National HVRA Layer - Ecosystem Function

Brief summary

This data layer represents ecosystem function based on a classification of potential vegetation from LANDFIRE that represents general ecosystem types. This dataset includes coverage for the conterminous US.

Description

Overview

Ecosystem Function is part of the Highly Valued Resource or Asset (HVRA) data used in the National Wildfire Risk Assessment for Forest Service Lands (Dillon 2020). Ecosystem Function groups can be used as Sub-HVRAs within the Map Values, Exposure Analysis and Quantitative Wildfire Risk Assessment functionality within the Interagency Fuel Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS, https://iftdss.firenet.gov).

Data Details

Ecosystem Function represents the broad ecology of vegetation types and the role of fire in ecosystems. Ecosystem Function was derived from LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings (BpS, LANDFIRE 2014) data. The 1,754 BpS units were condensed into 84 groupings based on ecological setting, historic fire frequency, and general fire ecology. Those 84 groups were further lumped into 12 groups based on presumed first-order fire effects represented by specific response functions. Areas not mapped are non-burnable, sparsely vegetated, or represented by BpS units with a neutral response to fire or BpS units that burn extremely infrequently.

Ecosystem Function groups, named according to generalized first-order fire effects from low to high intensity categories, include:

  • Fully positive
  • All positive, decreasing slightly
  • All positive, undulating
  • Fully positive to neutral
  • Moderately positive to fully positive
  • Fully positive to moderately negative
  • Fully positive to strongly negative
  • Neutral to slightly negative
  • Neutral to moderately negative (slow)
  • Neutral to moderately negative (steady)
  • All negative, decreasing
  • Fully negative

Citations

Dillon, Gregory K. 2020. Results and application of the National Wildfire Risk Assessment. Pp. 252-257. In: Hood, Sharon M.; Drury, Stacy; Steelman, Toddi; and Steffens, Ron, eds. Proceedings of the Fire Continuum – preparing for the future of wildland fire; 2018 May 21-24; Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-78. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Online.

Dillon, Gregory K.; Buchanan, Beth. 2017. Supplemental files for Ecosystem Function HVRA in the National Wildfire Risk Assessment for Forest Service Lands. Unpublished data files, June 2017. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Modeling Institute. Missoula, MT.

LANDFIRE. 2014. LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings layer (version 1.2.0). U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey. https://landfire.cr.usgs.gov/viewer/