Description of classes used in the Southern Michigan Statewide Map

 

            This is an explanation of the values present in the Southern Michigan Statewide raster map, with the associated rules used to arrive at the class labels. Arabic numbers in bold type are those included in the map. Classification scheme should be viewed as a series of sequential if-then statements. Order counts. For example, consider a forest stand where 50% of the canopy is Aspen, 20% Maple, and 30% Pine. Because Aspen precedes Upland Mix in the decision rules , the forest types out as Aspen (413) rather than Mixed Deciduous (419). 

Class numbers were chosen in part to be similar to existing MIRIS LandCover labels and their decision rule sequence does not necessarily match the numeric order  (for example class 110 follows class 122 in the decision rules).

Number in parentheses following classification name is the grid value.

 

                                                                                  

I           Urban

                  Land area greater than 10% manmade structures including paved and  gravel roads and parking lots.

 

 

121      Airports (3)

Impervious land within airport grounds, including runways.

 

            122      Road/Parking Lot (4)

Roads or Parking Lots

           

123      High Intensity Urban (2)

Land Area greater than 25% solid impervious cover made from man-made materials, other than airports, roads, or parking lots.

 

11        Low Intensity Urban (1)

Land area greater than 10%  and less than 25% manmade structures including paved and gravel roads and parking lots.

 

 

II          Agricultural

               Intensively managed for vegetation production excluding forestry

 

            2111    Non-vegetated Farmland (5)

Land area tilled for crop production with less than 25% currently vegetated

 

            2112    Row crops (6)

Vegetation is annual crops planted in rows (e.g. corn, soybeans)

 

           


2113, 212        Forage Crops/ Non-tilled herbaceous agriculture (7)

Vegetation used for fodder production (e.g. alfalfa, hay). Also includes land used for pasture, or non-tilled herbaceous agriculture.

 

            221      Xmas tree plantation (8)

Woody trees grown for Christmas trees. None mapped in Southern Lower Peninsula

 

            222      Orchards/Vineyards/Nursery (9)

Woody trees not grown for Christmas trees.

 

 

 

UPLAND

 Land not periodically flooded nor on hydric soils

 

III        Upland Openland

   Less than 25% of land area is covered by tree canopy. And greater than 25% of land area is vegetated.

 

350      Parks/Golf Courses (13)

Maintained for recreational purposes     

 

320,330   Upland Shrub/Low Density Trees (12)

The combination of woody shrubs and tree canopy (woody cover). covers more than 25% of the land area.

 

310      Herbaceous Openland (10)

Less than 25% of land area is occupied by woody cover.

                                               

 

IV        Upland Forest

Proportion of trees exceeds 25% of land area

 

  A.      Upland Deciduous Forest

Proportion of deciduous trees exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

            411      Northern Hardwood Association (14)

Combination of Maples, Beech, Basswood, White Ash, Cherry, Yellow Birch exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

            412      Oak Association (15)

Proportion of Oaks exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

            413      Aspen Association (16)

Proportion of Aspen exceeds 40% of the canopy

 

            414      Other Upland Deciduous (17)

Proportion of any other single species exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

            419      Mixed Upland Deciduous (18)

Proportion of deciduous trees exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

  B.       Upland Coniferous Forest

 

            421/422  Pines (19)

Proportion of pines exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

            423      Other Upland Conifers (20)

Proportion of non-Pine upland conifers exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

429      Mixed Upland Conifers (21)

Proportion of coniferous trees exceeds 60% of the canopy. None mapped in Southern Lower Peninsula

 

            43        Upland Mixed Forest (22)

. Mixed forest not falling into any other category. Proportion of Conifers to Deciduous ranges between 40%:60% to  60%:40%

 

  V.      Water

 

            50        Water (23)

Proportion of open water exceeds 75% of land area

 

            LOWLAND

Land is periodically flooded and/or on hydric soils

 

  VI.     Lowland Forest

Proportion of trees exceeds 25% of land area

 

            611      Lowland Deciduous Forest (24)

Proportion of deciduous trees exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

612      Lowland Coniferous Forest (25)

Proportion of coniferous trees exceeds 60% of the canopy

 

            613      Lowland Mixed Forest (26)

Mixed forest not falling into any other category. Proportion of Conifers to Deciduous ranges between 40%:60% to  60%:40%

 

 

 VII.     Nonforested Wetlands

Proportion of trees is less than or equal to 25% of land area

 

            621      Floating Aquatic (27)

Proportion of floating aquatic vegetation exceeds 60% of non-water cover

 

            622      Lowland Shrub (28)

Proportion of lowland shrub exceeds 60% of non-water cover

 

 

            623      Emergent Wetland (29)

Proportion of emergent vegetation exceeds 60% of non-water cover

 

629      Mixed Non-forest Wetland (30)

Non-forested wetlands not falling into any other category

 

VIII      Bare/Sparsely Vegetated

Land is less than 25% vegetated

 

            710      Sand,Soil (31)

Land cover is formed primarily of sand or bare soil

 

            720      Exposed Rock (32)

Land Cover is formed of solid rock. None mapped in Southern Lower Peninsula

 

730      Mud Flats (33)

If periodically flooded

 

            760      Non-stocked Forest (34)

If on forest lands. None mapped in Southern Lower Peninsula

 

            790      Other Bare/Sparsely Vegetated (35)