Lowland Wet Meadow plot horridus/Polystichum munitum Forest plot plot plot Tsuga heterophylla–(Pseudotsuga menziesii–Thuja plicata)/Polystichum munitum– M47 Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland M39S Cornus sericea Shrubland Athyrium filix-femina Forest + Conclusions Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis–Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland Salix sitchensis–Spiraea douglasii/Carex aquatilis–Lysichiton americanus Shrubland plot Subalpine Mixed Lowland Wet Shrubland Tsuga heterophylla–(Thuja plicata–Alnus rubra)/Lysichiton americanus–Athyrium filix- Woodland and Shrubland Tsuga mertensiana–Abies amabilis/Vaccinium membranaceum/Xerophyllum tenax plot femina Forest Forest Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis/Blechnum spicant–Tiarella trifoliata–Polystichum Tsuga mertensiana–Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium deliciosum–Phyllodoce empetriformis We created a classification that maximizes separability without sacrificing user munitum Forest Woodland We used a data-driven approach to refine the map classification. Confusion Tsuga heterophylla–Abies amabilis/Oxalis oregana–Blechnum spicant Forest experience. Our data-driven approach maintained well-supported NVC between map classes is realized on the ground, so we based our analysis of hierarchical groupings, increased achievable map accuracy and increased confusion on the characteristics of our 6000+ training plots rather than simple consistency of map class field identification. Our extensive field dataset allowed M58 association summaries. We optimized the classification to minimize confusion us to ask the data which associations were most confused. To meet user needs, in the field (floristic similarity between map classes) and confusion in the M17E M58 Carex (nigricans, spectabilis)–Caltha leptosepala–(Leptarrhena pyrolifolia) Herbaceous High Elevation Wet Vegetation we seeded map classes with the robust categories (endmembers) that were + M42 Meadow Carex nigricans–(Kalmia microphylla–Vaccinium deliciosum) Herbaceous Vegetation modeling process (which depresses mapability and thus map accuracy). M17E Abies lasiocarpa–(Tsuga mertensiana)/Festuca viridula Woodland Carex nigricans–Carex lenticularis–(Calamagrostis canadensis) Herbaceous Vegetation Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium scoparium/Valeriana sitchensis Woodland important to map users, and manually maintained a consistent crosswalk Abies lasiocarpa–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Mahonia nervosa Forest Whitebark Pine- Carex spectabilis–Carex nigricans–(Potentilla flabellifolia) Herbaceous Vegetation M42 Pinus albicaulis–(Abies lasiocarpa)/Vaccinium scoparium–Luzula glabrata Woodland Pseudotsuga menziesii–(Thuja plicata–Abies grandis)/Vaccinium membranaceum Forest Subalpine Fir Salix commutata/(Valeriana sitchensis–Senecio triangularis) Shrubland Mesic Western Pinus albicaulis/Calamagrostis rubescens Woodland between parks, except where data were insufficient. We define modeling confusion as the We define floristic similarity as the Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Achlys triphylla Forest Woodland Salix commutata Shrubland Hemlock–Douglas-fir Pinus albicaulis/Festuca viridula Woodland Trichophorum caespitosum Herbaceous Vegetation Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/(Acer circinatum)/Polystichum munitum Pinus albicaulis/Juniperus communis Woodland Forest Forest percent difference in ‘model votes’ for Euclidian distance between each plot + Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Gaultheria shallon–Vaccinium parvifolium M81 (Thuja plicata)/(Ledum groenlandicum)/Carex obnupta–(Sphagnum spp.) Bog M17W Abies lasiocarpa–(Pinus contorta)/Juniperus communis–Lomatium martindalei Woodland Forest Coastal Bog Thuja plicata–Tsuga heterophylla/Lysichiton americanus/Sphagnum spp. Woodland Our work showed the benefit of specifically testing and maximizing separability. random forests models between each and the floristic centroid of each Dry Subalpine Forest Abies lasiocarpa–(Pinus contorta)/Lupinus arcticus Woodland Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Gaultheria shallon/Polystichum munitum Abies lasiocarpa/Erythronium montanum Forest Forest and Woodland Abies lasiocarpa/Polemonium pulcherrimum–Pedicularis racemosa Woodland +Represents multiple associations that were lumped prior to map classification, mostly We suggest that these techniques can help USNVC Hierarchy-based vegetation pair of associations. association. Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Gaultheria shallon–Mahonia nervosa Forest because of low plot numbers in component associations. Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Mahonia nervosa Forest M24 Abies lasiocarpa–Picea engelmannii/Vaccinium scoparium Woodland mapping efforts using modeling or photo-interpretation meet desired accuracy Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Mahonia nervosa–Polystichum munitum Larix lyallii/Cassiope mertensiana–Luetkea pectinata Woodland Forest Subalpine Larch- For both floristic similarity and modeling confusion, we aimed to maximize Larix lyallii/Vaccinium scoparium/Luzula glabrata Woodland Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Paxistima myrsinites/Linnaea borealis Forest Subalpine Fir Woodland The central chart represents the resultant crosswalk targets by specifically prioritizing separability in the mapping process. Our Larix lyallii/Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland the plot-level margin of victory (model votes or distance in the assigned Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Rhododendron macrophyllum Forest compromise was toward map classes which do not adhere strictly to USNVC Pseudotsuga menziesii–Tsuga heterophylla/Vaccinium alaskaense/Xerophyllum tenax Abies lasiocarpa Krummholz Shrubland between mapping associations and map classes. This Forest M15 class compared to next best fit). Summarized plot-level margin of victory Krummholz Arctostaphylos (nevadensis, uva–ursi)–Juniperus communis Dwarf-shrubland Tsuga heterophylla–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Vaccinium alaskaense–Mahonia nervosa– Pinus albicaulis Krummholz Shrubland crosswalk balances user expectation, floristic similarity and hierarchy but we believe the gains in accuracy and field utility will be valued by (Gaultheria shallon) Forest Tsuga mertensiana Krummholz Shrubland scores were used to assess the consequences of each assignment on Tsuga heterophylla–Pseudotsuga menziesii/Mahonia nervosa–Chimaphila menziesii the map users. Forest model separability. Final modeling, map class prevalence classification-wide floristic similarity and model confusion. M50 (Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Acer circinatum-(Holodiscus discolor) Woodland Vine Maple Talus Abies lasiocarpa–(Pseudotsuga menziesii)/Acer circinatum Talus Woodland review and accuracy assessments are not yet completed. Cupressus nootkatensis–(Acer circinatum–Alnus viridis)/(Paxistima myrsinites) Shrubland Seed for Map Class M07 Shrubland Our classification is based on user- Populus tremuloides Shrubland Map classes may be combined based on accuracy Tsuga heterophylla – Abies amabilis/Vaccinium expected plant community concepts assessment results and map class names are subject to alaskaense/Rubus pedatus Forest (often alliances). We seeded map change. Acknowledgments classes with these distinct associations, M66 This work was generously supported by the National Park Service Inventory and Arctostaphylos (nevadensis, uva–ursi)–Pseudoroegneria spicata Dwarf-Shrubland Seed for Map Class M67E Seed for Map Class M74S M66 Monitoring Program. then grew each class in a stepwise Herbaceous Bald Arctostaphylos (nevadensis, uva–ursi)–Paxistima myrsinites Dwarf-Shrubland Example plot photos are shown above entries for some Arctostaphylos columbiana Shrubland Festuca viridula – Phyllodoce empetriformis Vegetation M51 Eucephalus ledophyllus – Vaccinium deliciosum – fashion to create the classification. Arctostaphylos uva–ursi–Fragaria virginiana–(Festuca roemeri) Dwarf-Shrubland map classes. Each photo represents a different component Herbaceous Vegetation (Cassiope mertensiana) Danthonia intermedia–Racomitrium canescens Herbaceous Vegetation Crawford, R. C., C. B. Chappell, C. C. Thompson, and F. J. Rocchio. 2009. Vegetation classification of Mount Rainier, North Subalpine Dwarf- Festuca roemeri–Cerastium arvense–Koeleria macrantha Herbaceous Vegetation M51 Ceanothus velutinus–(Spiraea betulifolia)/Calamagrostis rubescens Shrubland Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR—2009/211. National Park shrubland, After each assignment, the geometric Koeleria macrantha–(Agrostis pallens) Herbaceous Vegetation Dry Tall Shrubland Prunus emarginata–Amelanchier alnifolia–Ceanothus velutinus/ association. Bolded mapping associations are already part Lewisia columbiana–(Juncus parryi) Lithomorphic Vegetation (Maianthemum racemosa–Thalictrum occidentalis) Shrubland Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. mean of plot-level margin of victories Luina hypoleuca Lithomorphic Vegetation Salix spp.–Acer glabrum–(Sorbus scopulina)/Paxistima myrsinites Shrubland of the USNVC, all others are preliminary or provisional and Polygonum minimum–Racomitrium elongatum Lithomorphic Vegetation Pseudoroegneria spicata/Selaginella wallacei Herbaceous Vegetation M18 Acer circinatum–(Alnus viridis–Cornus sericea)/(Pteridium aquilinum) Shrubland NatureServe. 2010. NCCN alliance descriptions: forested and a subset of non-forested alliances from Mount Rainer, North Analyses used R (3.3.2, ‘vegclust’ was re-calculated across all associations Acer circinatum/Athyrium filix-femina–Tolmiea menziesii Shrubland stem from extensive field work and ongoing classification Racomitrium canescens–(Penstemon davidsonii) Herbaceous Vegetation Low Elevation Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. Interim Report, NatureServe, Arlington, VA. package), MS Excel, and ArcGIS (10.3) and map classes. Deciduous Tall Acer spp.–(Corylus cornuta)/Paxistima myrsinites Shrubland efforts (Crawford et. al. 2009). Shrubland