LANDFIRE 2016 Remap National Vegetation Classification (NVC) Micronesia

LANDFIRE's (LF) 2016 Remap (Remap) National Vegetation Classification (NVC) represents the current distribution of vegetation groups within the U.S. National Vegetation Classification System ([version 2.0] http://usnvc.org/). Groups within the NVC IAerarchy are defined as combinations of relatively narrow sets of diagnostic plant species, including dominants and co-dominants, broadly similar composition, and diagnostic growth forms. NVC groups are mapped using decision tree models informed by field reference data, Landsat imagery, elevation data, and biophysical gradient inputs. NVC models are developed separately for each lifeform, including sparse vegetation, and for each Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Level III Ecoregion (https://www.epa.gov/eco-research/ecoregions). Riparian, alpine, sparse and other site-specific EVTs are constrained by predetermined masks. Urban and developed areas are derived from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), whereas agricultural lands originate from the Cropland Data Layer (CDL) and Common Land Unit (CLU) database. Developed ruderal classes are identified by combining wildland-urban-interface (WUI) data with population density information from the US Census Bureau. Annual Disturbance products are included to describe areas that have experienced landscape change within the previous 10-year period. NVC is reconciled through QA/QC measures to ensure lifeform is synchronized with both Existing Vegetation Cover (EVC) and Height (EVH) products.